Bank sees value in arts sponsorship

An annual musical event not to be missed took place at Wangfujing Church on Oct 13. Since 2006, the church concert has been a highlight of the Beijing Music Festival and this year's offering did not disappoint.

This year's festival, which began its 17-day run on Oct 8, included activities ranging from symphony concerts to concerts designed for child audiences, solo performances, operas, master classes and salons.

UBS, a global financial service provider, has sponsored the church concert for 10 years. Each year, the company, which is also a sponsor of the festival, invites a leading musician to turn the church into a world of music.

"Many of our customers and partners worldwide love the church concert and we also consider it a good opportunity to strengthen our friendly relationships," said Eugene Qian, the country head and president of UBS China.

This year, the Swiss banking giant invited famed pianist Zhu Xiaomei to give a recital at the church. The 66-year-old played one of Bach's major works, Goldberg Variations, a 60-minute composition named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who is considered to be its first performer.

"We are lucky to cooperate with Zhu, because her spirit of pursuit of excellence perfectly matches UBS' brand and culture," Qian said.

"We have three important behavior codes, and one of them is challenge. It does not mean to challenge colleagues or clients for the sake of challenging others, but to stop being satisfied with status quo and do better for ourselves," he said.

Qian also told China Daily that Zhu has played Goldberg Variations for more than 25 years, which is also in line with UBS's commitment to perseverance.

On Oct 14, the company organized a lunch meeting between Zhu and its Chinese staff at its Beijing office. "Conversations with top musicians can strengthen the staff's interest and understanding of classical music and its development in China," he said.

Many other music activities are also organized by UBS for its employees in Beijing and Shanghai annually to help the company better integrate into the Chinese community.

Himself a fan of music, Qian said he learned singing as a child and attended an art primary school for several years. When he was a postgraduate student at Oxford and later worked in the City of London, he often went to the Barbican Center, a large music hall on the south bank of the Thames River, to hear classical music concerts.

UBS has a long tradition of sponsoring art and sports around the world.

It has been a sponsor of the Beijing Music Festival for 12 years, as well as the global partner of the Formula One and Art Basel, an international show for contemporary art.

"We like to support activities that are long term, continuous and have a growing positive impact on society," Qian said.

"Art has no national boundaries and is a kind of cultural enjoyment. Organizing a concert is now much more welcomed by our clients and business partners than having a dinner party at luxury venues," he added.

UBS never considered not sponsoring the Beijing Music Festival, even when it had a difficult time when the global financial crisis hit.

The company also has its own art collections of more than 30,000 high-quality contemporary artworks created in the past five decades from around the world, including paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures and video art. UBS will host touring exhibitions of different collections in its core markets globally.

"The rich and pre-eminent collection aims to offer our clients and staff the great access to the inspiring world of the art. It will also benefit the citizens of the countries and regions where UBS does businesses, through our exhibitions open to the public who are really interested in the arts," Qian said.

The activities the company sponsors "have played a significant role in helping UBS build its brand. A good brand makes it easier to attract both best talents and clients," he added.

Currently, UBS is working on a new strategic development plan for China. "We will take the business to the next level in the coming five years," Qian said.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn

The Wangfujing Church Concert has been a highlight of the Beijing Music Festival.

(China Daily 10/22/2015 page20)