Heading to Australia for Christmas? Don't forget to use your AustCham Shanghai Membership Card, which gives Gold card holders 15kg extra baggage allowance with Cathay Pacific and Qantas travelling from Shanghai to any destination in Australia. For details and to check out all fantastic Card benefits and discounts click here.

AustCham Shanghai's Linked In group is picking up steam, with more than 115 members participating online. Get involved in discussion on latest industry developments by requesting to join.

Guest speaker Sam Flemming on 'China's social media landscape and what it means for brands'

Upcoming Events

   AustCham Shanghai Professional Development Event Series: Improving time management

      Date: 10 January 2012
      Time: 08:00 - 10:00
      Venue: Le Royal Meridien Shanghai

  AustCham Shanghai Labour Law Clinics: HR challenges - new labour relations in China

      Date: 11 January 2012
      Time: 15:00 - 17:30
      Venue: AustCham Shanghai Boardroom

   AustCham Shanghai Inside China Series: Expanding your business in China (Change of date)

      Date: 14 February 2011
      Time: 08:00 - 10:00
      Venue: J.W.Marriott

	Christmas Clothing Drive for Renewal Center AustCham Shanghai is collecting warm clothes and blankets for homeless people helped by The Renewal Center, one of our Corporate Social Responsibility partners. Please drop off any items to the Chamber office until Saturday 17 December at 11am. For details click here or contact Lily Sun. Huge thanks to Allied Pickfords for their delivery support.

Introducing Shanghai Enterprise Collective

AustCham Shanghai welcomes members to get involved in Shanghai Enterprise Collective activities in 2012.

The group, formally known as the Small-to-Medium Enterprises Committee, is led by a dynamic Steering Group of seven members and focuses on supporting and advancing Australian business in the Shanghai region.

Oliver Mackay, who co-chairs the group with David Collins, said:"We have a range of activities in the pipeline, including events on the 2012 legal landscape, export finance, and how to build government relationships in China."

"Growing a small business in China is no mean feat and it takes innovation and resourcefulness to succeed. We welcome input from all enterprising individuals and companies within the AustCham Shanghai membership."

For more information on the Shanghai Enterprise Collective click here.

Get set to celebrate Australia Day 2012

AustCham Shanghai invites everyone in our community for Australia Day celebrations on Saturday 12 February.

The event will feature a true-blue Australian barbeque lunch including dessert buffet, fantastic wines and beers, and an official toast to the nation by Australian Consul General to Shanghai Alice Cawte. Stay tuned for venue details!

Sponsors are now being sought for drinks, meat, children's activities and showbags, decorations, raffle prizes, printing and design and a medical stand.

Australia Day is a fantastic annual AustCham Shanghai event and this is a great opportunity to promote your company's products and services to key members of our community. For details click here or contact Carol Gong.

Commonwealth Bank forms strategic alliance with Agricultural Bank of China

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has formed a cross border referral scheme with the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), one of the country's 'big four' banks.

The agreement, the first of its kind between a 'big four' Chinese and Australian bank, will allow CBA to capture student and migrant flows and cross-border referrals between China and Australia from ABC, which has more than 320 million retail customers.

"This agreement presents an amazing opportunity for Commonwealth Bank. ABC is a successful and admired financial institution globally and we are pleased to be able to offer ABC's customers an opportunity to bank with Australia's largest and most respected retail franchise," Executive General Manager Retail Sales, Lyn McGrath said.

Ms McGrath said ABC will be able to offer their clients (granted a VISA to study or migrate to Australia) an option to establish an Australian transaction account via CBA's International Customer Service group based in Shanghai and Sydney. To read more click here.

Two Minutes with Andre Vlcek from Sales Psychology Australia

What does your company do?

Sales Psychology Australia is one of Asia's leading Sales Consulting businesses. We service the rapidly expanding Shanghai market from our head office in Melbourne. We help your business to find and win more customers, by improving your selling skills effectiveness and helping you to launch new products into new or existing markets. We help businesses to compete and win when the stakes are high, and deliver great sales results fast.

Who are your main clients?

We serve a diverse and rapidly expanding customer base right across the Asia-Pacific markets. Some current and recent clients include Jones Lang La-Salle, Hutchison Whampoa, and The Australian Wheat Board. We serve every type of customer, including business-to-business and business-to-consumer segments.

Any exciting news to announce?

We're currently establishing timing to open up our first overseas office in Shanghai. We are also planning to run a series of one-day Sales Strategy workshops through AustCham in February 2012.

For more information on Sales Psychology Australia click here.

Job Opportunities

• Van Diemen Distillery is seeking a PR Liaison and a Personal Assistant
• British International School Shanghai seeks a Director of Admissions and Marketing
• FTI Consulting seeks an experienced marketing coordinator
• Flight Center seeks a General Manager
• Austrade seeks a Business Development Manager - AOPL2, Shanghai (BACH)
• Austrade seeks a Business Development Manager - AOPL2, Shanghai (FS)

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Story contributions

To submit a story idea for E-Cooee Newsletter please contact Emily Dunn.