Ruby L.J. Chen Ruby L.J. Chen (陈玲珍)

RUBY CHEN is the Co-Founder and CEO of the non-profit CNEX Foundation Limited, the CEO of CNEX Studio, and the Executive Supervisor of Chinese Image Visual Industry and Creation Society (CIVICS). She is also the Deputy Director of Executive Education of CEIBS (China Europe International Business School). She had been with McKinsey & Company since 1992, and left as the Director of Leadership Institute in China prior to joining Peking University in its Business School (GSM) as the Executive Director for Executive Education in 2009. With her passion to explore talent, support and promote Chinese documentary films internationally, she is the executive producer for almost 60 documentaries, including the award-winning 1428, KJ: music and life, China Gate, Mothers, etc.

CNEX is considered the first organization dedicated to promoting the development of independent documentaries on the Chinese mainland. It sponsors eight to 10 independent Chinese documentaries that follow its annual theme, each of which receives financial aid of 80,000-150,000 yuan. CNEX itself serves as the producer, inviting renowned directors and scholars from home and abroad to advise the filmmakers. After production wraps, CNEX submits its films to international film festivals and negotiates distribution. CNEX had also started CCDF (CNEX Chinese Documentary Forum) since 2010 annually to serve as an international collaboration platform for hosting training, pitching forum and networking opportunities between the Chinese independent documentary film makers and funding partners, commissioning editors as well as decision makers.