Shawn Connors
Chairman and CEO of GSME
Mr. Connors has almost 30 years of experience in government, advising governments, and in private sector business and business development.
Starting out in Government, and than branching out to private sector doing considerable advisory work for the Government of Canada, and to business and business development in the aquaculture and food industry, and to being involved in a number of business areas with China. His work then further branched out to include Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Connors is highly expert on China, and in doing business with China, and has more than 25 years of extensive experience engaging with China at the highest levels in a wide range of business and Government Initiatives.
Government of Canada Career
Mr. Connors engagement with China began – basically at the same time that Canada’s major engagement in business began with China -- in the early 1990’s.
In fact, Mr. Connors was right in the middle of the effort to get things off the ground between China and Canada.
From 1993-1995 Mr. Connors was the Project Manager for the Government of Canada for the Special China Business Development and Relations Project in the Fisheries and Aquacultures Sectors between Canada and China.
This Special Project technically resided inside the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but it was outside and above the normal/standard Government of Canada operational structures and approval processes, and was authorized by special approval and special authorities by the Treasury Board of Canada and signed off on by three Federal Cabinet Ministers as required for the approvals and authorities that the project had which gave Mr. Connors the approval for the project, its objectives, its operations, the special project budget, and the authorities for project operations and expenditures for Mr. Connors. The Project also had the support and assistance of Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, the direct involvement of Canada’s Ambassador to China who Mr. Connors worked closely with when he was in China, and whom Mr. Connors coordinated with and advised on project operations along with Canada’s Minister of State for Fisheries and Agriculture, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and Canada’s Privy Council and Prime Ministers Offices.
The project was an aquaculture, fisheries, and aquatic technology business development and cooperative initiative that opened the door to large scale business between Canada and China in these business sectors.
Before this project there was almost no business in these sectors between the two countries – and what was done was principally done through Hong Kong. There was virtually no direct contact between mainland Chinese and Canadian companies prior to this initiative. That all changed immediately with this initiative with virtually all of Canada’s main fisheries and aquaculture companies involved and with the direct personal involvement of their Presidents and CEOs.
Today, there is more than $1.2 billion annually in seafood business between China and Canada and that doesn’t even include the amount of aquatic and marine technology and engineering service business that takes place annually.
This initiative proceeded prior to the Chretien Government’s major Trade Missions with China in the 1990’s and the early stage work on this initiative actually helped open the door and helped to lay the foundations for the successful multi sector engagement with China through the Prime Minister Chretien led Trade Missions, which this initiative opted out of for its own special sector specific initiative because of certain advantages at the time in following that approach.
When this Project commenced, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada had no plan or intent to engage with China and to make a push for increased business and trade with China. China was not even in their Five Year Plan. That all changed with this initiative – largely as a result of the hard work of the Chinese lead consultant for this project, and his identification of the opportunities, and his vision of what could be achieved.
Along with Coordinating things on the Canadian side within the Government of Canada, and with the Canadian fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic technology sectors, Mr. Connors worked closely with Mr. Fan Chen, who was contracted by the Government of Canada as the lead consultant to develop, and execute this important initiative. Mr. Chen, and his project team, set up everything in China for the initiative. Mr. Connors role was important in this initiative but it was Mr. Chen who was the relentless driving force that made things happen in this initiative, breaking down barriers and opening the doors, and without him the success that was achieved would not have been possible.
Mr. Connors regular day job (and the area that he was most expert on at the time) as he carried on his duties for the Government of Canada helping to “Open the Door” for business between Canada and China, was as Senior Aquaculture Policy Advisor for the Government of Canada.
Mr. Connors provided policy advice to the Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, to the Federal Cabinet, and to the Prime Minister on Aquaculture Development.
Mr. Connors was also the Lead Developer, along with Mr. Daniel Stechey, of Canada’s Initial Federal Aquaculture Development Strategy. Mr. Connors coordinated the regulation and program support of Canada’s 17 Federal Government agencies with roles in regulating and supporting the sector.
Mr. Connors played a Principal leading role in negotiating and establishing the Federal- Provincial Framework for Cooperation and Regulation and Management of Aquaculture (aquaculture in Canada is an area of shared federal and provincial jurisdiction.).
