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Ashley Dudarenok

Founder, Managing Director at ChoZan |China Tech Tours | Innovation Research | China Talks

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Ashley Dudarenok is a naturalised Chinese entrepreneur, award?winning digital expert, bestselling author, and globally recognised China keynote speaker. Named by Thinkers50 as a “guru on fast?evolving trends in China,” Ashley is one of the leading voices on China innovation, digital transformation, and the future of retail.

She is the founder of ChoZan ??, a China-focused research, consulting, and learning expeditions firm that helps Fortune 1000 companies learn from China. Through tailored China tech tours, executive China study tours, innovation immersions, market research, and advisory projects, Ashley and her team empower global organisations to decode China’s fast-moving digital ecosystem and apply its lessons worldwide.

With more than a decade and a half of experience on the ground in China, Ashley advises senior executives and boards on customer centricity, new retail, social commerce, AI-driven transformation, and emerging technologies. She has become a trusted bridge between East and West, helping companies understand how China’s tech giants and next-generation consumers are reshaping global commerce.

Ashley is the author of 11 books on digital China, including New Retail Born in China Going Global, Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs, Unlocking the World’s Largest E?Market, and Innovation Factory: China’s Digital Playbook for Global Brands. Her insights reach a global community of over 500,000 professionals across LinkedIn, YouTube, and other platforms.

Selected Achievements & Recognition
Hailed as a “guru on fast evolving trends in China” by Thinkers50 (2021)
Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice (2021)
Listed as one of the Women to Watch in Greater China by Campaign Asia (2022)
Named one of the World’s Top 30 Gurus of Internet Marketing by Global Gurus (2021–2024)
Consistently ranked among the World’s Top 100 Retail Influencers by ReTHINK Retail (2021–2025)

Dynamic, energetic, and highly practical, Ashley delivers high?impact keynotes and executive briefings that equip global leaders with actionable strategies inspired by China’s most advanced digital business models.

Available For: Advising, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: Hong Kong
Speaking Topics: China Innovation, China's Technology, Disruption, Future of Retail, GenZ, Chinese Consumers, Ecosystem Building

Ashley Dudarenok Points
Academic 0
Author 198
Influencer 936
Speaker 48
Entrepreneur 60
Total 1242

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type: Company
Minimum Project Size: $10,000+
Average Hourly Rate: $300+
Number of Employees: 11-50
Company Founded Date: 2011
Media Experience: 15

Areas of Expertise

Agentic AI
AGI
AI
AI Ethics
Business Strategy 38.00
Change Management
CRM
Customer Experience
Customer Loyalty
Digital Disruption 38.12
Digital Transformation 31.42
Digital Twins
eCommerce 31.40
Ecosystems
Education
Emerging Technology
Entrepreneurship 34.50
Innovation 30.71
International Relations
Leadership 30.52
Management
Marketing 34.09
Metaverse
Open Source
Personal Branding
Quantum AI
Retail 30.65
Robotics
Smart Cities
Social 30.44

Industry Experience

Higher Education & Research
Media
Professional Services
Retail

Publications & Experience

3 Books
New Retail Born in China Going Global: How Chinese Tech Giants are Changing Global Commerce
Alarice International
July 16, 2019

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Marketing

Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs
Alarice International
November 02, 2018

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Transformation, Marketing

Unlocking the World's Largest E-market A Guide to Selling On Chinese Social Media
Alarice International
February 02, 2018

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Marketing

3 Founders
Founder - Self-development and mentorship program for professionals and entrepreneurs
FIRE by Ashley
August 09, 2019
FIREis a 4 week self-development program for professionals and entrepreneurs delivered in 8 WhatsApp or WeChat voice msg sessions.
​
FIRE represents energy, transformation, connection to your personal power and inner strength. That’s what this program is all about. ​FIRE = Find Your Inner Road to Empowerment. More at www.firebyashley.com

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Tags: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Leadership

Founder - Strategy, corporate training & consulting on China marketing, consumers & the New Retail
ChoZan
February 09, 2016
I'm a keynote speaker and the lead facilitator for our digital marketing training and tailored masterclasses for corporations and teams. We focus on WeChat, Weibo and Douyin, do in-depth training on the Chinese market, Chinese consumers and Chinese social media as well as strategy sessions and consultations.

