The AIT and AmCham Taipei Co-Host U.S.-Taiwan International Patient Day

The American Institute of Taiwan (AIT) and AmCham Taipei co-hosted U.S.-Taiwan International Patient Day at the AmCham Taipei Lincoln Room on May 24. The goal of the International Patient Day is for foreign government regulators and high-level officials to see the personal impact U.S. medical technology has on the Taiwan population.

The event featured presentations by local doctors and medical experts on how U.S. medical technologies are being used to ease suffering for patients, while increasing the probability of full-recovery and reducing mortality in Taiwan. Patients were also in attendance at the event to share their personal stories and experiences on how U.S. medical technologies have helped to improve their lives during the treatment and recovery. U.S. technologies that were highlighted include: 1) advanced hemodynamic monitoring for major burn victims; 2) transcatheter aortic valve replacement surgery (TAVR); 3) insulin pump therapy for diabetic patients; and 4) closures for left atrial appendage. Representatives from Cigna also introduced their healthcare platform to help consumers manage their health and engage with care systems via mobile app.

From left to right: Henley Jones, Commercial Officer, AIT Commercial Section, Tsung-Hsi Wang (王宗曦), Secretary General, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Andrea Wu, President of AmCham Taipei, Mao-Ting Sheen (沈茂庭), Chief Secretary, National Health Insurance Administration, MOHW

Attendees to the U.S.-Taiwan International Patient Day included Tsung-Hsi Wang (王宗曦), Secretary General, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Cheng-Hua Lee (李丞華), Deputy Director General, National Health Insurance Administration, MOHW, Mao-Ting Sheen (沈茂庭), Chief Secretary, National Health Insurance Administration, MOHW, and other officials from healthcare and medical related divisions.

Special thanks to the doctors and specialists who presented and shared their medical expertise:

  • Chia-Shen Yang, Chief, Burn Center and Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
    楊家森醫師 – 高雄長庚燒燙傷中心主任、高雄長庚醫院整形外科醫師
  • Wei-Hsien Yin, Cardiologist, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Heart Centre at Cheng Hsin General Hospital
    殷偉賢醫師 – 振興醫院心臟醫學中心 心臟血管內科主任
  • Chia-Hung Lin, Attending physician, Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology at Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
    林嘉鴻醫師 – 桃園長庚醫院新陳代謝科主治醫師
  • Amy Lee, VP of Operations at Cigna Taiwan
    李映慧 – 康健人壽資深副總
  • Sandy Chen, Chief Operation Officer at Cigna Taiwan
    陳立琳 – 康健人壽營運長
  • Chia-Ti Tsai, Attending Physician in Cardiology, National Taiwan University Hospital
    Professor of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University
    蔡佳醍 醫師 台大心臟內科部主治醫師、國立台灣大學醫學院內科專任教授

How to Innovate Breakthrough Solutions Using the Design Thinking Framework

“Design thinking” refers to a powerful methodology for identifying, clarifying, and defining customer problems and then co-creating innovative solutions for which no traditional problem-solving tool can be used. It is one of the most popular courses at Stanford University—among other institutions and companies.

On May 17, AmCham Taipei invited William Zyzo, Managing Director, Z&A Knowledge Solutions / Advisor, Advanced Learning Lab, to host a one-day workshop at the Lincoln Room, “How to Innovate Breakthrough Solutions Using the Design Thinking Framework.”  William Zyzo shared with participants how the design-thinking framework could be used to formulate company-level strategy, create business models, redesign business processes, and develop new products and services.

Participants also learned how to apply the design thinking framework using three actual business cases in order to better understand how this framework could be put to use for their own problems and opportunities at work, including:

  • How to integrate creativity into developing new and innovative products and solutions
  • How to implement and communicate change to design and redesign business processes
  • How to design and redesign business models to generate new opportunities

Participants also learned how to apply the design thinking framework using three actual business cases.

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

AmCham’s 2017 Golf Championship

On May 12, AmCham Taipei held its 2017 Golf Championship at the Kuo Hua Golf & Country Club in Beitou.

With a full shot-gun start, all players teed-off promptly at 6:30 a.m., following the Texas Scramble based on Peoria format. The day was mostly cloudy with pleasant temperatures, and players were able to stay refreshed with non-alcoholic drinks generously sponsored by Swire Coca-Cola, Savanna Cider by Distell, and Ice cream by Swensen’s.

A total of 55 golfers, organized into 14 teams, took part in the golf event.

Thanks to hole-sponsors Corning, and Taiwan Sotheby’s International Realty, golfers had the chance to win Nearest to the Pin contests at every Par-3 hole, as well as Longest Drive on two Par-5 holes. In addition, Ally Logistics Property also sponsored 8 sleeves of top-quality golf balls as hole prizes.

All participants also took home “goody bags” filled with prizes provided by Asian Tigers, Ally Logistics Property, Costco, Crown, and Taiwan Sotheby’s International Realty.

Tournament Results

Team handicaps for this year’s tournament were determined using the Peoria system, with the six special holes drawn randomly by players during the awards lunch. Evonik (Thomas Zechel, Albert Lee, Michael Huang, and KC Lin) won the championship. Other golfers also had opportunities to win prizes in the lucky draw that followed, with products sponsored by Audi, Costco, Grand Hyatt Taipei, Howard Plaza Taipei, IGST, Patron Spirits, Regent Taipei, Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei, Silks Place Taroko, The Place Tainan, The Sherwood Taipei, and the W Taipei. Distell also sponsored Scottish Leader Whisky that was served during lunch.

