Robert Lawrence Kuhn

Robert Lawrence Kuhn^[1] (born 1944) is a public intellectual, international corporate strategist and investment banker. He has a doctorate in brain research and is the author and editor of over 25 books. He is a long-time adviser to China's leaders and the Chinese government, to multinational corporations on China strategies and transactions, and is a frequent commentator on China politics, economics, business, finance, philosophy and science. He is a columnist for China Daily and South China Morning Post and appears on the BBC, CNN, China Central Television, Bloomberg and other major media. Kuhn is the creator and host of the CCTV News show Closer to China with R.L.Kuhn.^[2] Kuhn is the creator, writer and host of the public television series Closer to Truth, which presents scientists and philosophers discussing fundamental issues (cosmos, consciousness, philosophy/religion).^[3] His essays are featured on LiveScience.com and Space.com.^[4]

Education

Kuhn received a bachelor's degree in human biology from Johns Hopkins University (Phi Beta Kappa) in 1964, a PhD in anatomy / brain research from the University of California at Los Angeles' Brain Research Institute in 1968 and a master of science in management as a Sloan fellow from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1980.^[5]

Career

Early career

Kuhn first came to prominence in 1972 when "Why the Vast Difference between Animal Brain and Human Mind?" appeared in The Plain Truth magazine published by Ambassador College, an institution of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). The WCG's Systematic Theology Project^[6] was coordinated by Kuhn, but later banned by WCG Founder Herbert W. Armstrong. Kuhn severed his connection to the WCG and its affiliates, including the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation (classical music concerts, featuring musicians including Vladimir Horowitz and Luciano Pavarotti), which Kuhn had created and managed.

During the 1980s, Kuhn represented American and Japanese companies in M&A.

China

Kuhn provided the live commentary on CNN during President Xi Jinping's policy address in Seattle on September 2, 2015 during Xi's state visit to the US.^[7] Kuhn spoke at the launch ceremony of Xi's book, entitled Xi Jinping: The Governance of China at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 8, 2014.^[8]

Kuhn writes on Xi's Four Comprehensives political theory of governance,^[9][10] and on understanding the Communist Party of China (CPC).^[11][12]

For the 18th CPC National Congress in Nov. 2012, Kuhn provided commentary for the BBC, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg, CNBC, AP, Reuters, Euronews, etc. He was the featured foreign commentator daily on China Central Television (CCTV News).^[13][14][15] His essays introduced China's new leaders and China's new government^[16] and offered personal insights into China's new leaders, the seven members of the new Standing Committee of the Politburo and "New challenges for new leaders".^[17] It also presents the multiple problems that China's new government must address. Since 1989, when he was invited to China by the State Science and Technology Commission (under Song Jian), Kuhn has worked with China's senior leaders and advised the Chinese government on international, policy and business matters.

Kuhn is the author of How China’s Leaders Think: The Inside Story of China's Past, Current and Future Leaders, featuring exclusive discussions with more than 100 Chinese leaders and officials and introducing China's next generation of senior leaders.^[18][19]

He wrote The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin.^[20] It was the first biography of a living Chinese leader and was a best-seller in China in 2005.^[21][22] Kuhn is co-editor-in-chief of China’s Banking & Financial Markets: The Internal Research Report of the Chinese Government.

Kuhn advises and works with China leaders on special projects. When then-Vice President Xi visited the US in February, 2012, Kuhn advised and gave commentaries and interviews. He advised Zhejiang Province for Zhejiang Party Secretary Xi's 2006 U.S. visit as well.

He is the host and co-producer of "Closer To China with R.L.Kuhn", a weekly series on CCTV News that tells the story of China through discussions with China’s thought leaders and decision makers in all sectors.^[23]

Kuhn is creator, writer and host of the five-part public television TV series China's Challenges, co-produced with Shanghai Media Group, which won first prize in China News Award^[24] and is presented by PBS SoCaL (2013). The series focuses on critical issues confronting China's leaders and government (social problems like healthcare, economic transformation and pollution, political reform and transparency, science and innovation, beliefs and values). China's Challenges II, focusing on the Chinese Dream, was broadcast on PBS stations in 2015.

Business, finance, M&A

Kuhn advises multinational companies and executives on China strategies in a variety of sectors, including science and technology, information technology, energy and resources, industrial, media and entertainment, healthcare / medical / pharmaceuticals, consumer products, financial services. He works with major Chinese companies on capital markets and M&A activities. Kuhn is Senior Adviser to Ernst & Young (Office of the chairman).

Kuhn has more than 30 years of experience in M&A. He was president and co-owner of The Geneva Companies, the largest M&A firm in the US representing middle-market companies (sold to Citigroup in 2000). Under his leadership, more than 1,400 M&A transactions were completed and more than 10,000 corporate evaluations were conducted.

