Cotton Ding’s reputation precedes her. Mention her name to any veteran of Shanghai’s nightlife scene and you will be met with the general consensus that she is one of the city’s friendliest, most welcoming bar managers. With two branches of her eponymous villa bars under her belt as well...

Just three years ago it was so difficult to find a good-quality, great-tasting Australian beer at a local pub: or so two business-savvy, expat friends living in Shanghai thought to themselves. In 2007, Frank Lee, an Australian businessman/ entrepreneur with an EMBA in Management, and Matt...