Before ending lunch, AmCham President Andrea Wu extended special thanks to the 2017 AmCham Golf Committee – Doug Klein, Jesse Chen, James Hsiao, and Wayne Shen – for their expert advice on all things golf-related.

View the full photo gallery here

HR Committee Luncheon: The Importance of Identifying Change Agents

The world’s economy is undergoing significant challenges that are deeply unsettling for most businesses. This has created an urgent imperative to adjust to the new realities of changing business models. According to employers in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the most needed skills for top talent are 1) change management skills 2) a competitive/entrepreneurial mindset.

On May 11, AmCham Taipei’s HR Committee invited Christine Raynaud from Morgan Philips to give a presentation on “Why companies seek change agents and how HR can identify them.” She stressed that to help employers identify change agents, HR practitioners need to know how to uncover such characteristics in new hires and existing workforces.

From left to right: HR Committee Co-Chair, Monica Han, Country HR Leader, 3M Taiwan Ltd., speaker Christine Raynaud from Morgan Philips, HR Committee Co-Chair, Seraphim Ma, Senior Partner, Baker & McKenzie

The importance of identifying change agents within a company include:

  • Implement and adapt to new business models in order to stay competitive in the market
  • Managing resistance or those that oppose change
  • Develop and manage key leaders to support organizational changes
  • Ensure that individualistic goals align with the company’s strategy

Competencies to look for when identifying change agents:

  • Personal Balance
  • Leadership Influence
  • Consideration of Others
  • Creativity and Adaptability
  • Attention to Detail

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

Two Congresswomen Visit AmCham Taipei

Representative Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) and Representative Nanette Barragan (D-CA) called at the AmCham Taipei office on May 9 during their three-day stay in Taiwan. Accompanied by Congresswoman Lawrence’s legislative aide Alex Huang, a Taiwanese-American, they met with the Chamber’s Senior Director Don Shapiro, Senior Director for Government & Public Affairs Amy Chang, and Government & Public Affairs Manager Erica Lai. The group was joined by two representatives from Herbalife Nutrition, whose headquarters in the Los Angeles area is near Congresswoman Lawrence’s district: Taiwan General Manager Ceasar Chen and Senior Manager for Regulatory, Government & Industry Affairs Alex Lin.

Representative Lawrence explained that the main purpose of the trip was to make up for her inability to come last year for the inauguration of President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Chen Chien-jen. But she and Representative Barragan, whose district is in Detroit, were also looking for potential business opportunities in Taiwan for companies in their districts. As skilled manpower training and port operations are among their particular interests, their itinerary included Taiwan’s occupational training center and Kaohsiung Harbor.

From left to right: Amy Chang, Chamber’s Senior Director for Government & Public Affairs; Don Shapiro, Chamber’s Senior Director; Representative Nanette Barragan (D-CA); Representative Brenda Lawrence (D-MI); Ceasar Chen, General Manager, Herbalife Taiwan Inc.; Alex Lin, Senior Manager of Worldwide Regulatory, Government, & Industry Affairs at Herbalife Taiwan Inc.

Greater China Committee Luncheon: Discussion on Cross-Strait Dilemmas

Prominent China scholars Harry Harding and Syaru Shirley Lin, both professors at the University of Virginia, jointly gave a presentation on “Cross-Strait Dilemmas: Challenges Facing Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Tsai Ing-wen” at a luncheon meeting of AmCham Taipei’s Greater China Committee on May 5.

  • Despite Taiwan’s huge trade and investment links with China, interest in Taiwan in unification with the mainland has declined sharply over the decades, especially among the younger generation.
  • The reason is development in Taiwan of a distinct Taiwanese identify, defined mainly by perceptions of a different “way of life” centered on civic values.
  • The change poses serious policy challenges for the leadership in all three places, but especially for Taiwan. Should it deepen its economic integration with China or give priority to improving relations with the rest of the world?
  • Beijing’s approach toward Taiwan hasn’t been working. Looking ahead, it has three options (none ideal from its point of view): 1) stay the course, hoping that deeper economic integration and more frequent political dialogue will gradually restore a Chinese identity and interest in unification, 2) increase pressure on Taiwan using diplomatic and economic sanctions or even military action, and 3) narrow the gap, undertaking reforms reducing the differences between the two political systems.
  • Washington has to consider whether its “One China” policy is obsolete or is it an irreplaceable component of American’s China policy? Its options include: 1) upgrading relations with Taiwan within a One-China framework, 2) making a deal with China, and 3) no change.
  • Taiwanese tend to blame their problems on China, but many of the difficulties are reflections of globalization and the “High Income Trap” Taiwan shares with other more-developed economies. The political consequences of these trends are being seen worldwide.

From left to right: Dan Silver, Standing Vice Chairman, speaker Harry Harding, Professor of Public Policy at University of Virginia, speaker Syaru Shirley Lin, Professor of Political Science at University of Virginia, Helen Chou, Greater China Business Committee Chair.