Mr. Jason Hou was appointed as an Executive Director and CEO of China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited ("CR Beer") in April 2016 and transitioned to Chairman of the Board in April 2023. He also serves as director for multiple subsidiaries of CR Beer.
Mr. Hou holds a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Renmin University of China. He previously worked at Shougang Group, Gallup, and PepsiCo before joining China Resources Group in 2001.
In 2005, he led the team to establish the iconic "Yongchuang Tianya" brand, now recognized as a classic case study in China’s beer industry. In 2006, he developed the "Non-Olympic Marketing" strategy, implemented during the FIFA World Cup, which significantly elevated Snow Beer’s influence. This achievement earned him the title of "Pioneering Figure in China's Non-Olympic Sports Marketing."
In 2019, Mr. Hou orchestrated CR Beer’s equity and brand partnership with Heineken International and the acquisition of Heineken China, a deal hailed as the "2019 Best M&A Deal" by FinanceAsia.
In 2024, Mr. Hou was honored with the "China Economic News Figure Award" in recognition of his forward-thinking strategies, innovative spirit, and outstanding contributions to China's beer industry. In the same year, he was recognized on Thinkers50's "Leaders 50: World's Top Business Thinkers" list for his exceptional leadership and management philosophy.
In 2025, Mr. Hou was recognized as the "2025 Consumer Sector Outstanding CEO" in the 2025 Forbes China Consumer Sector Series Selection for his visionary leadership and strategic foresight.
Against the backdrop of geopolitical shifts and increasing market fragmentation, Chinese companies are moving from “product export” to “capital export” in their globalization journey. However, post-merger challenges—brand integration, cultural alignment, and supply chain restructuring—remain significant hurdles. Compared to global giants like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Mondelēz, who have honed their “capital + operations” dual-engine capabilities through a century of M&A, how can companies avoid the trap of peaking at acquisition? How can they turn acquisitions into sustainable growth engines instead of financial burdens?
This dialogue will focus on:
• The difference in M&A logic between Chinese and Western companies
• The "soft barriers" to successful integration
• Unpacking the hidden methodology of cultural compatibility and talent retention
• New rules in a shifting geopolitical landscape
• The possibilities for a uniquely Chinese answer