Nominations

We are looking for proven entrepreneurs and innovators in the private sector who have achieved significant success and are now at an “inflection point” (either personally or professionally) – that is, at a point in their lives and careers where they are ready to take on a broader leadership role in improving the wellbeing of Chinese society. Being at an inflection point is different from being ready to change jobs. Fellows must be at a stage in their lives when they are ready to pause, re-evaluate the things that matter to them most, and explore how to use their skills, experiences, resources, and networks to broaden and deepen their impact. 

Candidates are like-hearted but not like-minded and have a diversity of experience. We also look for people who make things happen. Not analysts or advisors. Our strongest candidates have started and grown something and are ready to do more. 

Some candidates may not be suitable if they:

Are rigid in their way of thinking and leading. Candidates would benefit from the Fellowship the most if they are open to deeply examining the candidates themselves and the world through various lenses during this journey. 

Are too early in their careers and cannot commit the necessary time and attention to the Fellowship experience. This means they are busy building their business or organization that it’s clear they won’t be able to make the time for or truly focus on all the Fellowship experience entails;

Are already “fully baked” in that they have already reached the point where we hope our Fellows to be when they graduate the Fellowship;

Are looking for just a networking opportunity, instead of believing fully in the potential of Fellowship

Most members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network are founders, CEOs, executive directors, or senior executives. In simple terms, we look for entrepreneurs who can “fix the plane while flying it” and leaders who build, innovate, and create while navigating real-world challenges.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have built, created, or driven meaningful innovation, and who have begun to rise to the top of their chosen fields. Success can take many forms. Some candidates may have launched multiple start-ups, including failed ones. Others may have introduced innovations that transformed an industry or significantly improved the lives of customers – even if those efforts have not yet produced substantial financial returns.

Entrepreneurial leadership is not limited to founders or CEOs. Candidates may also be senior leaders—such as heads of innovation, chief marketing officers, or other executives—who are driving new initiatives, entering new markets, or shaping the future direction of their organizations in ways that have broader societal impact.

In building each Fellowship class, we also seek a diverse “mosaic” of sectors and perspectives. In addition to traditional industries, China Fellows have come from fields such as the arts, media, healthcare, philanthropy, and academia. Ultimately, we are looking for leaders who have already made a meaningful difference and are now ready to expand their impact on society.

Eligible candidates must be at least 35 years old and no older than 49 by April 2027, when the Fellowship begins.

Generally no. However, candidates based elsewhere may be considered if their work primarily focuses on or significantly contributes to the society and economy of the Greater China region.

The program requires each Fellow to commit to attending all seminar meetings in their entirety (four seminars of 5–7 days each). In addition, Fellows must dedicate time to preparing for each seminar and commit the time and energy required to undertake a Leadership Impact Journey – an initiative developed during the Fellowship period that reflects their values and leadership aspirations, and which is intended to last a lifetime.Participation in the Fellowship is provided without cost to Fellows or their organizations, with the exception of travel, lodging, and incidental expenses associated with attending the four seminars. 

No. Fellows must participate in all four seminars in their entirety. An inability to commit to this requirement eliminates candidates from consideration for the current year. 

All of our Fellows are busy leaders, but we do expect full participation—from start to finish. This means no late arrivals, no early departures, and no stepping out for calls or meetings. While this may sound demanding, more than 4,000 Fellows across the Aspen Global Leadership Network have honored this commitment.

We kindly ask nominators to emphasize the importance of reviewing the published seminar dates, as well as the impact journey requirements and related FAQs, before submitting a nomination.

The guiding purpose of the China Fellowship Program is to motivate entrepreneurial leaders across the region to move “from success to significance.” Fellows are encouraged to transform insights from the Fellowship into meaningful action that addresses pressing social and economic challenges in their communities. As mentioned above, an integral part of the Fellowship experience is therefore each Fellow undertaking a Leadership Impact Journey – a long-term initiative developed during the Fellowship period but intended to last a lifetime.

Throughout the Fellowship experience, Fellows engage in deep reflection to discover their personal “sweet spot” by exploring three guiding questions:

• What drives me?
• What are my unique gifts?
• What does the world need now?

These reflections help Fellows identify the societal challenges they care most deeply about and determine how they can best contribute using their talents, experience, and leadership.

Fellows are encouraged to apply the leadership principles and practices explored during the seminars to their impact journeys. We view this work as a lifelong opportunity: a chance to pursue something you have always wanted to do but never found the time for; to bring a fresh approach to a challenge you see; to be bold, creative, and willing to take risks in service of the greater good.

Fellows are not expected to arrive at the first seminar with a fully formed idea. Rather, the Fellowship experience, along with the support of their classmates and the broader Fellowship community, is designed to help them discover their “sweet spot” and clarify the kind of long-term impact they wish to pursue.

Fellows are expected to identify and commit to an idea within the two-year Fellowship period. Throughout this time, Fellows provide regular written and verbal updates, and participate in check-in calls with the China Fellowship team between seminars to share progress and reflections on their journeys.

The key is open communication. Even when Fellows encounter challenges with their ideas or implementation, we encourage them to stay engaged so that the Fellowship team and community can offer support and guidance.

While the Fellowship does not provide direct financial resources for impact journeys, we offer support through coaching, mentorship, and community connections. Fellows may also become eligible for opportunities such as the McNulty Prize, which recognizes members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network who leverage their expertise, resources, and influence to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

Very well. We are not looking for someone you have merely met at a conference or read about in an article who impresses you and appears to fit our criteria. We look to you as a nominator to provide an in-depth look into the candidate’s background, values, and readiness to take full advantage of this opportunity.