Mr. Connors working closely with senior officials in Human Resources Canada (Canada’s Federal Agency Responsible for Training and Training Support) and the leaders of Canada’s Provincial and Regional Aquaculture Associations, played an important role in helping to establish Canada’s National Aquaculture Industry Association.
Mr. Connors also played a lead role in the organization of two National Planning Forums which brought together Canada’s Federal Government (The Government of Canada), the Provincial Governments, Private Industry, and representatives from Canada’s Indigenous Peoples from across Canada for National Strategy and Planning Sessions.
Post Government of Canada Career
After leaving Government Mr. Connors has provided advisory services to Canadian Federal Government agencies and Departments at the highest levels related to Canadian government operations and organization, contracting, human resource management, and fisheries and aquaculture policy and management, international trade and development, the food business, and China. Agencies supported assisted included the Prime Ministers Office, the Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board Secretariat, Agriculture Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Office of the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Environment Canada, Industry Canada, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Specific examples of Mr. Connors advisory and consulting work for the Government of Canada that include:
Mr. Connors engagement with China, and Business with China continued after leaving Government and became even more involved and extensive and carried on for more than 23 years, up to present day.
Mr. Connors work and engagement with China has been extensive and multifaceted allowing him to accumulate a broad range of experience in engaging with China.
Mr. Connors has over the last 25 years organized and coordinated many government and industry missions to China by Canadian and Government and Industry leaders; and Missions and Study Tours to Canada by high level Government of China delegations – more than 90 percent of them since he left Government.
Mr. Connors has arranged, developed, and put on training sessions and workshops for China’s State Bureau of Foreign Experts (State Administration of Foreign Experts) officials that came to Canada, and for technical and Government groups that they sent over to Canada to receive training and study tours.
Training sessions and work shops and presentations covered a number of areas including;
Mr. Connors has developed study tour programs and made arrangements for a number of study tours of Canada and Mexico for Chinese delegations led by Party Secretaries that included leading businessmen, Government administrative officials, lawyers, researchers, scientists and academics.
These were different as they involved the special requirements for missions led by Party Secretaries and involved arranging high level government meetings for them, visits to view the operations of leading edge Canadian and United States companies, and involved companies with these delegations looking for potential opportunities to develop business in North America and sometimes looking for potential North American business partners.
Mr. Connors also played the lead role in Canada supporting the development of ties of friendship and cooperation between Canada and Shangrao which has led to friendship and cooperation ties between Shangrao, China, and the Eastern Ontario Region of Canada, and specifically an agreement between the Town of Prescott, Ontario, and the Municipality of Shangrao, China.
Mr. Connors has dealt with a number of Chinese businesses, companies, and institutions, in a number of different sectors, for a number of different types of businesses, in China, and in North America.
With respect to private sector business, and business development, with China over the last 23 years, Mr. Connors has:
Mr. Connors has also searched for North American Companies, Educational Institutions, Associations, and appropriate Government officials in Canada and Mexico to meet the needs expressed by Chinese companies and institutions.
These “expressed needs” required Mr. Connors to support and provide assistance for Chinese procurement and investment efforts related to:
And over the last several years Mr. Connors has built up considerable knowledge and expertise on China’s new emerging high opportunity business areas – in fact he has been almost forced to as they have been thrust upon him from those already in those business areas in China, or from those moving into them now as business operators or investors.
“Hot” new emerging business areas such as the Chinese consumer product sector, the China real estate – theme park/resort and tourist hotel business, China’s education sector, the biotech sector, and the medical technology and medical services sectors.
And that has played a key part in the creation of GSME – that and the opportunity to do things better, and organize and bring capacities together in new ways that open the door to new opportunities and great business returns.
Mr. Connors Business Experience and Expertise Extends Beyond Doing Business with China
Mr. Connors is highly expert on the food sector (and the aquaculture, fisheries and agriculture businesses); and he has been involved in business development in a number of areas and places.
Mr. Connors has:
Starting out in Government, and than branching out to private sector doing considerable advisory work for the Government of Canada, and to business and business development in the aquaculture and food industry, and to being involved in a number of business areas with China. His work then further branched out to include Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Connors is highly expert on China, and in doing business with China, and has more than 25 years of extensive experience engaging with China at the highest levels in a wide range of business and Government Initiatives.
Government of Canada Career
Mr. Connors engagement with China began – basically at the same time that Canada’s major engagement in business began with China -- in the early 1990’s.
