Goodbye, Sachi and Sybrich!

This summer marks the end of an era, as the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the wider Benelux community say farewell to two pillars of their community: Sachi and Sybrich.

Having continuously supported Dutch (and Belux) businesses with their expertise, dedication, and commitment, Sachi and Sybrich will both leave China in August after several years of remarkable service.

Sachi has served as Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Affairs since August 2021. As a true diplomat, she faced one of the greatest challenges a diplomat in China could encounter: navigating the pandemic and the Shanghai lockdown in Spring 2022. Despite these unprecedented circumstances, she remained a steadfast supporter of the Dutch business community, making her tenure in Shanghai truly memorable.

Sybrich joined the Consulate General as Deputy Head of Economic Affairs in Summer 2023 and attended her first Benelux Chamber event within her very first week in Shanghai. Together with Sachi and on top of her daily work supporting Dutch businesses, Sybrich played an important role in helping the Chamber rebuild and strengthen its community: growing from 65 members in February 2023 to 230 members in 2026.

Both Sachi and Sybrich have always been there to support Dutch businesses in Shanghai: from company openings and business initiatives to supporting entrepreneurs, students, and countless community activities. The list of occasions is simply too long to count (my apologies to Sachi and Sybrich if I missed any of the many highlights).

On behalf of the entire Benelux Chamber team and the Board of Directors, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for all the support, collaboration, and friendship you have given us and the broader Benelux community over the past years.

Let’s not say “goodbye”, but rather: “zài jiàn”, until we meet again!

- Jonathan Xu, General Manager Benelux Chamber of Commerce East China