GlobalAutoIndustry.com’s latest Audio Interview “China Export Controls and AI & Machine Learning Algorithms: Effects on the Global Auto Industry” features Quan Bill Yang and Mitch Zajac, both are associates of Butzel Long’s Detroit office. Yang concentrates his practice in commercial litigation supporting, international merger and acquisition, regulatory compliance, and transactional negotiations. Zajac concentrates his work in the areas of automotive, intellectual property, regulatory and emissions compliance. He also is a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

In the 13-minute Audio Interview, Yang and Zajac discuss these questions:

• What is the significance of the “revised China Catalogue of Technologies that are Subject to Export Bans or Restrictions,” comparing to the former version?
• What is the impact of the five technologies that were added to the negative list to the automotive industry?
• What shall global suppliers do in preventing any negative impact due to the bans or restrictions?
• What is the significance of the BIS export control on geospatial imagery software specially designed for “training Deep Convolutional Neural Networks?”
• How are the emerging “AI and machine learning” technologies benefit to and adopted by suppliers and OEMs in automotive industry?
• What is the best practice for international suppliers to do R&D and serve the global market?

About Quan (Bill) Yang

Mr. Yang is an associate working at Butzel Long’s Detroit office. Mr. Yang concentrates his practice in commercial litigation supporting, international merger and acquisition, regulatory compliance, and transactional negotiations.

Mr. Yang assists Butzel’s litigation and corporate practice groups on matters in the Asian market and clients from Asia. His has extensive experience in international direct investment, joint ventures, international mergers and acquisitions, international tax planning, off-shore structure, corporate governance, and litigation. Mr. Yang is working with our experienced automotive practice group on Automotive Safety, Compliance, Product Liability, Recall and Warranty practices matters.

Mr. Yang has extensive experiences in business and management consulting. He used to work as Trade Analyst at Italian Trade Commission-ICE Italian government agency (2008), Foreign Investment and Foreign Affairs Advisor at Commission of Commerce, Tianjin China (2005-2007), Foreign Investment Examiner at Commission of Foreign Trade and Economic Relationship, Tianjin China (2002-2005), and as Ocean Shipping Client Representative at Mediterranean Shipping Company- MSC (2001). He has helped over one hundred investors from the U.S., Japan, Korea, and European countries invest in China mainland and Hong Kong.

Available on public record, as government examiner, Mr. Yang used to work with Walmart (new stores), ExxonMobile (China merger), Toyota Motors (Joint venture), Toyota Tsusho (contracts), Motorola (China semiconductor spin-off), Aisin (joint venture, equipment import, recapitalization), Denso (recapitalization), Samsung (China merger), Hyundai (recapitalization), LG (joint venture, recapitalization), Shell (joint venture, China merger), Carrefour (new stores), Mitsumi (recapitalization), GSK (tax planning), OTIS (joint venture), etc.

Mr. Yang is a graduate of University of Detroit Mercy (American J.D., 2013), University of Windsor (Canadian J.D., 2013), Boston University (LL.M. in International Business Transaction, 2010), Nankai University (LL.M. in China Commercial Law, 2006), and Tianjin Foreign Studies University (B.A. in Business, 2000). Mr. Yang is fluent in Mandarin.

Mitch Zajac

Mitch Zajac is an Associate and practices in Butzel Long’s Detroit office. Mr. Zajac concentrates his work in the areas of automotive, intellectual property, regulatory and emissions compliance, and sports and entertainment law. Mr. Zajac is also a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Before joining Butzel Long, Mr. Zajac was an engineer at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). While at FCA, he was an advocate for progress and change in a variety of functions:

• Powertrain and engine systems advanced research and development (focusing on fuel economy, thermal systems, greenhouse gas emissions, and HVAC systems);
• Design and development engineering (including customer sourcing, quality, and design);
• International program management (including responsibility for vehicle chief engineering, product planning and branding; two global manufacturing facilities, supply chain management and customs, vehicle safety certification, fuel economy and greenhouse gas certification, and emissions compliance);
• Project management (including cybersecurity, vehicle structures and dynamics, thermal systems, interior systems, and vehicle integration);
• Purchasing and supplier quality (including re-writing PPAP processes, and also experience with customer tooling quality and payment), and
• Vehicle safety and regulatory compliance (both safety, working directly with NHTSA, and emissions, working directly with EPA/CARB/DOJ with a focus on emissions.)

Mr. Zajac is a graduate of the WMU-Cooley Law School (J.D., 2017) and Western Michigan University where he earned his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Bachelors of Arts in German from the WMU Lee Honors College (2012) and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (2013), publishing two theses on automotive thermal systems. He was a Rhodes Scholar finalist in 2012; interned for Congressman Fred Upton; he was a four year starter on the Division 1 football team at Western Michigan; an American Football Wuerful Award Nominee in 2011; a member of Tau Beta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi; 3x member and TILA semi-finalist on the WMU-Cooley National Mock Trial Team; and 2017 Association of Corporate Counsel of Michigan Scholarship Recipient.

Mr. Zajac also enjoyed many honors as an undergraduate, graduate, and law student including the following: Undergraduate, graduate, and law school Dean’s List; National Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning award winner; Who’s Who Among American College Students; WMU CEAS Robert E. Boughner Outstanding Engineering Athlete Award Winner; National Engineers Week Award Winner (X2); Mid American Conference Scholar Athlete; WMU Top 10 Scholar Athlete; Academic All-Mid American Conference Selection (X2); Rothfuss German Award Winner; and WMU Outstanding Mathematics Award winner.

Mr. Zajac is a strong advocate for continued education and public service. He is currently the President of the Association for Child Development, a non-profit facilitating millions of dollars in federal funds annually through the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. He is also a high school football coach, an adjunct professor in engineering and project management at Trine University, and a member of the Western Michigan University Lee Honors College Dean’s Advisory Board. Mr. Zajac is also a member of the Michigan Chapter of the American Inns of Court and the Detroit Bar Association

Click here to listen to the Audio Interview.

About GlobalAutoIndustry.com

GlobalAutoIndustry.com is the leading global business intelligence source for the automotive industry, connecting the worldwide automotive OEM and supplier industry with the resources to effectively do business globally. Through the web site, www.GlobalAutoIndustry.com, automotive executives can find insight, solutions and strategies focused on doing business in the world’s top automotive markets. The Company offers weekly Audio Interviews and eJournal newsletters addressing important international business and operational challenges for industry professionals.  The Audio Interviews are available to over 1,000,000 automotive industry professionals worldwide, including syndicated through WardsAuto, aftermarketNews, ETAuto (The Economic Times of India), TU Automotive, MEXICONOW, BORDERNOW, and HORSEPOWER.