In fact, Mr. Connors was right in the middle of the effort to get things off the ground between China and Canada.
From 1993-1995 Mr. Connors was the Project Manager for the Government of Canada for the Special China Business Development and Relations Project in the Fisheries and Aquacultures Sectors between Canada and China.
This Special Project technically resided inside the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but it was outside and above the normal/standard Government of Canada operational structures and approval processes, and was authorized by special approval and special authorities by the Treasury Board of Canada and signed off on by three Federal Cabinet Ministers as required for the approvals and authorities that the project had which gave Mr. Connors the approval for the project, its objectives, its operations, the special project budget, and the authorities for project operations and expenditures for Mr. Connors. The Project also had the support and assistance of Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, the direct involvement of Canada’s Ambassador to China who Mr. Connors worked closely with when he was in China, and whom Mr. Connors coordinated with and advised on project operations along with Canada’s Minister of State for Fisheries and Agriculture, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and Canada’s Privy Council and Prime Ministers Offices.
The project was an aquaculture, fisheries, and aquatic technology business development and cooperative initiative that opened the door to large scale business between Canada and China in these business sectors.
Before this project there was almost no business in these sectors between the two countries – and what was done was principally done through Hong Kong. There was virtually no direct contact between mainland Chinese and Canadian companies prior to this initiative. That all changed immediately with this initiative with virtually all of Canada’s main fisheries and aquaculture companies involved and with the direct personal involvement of their Presidents and CEOs.
Today, there is more than $1.2 billion annually in seafood business between China and Canada and that doesn’t even include the amount of aquatic and marine technology and engineering service business that takes place annually.
This initiative proceeded prior to the Chretien Government’s major Trade Missions with China in the 1990’s and the early stage work on this initiative actually helped open the door and helped to lay the foundations for the successful multi sector engagement with China through the Prime Minister Chretien led Trade Missions, which this initiative opted out of for its own special sector specific initiative because of certain advantages at the time in following that approach.
When this Project commenced, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada had no plan or intent to engage with China and to make a push for increased business and trade with China. China was not even in their Five Year Plan. That all changed with this initiative – largely as a result of the hard work of the Chinese lead consultant for this project, and his identification of the opportunities, and his vision of what could be achieved.
Along with Coordinating things on the Canadian side within the Government of Canada, and with the Canadian fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic technology sectors, Mr. Connors worked closely with Mr. Fan Chen, who was contracted by the Government of Canada as the lead consultant to develop, and execute this important initiative. Mr. Chen, and his project team, set up everything in China for the initiative. Mr. Connors role was important in this initiative but it was Mr. Chen who was the relentless driving force that made things happen in this initiative, breaking down barriers and opening the doors, and without him the success that was achieved would not have been possible.
Mr. Connors regular day job (and the area that he was most expert on at the time) as he carried on his duties for the Government of Canada helping to “Open the Door” for business between Canada and China, was as Senior Aquaculture Policy Advisor for the Government of Canada.
Mr. Connors provided policy advice to the Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, to the Federal Cabinet, and to the Prime Minister on Aquaculture Development.
Mr. Connors was also the Lead Developer, along with Mr. Daniel Stechey, of Canada’s Initial Federal Aquaculture Development Strategy. Mr. Connors coordinated the regulation and program support of Canada’s 17 Federal Government agencies with roles in regulating and supporting the sector.
Mr. Connors played a Principal leading role in negotiating and establishing the Federal- Provincial Framework for Cooperation and Regulation and Management of Aquaculture (aquaculture in Canada is an area of shared federal and provincial jurisdiction.).
Mr. Connors working closely with senior officials in Human Resources Canada (Canada’s Federal Agency Responsible for Training and Training Support) and the leaders of Canada’s Provincial and Regional Aquaculture Associations, played an important role in helping to establish Canada’s National Aquaculture Industry Association.
Mr. Connors also played a lead role in the organization of two National Planning Forums which brought together Canada’s Federal Government (The Government of Canada), the Provincial Governments, Private Industry, and representatives from Canada’s Indigenous Peoples from across Canada for National Strategy and Planning Sessions.
