Ms Irena Yan Xia Zhang

South Australia’s Central Market and Chinatown Precinct is one of the most diverse, vibrant and harmonious communities in Australia and Irena Yan Xia Zhang’s influence can be felt through out - from the white guardian lions and gates we walk by, to the fusion of Asian cuisines we eat and in the dynamic success of those community organisations that have flourished under her leadership.

Ms Irena Zhang is widely known as a generous, compassionate, inspirational and highly regarded community leader who has a long record of outstanding contribution and has displayed limitless enthusiasm to nurture and contribute to South Australia’s envied multi-cultural environment. To many she seen as role model by her encouragement, mentoring and support she has provided to newly arrived migrants , international students and those most vulnerable in our multicultural society. Irena is an in demand keynote speaker and is regularly nominated to represent and to speak for multicultural and ethnic interest groups and community associations.

A legacy of Irena’s commitment to the promotion of cultural diversity, community harmony and multiculturalism can be seen by her visionary leadership in coordinating the erection of the grand Chinese gates and the guardian lions at the entrance to Chinatown. To achieve this cultural landmark in the centre of Adelaide, Irena had to promote her vision and liaise and coordinate closely with the Adelaide City Council, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Peoples Republic of China, The Chinese Embassy in Canberra and a wide variety of local South Australian community ethnic groups, cultural organisations and business associations’.

Irena has never ceased working tirelessly to ensure that the many multicultural issues faced by the different ethnic groups within Chinatown and the Central Market are being addressed and considered meaningfully by the appropriate departments within the South Australian Government and City Councils.

Irena has a passion for the arts she has curatored a variety of multicultural and community focused art exhibitions, internationally acclaimed dance and theatre performance that have including Red Poppy, the Yalong Tibetan Song and Dance Troupe and the Guiyang Acrobatic Troupe. Irena is known to be a “catalyst” for fundraising activities and events for wider causes outside our local community that have included the Sichuan Earthquake Appeal, the Guangdong Flood Victims Appeal, The Premiers Olympic Games Appeal and the South East Asian Tsunami Appeal.

Irena’s willingness to contribute to the general welfare of our society can be illustrated by her long-term commitment to the following community focused organisations :board member of the Council for International Trade & Commerce SA , the Secretary of the Central Market Precinct Association Inc, Vice President Public of SA Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China, Board member of the Overseas Exchange Association of Guangdong Province, Immediate Past  President Honouree Adviser of Chinatown Adelaide of South Australia Inc. and she is the current President of the Australian Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (AACCI)

This exemplary record of achievement in the community is a testament to her ability to foster and maintain harmonious, genuine inter-personal relationships and her ability to build “cultural bridges” within our multicultural society.

Recent Accomplishments

·                On the 4^th September 2009, Irena Zhang received an award for outstanding long-term contribution by an individual to the commerce and industry community of South Australia.

·                the 14th - 17th July 2009  Irena Zhang 1 of the 15 delegates from Australia whom joined more than 1,100 representatives, including celebrities, senior CCP party officials, and newly returned overseas Chinese, who gathered in Beijing in the Great Hall of the People, Tiananmen Square, Beijing to attended the Eighth National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their  families.

·                Irena Zhang was elected to the 340 Executive of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and their family was the only Woman representative from Australia. Nine members of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau -- Hu Jintao, WuBangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang -- were present at the meeting. The Chinese media signaled its political importance by publishing a rare photo of the Politburo Standing Committee in attendance. The Congress ran from July 14 to 17, and reviewed the work of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese over the past five years, amended its constitution, elects a new term of leadership and awards those making great contributions to China's development. The first congress was held in October 1956 in Beijing is held once every five years.

·                President Irena Zhang has being creating “cultural bridges” between Australia and China – fostering closer ties between Hebei Provincial Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese – “Discovery Trip to China for Eminent Young Overseas Chinese 2007” sponsored by Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the China Overseas Exchange Association. As a result of her bridge building the AACCI is a member of Council for International Trade and Commerce of South Australia, the South Australian Government's Department of Economic Trade and Development China Cluster and has signed MOU with CEO Club of Malaysia, the Western Australia Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Australia China Friendship Society and the Council of Women of Diverse Cultural Background. Was a Board member of the Council for International Trade & Commerce SA Inc (CITSCA) since year 2005  - 2008 

·                                       Selected as the Secretary of the Central Market Precinct Association Inc

·                                       Current member of the China – Australia Entrepreneurs Association Incorporated

·                                       Vice President & Public Relation of SA Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China

