Beginner’s courage with creativity, focus and allies, and extraordinary follows
Mark Tanner is an adventurer, strategist, and global thinker who sees the world not just as a map, but as a series of bold opportunities. His life has been shaped by living and working across five continents—New Zealand, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia—bringing a rare and deeply informed perspective to everything he does.
One of his most extraordinary achievements is leading the first recorded paddle down the full length of the Blue Nile to the Mediterranean Sea, a journey fraught with danger: crocodiles, hippos, bandits, terrorists, tropical disease, and searing heat. This spirit of adventure has also taken him cycling solo across Canada during winter and searching for ancient Viking treasure in Iceland.
Mark is the founder of China Skinny, a Shanghai-based strategic marketing agency that has grown under his leadership to become one of the most recognised in China. From Nike and IKEA to Tourism Australia and Zespri, he has helped global giants and emerging brands alike thrive in one of the world’s most complex and competitive markets—all while running the business largely from his home in New Zealand.
Regularly quoted by international media including Bloomberg, CNN, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, Mark is widely respected for his sharp insights and cultural fluency. He also lends his expertise to governance, serving as the first independent director on the board of Primary Collaboration New Zealand.
Talking Points
Where World-First Adventures and World-Leading Innovators Collide
Mark draws on the parallels between completing the first paddle down the Nile and building one of China’s best-known strategic marketing firms. He reveals how bold ambition, clear focus, and smart execution can achieve extraordinary results, often with limited resources and experience. Key Takeaways: How to achieve more with less; Defining what truly matters, and acting fast; Standing out in an increasingly crowded market; Recognising shortfalls and identifying solutions; Using technology as an enabler, not to define business or pursuits. Perfect for: Businesses and individuals with lofty goals but limited resources, seeking practical inspiration to go further, faster.
Where World-First Adventures and World-Leading Innovators Collide
Everyone Has Doubt and Anxiety - Success Comes From How We Frame It
Whether launching an agency in a market of 120,000 competitors or attempting a world-first expedition with no contacts, experience or money, Mark has navigated more doubt than certainty. Along the way, he discovered that setbacks shape success, and that resilience, reframing, and teamwork turn adversity into advantage. Key Takeaways: How to reframe rejection, disappointment and failure; Perseverance in practice; Finding and focusing on positives; Maximising impact by stretching limited resources; Building collaborative teams under pressure. Perfect for: Any business or individual who’s let self-doubt stall ambition.
Everyone Has Doubt and Anxiety - Success Comes From How We Frame It
Innovation, Risk and the China Paradox
In a market where regulation changes overnight and competitors pivot at lightning speed, China has become a live laboratory for innovation. Mark draws on years of experience working with some of the world’s biggest and boldest brands in China to explore how constraint, uncertainty and calculated risk can fuel creativity and resilience. Key Takeaways: Why risk aversion kills innovation, and how China’s “move fast, learn faster” mindset overcomes it; Turning ambiguity into a competitive advantage; How to test, scale and evolve ideas in volatile environments; Building cultures that reward experimentation, not perfection; Lessons global leaders can learn from China’s fearless innovation ecosystem Perfect for:Innovation, Risk and the China Paradox
Leaders and teams seeking to balance risk and creativity, and to innovate with confidence in uncertain times.
Bridging Worlds: The Art of Cross-Cultural Strategy
Having built one of the most recognised foreign-led advisories in China, following years of living in Africa, Europe and North America, Mark shares hard-earned lessons on navigating culture, communication and collaboration across borders. This session uncovers the subtle drivers of trust, persuasion and partnership that too often get lost in translation, and how to bridge cultures in ways that create lasting value. Key Takeaways: Understanding cultural context as a business superpower; How to earn trust and credibility in unfamiliar markets; Recognising invisible biases in global strategy; The power of empathy and listening across cultures; Turning cross-cultural friction into creative energy Perfect for: Executives, entrepreneurs and teams working across cultures or entering new markets who want to build genuine connection and sustainable success.
Bridging Worlds: The Art of Cross-Cultural Strategy
Video
The dynamic Chinese Consumer: Staying authentic and relevant
Covid-driven trends: How Chinese companies have evolved
