Patrick Powers has 25 years international commerce, government relations and trade policy experience. He has spent the vast majority of his career in Asia, specifically in China, Singapore, Vietnam and Taiwan. Having lived and worked in China for 18 years he has developed a deep business, cultural, and functional expertise in China.
Patrick has held board and executive positions for highly regulated, multi-national organizations. He is currently a board member for Liaoning Tianli Mining Ltd., a Sino-Canadian joint venture where he previously served as Vice President, China and was the key executive in the develop ment and implement ation of the company's core strategies in China. Previously, he served as Vice President , China Operations at the US-China Business Council, the primary organization advising American companies on trade with the PRC. In this critical position, his overall responsib ility was to provide business advocacy and advisory services on behalf of 250 American MNC's operating in the PRC. He has also held successive management positions with Bechtel Incorporated, Island Creek of China Coal Limited (Occidental Petroleum) , SSM Coal BV, SHV Holdings, and Tait Asia Limited, Vietnam. His commercial background spans a variety of sectors including mining, large scale retailing, consumer goods warehousing and distribution, and government relations .
Patrick is a well recognized public speaker and is frequently invited to give his opinion and insights on China related topics at international professional conferences. He has been quoted in print and televised by significant news programs including CCTV, CNN, CNBC, and NPR. He has published articles related to China's business climate in the China Business Review, such as Distribution in China - the End of the Beginning and What a Difference a Decade Makes.
Patrick holds a BA degree from San Diego State University and has pursued advanced language and professional development courses a t the University of California, Berkeley, National Taiwan Normal University, and Singapore Institute of Management. He is fluent in Mandarin and English .