CITIC Press has released the Chinese simplified characters edition of YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World, published in the US in April by Pegasus books. The Chinese edition, with a preface written for Chinese audience, is part of the Rhino Books imprint created in 2017 for high-profile books by foreign writers, anchored by Michele’s third book, THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore.
As you know, THE GRAY RHINO quickly became a best-seller in China and was cited as one of the top new words in financial markets in 2017. It made an appearance on Xi Jinping’s bookshelf and in public remarks in 2019 and earlier this year. Chinese bank regulator Guo Shuqing has repeatedly called real estate a gray rhino for China.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK –also referred to as “Gray Rhino II” in Chinese media— has received high-level endorsements from Wu Xiaoling, Executive Vice President of China Institute of Finance; Xiao Gang, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Liu Yuanchun, Vice President of Renmin University of China; high-profile economist Ren Zeping; He Fan, Professor of Economics at Shanghai Jiaotong University and author of “Variables”; and Qin Shuo, of China Commercial Civilization Research Center.
The book’s release, just five months after the US edition, is particularly significant given the issues many American authors had getting books approved in China recently.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK was inspired in part by Michele’s many conversations with readers during several trips to China from 2017 through 2010. “Covid-19 has changed the dynamics that shape our choices about financial, career, health, relationship, and ethical risks,” In a preface written for the Chinese edition, Michele notes. “I hope that the world will take this opportunity to think about how we can improve early-warning systems and reward those who recognize red flags early on so that we can confront risks earlier; to better protect citizens of nations and of the world from both domestic and global risks; and to create risk ecosystems that encourage constructive risk taking like education, entrepreneurship, and creativity and discourage dangerous risk taking like financial speculation and playing fast and loose with safety.”
Michele Wucker is an award-wining global thought leader who draws on three decades of experience in media and non-profit management and policy development.
Michele is the author of several books, the third of which is the highly praised “THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore”, which grew out of a presentation at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland in which she coined the term “gray rhino” for highly probable, high impact crisis events.
Michele founded Gray Rhino & Company in 2015 to help leaders and organizations to identify and strategize responses to gray rhino risks that are neglected despite -and all too often because of- their size.
Michele has been recognized as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and a Guggenheim Fellow, among other honors. Her previous leadership positions include Vice President for Studies at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs; President of the World Policy Institute, which she re-launched in 2007 in a dramatic turnaround; and Latin America Bureau Chief at International Financing Review. She also has taught master’s students at the School for International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, of which she is an alumna. An engaging keynote speaker, moderator, panelist, and facilitator, she has delivered presentations in 16 countries on five continents. She lives in Chicago.
Michele’s speaking topics include:
- Gray Rhino-Proofing Your Future: A New Way to Think about Risk and Response
- Gray Rhinos, not Black Swans: A New Way to Think about Risk and Response
- Demographic Gray Rhinos: Robots Meet Aging and Migration
- Beyond Kicking the Can: How to Stop Muddling and Innovate
Contact us to engage Michele Wucker to speak at your next conference.