Mr. Kang Dian, Chairman and CEO of Xinhua Insurance Delivered a Lecture in the Lingnan Forum

Mr. Kang Dian, Chairman and CEO of Xinhua Insurance, was invited to Lingnan Forum to give a speech on January 9, 2016 on“Life Choices of Business School Students”to over 200 faculty and students. The lecture was hosted by Mr. XuXinzhong, Dean of Lingnan College.

Dean Xu Xinzhong expressed his warm welcome to Mr. Kang Dian for his second participation as a lecturer in Lingnan Forum, and then gave a brief introduction of Mr. Kang Dian to the audience. Currently the Chairman and CEO ofXinhua Insurance, Mr. Kang Dian graduated from Peking Iron and Steel College in 1982 andreceived his master’s degree in Economics from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 1984. He has been vice manager of Cadtic, director and vice manager of the Hongkong Yuehai group, Chairman of Shirui Investment and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Shenzhen Development Bank.

During the lecture, Mr. Kang delivered his speech on four aspects: “from no choice to too many choices”; “the confusion of choice and the confusion of reality”; “how to defeat the major challenge of life”; and “approach the perfect life”.

Firstly, Mr. Kang Dian shared his school life and career background to demonstrate that there was hardly any choice at all in those times. He then introduced the multiple career choices and professional orientationsthat current business school students have. In explaining the confusion of choice and the confusion of reality, he referred to China’s first cases of failed securities, Internet, soft drink, and domestic appliance companies,in order to warn students that,“in life, people should be tough, persistent, andendeavorfor the right direction”.

He explained,“neither the background of a noble family nor high education could guarantee a person’s prosperous life.“ The ancients had said that powerful and noble people were not born with their standing.In the current business environment, high perspicacity, as well as penetrating views and abilities,are the keys to success. At last, he wished the studentsto pursue excellence and a great life, by keepingthe guideline of concentration and enterprise, and to be reverent and be magnanimous.

Through the interactive activities, the audience raised questions about life turning points, company development, startups, family finances, and so on. Mr. Kang Dian replied in humor: “The banking industry is like a Shaolin Monastery, it requires every single move to observethe conventional standards; the investment banking industry is likeWudang Mountain which needsimagination and a combination of the virtual and reality; the insurance industry is like a beggar’s gang, with people scattering everywhere.”Mr. Kang Dian’s wise and humorous answers drew a burst of laughter from the audience.

According to the previous communication, Mr. Kang Dian was invited to be a part-time professor atLingnan. After the lecture, Dean XuXinzhong issued the appointment letter to Mr. Kang Dian.