·                                       Current board member of the Overseas Exchange Association of Guangdong Province (2005 – 2010)

·                                       Immediate Past President & Honoree Adviser of Chinatown Adelaide of South Australia Inc

·                                       Current Member of the China Professional Development & Executive Training Centre supported by the South Australian Government and the DTED China Cluster Sports Industry Group

·                                       Invited as a speaker and delegate to the Women Chiefs of Enterprises International, “Forging Alliance” national conference in Adelaide 27^th &28th August 2005

As President of the AACCI Irena has achieved the following:

·                The Australian Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACCI) and World on Screen signed an agreement to cooperate Hebei TV to air their own produced TV programs with C31 across South Australia and for the AACCI and World on Screen to produce TV programs of interest to Hebei Satellites 560 million daily viewers. This agreement provide a valuable and unique platform for Australian and Chinese companies to promote their products and services within Australia and China and is of direct benefit to the development of the Australia-China bilateral trade and economic relationship and culture exchange offering a powerful and creative method of reaching potential customers and audiences.

·                The Australian Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry proudly supports the Adelaide Zoo “Pandas on Parade” project. In March 2009 the AACCI donated $11,000 to the “Pandas on Parade” fundraising project to assist ZoosSA in securing the long term survival of the species by extending the captive insurance population of the Giant Panda and fits perfectly with the aim of ZoosSA. During 2009 the AACCI will continue present regular functions and activities to raise awareness and monies for the coming Giant Pandas. All fundraising proceeds will go directly to Zoos SA to assist with the arrival of the Giant Pandas Wang Wang & Funi to the Adelaide Zoo in mid-October when they will go into quarantine until their first public appearance on the 14th December. The Pandas will be part of an exciting exchange program running for 10 years. The following are also partners in Pandas on Parade: the Crows Foundation, Nova 91.9 & Five AA, Woolworths, Adelaide Airports, Coopers, Lynch Meyer, Hilton Adelaide, Scouts Australia and the Melbourne Street Traders Association. ( See AACCI Facebook page : Panda Love: Friends of Wang Wang and Funi , for more details) As well as an official “Panda Keeper” the Irena Zhang  plays an important advisory role to the Panda Mania Committee from Zoos SA.

·                AACCI sponsors $ 3,000 OzAsia Festival's "Journey to the West"
The Australian Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is proud a proud supporter and financial sponsor of the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China that will perform at the OzAsia Festival in Adelaide October 2009.

·                Promotion of the Arts: Mr. Wei Victor Zhang can be claimed as another important international artist that graduated from the “Class of 1954”, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, and Beijing. In recent years Mr. Zhang has participated in major exhibitions and international seminars in art spaces as diverse as the Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide, Tian Fu Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, to the Art Gallery of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China. Many of Mr. Zhang’s pieces have been collected by the Beijing Paramount (Zhi Gao) Art Gallery, the Beijing Military Museum of China, Xinjiang Artists Association, the Chinese Painting Institute of Xinjiang as well as individual collectors, investors and enthusiasts. Mr. Zhang’s paintings in water colors and oil landscapes have been auctioned, collected and exhibited in Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, UK, Singapore, Malaysia and China. Mr. Zhang’s oil painting “The Autumn in the Great Wall” was displayed in the Beijing Paramount Art Gallery to promote the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games by displaying one hundred paintings reflecting the Great Wall. After graduation Mr. Zhang was a resident artist at the Studio of Fine Arts Bureau of Culture Xinjiang, 1957 – 1962 he was the Art Editor for the Xinjiang Pictorial and then from 1962-1983 Art Editor of the Xinjiang Daily. In 1983, Mr. Zhang, his wife and five daughters migrated to Adelaide from Urumqii. Xinjiang Province, China.

Career Summary

Managing Director of DASINA Pty Ltd, Inatex Pty Ltd, and Strategic Alliance Holdings Pty Ltd.

Managing Director of DASINA Pty Ltd is the managing company for 5 shops along Moonta Street, Adelaide and the International Food Plaza in the heart of Chinatown, Adelaide

Managing Director of Inatex Pty Ltd owns 2 properties in Gouger Street in Adelaide also a trading company. Goods traded include wines, alcoholic beverages, as well as food products.

Managing Director of Strategic Alliance Holdings is a company involved in property investments. It has in its portfolio a number of land holdings within the Chinatown area.

Managing director of VIP Global Pty Ltd – property investments.

Managing Director of Novaline Furniture PTY LTD – wholesale and retail stores.