A north Londoner-turned-Shanghai-based writer and businessman who has had a colorful career jaunt around Asia, including a 14-month stint in North Korea setting up DHL operations.

French has written a number of books, including one on North Korea and a biography of Shanghai adman from the 1920s and 30s, Carl Crow.

French is fond of pointing out that Crow experienced – and wrote about – much of what present-day China observers claim as a unique first-time experience. (Look at this Paul French video)

Crow’s seminal book “400 million consumers” will soon be out in print once again and will show, French says, how little has changed in the way people observe China changing.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zRSWKUnj2g]