I often deliver keynotes for large events and board presentations. My topics include China marketing strategies, China market entry, KOL/influencer marketing, China’s technology landscape and more.

Below is the outline for one of our typical 2-day interactive workshops on marketing strategies for Chinese social media.

Session 1. China's Market, Consumers & Digital Trends
Session 2. WeChat Mastering China’s Most Powerful Social Media
Session 3. Weibo_Winning with Content and Relevance
Session 4. What's next in China's digital space
Session 5. Social Media Campaigns – How to Run Effective SMM Campaigns in China
Session 6. Chinese Key Opinion Leaders- How to effectively work with Chinese KOLs
Session 7. How to build an effective CRM for China
Session 8. New Retail. How Chinese Tech Giants are Changing Global Commerce

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Marketing

Founder - Chinese social media agency WeChat, Weibo, Douyin
Alarice International
August 09, 2011
I lead a talented team that works with international and Chinese companies to translate their ambitions into messages that reach their customers.

We help firms from the West do Chinese social media marketing right. For Chinese firms, we spearhead their marketing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, oversee website revamps and do in-depth digital marketing strategy projects.

SMM services for China
1. Developing your brand’s China marketing strategy
2. WeChat, Weibo, Douyin, Zhihu content creation and community management
3. Digital PR: article writing and distribution
4. Single campaign and KOL promotions

SMM services for Western networks
1. Strategy for Western social media
2. Facebook and Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn management
3. Digital PR: article writing and distribution

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Tags: Entrepreneurship, Marketing

8 Influencer Awards
100 B2B Thought Leaders and Influencers You Should Follow in 2021
Thinkers360
January 29, 2021

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Tags: Marketing

Guru on Digital Marketing and Fast-evolving Trends in China
The Thinkers50
January 21, 2021
Radar Class of 2021

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Tags: Marketing

Top 20 Visionaries of the Media and Technology Industry
Adello Magazine
December 29, 2020

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Tags: Business Strategy

Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Business Strategy (December 2020)
Thinkers360
December 23, 2020

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Tags: Business Strategy

150 Women B2B Thought Leaders You Should Follow in 2021
Thinkers360
November 26, 2020

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Tags: Marketing

Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Marketing (August 2020)
Thinkers360
August 09, 2020

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Tags: Marketing

Innovator 25 Asia-Pacific 2019. The Holmes Report
The Holmes Report
December 09, 2019

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Tags: Innovation

LinkedIn Top Voices 2019: Marketing & Social Media
LinkedIn
December 04, 2019

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Tags: Marketing

4 Keynotes
Marketing to China Conference (London edition)
Marketing to China
June 05, 2019

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Tags: Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation, Marketing

Marketing to China Conference (Prague edition)
Marketing to China
January 29, 2019

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Tags: Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation, Marketing

Chinese KOLs and How Effectively Work with Them
China Business Forum 2018
December 02, 2018

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Tags: Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation, Marketing

What Soviet Female Icons and Chinese Shoe Sellers Taught Me
TEDx WanChai “Emergence”
June 02, 2018

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Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing

14 Media Interviews
How will China spend during Spring Festival 2021?
TechNode
January 29, 2021

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Tags: Marketing

Meet China’s New, Young Luxury Heroes For 2021
Jing Daily
January 06, 2021

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Tags: Marketing

China eCommerce and Digital Marketing Report: An interview with China expert Ashley Galina Dudarenok
Divante
November 20, 2020

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Tags: Marketing, eCommerce

Cross-border e-commerce dodges Covid hit
TechNode
November 17, 2020

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Tags: Marketing, eCommerce

The 8 China market trends experts predict for 2021
Daxue Consulting
November 17, 2020

