Should I Stay or Should I Go? Business Challenges in China in Times of Populism

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte in partnership with The N.C. Zeitgeist Foundation on Tuesday, Nov. 4 for an insightful CEO Series luncheon featuring Jörg Wuttke, one of the world’s foremost experts on doing business in China. With decades of executive leadership and policy experience in Asia, Wuttke brings unmatched insight into the evolving risks and realities of operating in the world’s second-largest economy.

As geopolitical tensions rise and populist policies take hold across borders, multinational corporations face growing uncertainty about their future in China. In this timely and thought-provoking presentation, Wuttke will explore key questions that global business leaders must confront:

  • Is China still a viable long-term investment destination?
  • How are trade barriers, political rhetoric, and nationalist sentiment reshaping the business environment?
  • What are the strategic options for Western companies navigating the shifting landscape of U.S.-China relations?

Drawing on his experience as former CEO of BASF China and President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Wuttke will offer firsthand perspectives on navigating regulatory pressure, protecting intellectual property, and maintaining resilience in one of the most complex markets in the world.

PROGRAM PARTNER:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • WACC Private Reception Sponsorship and Underwriting (November 4, 2025) – DOWNLOAD LINK 
  • WACC CEO Series Sponsorship and Underwriting (November 4, 2025) – DOWNLOAD LINK

Program Information: 

Date:
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Check-In and Pre-Lunch Networking: 
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Lunch & Presentation: 
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location:
Hilton Charlotte Uptown
Cost:
$55 (WACC Member Rate) | $70 (Non-Member Rate) | $40 (Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte — YPWACC) | $30 (WACC Student Member / WACC Educator Member)

  • Please call 704-687-7762 to make a credit card payment over the phone.
  • Checks can be mailed to “World Affairs Council of Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., CHHS 227, Charlotte, NC 28223.”

 

 

 

Biography: 

Jörg Wuttke is a partner with the DGA Group and is based in Washington DC. Until July 2024, Mr. Wuttke was Vice President of BASF China for 27 years. He was President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China from 2007 to 2010, 2014 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2023. From 2001 to 2004 Mr. Wuttke was the Chairman of the German Chamber of Commerce in China. Since its establishment in 2013, Mr. Wuttke has been a member of the Advisory Board of Germany’s foremost Think Tank on China, Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), in Berlin. He lived in China for more than 35 years