Fifty selected leaders from Europe & Asia meet in Switzerland to discuss pressing issues and strengthen the foundations of a resilient economic relationship between both regions.

Annual Meeting 2025

Annual Meeting

This Asia Leaders Series evening gathering at the home of Mrs. Louis-Dreyfus convenes a small gathering of influential business leaders for a robust discussion on geopolitics, trade and the global economy. We will be joined by renowned experts from China and Singapore.

Sitao Xu is the Chief Economist at Deloitte China, leading its economic and industry research. He previously served as Chief Representative of China and EIU Forecasting Director at the Economist Group from 2004 to 2014. His extensive career includes roles as Economist at MMS International (1995), Regional Treasury Economist at Standard Chartered (1996), Chief Economist for Asia at Societe Generale (2000-2002), and Head of Economics at ICBC (Asia) (2003). Sitao frequently writes for major publications and appears on financial TV networks. He holds degrees from Peking University, the University of Connecticut, and Boston College, and has been a visiting scholar at Stanford University. He is also a guest professor at Tsinghua University and has served on several corporate boards.

Sitao Xu

Member-only Private Dinner in Zurich

Leaders' Dinner

In this exclusive meeting, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, brings her profound insights to a carefully selected group of global business leaders in London, co-chaired by Sir Martin Sorrell. In this session, we unveil Ms. Sun’s extensive experience in running a truly international publicly listed Chinese company. The discussion will explore the shifting dynamics of consumer behavior in Asia, and the strategic approach to navigating geopolitical challenges.

Jane Sun is the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Trip.com Group Limited, a leading global travel services company. Ms. Sun joined the company as Chief
Financial Officer in 2005, and subsequently served as Chief Operating Officer and Co-President, before she was appointed to the position of CEO in 2016.
 
Recognised globally, Ms. Sun has featured in Fortune's Top 50 Most Powerful Women and Forbes' Most Powerful Women lists. Her accolades include the Asia Society Asia Game Changer Award and recognitions from Forbes as one of Asia's Latest Star Businesswomen and one of China's Most Influential and Outstanding Businesswomen. Prior to Trip.com, she led the SEC and External Reporting Division at Applied Materials and was an audit manager at KPMG in Silicon Valley. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and an LLM from Peking University.

Jane Sun

Member-only Executive Lunch in London

Global China

Dan Wang, serving as the Chief Economist at one of Hong Kong's leading banks, brings her extensive expertise to an exclusive assembly of global executives in Zurich. In this session, we unveil Ms. Wang's profound understanding of China's current economic climate, engaging in a dynamic discussion to deepen our understanding of the political pressures and worldwide implications of the recent downturn.

Dr Dan Wang is the Chief Economist at Hang Seng Bank China, based in Shanghai. Dan holds a PhD in economics from the University of Washington, with a focus in macroeconomics, environmental economics and econometrics. Her postdoc was with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in agriculture. She is an active speaker for AmCham and other chambers of commerce, embassies, local governments, industrial conferences and universities guest lectures. She’s regularly quoted in CNBC, WSJ and other major international media and columnist for FT China. Before joining Hang Seng Bank, Dan was an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing.

Dan Wang

Member-only Executive Lunch in Zurich

China Uncovered (Zurich)

Dan Wang, serving as the Chief Economist at one of Hong Kong's leading banks, brings her extensive expertise to an exclusive assembly of global executives in London, co-chaired by Sir Martin Sorrell. In this session, we unveil Ms. Wang's profound insight into China's current economic climate, engaging in a dynamic discussion to deepen our understanding of the political pressures and worldwide implications of the recent downturn.

China Uncovered (London)

Resilience and determination ring loud in Hong Kong as it continues to stand strong as "Asia's World City" after a volatile few years. In this thought provoking discussion, Laura M Cha, Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), will share her views on Hong Kong's ability to remain competitive and robust, and its future as a leading international financial centre with unrivalled connectivity to China.

Mrs Cha is Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd and a member of the Hong Kong-United States Business Council. She is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Ant Group Co., Ltd. , a Senior International Advisor of Foundation Assets Management Sweden AB and a member of Sotheby’s International Advisory Board. In addition, she is also Vice Chairman of the International Advisory Council of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and a Director of the World Federation of Exchanges.

Laura M. Cha

Evening Conference in Zurich

The Hong&nbsp;Kong Question

Resilience and determination ring loud in Hong Kong as it continues to stand strong as "Asia's World City" after a volatile few years. In this thought-provoking discussion, Laura M Cha, Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), will share her views on Hong Kong's ability to remain competitive and robust, and its future as a leading international financial centre with unrivalled connectivity to China.

Hong&nbsp;Kong Strategy

At a time of geopolitical and economic disruption, the world’s largest democracy has a renewed energy which is reflected in growing demand across all major sectors. Deepak Parekh, the revered long-standing Chairman of India’s largest privately owned financial institution, The HDFC Group, shares his unique perspectives in this member-only gathering of international business leaders in Switzerland.

Deepak Parekh is an esteemed Indian businessman and the Chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), India's leading private housing development finance institution in Mumbai. With a remarkable academic background and experience at Ernst & Young, Grindlays Bank, and Chase Manhattan Bank, Parekh joined HDFC in 1978 and played a pivotal role in its success. He has also held leadership positions at Infrastructure Development Finance Company Ltd (IDFC) and is associated with prestigious organizations such as Glaxo India Ltd, Burroughs Wellcome (India) Ltd, Castrol India Limited, Fairfax India Holdings Corporation, Siemens Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra, Indian Hotels Company, and SingTel. Throughout his career, Parekh has actively participated in governmental committees and received accolades including the Padma Bhushan, Businessman of the Year 1996, JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award, and the first international recipient of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales’ Outstanding Achievement Award in 2010.