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Tags: Marketing

China’s Double Eleven Global Shopping Festival 11.11 2020 - Alibaba, JD, PDD
CGTN
November 16, 2020

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Tags: Digital Transformation

All About Money - Modern Chinese Consumers
HKIBC
May 07, 2020

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Transformation, Marketing

Industry Insider: Post COVID-19 with Ashley Dudarenok, China Marketing Expert
RETHINK Retail
April 23, 2020

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Marketing

Why Brands Should Look to China to Understand the Future of Marketing w/ Ashley Dudarenok
The Worldly Marketer
April 23, 2020

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Marketing

How Coronavirus Impacts China's Ecommerce
Bloomberg
March 12, 2020

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Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

China’s Booming High End Sneaker Market - Interview on CGTN
CGTN
December 14, 2019
Talking about China’s booming sneaker market on CGTN. Did you know that the global second-hand sneaker market is 6 billion USD, while China takes up over 1 billion of that.

58% of Chinese sneakerheads are 18 - 25 years old, while 27% are 16-18. Women make 42% of purchases in 2019.

This year you can flip limited edition sneakers for up to 7000% returns. Admit it, you are now thinking to abandon stocks and collectables for a few hundred designer sneakers?

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Tags: Business Strategy, Retail

Using Thought Leadership and social media to accelerate your business in China
China Paradigms
May 04, 2019

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Tags: Leadership, Marketing

Serial Entrepreneur, Vlogger and China Influencer – Interview with Ashley Galina Dudarenok
Gal Talks Tech
April 11, 2019

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Tags: Entrepreneurship, Leadership

Digital Marketing in China
Malaysian Business TV
August 11, 2018

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Tags: Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation

2 Panels
Panelist at Greater Bay Area Conference 2020 - "GBA: The Way Forward"
China Daily
November 19, 2020

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Tags: Digital Disruption

How to Become a Social Media Influencer - China Influencer Marketing Panel
China Influencer Marketing Panel & Book Launch
December 19, 2018
How to Become a Social Media Influencer. China Influencer Marketing Panel.Part 1 - China Marketing Expert - Ashley Galina Dudarenok

At China Influencer Marketing Panel & Book Launch you’ll learn about working with influencers in China from marketing experts as well as hear personal stories and experiences of becoming a KOL from a popular Chinese blogger.

Panelists: Ashley Galina Dudarenok (founder of ChoZan & Alarice), Josh Steimle (founder of Influencer Inc and MWI), and Susie Hu (a journaling blogger with 100k+ Weibo followers), Artem Ansheles (Hong Kong TV personality)

Key Takeaways:

• The latest trends and developments in China’s KOL landscape

• Tips, best practices and common mistakes of KOL marketing in China

• The how-tos of becoming an influencer in your industry

• The future of the industry and upcoming trends and challenges

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Tags: Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation, Social

3 Quotes
Jing Culture & Commerce: Key lessons from Chinese travel in 2020
The Moodie Davitt Report
December 24, 2020

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Tags: Marketing, Culture

The Unlikely New Champion of Consumer Rights: China
Ozy
December 17, 2020

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Tags: Marketing

Rural Travel and E-Vouchers Shape China’s Recovery - Jing Travel Interview
Jing Travel
May 05, 2020

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Tags: Digital Transformation, Retail, Travel

2 Speaking Engagements
Ashley Galina Dudarenok on Success Psychology and Leadership - HIVE Experience Series - Hong Kong
Alarice International
March 05, 2020
Talking about entrepreneurship and success psychology tonight. Those of you that've been following my entrepreneurial journey - know that nothing made more difference in the success of my business than my own psychology and mindset! Today I'm talking about this journey.

