Adam Zhu

Adam Zhu at the 71st Cannes Film Festival
Adam Zhu
Born (1965-05-20) May 20, 1965 (age 58)
NationalityAmerican
EducationBA in English Literature, MA in Applied Linguistics, and an MBA in Finance
Alma materTemple University
Occupation(s)Investment banker and media producer

Adam Zhu is an American international investment banker and award-winning media producer known for creating and producing China-related documentaries and public affairs television. He is the chairman of Beijing Vive Sports & Entertainment Limited; Beijing Letz Wine & Spirits Limited; and Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervision of China Technology Innovation Corporation. He is Chairman of Letz Capital, LLC, and an investor in the Sunshine Company, a creative entertainment agency, Augustinus Bader, a luxury German skincare brand, Mijenta Tequila, an acclaimed premium tequila in the U.S, and an award-winning Italian Prosecco brand, Fiol. He is also a shareholder and board member of FansMall Group, China's trading cards, collectibles, and sports memorabilia company.[1] He previously served as the Chairman of Visual China Group and board member of the China Football Association Professional League Council.

Zhu is an investor and Advisory Board Member of CountryLine Media, the London and Nashville-based country music fan app backed by Elton John.[2] He provides strategic advice by leveraging his experience in capital markets, entertainment, and consumer goods, and in particular his network in Asia, for CountryLine’s global development.

He is a partner in LaRoche-Vacquie, a rare and prestigious Haut Armagnac in Gascony, France, and has also recently acquired Saint-Georges Chapel vineyard in the same area in 2023.[3][4]

He is the co-creator and executive producer of the TV series China's Challenges broadcast on PBS stations (2014-2019)[5] and Voices from the Frontlines: China's War on Poverty (PBS SoCal),[6] which was nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards (2020) and won Telly Awards (2020) and China Television Academy Starlight award (2020). Zhu also co-created and produces Closer to China with Robert Lawrence Kuhn on China Global Television Network (CGTN), a weekly series that features China’s thought leaders and decision-makers.[7]

Zhu is Executive Vice Chairman of The Kuhn Foundation, which supports science, philosophy, arts education, and a good relationship between the United States and China. The Foundation produced Closer To Truth, the PBS/public television series on cosmo, consciousness, and meaning. For over 30 years, Zhu has worked with his long-time partner Robert Lawrence Kuhn on various China-related matters, including Kuhn's appearances in major international media.

Zhu has co-produced several books including The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin, The Inside Story of China's 30-Year Reform, and How China's Leaders Think.[8] He has also executive-produced and produced feature films and television shows, including Never Give Up, Beauty Remains, Red Capital Wave, In Search of China, The Korean War, China From Inside, and China Visionaries. He has also served as the vice chairman of the Asia-Pacific region of IMG Group (now Endeavor).[9][10][11]

He was chairman of Greater China and special advisor to the CEO of Bacardi Limited.[12] Before joining Bacardi Limited, Zhu was Chairman and CEO of IMG Greater China and Vice Chairman of IMG Asia Pacific (2011-2015).[13][14] He was a Managing Director of Investment Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch (2007-2011),[15][16] and served as Head of Merrill Lynch's Beijing Representative Office. He also served in senior positions in the investment banking division at Citigroup.

Education

Zhu received a BA in English Literature from Xiangtan University, an MA in Applied Linguistics from Harbin Institute of Technology, and an MBA in Finance from Temple University.[17]

Award

  • 2020, Telly Awards for TV Programs-Cultural[18]
  • China’s Challenges I, II, and III
    • 2013, China News Awards
    • 2015, China News Awards
    • 2016, Emmy Awards[19][20]
    • 2017, Telly Awards for TV Cultural Programming
    • 2018, Telly Awards for TV Cultural Programming[21]
    • 2018, China News Awards
  • Voices from the Frontlines: China's War on Poverty (PBS SoCal)
    • 2020, Telly Awards for TV Cultural Programming[22]
    • 2020, Emmy Awards Nominee
    • 2020, China Television Starlight Awards
    • 2020, He is the co-creator and executive producer of the TV series China's Challenges broadcast on PBS stations (2014-2019), which won The 68th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards in 2016, and Voices from the Frontlines: China's War on Poverty (PBS SoCal),which was nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards (2020) and won Telly Awards (2020) and China Television Academy Starlight award (2020).

Personal life

Zhu has been married to Emma Xian Qin Zhu since 2005. Together, they have three children, Aaron, Celine, and Renee. Over the years, Zhu and his wife Emma have generously supported programs to improve understanding, build good relations between the United States and China, and promote arts and culture education and exchanges. They live in Newport Beach, California.

References

  1. ^ "全产业链球星卡交易平台FansMall获重磅战略融资". finance.tom.com (in Chinese (China)).
  2. ^ "CountryLine, the leading international brand for country music, announces creation of advisory board with appointment of veteran investment banker, Adam Zhu, as global roll out accelerates". Yahoo Finance. 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  3. ^ "国际乡村音乐领先品牌CountryLine获得资深投资银行家Adam Zhu战略投资 - 中国网". hs.china.com.cn. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  4. ^ "Vive Sports & Entertainment". en.vivesports.cn. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  5. ^ "China's Challenges" A Five-Part Series Revealing Transformations of A Rising Superpower Premieres N". PBS SoCal. 2 May 2014.
  6. ^ "The Kuhn Foundation Announces Premiere Broadcast 'Voices from the Frontline: China's War on Poverty' PBS SoCal - July 31, 7:00 PM". markets.businessinsider.com.
  7. ^ "Why China needs Xi Jinping as its core leader". South China Morning Post. 20 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Telling China's true story". www.chinadaily.com.cn.
  9. ^ "Inter Milan Football Club Authorizes FansMall as the Exclusive Star Card Partner in China". INF News.
  10. ^ "IMG集团任命朱亚当担任亚太区副主席、中国区主席兼总裁 - 麦迪逊邦". www.madisonboom.com.
  11. ^ "社会执委：中国足协的渐进实验-搜狐新闻". news.sohu.com.
  12. ^ Limited, Bacardi (18 September 2015). "Bacardi Appoints Adam Zhu as Non-Executive Chairman of Greater China". Bacardi Limited.
  13. ^ "社会执委：中国足协的渐进实验-搜狐新闻". news.sohu.com.
  14. ^ "4名专家进入联赛理事会 经济媒体社会法律四管齐下_国内足球-中超_新浪竞技风暴_新浪网". sports.sina.com.cn.
  15. ^ Hopkins, Amy (21 September 2015). "Bacardi eyes China growth with new exec role". The Spirits Business.
  16. ^ "IMG集团任命朱亚当担任亚太区副主席、中国区主席兼总裁 - 麦迪逊邦". www.madisonboom.com.
  17. ^ "Bacardi Appoints Adam Zhu as Non-Executive Chairman of Greater China – Marketing Communication News".
  18. ^ Wyllie, Julian (27 May 2020). "After PBS drops film, PBS SoCal reviews documentary produced in association with a Chinese state TV network". Current.
  19. ^ "TELEVISION ACADEMY 68th LOS ANGELES AREA EMMY AWARDS" (PDF). Emmys.com.
  20. ^ "Adam Zhu accepts an award at the 68th Los Angeles Area Emmys, July 23, 2016, at the Saban Media Center, North Hollywood, California". Television Academy.
  21. ^ "Telly Awards winners list 2018". Telly Awards.
  22. ^ "Telly Awards winners 2020". Telly Awards.