THE NETWORK LAUNCHES IN SHANGHAI: THE RIGHT PEOPLE. THE RIGHT VENUE. THE RIGHT BEGINNING.

4 June 2026 | Shanghai Centre, Shanghai

On 4 June 2026, The Network officially launched its event series in Shanghai with its first gathering at the Shanghai Centre.

Under the theme “The Right People. The Right Venue. The Right Beginning.”, the evening brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs and experienced China professionals from Shanghai and the surrounding region.

The idea behind The Network is simple: create a platform where meaningful business relationships can develop between people who share an interest in China and international business.

Rather than creating another large conference or purely social networking event, The Network focuses on bringing together people with relevant experience, knowledge and decision-making responsibility. The aim is to create trusted links between East and West and provide an environment where conversations can develop naturally into professional relationships and business opportunities.

The first event featured Miriam Wickertsheim and Peter Nestmann, who shared their perspectives and experiences with the audience. Their contributions provided the starting point for further conversations among guests throughout the evening.

The event also established an important principle for future The Network gatherings: presentations should provide useful perspectives, but there must always be enough time for direct interaction between participants.

Guests came from different industries and professional backgrounds, creating the type of cross-sector exchange that The Network intends to encourage.

For The Network team of Axel Kruse, Zenon Pagliero and Stefan Woditsch, the evening marked the beginning of a new Shanghai-based business community built around personal relationships rather than simply collecting contacts.

The first event demonstrated that there is room for a platform connecting international executives, entrepreneurs and Chinese business leaders in a more focused and personal setting.

It was exactly what the title promised: the right people, the right venue and the right beginning.