Media and publications

Kuhn is the author or editor of 25 books on business strategy/finance and science/philosophy, including Dow-Jones Irwin's seven-volume Library of Investment Banking. He is a frequent commentator on the BBC (BBC World News / BBC World Service), CNN, Bloomberg, others. Kuhn is a senior international commentator for political, economic, social and business matters on CCTV News.^[13][15] He has written for Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Forbes and Chief Executive. Kuhn is a regular columnist for China Daily and South China Morning Post on China politics/economics and international affairs.

He was profiled in Barron's.^[25] He is one of the China Visionaries in the TV series produced for China's 60th anniversary by Shanghai Media Group (one of two Americans, along with Henry Kissinger) and he was featured on CCTV Channel 1's Focus Talk. Kuhn created, wrote and presented a six-episode series on Expo 2010 Shanghai,^[26] broadcast on CCTV. For the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Kuhn co-produced (with Shanghai Media Group), wrote and presented a five-episode TV series, China's Challenges, on China's key domestic issues and problems that China's new leaders face.^[27] Kuhn was selected by Oriental Outlook magazine (published by Xinhua News Agency) as one of the all-time top-ten influential supporters of China's ruling party/CPC (the only one living).

Kuhn has written many articles. "Science as Democratizer", featured in American Scientist magazine, argued how the scientific way of thinking can influence global society. His scientific / philosophical article "Why This Universe? Toward a Taxonomy of Possible Explanations" is published in Skeptic Magazine and "Levels of Nothing" in the Vol. 18.2 2013 issue.

Kuhn's multimedia essays are on Space.com and LiveScience.com: "Forget Space-Time: Information May Create the Cosmos", "The Illusion of Time: What's Real?", "Is Our Universe a Fake?", "The Singularity, Virtual Immortality and the Trouble with Consciousness".

Kuhn's latest book, edited with John Leslie, is The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All?

Other affiliations

The Kuhn Foundation

Kuhn is chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, which disseminates understanding in science and philosophy, supports cultural endeavors and promotes good relations between America and China. The Foundation produces the Closer to Truth TV series. It also produced the documentary of his wife Dora Serviarian-Kuhn, Khachaturian, which won the Best Documentary award at the 2003 Hollywood Film Festival and (with China Central Television) In Search of China for PBS.

The Geneva Companies

From 1991 to 2001, Kuhn was president and co-owner of the Geneva Companies, a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) firm representing privately owned, middle-market companies. In 2000 Kuhn sold the Geneva Companies to Citigroup.^[28]

Criticism

Several reviewers argue that Kuhn has obtained privileged access to China's leaders by refraining from critical comments, producing propaganda instead of serious works of non-fiction. A review in Foreign Affairs said it was actually better understood as an autobiography, presenting an image that China's leaders want the world to see. Additionally, it said the writing of the book was, beginning in 2001, overseen by a secret state propaganda team.^[29] The Asian Review of Books said that the first part of Kuhn's biography of Jiang was "close to hagiography".^[30] A review on the website of Forbes said his later book, How China’s Leaders Think: The Inside Story of China's Past, Current and Future Leaders, was equally reluctant to criticize Hu Jintao, the leader who followed Jiang. The reviewer writes: "Kuhn merely repeats what the Communist Party says about itself and accepts its words at face value, taking obsequiousness to new heights." ^[31]

Closer To Truth

Closer to Truth is a continuing television series on PBS and public television stations, created, produced, written and hosted by Kuhn. The series premiered in 2000. The current series, Closer to Truth: Cosmos. Consciousness. God is now in its 17th season. See List of Closer to Truth episodes. Closer To Truth offers candid, in-depth conversations with leading scientists, philosophers, theologians and scholars, covering cosmology and physics (cause, size and nature of the universe or multiverse), brain/mind and consciousness and philosophy of religion and the search for meaning. The Closer To Truth website features >4,000 videos of conversations on Cosmos, Consciousness and Meaning.

