Toward the end of every year, I ask CEOs, CMOs, authors, executive recruiters and other experts from a variety of industries and backgrounds to weigh in on what will be hot for marketers in the upcoming year. From cybersecurity to AI to social media to impact in the boardroom, this year’s predictions do not disappoint. And to understand trends and predictions from around the globe, take a look at these 18 hot trends from leaders in China--from Tencent to McDonald's to Visa to WPP to Publicis to Google.

Amazon has thrived by adopting an “everything under one roof” model. However, when faced with such a huge range of options, customers can often feel overwhelmed. They effectively become data-rich, with tons of options, but insight-poor, with little idea about what would be the best purchasing decision for them.

In the age of customers nabbing deals on their smartphones while sitting on the couch in their pajamas, Black Friday may not be what it used to be. But that doesn’t mean retailers don’t need to be ready. If anything, the push toward online sales and digital deals means that retailers need to invest even more in IT infrastructure than before, even if customers are not coming into physical stores. Data is the lifeblood of retailers looking to gain an edge in the digital age.