China for China: How MNCs Are Rewriting Their Playbooks

China remains one of the most essential -- and complex -- markets for global companies. In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives , host Steve Odland sits down with David Hoffman, Senior Advisor and China Center Leader at The Conference Board , to unpack what's really happening on the ground. Fresh from a three-week visit to Beijing and Shanghai, David shares a nuanced view of a market in transition: slower growth, ongoing real estate challenges, and a policy environment that is becoming less market driven. Yet, despite these headwinds, China continues to offer unmatched scale, a deeply capable supply chain, and increasingly rapid innovation cycles that make it indispensable for companies competing globally. The conversation also explores the rising strength of Chinese competitors, whose gains in design, quality, and cost are reshaping industries worldwide. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and trade frictions, companies are adapting through "China for China" strategies : localizing operations to build resilience while navigating a more fragmented global landscape. For more from The Conference Board: All China Center Research China Economy Watch China Consumption Quarterly Roundup

You can listen to China for China: How MNCs Are Rewriting Their Playbooks online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

China for China: How MNCs Are Rewriting Their Playbooks is an episode from CEO Perspectives by The Conference Board.

This episode is 33:34 long.

This episode was published on Mar 23, 2026.

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