Yang Lan is a household name in China, as a leading broadcast journalist and media entrepreneur. She is the cofounder and Chairperson of Sun Media Group and Sun Culture Foundation. Sun Media Group is one of the leading private media companies in China with businesses ranging from TV production, integrated communications, events, and more. Sun Culture Foundation is a non-profit organization aiming to improve education and promote philanthropy.
Ms. Yang graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University with Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature. She became a rising star by hosting CCTV’s “Zhengda Variety Show”, which earned her the “Golden Microphone Award” in 1994. She followed her experience hosting her television show by attending Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where she earned a master’s degree in International Affairs. Upon returning to China, she created her signature show “Yang Lan Studio”, now named “Yang Lan One on One”, for the Hong Kong based Phoenix TV. “Yang Lan One on One” has become China’s longest-running in-depth talk show, accumulating more than 700 interviews with leaders from around the world. In 2000, Ms. Yang and her husband Dr. Bruno Wu launched Sun TV, Greater China first documentary satellite channel. In 2005, she created “Her Village”, a TV talk show geared towards Chinese urban female audience, which was developed into a multimedia community to empower women. She has been firmly committed to promoting cross-cultural communications. She was chosen to represent China as the ambassador for Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, and was named as Goodwill Ambassador for 2010 Shanghai Expo. Currently she is the Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics Movement and the first Chinese UNICEF Ambassador, the Co-Chair of Lincoln Center China Advisory Council, and the Vice-Chairman of China Charity Alliance. Ms. Yang has moderated many events including the opening and closing ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, the opening ceremony of Shanghai Expo, Special Olympics Global Development Summit, APEC Women and the Economy Summit, World Economic Forum, Fortune Forum and China Charity Forum. Ms Yang was honored with many awards, including Columbia University SIPA’s “Global Leadership Award”, the “National Philanthropy Award” ,China’ “Women’s Achievement Award”, the Paley Center For Media “Makers” award. She’s ranked #100 World’s Most Powerful Women in Forbes.