Name: Dominic Johnson-Hill
From: Guildford
Living in: Beijing

“I can truly reflect back and feel that the second half of my life, all of which has been in China, has been as exciting, challenging and rewarding as the first half. Everyday is a new opportunity and I embrace the challenges that come my way. I feel lucky to have learnt so much about China's beautiful history, and culture, and language and have applied this knowledge towards every part of my life here. Meeting my wife and raising our children here has been a particular joy - having family by my side on this adventure is a gift.”

Dominic first came to China in 1993 as a backpacker but soon found roots in China that have kept him here for the past 16 years. Initially, he settled down to study Chinese at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences engrossing himself in Beijing life. In 1995 he started my first business in China providing concise market research on products sold in the northern regions of China. From 1995 to 2000 he travelled across the county – visiting each and every province of China – conducting this market research and unknowingly becoming more and more passionate about the cultural diversity of China, and its many regions.

Now, 17 years after first arriving, he is the CEO of Plastered T-Shirts, a clothing brand he founded three years ago with the concept to take iconic Chinese imagery and place it on t-shirts to create a clothing brand that China could call its own. What developed out of this idea was a true, Chinese street brand that earned him the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the 2008 British Business Awards.

Dominic opened his Flagship store on Nan Luo Gu Xiang Hu Tong in a small 13 metre square shop. Plastered T-shirts can be spotted on many local and foreign celebrities worldwide. By 2009, Plastered expanded to three stores in Beijing, and six across China. T-shirts are available in the outlets across China and online. Plastered also sells internationally in the USA, UK, France, and Singapore.

Dominic currently lives in Beijing with his wife and three daughters. He feels extremely lucky to have his girls growing up in China and living in such ideal circumstances – living in a shared courtyard, going to local schools, and experiencing China to its fullest.

It is a main priority of Dominic's business, and his family, to give back to the community. Dominic supports numerous charities, primarily Magic Hospital.