季風人文講壇第78期：Kenneth Wilcox

How to succeed in China, and how to fail

with Kenneth Wilcox

October 23, 2025｜In English

This talk offers an unvarnished look at the realities of doing business in China, beyond headlines and policy debates. Drawing from firsthand experience, Wilcox explores how business ethics and practices in China have remained remarkably consistent since the 1980s, shaped by the enduring influence of the Chinese Communist Party. While the global context continues to shift, Western approaches to China often remain rooted in naivete and misplaced optimism. The book challenges common assumptions, urging readers to confront the complexities of “de-risking,” the opacity of Chinese business networks, and the cultural and historical logic behind how the game is played in the PRC.

About the Speaker 

Kenneth Wilcox was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) from 2001 to 2011, then the CEO of SVB's joint venture with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB-SVB) in Shanghai until 2015, followed by four years as its Vice Chairman. He currently serves on the boards of the Asia Society of Northern California, the Asian Art Museum, and UC San Diego's 21st Century China Center, as well as Columbia Lake Partners, a European venture-debt fund. He is on the Board of Advisors of the Fudan University School of Management in Shanghai and an Adjunct Professor at U.C. Berkeley.