Media and publications

• Live CNN Commentary on President Xi Jinping’s policy speech in Seattle (September 24, 2015)^[32]
• Interview by Fareed Zakaria, GPS / CNN, October 5, 2014^[33]
• Interview by Christiane Amanpour, AMANPOUR / CNN, May 29, 2013^[34]
• Interview by Richard Quest on Quest Means Business / CNN, September 28, 2015^[35]
• "Interview: China watcher says Belt and Road Initiative a key contribution to world stability, equality," Xinhua, September 28, 2016^[36]
• "The concepts driving China's change," China Daily, September 23, 2016^[37]
• "Virtual Immortality,: Skeptic magazine, Vol. 21 No.2 2016^[38]
• "Levels of Nothing," Skeptic magazine, 2013^[39]
• "How America's China watchers misread China," South China Morning Post, October 3, 2015^[40]
• "Xi's blueprint for rejuvenating China cuts through the fear and confusion," South China Morning Post, October 13, 2014^[41]
• "Decoding Xi's Future Vision," China Daily, October 20, 2014^[42]
• "Xi Jinping's Chinese Dream," The New York Times (Global Edition / International Herald Tribune), June 5, 2013, p. 6^[43]
• "Xi Jinping, a nationalist and a reformer", South China Morning Post, June 6, p. A15^[44]
• "China's Challenges" - five-part public television series presented by PBS SoCaL^[45]
• "TV Series Aims to Decode China," China Daily, June 18, 2014^[24]
• "New challenges for new leaders," China Daily, March 19, 2013^[46]
• "The seven who will run China," China Daily, November 19, 2012^[47][48]
• CNN: Global Exchange, "Chinese Leadership Transition Explained," November 15, 2012^[49]
• Bloomberg: "Xi Jinping knows China has to reform," November 15, 2012^[50]
• CNBC: "China: The Next Decade," November 15, 2012^[51]
• Euronews: "China: the straining giant's new leaders," November 15, 2012^[52]
• Australia Network News: "Inside China's Leadership," November 14, 2012^[53]
• "Doing Business in China," The Economic Times (India), November 16, 2012^[54]
• China Central Television (CCTV): commentaries during the 18th CPC National Congress^{[13][14][55][56][57][58]}
• China Central Television (CCTV): Dialogue with Ambassador Wu Jianmin^[15]
• China Central Television (CCTV): Special Series for the 18th CPC National Congress^{[59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67]}
• "China still has much to do in promoting cultural influence: U.S. banker,” Xinhua News Agency, October 26, 2012^[68]
• "Economic model must change," China Daily, September 14, 2012^[69]
• "The 'big four' concerns of Chinese," China Daily, September 25, 2012^[70]
• "China can produce. Can China Create?" China Daily, October 18, 2012^[71]
• "New media increases transparency," China Daily, October 23, 2012^[72]
• "What do the Chinese people believe," China Daily, October 12, 2012^[73]
• "Knowing how China's leaders think," China Daily, July 26, 2012^[74]
• "How China's Next Leader Will Guide," International Herald Tribune, March 23, 2012^[75]
• "On a mission to explain 'real' China," Shanghai Daily, November 25, 2012^[27]
• "Telling China's true story," China Daily, June 15, 2012^[76]
• "A New Theory for China's Next Generation of Leaders: The Three Blurs?" Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2011^[77]
• "Is China Really Changing," Interview with Robert Lawrence Kuhn, Barron's, June 19, 2010^[25]
• BBC World Service, "China Communists Meet," October 15, 2010^[78]
• CNBC: "China Under Pressure," August 12, 2010;^[79] "China's Future Lies in China," May 2, 2010;^[80] "Getting Serious on the Yuan," October 23, 2009;^[81] "How China's Leaders Think," September 22, 2009;^[82] "Xi Jinping vs. Hu Jintao," January 18, 2011^[83]
• Euronews: "US and China to press reset button," January 18, 2011;^[84] "Nobel Peace Prize: China's Anger," December 10, 2010;^[85] "North Korea 'embarrasses' China, says expert," November 10, 2010^[86]
• China Central Television (CCTV), "Expo's Meaning, Shanghai's Mission" (2010)^[26]
• Closer to Truth: Cosmos, Consciousness, God^[87]
• Closer to Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future --^[88] (hosted at PBS)
• The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All?, co-edited with John Leslie, Wiley-Blackwell (April 2013)^[89]
• "Why This Universe? Toward a Taxonomy of Possible Explanations," Skeptic Vol. 13 No. 2 2007^[90]
• "Science as Democratizer", American Scientist, September–October 2003^[91]
• "Forget Space-Time: Information May Create the Cosmos," Space.com^[92]
• "The Illusion of Time: What's Real?", Space.com^[93]
• "Is Our Universe a Fake", Space.com^[94]
• "The Singularity, Virtual Immortality and the Trouble with Consciousness," LiveScience.com, October 6, 2015.
• Articles on investment banking, M&A in Chief Executive magazine.^[95]
• "A Problem of Perception: Why China and the U.S. aren't on the same page," BusinessWeek, April 24, 2006, page 33^[96]
• "Mastering the Art of Doing Business in China," Chief Executive Magazine, December 2005.
• Commentary on The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin -
  • Foreign Affairs^[97]
  • Wall Street Journal^[98]
• People's Daily - Scientific Perspective on Development - March 21, 2005
  • ^[99] (English)
  • ^[100] (Chinese)
• "Part I: Guangdong Visions: A Talk with Wang Yang", BusinessWeek, June 5, 2009^[101]
• "Does God Exist," China Daily.^[102]
• "CCTV Channel 1's Focus Talk"^[103]
• "Foreign 'China Visionaries' speak", Shanghai Daily^[104][104]
• "China Visionaries", Robert Kuhn, Shanghai Media Group (International Channel Shanghai)^[105]
• "China's Next First Lady Moves to a Bigger Stage," Newsweek, January 17, 2011^[106]
• "CPC helps build confident nation," China Daily, June 24, 2011, published as a China Daily supplement in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune^[107]
• "Telling It Like It Is," China Daily, September 2, 2011^[108]
• "Is China Really Changing," Kuhn interview, Barrons, June 21, 2010^[25]

References