The Serica Initiative recently welcomed J. Michael Chu, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of L Catterton, for an intimate CEO Dinner with members of our community. The evening brought together leaders across industries for a wide-ranging conversation on investment strategy, the changing global economy, the future of consumer markets, and lessons from Michael’s own life and career.

Ahead of the dinner, CINGS member Louisa Qiu sat down with Michael for a special interview, exploring one area where Louisa had interest and he has some expertise: the evolution of luxury and consumer brands.

On Saturday 9th September, about 25 CINGS members and guests (plus two very good dogs) gathered in Connecticut for an afternoon of pool, lunch, and three back-to-back panels on AI and crypto. From 12 to 7pm, the group moved between the pool, the patio, and the living room for conversations that ranged from AI-powered zero waste design to agentic AI to crypto investing. 

Sensitive topics were shared in this Chatham House gathering with institutional political intelligence firm, Height, LLC. CINGS members gathered in a midtown Manhattan board room over red wine and San Pellegrino to listen to Height's forward outlook while sharing their own views from life inside the Great Firewall.

Overlooking Central Park on a member's amenity terrace, a small group of CINGS crypto investors, entrepreneurs, and the uninitiated gathered to exchange ideas and anecdotes. There, the members expressed their bullishness (or bearishness) and bonded over Chubby Skewers and new ideas.

We had an absolutely amazing time at our summer picnic, with a turnout of 20+ people coming together over music, great conversation, and Rosa's mouth-watering homemade zongzi. The afternoon was filled with laughter as we decorated care bags for Heart of Dinner, caught up with old friends we haven't seen in a while, and enjoyed some incredibly refreshing drinks courtesy of the founder of Herb Nook Lab.