John Lin
John Lin is a China expert and international speaker who inspires organizations to think smarter and act faster. He doesn't focus on trends, but on concrete strategies for real impact. Book John Lin als keynote speaker via Assemblee Speakers.
Biography
John Lin is a China expert and an advocate for the digitalizing world. He is an international speaker who inspires organizations to think smarter and act faster—focusing not on trends, but on concrete strategies for real impact.
He speaks on topics such as Innovation & Trends, Technology, Leadership, Strategy, Automotive, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Brief Introduction to John Lin
John Lin is a China tech expert, speaker, strategic consultant, and board member of the Netherlands China Business Council. He previously served as Lead Ecosystem Business Development and Strategy Business Developer at bol.com. John is also a regular columnist for Twinkle Magazine and BusinessWise. His mission is to bridge the gap between East and West, enabling mutual learning.
Biography of John Lin
John Lin is a China expert and platform evangelist. He is a regular columnist for Twinkle Magazine and BusinessWise, and works at bol.com as Lead Ecosystem Developer. Since the beginning of his career, he has been bridging East and West through inspiring sessions on Chinese innovation.
John Lin is a stereotypical Dutch-Chinese individual—raised in a Chinese takeaway restaurant and, of course, good with numbers. His family was part of the first generation of Chinese immigrants in the Netherlands, often telling others how great life was here.
Growing up Chinese in the Netherlands has been challenging for many second-generation Chinese due to the search for identity. However, John has embraced his upbringing in two cultures and enjoys sharing his unique perspective.
After spending time in Shanghai himself—studying at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics—he has come full circle. Now, John shares insights on China’s groundbreaking innovations and how we can learn from them.
After completing his studies in Innovation Management at Erasmus University in 2017, John began working as a Strategy & Business Developer at bol.com. In his role, he draws significant inspiration from Chinese platform companies like Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance.
Beyond his "regular" job at bol.com, he eventually developed into a China expert. He noticed that almost no one looked to the East for learning, despite its leading role in digitalization and the platform economy. John specialized in translating this knowledge—both linguistically and culturally. Among other initiatives, he took bol.com’s leadership on an inspiring trip to China and helped translate these insights into a local strategy.
John Lin frequently speaks at e-commerce, automotive and platform events. He does this with great passion, aiming to bring East and West closer together—through inspiration rather than the polarization often seen in daily media.
As a speaker, John inspires audiences with Chinese innovations and trends, teaching them how to apply these lessons to local markets. He does this through thought-provoking examples and experiences, sprinkled with Chinese-Dutch humor.
Employability
Speaker
BOOK JOHN LIN AS A SPEAKER VIA ASSEMBLEE SPEAKERS
Platform Economy | Digitalization | China Tech
As a speaker, John Lin inspires audiences with insights into Chinese innovations and trends—and teaches how to apply them to local markets. He does this through compelling examples and experiences, seasoned with a touch of Chinese-Dutch humor.
JOHN LIN'S KEYNOTE TOPICS
China: A Glimpse into the Future of Retail
You’ve probably heard of WeChat or Alibaba, but are you aware of how these platforms are shaping—and reinventing—the future of retail? One thing is certain: China innovates at such a rapid pace that it calls into question Western approaches to innovation. In his keynote, John Lin takes you inside China’s digital revolution and explains the critical role of digitalization.
China: Necessity as the Mother of Innovation
China has been innovating at an unprecedented pace in recent years—but with a fundamentally different philosophy than the West. While Western innovation is often commercially driven, China’s is necessity-driven. John Lin unpacks what this means for us and how we can learn from it.
From Copycat to Frontrunner
BYD, Nio, XPeng, Xiaomi—we’re being flooded with Chinese car brands. Did you know China has over *150* electric vehicle manufacturers? Battery makers, smartphone brands, telecom providers—apparently, anyone can build an EV. What we see here is just the tip of the iceberg; only the winners make it to our markets. How did they go from producing low-quality copycats to becoming global leaders? Is this the beginning of the end, or just the start? John Lin reveals the breakneck speed of China’s innovation, its implications for our industries, and the lessons we can take away.
