International Women’s Day: Embrace Equity

Mattie Bekink is responsible for the Economist Corporate Network’s China strategy, including programme development and client servicing across China. She also provides support to all Economist Corporate Network programmes worldwide with a China component.

Ms Bekink has extensive experience in the public, private and policy sectors. Prior to joining The Economist Group, she was the Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in the Netherlands. She also ran an eponymous consulting business, advising senior executives from businesses, universities and non-profit organisations on China policy, strategy, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility. Ms Bekink practised law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, has worked with the US-Asia Law Initiative at NYU Law School and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative China Programme, and served in the legal department at General Motors China.

Ms Bekink has a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Gayle Lacey has been with the HSBC Group for the last 20 years; working in the Middle East, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Latin America, Vietnam, Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China.
Gayle is currently the Chief Risk Officer for HSBC China and moved to Shanghai in June 2021. HSBC China’s network, which has the largest number of outlets and the widest geographical reach of any foreign bank in Mainland China, continues to expand. Gayle leads the Risk function in proactively managing all of the risks across the bank, which has a c.USD1bn PBT and +USD40bn loans and advances to customers, ensuring the business is sustainable, safe and positioned for growth.

Previously, Gayle was the UK Chief Operating Officer for Commercial Banking. HSBC UK Commercial Banking supports businesses of all sizes; with a million customers and a PBT of c.GBP1.5bn.

Gayle graduated from the University of Bath in the UK with a B.Sc. in International Management.

Gayle is the co-Chair of Balance in Mainland China. Balance is a global community of HSBC colleagues with a mission of achieving gender inclusion and equality across HSBC.

Gayle is on the board of the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and on the board of Girl Scouts in Mainland China. Gayle is also on the board of an education trust in the UK, the Wade Deacon Trust.
In her spare time, Gayle loves to cook and enjoys exploring new places, especially trying new cuisines and learning about different cultures.

Educating Girls of Rural China (EGRC) was founded as a Canadian charity in Vancouver Canada in 2005, and registered as an independent Chinese charity in Shanghai in 2021. Inspired by her personal experience, founder Ching Tien believes that educated women have educated children, and educating women is the fundamental way to achieve gender equality and build better societies.

Since its founding, EGRC has provided financial sponsorship and emotional support to over 2,000 girls and young women from rural Western China to achieve high school and university educations, and the students have achieved over 99% graduation rate. Some of these young women are giving back to EGRC by donating back, mentoring younger students and working for EGRC as their career.

Acting as the senior representative of University of Edinburgh in East Asia, Grace is responsible for raising the profile and advancing engagement across the region, looking after the strategic and ambitious partnership the university has with governments, private sectors, and research institutes. Grace plays a leading role in the China Strategy for the university. She also leads her team to develop diverse activities including alumni engagement, research collaboration, developing connections and opportunities for the university across East Asia.

Prior to the role, Grace worked for the British Consulate General Shanghai for over 7 years as the Senior Political officer, leading the UK Government’s Civil Society and value-based initiatives, while managing the Official Development Assistance fund in East China. Grace has been nominated as a Global Scot by the Scottish Development International, for her continuous efforts in strengthening the links between Scotland and Asia.