January 28 marked the beginning of Chinese New Year, and true to Melbourne’s reputation for embracing cultural diversity, the city has been alive with countless celebrations set to continue until 12 February 2017.

As more and more businesses contemplate entering the China market, I remind you that recruitment for the Victorian Chamber’s China business immersion program is coming to a close. The final places will be secured by early March, and I therefore urge you to contact our Global team for more information. The program will run from 12-23 May 2017 and is a great opportunity for people in business to build skills, gain first-hand China experience and benefit from relationships traditionally developed over decades.

I also invite you to join the Victorian Chamber team and I on Tuesday 14 February for our first professional development event of the year, People in Business. Keynotes from Marty Wilson and Holly Ransom will discuss how to embrace change and lead an intergenerational workforce, followed by an expert panel who will examine our role as employers and colleagues in mental health awareness. I hope to see you there.