Post Government of Canada Career
After leaving Government Mr. Connors has provided advisory services to Canadian Federal Government agencies and Departments at the highest levels related to Canadian government operations and organization, contracting, human resource management, and fisheries and aquaculture policy and management, international trade and development, the food business, and China. Agencies supported assisted included the Prime Ministers Office, the Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board Secretariat, Agriculture Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Office of the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Environment Canada, Industry Canada, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Specific examples of Mr. Connors advisory and consulting work for the Government of Canada that include:
- Providing advisory services on trade, business development, and business cooperation, and Government relations with China.
- Providing advisory services organizing business and Government Delegations to China.
- Advising the Office of the Canadian Minister of State for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, and the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, on aquaculture and fisheries issues (domestic and International); and on policies related to those sectors, program support for those sectors, and regulation of those sectors, on how the aquaculture business operated, and on how the farms worked to produce the various species of fish from both a business/economic perspective and a biological farming perspective.
- Providing advisory services to the Officials in the Department of Fisheries & Oceans (Canada’s lead Federal Agency Responsible for Aquaculture in Canada – and Responsible for Coordinating all Federal Government activities related to Aquaculture Development in Canada), on aquaculture policies, support, and regulation in Canada, and on international aquaculture development.
- Providing advice to a number of other Canadian agencies on aquaculture, including the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Canadian International Development Agency, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment Canada, the National Research Council. the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, Statistics Canada, Human Resources Canada (Canada’s Federal Agency Responsible for Training and Training Support), and the Office of Canada’s Commissioner for Aquaculture Development.
- Advising the Special Liberal Party Task Force (made up of Senior Liberal Members of Parliament) on Aquaculture in Canada and for the recommendations that they were making to the Prime Minister, which included the recommendation for the creation of a new position, the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, and on the mandate for the Commissioner, his reporting arrangements, and supporting office and staff requirements.
- Providing aquaculture, fisheries, and food market and business analyses to various federal government agencies.
Mr. Connors engagement with China, and Business with China continued after leaving Government and became even more involved and extensive and carried on for more than 23 years, up to present day.
Mr. Connors work and engagement with China has been extensive and multifaceted allowing him to accumulate a broad range of experience in engaging with China.
Mr. Connors has over the last 25 years organized and coordinated many government and industry missions to China by Canadian and Government and Industry leaders; and Missions and Study Tours to Canada by high level Government of China delegations – more than 90 percent of them since he left Government.
Mr. Connors has arranged, developed, and put on training sessions and workshops for China’s State Bureau of Foreign Experts (State Administration of Foreign Experts) officials that came to Canada, and for technical and Government groups that they sent over to Canada to receive training and study tours.
Training sessions and work shops and presentations covered a number of areas including;
- Aquaculture, fishing, food processing, the agriculture business and technology, and the food business in the NAFTA Trade Area (composed of Canada, the United Sates, Mexico);
- Government policy making and the legislative process in Canada;
- Government regulation and management of the fisheries, aquaculture and agriculture sectors in Canada (the Government Regulation and Management of the Canadian Food Industry);
- Technological developments in environmental protection in Canada (for water, air, and land);
- Canadian Government Environmental Regulation;
- Canadian and United States Government Food Safety Regulation and Food Safety Systems.
Mr. Connors has developed study tour programs and made arrangements for a number of study tours of Canada and Mexico for Chinese delegations led by Party Secretaries that included leading businessmen, Government administrative officials, lawyers, researchers, scientists and academics.
These were different as they involved the special requirements for missions led by Party Secretaries and involved arranging high level government meetings for them, visits to view the operations of leading edge Canadian and United States companies, and involved companies with these delegations looking for potential opportunities to develop business in North America and sometimes looking for potential North American business partners.
Mr. Connors also played the lead role in Canada supporting the development of ties of friendship and cooperation between Canada and Shangrao which has led to friendship and cooperation ties between Shangrao, China, and the Eastern Ontario Region of Canada, and specifically an agreement between the Town of Prescott, Ontario, and the Municipality of Shangrao, China.
Mr. Connors has dealt with a number of Chinese businesses, companies, and institutions, in a number of different sectors, for a number of different types of businesses, in China, and in North America.
