The NYU Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Studies Participates in a Roundtable at the New York University Alumni Conference

On November 1, the New York University Asia Alumni Conference, themed “Bay Area Dialogue: When Shenzhen Meets New York,” was held in Shenzhen. NYU Senior Vice President for University Development and Alumni Relations Hope O’Reilly; NYU Trustee, President of the Asia-Pacific Alumni Club, and Chairman of Chailease Group Andre J. L. Koo; and Mark Yang, Founding President of the NYU South China Alumni Club and Partner at SSoT, along with other university and alumni association leaders, attended and delivered remarks.

A number of visionary industry experts engaged in in-depth discussions across three themed sessions, exploring how cities, geography, the economy, technology, and lifestyles intersect and interact in the world’s most dynamic bay areas. NYU alumni and friends from across sectors gathered to connect, exchange ideas, celebrate together, and look ahead to the future.

The first roundtable, “Geoeconomics and Urban Planning in Bay Areas,” was moderated by NYU alumnus Zhang Lijun, former CEO of PwC China Consulting and Founding Partner of Insight Capital. The discussion featured Raymond (Lei Meng), Executive Vice Chancellor of NYU Shanghai; Professor Chenghe Guan, Co-founding Director of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science; and NYU alumnus Yao Jiaren, former Deputy Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX).

This roundtable focused on a comparative overview of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and other leading bay areas worldwide (such as the San Francisco Bay Area, the New York Bay Area, and Tokyo Bay). It highlighted the distinctive characteristics of the Greater Bay Area and examined differences in urban planning and infrastructure, public services, the business environment, key industries, and models of economic development. The discussion was substantive and insightful, with lively on-site exchange, offering alumni abundant inspiration and fresh perspectives.