James McGregor

  • Author, One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China and NO ANCIENT WISDOM, NO FOLLOWERS: The Challenges of Chinese Authoritarian Capitalism
  • Chairman of APCO's China operations
  • Senior China Advisor, Vistage, World’s Leading Chief Executive Organization
  • Member, Council on Foreign Relations, International Council Asia Society, National Committee US-China Relations



James McGregor is everybody's go-to guy on China - providing strategic advice to top political leaders and Fortune 500 CEOs and serving as an insightful and influential China commentator for television, radio and print media across the globe. James McGregor knows how China really works. With formidable storytelling skills, he reveals indispensable and street-smart strategies, tactics and lessons for succeeding in the world’s fastest growing consumer market.  He has lived in China for decades and is fluent in Mandarin.

 

Add to my speaker list
James  McGregor headshot
Rave Reviews About James McGregor
Your insight and advice was greatly appreciated by both myself and the delegates. So far the feedback has been very positive and there has been a buzz around the event. People have mentioned how they enjoyed your presentation and that is was very eye-opening as well as entertaining. I am very glad that you were able to come along and brighten up the event!

A Sample of the Groups That Have Hosted James McGregor
  • Templeton Capital Advisors
  • — Jonathan Spence, Sterling Professor of History at Yale and author of The Search for Modern China
  • Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
  • Daniel Yergin, Author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning The Prize and of Commanding Heights: the Battle for the World Economy
  • Barron's
  • Outsell, Inc.
  • Dr. Henry Kissinger
  • RiskMinds Asia
Explore Talks By James McGregor
Expand all >

Now That It Matters More, Does China Care Less?

There is a growing perception that barriers to foreign business in China have been fortifying since the global economic crisis pushed the U.S. and Europe into a tailspin and launched China to unplanned stardom on the world stage. For foreign business, increasingly difficult China market access is th ...

There is a growing perception that barriers to foreign business in China have been fortifying since the global economic crisis pushed the U.S. and Europe into a tailspin and launched China to unplanned stardom on the world stage. For foreign business, increasingly difficult China market access is the immediate worry, and some fear that their onetime Chinese joint-venture partners will now be competing with them globally. But the core concern is rebalancing the economic and political dynamic between China and the developed world. Political and business leaders on both sides of the Pacific need to lift their heads above overwhelming domestic economic and political concerns and seek solutions before things get out of control.

Commonsense Talk about an Uncommon Country

Journalist-turned-businessman James McGregor views China as being simultaneously the world’s largest startup and the world’s largest turnaround. In this speech, McGregor will walk the audience into the middle of the Chinese business world while sharing his insider’s perspective on ...

Journalist-turned-businessman James McGregor views China as being simultaneously the world’s largest startup and the world’s largest turnaround. In this speech, McGregor will walk the audience into the middle of the Chinese business world while sharing his insider’s perspective on the politics, the people and China’s changing place in the world order. When it comes to talking about China and business in China, McGregor is a combination of Mark Twain and Tom Peters. He offers compelling and humorous stories that carry very insightful and unique lessons.

Power Shift: How the Rise of China is Changing Global Business

China is the world’s second-largest economy, biggest exporter, largest auto manufacturer and auto market. It is the world’s largest energy user as its demand for power has more than doubled in the last decade. China is also funding the US budget deficit. These facts underlie a profound p ...

China is the world’s second-largest economy, biggest exporter, largest auto manufacturer and auto market. It is the world’s largest energy user as its demand for power has more than doubled in the last decade. China is also funding the US budget deficit. These facts underlie a profound power shift – at least in the mind of Chinese leaders – that has fueled increased Chinese assertiveness in foreign policy and business and trade strategies. These new policies and the accompanying political campaign – hung under the banner of “Indigenous Innovation” — call for all Chinese to roll up their sleeves and complete the mission of catching up with the West in science and technology that began 200 years ago. How is this switch from defense to offense impacting the international companies that compete for business in China, and to what lengths will China go to secure the top slot in global business competition?
 

China Moves Reluctantly to the Front of the Global Stage

The Global Financial Crisis has pushed China to the front of the global stage and uncomfortably into the geopolitical spotlight much sooner than anyone, including China, expected. Chinese leaders are now faced with lifting their focus from their overwhelming domestic to-do list and figuring out how ...

The Global Financial Crisis has pushed China to the front of the global stage and uncomfortably into the geopolitical spotlight much sooner than anyone, including China, expected. Chinese leaders are now faced with lifting their focus from their overwhelming domestic to-do list and figuring out how to handle a global community that expects China to think about what is best for the entire world. In his speech, James McGregor will describe how he sees this drama unfolding in China, and how China will handle its new role as a world leader.

Learn more about James McGregor
Books by James McGregor
(+)
Biography
(+)

James McGregor is an American author, journalist and businessman who has lived in China for more than 25 years. He is chairman of APCO Worldwide, Greater China and a senior advisor to Pacific Epoch. A professional speaker and commentator who specializes in China’s business, politics and society, he regularly appears in the media to discuss China-related topics. He is also a contributor to The Atlantic.

McGregor is the author of the books No Ancient Wisdom, No Followers: The Challenges of Chinese Authoritarian Capitalism (2012) and One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China (2005). He also wrote the 2010 report "China’s Drive for ‘Indigenous Innovation’ – A Web of Industrial Policies."

From 1987 to 1990 McGregor served as The Wall Street Journal’s bureau chief in Taiwan, and from 1990 to 1994 as the paper’s bureau chief in Mainland China. From 1994 to 2000, he was chief executive of Dow Jones & Company in China. After leaving Dow Jones, he was China managing partner for GIV Venture Partners, a $140 million venture capital fund specializing in the Chinese Internet and technology outsourcing.

In 1996, McGregor was elected as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. He also served for a decade as a governor of that organization. He is a member of the Atlantic Council, Council on Foreign Relations, National Committee on US-China Relations and International Council of the Asia Society. He serves on a variety of China-related advisory boards. He and his family live in Beijing.