To be most effective, your nomination will convince us of the following five things:

1. The candidate has proven success in the private sector in the Greater China region;
2. The candidate is an entrepreneur/a doer;
3. He or she is at the right point in their life and career to step back and think about how to broaden their leadership and impact; and take full advantage of what the Fellowship offers;
4. The candidate is not daunted by the sorts of challenges that may scare away others. We always look for signs of grit and for ways the candidate has had to overcome obstacles to achieve success.
5. The candidate understands the requirements of the Fellowship and can commit to completing them, including the seminar schedule and the impact journey.

Absolutely, yes, you should tell your candidate because you need to ensure that he or she is interested in the Fellowship and available to participate fully if selected.

Please share the nomination materials with them and encourage them to review our website so they understand the program structure and time commitment involved.

Each class has 20-22 Fellows, both women and men between the ages of 30 and 45. We aim to build a group with diverse professional and personal backgrounds whose experiences will complement, challenge, and inspire one another during the seminars and throughout the Fellowship.

Each Fellow should have something to teach and something to learn from the others. We call the process of putting together the ideal class “creating the mosaic,” and it’s both a science and an art.

Unfortunately, there are many exceptional, impressive individuals who are not chosen to be Fellows simply because they don’t fit the class mosaic for that particular year. That’s why we reconsider candidates, sometimes for a number of years, for their suitability for future classes.

We ask a wide range of questions because we are committed to understanding the full diversity of perspectives and experiences each candidate brings to the Fellowship.

We consider many factors, including geography, family background, industry, professional experience, company size, education, and socio-economic background. We also want to understand what motivates candidates and what they care deeply about.

Some of this information comes from the nomination form, while additional details are provided by the candidate through a separate confirmation form. All information is treated as strictly confidential. Nominators will not see the candidate’s confirmation form responses, and candidates will not see the nomination form.

Yes, we will send a confirmation form to all candidates received through the nomination forms to confirm their interest and availability for consideration in the Class 9 intake. They will have two weeks to complete the confirmation form (May 11–24, 2026). 

As noted above, the questions in this form are designed to help us better understand each candidate as an individual, in addition to the responses provided in the nomination form. Failure to complete it within the stated timeframe will result in the candidate not being considered further in the selection process for this cycle. 

Being asked to interview is a big deal! Within each nomination cycle, we interview a shortlist of over 50 finalists in various locations around China. Being invited to an interview means we believe a candidate has the potential to be a China Fellow.

Candidates should come to the interview prepared, having taken time to learn about the China Fellowship Program and what the Fellowship experience entails.

We ask all candidates to make two non-negotiable commitments:

• To attend all seminars in their entirety, from start to finish
• To undertake a Leadership Impact Journey

An inability to commit to either requirement eliminates candidates from consideration for that year.

Occasionally, candidates accept interview invitations even though they already know they cannot attend the seminar dates, hoping an exception may be made. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Because seminar participation is central to the Fellowship experience, missing any portion is unfair to the Fellow and their classmates. Accepting an interview with this expectation also prevents another candidate from being considered.

Please encourage your nominee to be open and honest. By the interview stage, we are already confident that candidates meet our basic criteria (such as professional success, entrepreneurial leadership, and age requirements). The interview focuses on getting to know them as a person and as a leader.

We explore questions such as:

• Are they at an inflection point in their life or career?
• Are they willing to be open and reflective at the seminar table with their classmates?
• Do they bring a generous spirit and commitment to learning alongside others?

The interview helps us understand how a candidate’s personality and perspective might contribute to the class mosaic. All discussions are confidential, and we encourage candidates to speak openly about their leadership journey and aspirations. 

We also recommend that candidates connect with alumni or current Fellows beforehand to gain a deeper understanding of the Fellowship experience.

Our process takes several months. We do not give out information prior to the final selection, so we respectfully ask nominators and candidates to be patient. Once we have made our final selection, we let every nominator and their candidate know the outcome and whether or not they will be reconsidered for the following year.

Being reconsidered is also a big deal, as not many candidates fall into this group. It means that we believe they are fellow worthy, but not a fit for that year’s class mosaic. We have had Fellows who were reconsidered for several years before being selected. That said, being reconsidered is not a guarantee of future selection.

Please keep us updated on any life changes, accomplishments, press, etc. We will do our best to connect with each reconsidered candidate before the next cycle. Candidates who remain engaged and in communication tend to maintain stronger candidacies. Before the next interview cycle, we will contact the candidate to confirm whether they remain interested in being considered. At that point, they will complete an updated confirmation form to rejoin the candidate pool.

Based on the research conducted and information we had, we did not see the candidate as a potential China Fellow. Rather than give candidates and nominators false hope, we try to be as transparent as possible. 

If you believe there have been significant changes in the candidate’s circumstances, or if you feel important information was missed, you are welcome to re-nominate them in the future.

There are also many other ways to engage with the Aspen Institute, including public events, programs, and the Aspen Executive Seminar. In some cases, candidates may be better recommended to another Aspen leadership program.

Both the candidate and the nominator will receive a personal email from us once the class has been finalized and announced.

We strive to treat all candidates and nominators with dignity, professionalism, and respect, and we will also share information about other relevant opportunities within the Aspen Institute when appropriate.

Please send us their name and any information. We have a pool of candidates on our watch list and would be happy to add your contact to this tracking effort.