The Entrepreneurs Live, Shanghai, 29 April 2026
A gathering of innovators shaping brands and building businesses in China and beyond
The Entrepreneurs Live is a new Monocle conference built on nearly two decades of reporting on how businesses are built, branded and run. From our monthly magazine to our annual Monocle: The Entrepreneurs special and our weekly radio programme, enterprise has long been central to what we do.
In Shanghai, we bring that coverage into the room. Expect lively panel discussions, sharp one-on-one interviews and candid exchanges with founders, investors and innovators. This is a conference about execution as much as ambition – about what works, what doesn’t and what comes next.
Our host city
The inaugural edition takes place in Shanghai – a city central to China’s economy and one of the most compelling places to understand where business is heading.
We will gather at Jing An Shangri-La in the heart of the city to explore opportunities, ideas and success stories shaping China and the Asia-Pacific region – on stage and beyond.
Who will attend
More than 100 founders, investors, designers and operators from China and beyond will join us for the day. Our speakers will stay for the duration, ensuring that the conversation continues over coffee, lunch and dinner. The best exchanges rarely happen on a schedule.
What to expect
Hosted by Monocle’s founder, Tyler Brûlé, alongside senior editors from Europe and Asia, the one-day programme brings together about 15 speakers for focused discussion and practical insight. The day includes a networking lunch and evening dinner.
Featured speakers
A line-up of founders from China, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong, shaping brands across fashion, food, design, art and technology:
Swedish-Chinese architect Alex Mok represents Shanghai’s new generation of design talent. A resident of the city for more than 16 years, Mok previously worked at Neri & Hu before co-founding Linehouse in 2013 with her Hong Kong-based partner Briar Hickling. Working from studios in their respective bases, the pair have built a reputation in the region for modern design in an Asian context, working on retail façades, office interiors and heritage restorations.
The market for pre-owned luxury goods is booming and the Shanghai-based platform Zzer is one of its leaders. Founder Austin Zhu swapped private equity for entrepreneurship in 2015 after watching his wife struggle to sell a Chanel handbag. The shop’s consignment model and investment in authentication is trusted by consumers. Zhu’s decision to enter bricks-and-mortar retail has propelled Zzer’s online growth and expansion across China’s tier-one cities.
Thirty years in the making, Dib Bangkok opened in December 2025 to showcase the private collection of the Osathanugrah family. Purat “Chang” Osathanugrah took on his late father’s mission of creating the Thai capital’s most significant contemporary art museum. Since its opening, he has been working closely with his team to put Western and Eastern art on an equal footing while updating the concept of a museum for a 21st-century audience.
Singaporean Teng Wen Wee has been pioneering the best restaurants, bars and boutique hotels in the Lion City for more than two decades. The hospitality company that he founded, The Lo & Behold Group, recently unveiled its most ambitious project to date. New Bahru has converted a former school into a drinking, dining and shopping destination built around the best brands and independent operators in Singapore.
Chinnery has played a prominent role in creating some of China’s leading contemporary art institutions. After relocating to Beijing, the Scottish-born sound artist and curator went on to become UCCA’s inaugural chief curator. In 2023 he founded the Sound Art Museum in Beijing. China’s first audio institution is part of a broader initiative to document and archive urban soundscapes, music and languages from across the country.
The founder and CEO of the tech-accessories brand Native Union has spent the last 20 years combining French design and Chinese manufacturing. The Parisian first landed in Beijing in 2006, having left the world of French luxury jewelry for his own hardwood-furniture brand. He founded Native Union in 2009 after relocating to Hong Kong and now makes products for European luxury brands in China.
Plus:
- Tasha Liu and Justin Peng, founder and CEO of Labelhood
- Lishi Ni, founder of Melt Season
- Xin Yuan, brand leader, An Ko Rau
- Bao Yifeng, co-founder of Art021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair
A complete list of speakers appearing at the 2026 edition of The Entrepreneurs Live will be announced in the coming weeks.
Accommodation & other details
Timings
9.30 – 17.00: The conference
Location: Jing An Shangri-La, 1218 Middle Yan’an Road, Jing An Kerry Centre, West Nanjing Road, Shanghai 200040 China
19.30: Dinner & drinks
Jing An Shangri-La is our official venue and hospitality partner for the event. Please contact Hannah at events@monocle.com to enquire about special room rates or if you have any questions about the event.
Event partner:
