Wenlan Peng 彭文兰
Chair

Bridging cultures” has been the driving force behind Wenlan’s professional career and personal interests. The opportunity to live, study and work in Europe and Asia has been an immensely enriching experience for her. She was the first non-Chinese national to host an English-language series on China Central Television, when the PRC was opening up to the rest of the world. Since her return to the UK, she has been specialising in documentary films about China. Believing in the positive effect of international dialogue, Wenlan hopes to further develop The Meridian Society, of which she is a founder member, into a platform where people of different cultures can meet and share thoughts, thus bringing together the very best of East and West.

James Candler 覃吉米
Director - Administration

Despite the English name, James was born in China of Chinese parents. He came to England when he was six and was brought up in Kent. He worked with a public utilities company for many years. Since taking early retirement he has pursued his many interests (including learning Mandarin) and has also worked in a voluntary capacity with a Chinese charity as a volunteer co-ordinator. Being a trustee for TMS is a perfect expression of his bi-cultural heritage which he has always cherished.

Meng Ni Beh 马明妮
Director – Finance

Meng Ni is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over ten years of post qualification experience in finance. She holds a second degree in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art & Design and has a strong interest in Chinese contemporary art, having spent some time in Shanghai and Hangzhou and co-curated an exhibition for the 2008 China Now event in London. For Meng Ni, the combination of the creative and the practical work well together and she hopes to apply both skills to her work within the society

Mark Cheang 郑刚威
Director - Social Events

Mark has been involved in the travel industry for thirty years - possibly influenced by his 22-day ship voyage to Britain in the early 1960s from India, where he was born! Although now retired, he continues to travel and, as the society's director in charge of Social Events , oversees its annual summer tour and other outdoor events. He also helps out at his parish church and the British Museum in the Asia and Africa “Hands-On” Department as a volunteer. These still leave him some time to pursue his interests, which include opera and ballet. He is also a keen sportsman, being an avid tennis player, swimmer and skier.

Michael Sheringham 谢马克
Director - Talks

Michael has been involved with China in some way or other all his adult life. While studying Chinese at Durham University and at a time when China was relatively cut off from the world by the Cultural Revolution, he helped organise events for the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding. He was one of the first foreign teachers of English in Beijing in the 1970s and, on his return to the UK, taught Chinese language, as well as Chinese history and society. Although he is now busy running the family’s oriental bookshop in London, he still has time for personal interests, which include playing vigorous and 'competitive' tennis, swimming and listening to classical music, especially Early Music in ancient cathedrals.

Huina Zhang 张慧娜
Administrative Assistant

Huina was born in Daqing in north-east China. She graduated with a BA in International Business and Trade. Between 2006 and 2009, she worked in some of the leading contemporary art galleries in China. This year (2011), she was awarded a MA in Museums & Galleries & Creative Economy from Kingston University. She is a keen photographer and works as a volunteer for Kingston Museum.