With respect to private sector business, and business development, with China over the last 23 years, Mr. Connors has:
- Advised and assisted Canadian companies to sell seafood, aquaculture, and food products to China;
- Advised Chinese companies selling seafood products into North America;
- Advised and supported Chinese aquaculture, fishing and food production companies in establishing business operations in Canada and Mexico;
- Advised Chinese private businesses and Government officials on the establishment of training programs for judges, lawyers;
- Advised Chinese private businesses and Government officials on tourism and cattle breeding;
- Provided Advice to Government officials from Dalian China, and Chinese companies, on the establishment of a parking system in Dalian, China;
- Undertaken analysis and provided advice and assessments on potential safe and profitable investments for Chinese companies into Canada such as real estate development and tourism; and identifying Canadian companies with capacities to partner with Chinese companies;
- Supported the sale of wine, liquor and spirits (alcohol) products from North American and European producers and suppliers to China and a number of other countries;
- Provided advice to the Government of the City of Dalian, China on utilizing Canadian expertise, equipment suppliers, and financing in the building of the bridge to connect the two sections of Dalian City (bridge equivalent in size the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge);
Mr. Connors has also searched for North American Companies, Educational Institutions, Associations, and appropriate Government officials in Canada and Mexico to meet the needs expressed by Chinese companies and institutions.
These “expressed needs” required Mr. Connors to support and provide assistance for Chinese procurement and investment efforts related to:
- mineral and metal acquisition;
- mining;
- pulp and paper;
- oil and gas;
- agriculture products;
- agriculture technology;
- training and education;
- energy;
- publishing; and
- medical and health care.
And over the last several years Mr. Connors has built up considerable knowledge and expertise on China’s new emerging high opportunity business areas – in fact he has been almost forced to as they have been thrust upon him from those already in those business areas in China, or from those moving into them now as business operators or investors.
“Hot” new emerging business areas such as the Chinese consumer product sector, the China real estate – theme park/resort and tourist hotel business, China’s education sector, the biotech sector, and the medical technology and medical services sectors.
And that has played a key part in the creation of GSME – that and the opportunity to do things better, and organize and bring capacities together in new ways that open the door to new opportunities and great business returns.
Mr. Connors Business Experience and Expertise Extends Beyond Doing Business with China
Mr. Connors is highly expert on the food sector (and the aquaculture, fisheries and agriculture businesses); and he has been involved in business development in a number of areas and places.
Mr. Connors has:
- Advised and assisted in the establishment of aquaculture businesses in North America, and providing ongoing advice and assistance.
- Provided advice, support and assistance to aquaculture companies in Mexico.
- Provided advice and support for Aboriginal and First Nations business and economic development in Canada, including providing advice and support for the establishment of Canada’s Aboriginal Aquaculture Industry Association which was to assist aboriginal peoples of Canada to have their interests to be reflected in the development of Canada’s aquaculture sector, and to enable them to benefit from the sectors development in Canada.
- Been the Managing Director of a special project set up for aquaculture and fisheries development for the Government of Mexico and several State Governments in Mexico, that involved universities and companies from Canada, Mexico and the United States.
- Led an aquaculture development and modernization initiative with the State Government of Veracruz, existing aquaculture business operations in the state, and the research and academic sectors in Veracruz related to oceans, aquaculture and lake ecosystems.
In undertaking this, Mr. Connors created and led a special project team that had Chinese aquaculture specialists tied to aquaculture companies in China; and Canadian and Mexican, business, legal, and aquaculture specialists. - Provided support to the Government of Veracruz as related to trade and investment (with, and from, Canada) related to tourism, agriculture, and several other areas.
- Advised the National Aquaculture Industry Association of Canada on aquaculture issues, communications, government relations, and international business and political developments with respect to aquaculture, as well as personnel decisions and operations; and on relations with the Provincial Aquaculture Industry Associations, and with other related industry sectors (fisheries and agriculture).
- Advised most of the major Provincial Aquaculture Industry Associations in Canada on communications, government relations, and international business and political developments with respect to aquaculture, as well as personnel decisions and operations; and on relations with the National Aquaculture Industry Association of Canada, and on their relations with other Provincial Aquaculture Industry Associations, and with other related industry sectors (fisheries and agriculture), and also on new technology developments.
- Advised a number of the major/leading aquaculture companies in Canada on Government relations, and on developments in aquaculture in Canada and in the international aquaculture business.
- Played key roles in organizing a number of special/major government and political events and meetings including: a banquet and reception with Canadian Members of Parliament and Senators on Parliament Hill by a Canadian National Industry Association; a Special Summit Meeting between the Federal Government, the Provincial Government, and industry.