Biography

A rising expert in his field, Zak Dychtwald explores the lifestyles and habits of Chinese Millennials through extensive dedication and research, to better understand the world’s consumers of today and tomorrow.

Zak Dychtwald is the founder and CEO of Young China Group, a think tank and consultancy focusing on China’s emerging identity on the world stage and the evolving East and West millennial mindset. He is the author of Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World, which explores how the country’s young generation, born after 1990, feels about everything. A 29-year old Columbia University graduate, he has spoken at forums and summits across four continents as a rising authority in his field.

Dychtwald speaks about the attitudes and consumer drivers of China’s 417 million millennials—who they are, how they stack up against global millennials, their impact on global innovation, what they want, and why they want it. This generation redefines every market they touch, and Dychtwald gives you an insider’s guide into understanding how this generation is changing the world.

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China’s New Reality

China faced repeated lockdowns during the pandemic, reducing travel in and out of the country to a trickle. Meanwhile, the government was also shifting its longer-term economic and social policies. As China reopens, how much has society and the country’s approach to the rest of the world changed?

Post-Covid Young China - The New State of Chinese Consumption, Collaboration, and Competition

Come March, it will be time to take stock of what this Post-Covid chapter for China will look like.

Will Young China be the consumer engine they were before COVID? For areas like travel and luxury, it less a question of “what?” - an enormous release of pent up demand - and more a question of “when?” For other consumer sectors, the answers are less obvious after a year of an on-again-off-again economy that has left more young people counting their RMB than getting ready to splurge.

March also marks the newsworthy National People’s Congress, where the political agenda for the next stretch will be defined and Xi Jinping will likely be fully confirmed as China’s next General Secretary.

Potential questions to address:

- What do these protests mean and how has COVID impacted Young China’s view of their government?
- How has China’s middle class fared during this extended restrictive period?
- How is consumer confidence after the last year of shut- and slow-down?
- What are young people craving after nearly three years of COVID restrictions?
- How will the National People’s Congress this March define the regulatory 5-year future for China?
- What new workforce considerations are there, and will young people return to the high-pressure 1st tier city lifestyle they sought before?
- How are new competitive dynamics and “re-globalization” impacting China’s prospects?

Young China Rising in a Complex World: Consumer, Competition, Collaborator

While much of the Western world remains mired in a half-on/half-off limbo, offices, restaurants, retail spaces, and even night clubs are filling up in China. But not all sectors have rebounded equally, and the young generation’s outlook on consumption, work, and government has been impacted to its core. In this keynote, Zak explores how young China – the engine of China’s consumer and innovation economies – has reacted to recent events and how they are shaping up as global consumer, competitor, and collaborator.

This Session Will Explore:
- Was it seen as "worth it" in this new world? How has young China's financial outlook, retail, travel, and education been impacted by the pandemic? What habits changed in the short term, and what shifts might become the new normal?
- How resilient were young Chinese entrepreneurs in reacting to the "New Normal"? Case Studies.
- How have attitudes towards government – both their own and the US – changed as China looks toward the future? Is nationalism still a social and consumer theme? How has it evolved?
- What lessons can we learn from the "near future" of China's reopening for the global consumer?

The Young China Opportunity: Myths and Realities Impacting All Global Business

China is nearly impossible to know from the outside, and most organizations are limited by stereotypes around ‘old China’ and a focus on government. In this keynote, Zak pushes audiences to get past the headlines and really get to know Chinese millennials on the ground level. Outnumbering American millennials by 5x, Young China is redefining every market they touch. Zak’s insight into the people, culture, and systems are a must-understand for global businesses and Investors.

This Session Will Explore:
- Key myths that blind investors and media to the realities of China's biggest consumer class.
- How growing up at "China Speed" influences spending habits, attitudes toward new technology, family society, and government.
- What Chinese Millennials want that is different in their products and workplace.

From Imitation to Innovation: How Will Young China Compete with the US?

Can China’s young people be innovative? This is the question defining China’s future. Zak debunks the stereotypes of ‘Copycat China’ and provides a deep dive into China’s emerging innovative firepower. In this keynote, Zak focuses on the social psychology of innovation that could tip the scales in China’s favor in the coming decade. Based on his upcoming Harvard Business Review feature, Zak takes you to the trenches of the country’s tech and investment scene to look at how China is becoming a world-class innovator.

This Session Will Explore:
- How China today stacks up as a global engine of innovation.
- For China's Millennials, how a lifetime of rapid growth leads to a hyper-adaptive and adoptive innovation ecosystem.
- The cutting-edge companies and ideas that are coming from China today.
- Innovation education and shifting systems of thought in China.
- How China's generation gulfs impact world perception.

Testimonials

We loved having Zak as an external speaker! Not only was the content relevant for our audience but Zak’s delivery and energy during the presentation was incredibly engaging. We’ve already received lots of positive look forward to potential connections in the future.
– Global Director of Strategy and Planning, McDonald's
Zak was truly amazing at our event. He blew a very senior group of global CEOs and board members away with his unique perspectives and deep domain knowledge of China, its demographics and how its younger population will impact the world in the decades ahead. While we had many great and well-known speakers, Zak’s session was highest rated of the conference.
– Chairman, Global Semiconductor Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley
Zak gave one of the best talks in the history of our investment group. His presentation changed the way many in our group approach China.
– Investment and Life Planning Group
Zak was the highlight of our conference. His talk was personalized and engaging from the start. He has the unique ability to build understanding between two cultures through powerful storytelling. His takeaways were so clear that we had speakers quoting him throughout the day in relation to their other sessions. We can’t wait to have him back!
– VIPKID
Zakary Dychtwald is an extraordinarily gifted communicator of ideas. His passion to understand China, together with his deep research, helps inform audiences of the opportunities brought about by this demographic cohort. For people wanting to understand the dynamics shaping the world’s future, they should speak with Zak.
– CLSA Limited, A Citic Bank Co
Zak Dychtwald is an incredible speaker. He has the charisma, charm, and people’s skills to catch the audience’s attention and captivate them. Zak brings talent, insight, and positivity, and we cannot think of anyone better than him to take the stage.
– The World Youth Forum, Egypt

Booksby Zak Dychtwald

Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World

Blog Posts

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Blog Posts

 

How a Simple Apology Can Spark Healing and Mental Health Conversations

Imagine if a single, mental health–focused apology could dismantle stigma, validate someone’s pain, and launch...

Read More

An Astronaut’s Guide on Leadership and Innovation Lessons on Earth

In the boundless vacuum of space, leaders face challenges that dwarf anything encountered on Earth....

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The Future of Event Keynotes: Personalization, AI, and Interactive Storytelling

Imagine a keynote at your next event that feels designed just for your audience—where every...

Read More

The Power of Play: Why Entertainment Is Essential for Engagement

“Entertainment is the emotional glue that connects people to ideas.”—Robert McKee, storytelling expert There’s a...

Read More

Designing Events That Spark Lasting Connections

Imagine stepping into an event where every detail is designed to foster genuine human connection—from...

Read More

The Best Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

Why are diversity and inclusion speakers some of the most transformative voices on stage? Because...

Read More