Andrew Edlefsen Delivers Keynote: Businesses Must Do More Than Keep Pace With Change — They Need to Identify What Actually Matters

On September 17, Andrew Edlefsen, Principal Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou, delivered opening remarks at the *Accelerate 26 Cross-Border Ecosystem Summit · China Edition*, hosted by Pattern with Ebrun as its strategic partner.

Edlefsen noted that Accelerate’s first expansion outside North America to mark a key milestone for the event. Shenzhen, as a core hub for China’s technology, advanced manufacturing, innovation and cross-border e-commerce sectors, is a symbolic host city: Chinese businesses are shifting away from a pure "sell products overseas" mindset to building sustainable, enduring global brands. Amid the rapid shifts driven by artificial intelligence, social commerce and emerging platforms, he said, the core challenge for businesses is not merely keeping up with change, but discerning which changes hold real material value, and figuring out how to translate new technologies and channels into tangible business outcomes.

In Edlefsen’s view, the three core themes of the event — innovation, connection and acceleration — cover the full lifecycle of international business growth: building global brands, matching with suitable markets and platforms, and driving sustainable growth through AI, data and smarter operations.

(This article is compiled from the speaker’s on-site remarks, with minor edits made without altering the original meaning.)

The full transcript of Edlefsen’s address follows:

Good morning, distinguished guests, business leaders, partners and friends. It is an enormous honor to be here in Shenzhen today representing the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou to join all of you. I want to extend my warmest welcome to everyone here, and thank you for inviting us to take part in the Accelerate 26 Cross-Border Ecosystem Summit · China Edition.

I would like to express my deep appreciation for the event organization work, as well as the support the U.S. Department of Commerce has provided for this important gathering. I also want to extend sincere thanks to all the guests, speakers, brand representatives, service providers and partners who have traveled all the way from the United States to join this event — it is their support that makes today’s event possible.

Additionally, as a long-time resident of Utah, I am particularly thrilled to be here representing the U.S. government to support a Utah-headquartered company, and to witness the remarkable achievements it has built in China to date.

I also want to extend a special welcome and thanks to representatives from Amazon Ads, Walmart Global eCommerce, Google, Coupang, Target, Mercado Libre, noon, Lowe’s, TikTok Shop and Best Buy. The gathering of so many leading global platforms and retailers today creates an invaluable opportunity for businesses to hear directly from the organizations shaping the future of global commerce.

Today marks a major milestone for the Accelerate event series, which has grown over the past five years since its launch in Salt Lake City to become a premier gathering in the global e-commerce space, bringing together e-commerce executives, brand leaders, technology firms and industry experts. This is the first time Accelerate has been held outside North America, and I cannot think of a more fitting host city for its first international stop than Shenzhen.

Shenzhen is one of China’s most dynamic hubs for technology, advanced manufacturing, innovation and cross-border e-commerce. Businesses here are no longer solely focused on selling products overseas; they are increasingly prioritizing how to build sustainable, long-lasting global brands. That is a deeply meaningful shift, which makes Shenzhen the perfect location to kick off today’s discussions.

The e-commerce landscape is evolving at extraordinary speed. AI is reshaping a huge range of business practices, from market analysis, content creation and ad management to operational optimization and consumer outreach. Social commerce and emerging platforms are also opening up new pathways for brands to reach more consumers across global markets.

For businesses, the challenge is not just keeping pace with these changes. Far more critically, teams need to identify which changes truly matter, determine how to respond to them, and learn how to turn new technologies and channels into tangible business results — and that is exactly what makes Accelerate such a valuable event.

We have three core themes guiding today’s program: innovation, connection and acceleration, which span the full journey of international growth. That includes building global brands, connecting with the right markets and platforms, and leveraging AI, data and smarter operations to deliver sustainable growth.

Beyond the actionable insights shared on stage, the connections and conversations between attendees will be equally valuable. International business, at its core, is built on relationships: brands looking to expand into new markets can find the right platform partners here; businesses hitting operational bottlenecks can connect with ready-to-deploy technology solutions.

Bringing industry players together aligns closely with the mission of the U.S. Commercial Service at U.S. diplomatic missions in China. The Commercial Service operates under the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Our core mandate is to support U.S. businesses in exporting their products and services, and to help them succeed in global markets. We also provide support for foreign direct investment into the United States.

Here in South China, we work closely with businesses, platforms, industry associations and other partners to identify opportunities to support commercial collaboration with U.S. companies.

I encourage all of you to make the most of today’s event: ask questions, engage in conversations, learn from the speakers, connect with new contacts, and turn today’s insights and connections into new business opportunities.

I want to once again congratulate Pattern on bringing Accelerate to China for the first time. Thank you to Pattern, Ebrun, all participating platforms and retailers, as well as every partner and attendee here today. The U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou is delighted to support today’s summit. I wish all of you productive, valuable time at the event, and wish the summit every success.

This article was first published on the official website of Ebrun.