Georgia – China CEO Forum: Defying Decoupling in U.S. – China Engagement

Join Global Atlanta and Georgia State University Center for International Business Education and Research as we glean insights from Georgia-based executives whose companies are defying the prevailing narrative, deepening their engagement with China at a time when many are diversifying their global presence. This webinar features Scott Ellyson, CEO, of East West Manufacturing, Anisa Telwar, CEO, of Anisa International, and will be moderated by Trevor Williams, Managing Editor, of Global Atlanta.

A trade war, a presidential transition, techno-nationalism, and divergent paths on COVID-19 have disrupted ties between the world’s two largest economies more than a year into an unprecedented global health crisis.

U.S.-China headlines paint a picture of a partnership beyond repair, but investment and trade continue even as it drifts toward decoupling.

Key takeaways:

• Understanding how the lingering effects of the Trump trade war with China are playing out on the ground, and what changes executives foresee from the new Biden administration.
• Learn how American manufacturers sourcing from China have decided whether to deepen or diversify their operations in the country.
• How leaders of major U.S. companies navigated the initial management challenge of adapting to COVID-19, first in their Chinese operations when it was confined to the country and then as it spread throughout the globe.

About the Speakers

Anisa Telwar Kaicker

Founder and CEO

Anisa International

Anisa Telwar Kaicker is the Founder and CEO of her namesake business, Anisa International. She started her business in 1992 and has pioneered the leadership,

product development and culture of this globally branded business through the design and manufacturing of cosmetic brushes for makeup and skin care. She partners with the most esteemed brands in the beauty industry.

As a trusted authority, Anisa has built a reputation on creating the highest standard of innovative, quality-driven products in the beauty brush space and attributes much of this success to an unyielding commitment to transparency within the manufacturing process.

Anisa is a passionate creative that is bound to her professional work through a spirit of providing meaningful solutions that make consumers lives easier and more engaging when it comes to their beauty routines. Her personal reputation is equally notable and includes long-standing philanthropic contributions that span causes for homeless families, animals and the conservation of our environment.

Scott Ellyson

CEO & Co-Founder, East West Manufacturing

Scott Ellyson is Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of East West Manufacturing. As CEO and Co-Founder, Scott has played a pivotal role in the Company’s growth. In addition to overseeing East West’s global operations, Scott is well recognized in the industry and very active in the Company’s acquisition efforts. Before co-founding East West, Scott was VP of Offshore Manufacturing and Logistics for DiversiTech Corporation. Previously, He co-founded ITS Ltd., an EMS manufacturer in Asia that makes automobile components and electronic assemblies and began his career as a manufacturing and industrial engineer producing medical instruments for Boston Scientific. He also worked for several years as a management consultant for PWC, focusing on logistics, strategy and operations.

Trevor Williams

Managing Editor

Global Atlanta

A versatile digital journalist, Trevor Williams has spent more than a decade writing on international business and trade for Global Atlanta, an online news service covering Atlanta’s intersection with the global economy. He has undertaken journalism trips to 30+ countries on five continents, uncovering stories that reveal both the perils and promise of globalization and its ramifications for his home state.

Trevor focuses intently on Asia and also has written extensively on foreign direct investment, trade and exports, Georgia’s ties with China, and Atlanta’s emergence as a payments hub, among other topics.

Trevor graduated from the University of Georgia with dual bachelor’s degrees in Magazine Journalism and Religion, as well as a minor in Chinese Language and Literature. He is a proud husband and father of two young sons, as well as the editor of the book “Making Men: Five Steps to Growing Up.”