Brainstorming with Branson

A delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs with Richard Branson (fourth from the right in second row) and their teams at the Necker Island in the Caribbean on Aug 4. [Provided to China Daily]

Entrepreneurs meet with Virgin Group founder to talk about strengthening public initiatives

An influential group of business leaders from China say they are planning to set up a college in the country to cultivate talent able to better tackle future public initiatives and charitable activities.

Ma Weihua, the executive chairman of the China Entrepreneur Club, says that China now lacks enough talented people to work in the field, compared to many of other major nations.

He says that in the United States, for instance, 292 universities already have public initiatives or charity majors. But in China, only one tertiary institution, Beijing Normal University, offers a similar course and a few minor programs.

Ma is just back from what he calls an "enlightening" trip, along with other members of the CEC, to the British Virgin Island where they were hosted by Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, the British travel, music, entertainment and financial services conglomerate.

Branson, one of the world's leading philanthropists and recently listed as the world's 302nd richest person by Forbes magazine, got to know CEC members two years ago, and was interested enough in their work to invite them to meet him for more formal discussion of their ideas.

He chose to host the event on his idyllic 30-acre Necker Island in the Caribbean, Aug 2-6. Ma, also a former president of China Merchants Bank, says the event provided him and the group with insights into how they could better use China's wealth and business strength, to do good.

Eight leading CEC members, from a range of companies, made the trip, including Wang Weibin, the chairman of Suntrans Holdings; Ai Xin, chairman of Suntone Group; and Xia Hua, chairwoman of Eve Group.

Ma says the five days of meetings focused on being responsible in business and using innovative business models to improve society.

Branson has played a visible role in areas such as alternative fuels and other green initiatives and peace efforts.

Ma says that he and his fellow-guests found lots of common ground with Branson, as they discussed the importance of running public initiatives and charities like businesses, to make them more sustainable.

Branson told his guests that he knew there were issues on which they could collaborate with Chinese entrepreneurs, and that he wanted China's entrepreneurs to make a greater effort to be involved with him and others from the West.

He added that his group can help China as it deals with many of its most-pressing social issues, such as protecting the environment, public initiatives and charities.

He and senior members of his staff shared ideas about their own public initiatives and charities. Branson noted that campaigns in China to reduce consumption of shark fins, for instance, showed the potential for environmental and other such initiatives.