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Tags: Entrepreneurship, Leadership

360° Understanding of Chinese Consumers
Alarice International
July 26, 2017

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Transformation, Marketing

6 Videos
Live-streaming in China in 2020. Kuaishou's New Developments. - Digital China Ep.31 with Qimei Luo
Alarice International
August 07, 2020
Kuaishou, also known as Kwai outside China, is one of China’s hottest video-sharing and live-streaming apps. It allows users to create short-videos to share and record their lives freely, from fishing to squaring dancing, by live-streaming themselves and communicating with fans. Kuaishou digs deep into user preferences and subdivides content into different categories covering food, sports, games, education, travel and other fields.

This social software uses algorithms to create home page recommend videos that users are interested in which improves user stickiness to the platform. Also, compared to other short-video sharing platforms, Kuaishou typically targets youth in small towns outside major urban areas and is committed to promoting each person’s unique happiness as its core mission. Its users can observe the real and interesting world, find people they are interested in, and also let the world discover the real and interesting of themself.

Therefore, Kuaishou is known as a national-level platform with 300 million daily active users and over 400 million daily thumbs-up by January 2020, occupying a leading position in the industry, that lays a foundation for community marketing. In this article, we will discuss the characteristics of Kuaishou marketing and how to make use of this social platform to achieve your marketing goals.

Learn about live-streaming and how to do marketing on Kuaishou in this episode of Digital China with Qimei Luo.

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Tags: Digital Transformation, Social, Marketing

US-CHINA Trade War. Future of Hong Kong. China Business - Digital China Ep.29 with Daniel Dumbrill
Alarice International
July 30, 2020
What's US-China trade war all about? Will Chinese consumers start rejecting American brands as US-China tensions escalate? What's the future of Hong Kong? How to do business in China in 2020.

These and much more in my interview with the amazing Daniel Dumbrill, the founder of Taps Brewpub in Shenzhen, and media personality.

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Tags: Digital Disruption, Marketing, Business Strategy

Crafting your New Retail Strategy for China - Digital China Ep.27 with Michael Zakkour
Alarice International
July 24, 2020
Will Chinese consumers start rejecting American brands as US-China tensions escalate? What Alibaba, JD and Pinduoduo have to offer when it comes to the new retail? What’s the best platforms to sell luxury products online in China?

Why PDD is still a limited play for foreign brands in China, and how this may change. Why [Going to China] is never a turn-key. What role does history, language, culture and philosophy play in the success of your business sin China. These and much more in my interview with the amazing Michael Zakkour.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Retail

How to Become a Thought Leader in 2020 and Find Your Voice - Power Cast Ep.1 with Natalia Wiechowski
Alarice International
April 18, 2020
How to become a thought leader in 2020 and find your voice? How to overcome your fears and act on your goals? Today I’m with Natalia Wiechowski talking about all these and more on my signature POWER CAST.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Leadership

How JD.com Stepped Up During Coronavirus Outbreak - Digital China Ep.13 with Ella Kidron
Alarice International
April 15, 2020
How JD stepped up during coronavirus outbreak in China? What’s next for China’s largest online retailer? Are Chinese consumers becoming ‘greener’ post covid19? Today I’m with Ella Kidron from JD talking about all these and much more.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Digital Disruption, Digital Transformation

Positive Psychology For Leaders - Ashley Dudarenok's Tips for Success During Coronavirus Outbreak
Alarice International
April 03, 2020
Thanks very much for joining my webinar “Success Psychology for Leader”. As promised, I’m sharing these 3 things to support you on your journey:
1. Here’s access to FIRE my self-development program for professions and entrepreneurs. https://firebyashley.thinkific.com
First 2 sessions are free, definitely take them, these are packed with actionable insights. Go for the standard plan.

2. Decade in Review Worksheet - to help you get clarity on where you are going this decade. https://bit.ly/3aJx1cO

3. The list of books to start with:
- Awaken the Giant Within - Robbins
- Mindset - Dwek
- Thinking Fast and Slow - Kahneman
- Influence - Cialdini
- Never Split the Difference - Voss
- Man’s Search for Meaning - Frankl
- Brain Rules - Medina
- The Greatness Guide (for absolute beginners) - Sharma

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Tags: Entrepreneurship, Leadership

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