Exporters, executives and diplomats evaluate the China International Import Expo with their gaze on the future. Meanwhile, the Royal Asiatic Society's History Club does what it does best: look back on the history of Shanghai's role as a global city.

Foreigners arrive in Shanghai because it is an entryway into China. But as they gather years, friends, opportunities and perspective, they increasingly see the city as China's portal to the world, which it has been for over 170 years.

Our panellists are foreigners who arrived in Shanghai between the 1980s and the 2010s, and represent diverse backgrounds including business, culture and education. They share their memories, stories, pictures and predictions. In the open forum that follows, participants can reflect on the panel discussion and the city's recent past as they saw it.

OUR PANEL

• Cecilia Estoque, Senior Lecturer of Cross-Cultural Communication at Donghua University
• Giorgio Morocica, Co-Founder and COO at edugo.ai
• Irania Martinez, Commercial Manager at GSE
• Richard Bisset, Founder at Shi Bisset and Associates
• Tom Stader, Founder of The Library Project
• Wody Keita Stemper, GM China/Co-Founder at IZIVAT

Gabor Holch is an intercultural leadership consultant, coach, author and speaker who has served 100+ clients in 30+ countries. An expat since age 4, China-based since 2002 and working globally, Gabor is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) in English and Mandarin.