Deepak Parekh

India Strategy

In this high-level lunch, we engage in a discussion with a select group of innovative leaders who are transforming modern Japan. Despite being the world's third-largest economy, Japan faces challenges such as an aging population, low immigration, and persistent inflation. Our esteemed guests include one of Japan's most successful entrepreneurs, the co-founder of the $65bn telecom behemoth, KDDI Corporation.

Dr. Semmoto is a successful entrepreneur in the telecommunication industry, with more than 30 years in senior management positions with leading Japanese telecommunication companies. His career began when he joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (NTT, Japan) in 1966, staying until 1983. After favorably campaigning for a deregulated telecom industry in Japan, he cofounded the first private telecom startup, DDI, now KDDI Corporation in 1984. In 1999, Dr. Semmoto founded and served as CEO of eAccess, Ltd. an Internet access startup that commercialized Japan’s DSL market. Following the IPO of eAccess in 2004, he founded and became CEO of EMOBILE, which became Japan’s fourth largest mobile network operator. EMOBILE and eAccess were sold to SoftBank in 2013. Today he serves as Executive Chairman of RENOVA, Inc., a leading renewable energy power company.

Dr. Sachio Semmoto

Japan Strategy

This high-level meeting in Zurich brought together a select group of influential leaders, including executives, policy-makers, business owners, and investors. The discussion revolved around crucial issues shaping the global political and economic landscape in Europe and Asia. Renowned leaders Bilahari Kausikan and Sir Tony Brenton, former Ambassadors to Russia from Singapore and the UK respectively, provide insightful remarks in a dialogue moderated by Callam Fletcher.

Bilahari Kausikan is a former Ambassador-at-Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore. Between 2001 and May 2013, he was first the Second Permanent Secretary and then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his career he has served in a variety of appointments, including as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and as Ambassador to the Russian Federation. He studied at Raffles Institution, the University of Singapore and Columbia University in New York. Bilahari Kausikan is currently Chairman of the Middle East Institute, an autonomous institute of the National University of Singapore.

Bilahari Kausikan

Singapore's former Ambassador to Russia.

Russia Dilemma

Jim O'Neill reveals a sharp and contrasting view on BRICs, while the Former Chief of Britain's Intelligence Service (MI6), Sir John Scarlett, engages in an eye-opening discussion with Sir Tony Brenton, Britain's Former Ambassador to Russia. The outcome paints a bleak and concerning picture for Europe as it enters a new geopolitical era.

Jim O’Neill is an internationally published economist, and until 2013 was Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, having previously been the organisation’s Head of Economic Research. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1995, after 13 years working in the City of London for the Swiss Bank Corporation, the Marine Midland Bank, and Bank of America.Jim is particularly well-known for his work in relation to developing economies, having been one of the earliest (and most prominent) economic commentators to identify the enormous potential for growth by middle income countries during the first half of the 21st century. In 2001, Jim published his influential Building Better Global BRICs research paper, which was credited with coining the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) acronym, and foresaw the radical shift in global economic power away from the established western economies towards these rapidly-expanding economies. Jim O'Neill was made a Life Peer and member of the House of Lords in May 2015 as Lord O’Neill of Gatley. He served as the Commercial Secretary to HM Treasury from May 2015 until September 2016 before leaving the government.

Lord Jim O’Neill

Economic and geopolitical turmoil in Europe and the World.

New World Order

Moderated by Bill Emmott, this exclusive gathering of influential business leaders from Norway, Britain, Switzerland and Russia took place in London with a focus on broadening and deepening insight into the first major military conflict in Europe since World War II, Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sir Douglas Flint, Stein-Erik Hagen and Margarita Louis-Dreyfus were among those present to offer their perspectives.

Bill Emmott is an independent writer and consultant on international affairs. He was Editor of The Economist, the world’s leading weekly magazine on current affairs and business, from 1993 until 2006, having worked for that publication since 1980. The author of 13 books, on Japan, Asia, Italy and the 20th century, his latest have been “The Fate of the West: The Battle to Save the World’s Most Successful Political Idea”, published in 2017; and “Japan’s Far More Female Future”, which was published first in Japanese by Nikkei in July 2019 and was published in English by Oxford University Press in September 2020. Now he is an Ushioda Fellow at Tokyo College, University of Tokyo as well as a member of UTokyo’s Global Advisory Board; chairman of the board of Trinity College Dublin’s Long Room Hub Arts & Humanities Research Institute; chairman of the Japan Society of the UK; chairman of the trustees of the International Institute for Strategic Studies; chairman of Trade Advisers Ltd, an Irish consultancy and provider of education and training; and a member of the Comitato Scientifico of the Centro Einaudi in  Turin. He is the co-founder and co-director, with Berel Rodal, of the Global Commission for Post- Pandemic Policy, an independent, non-partisan, high-level group dedicated to making recommendations  about how societies can be made more resilient in the wake of the pandemic-related crises that began in 2020. In 2016 the Japanese government awarded him the “Order of the Rising Sun: Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” for services to UK-Japan relations.

Bill Emmott

Leaders meet in London to discuss the war in Ukraine.

War in Europe

Two weeks prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we organized a unique discussion featuring notable individuals such as Sir Tony Brenton, former Ambassador of Britain to Russia, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, H.S.H. Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein, and Sir Martin Sorrell. The conversation covered a range of crucial topics, including the Ukraine Conflict and its future direction, insights into Putin's decision-making process, Britain's role in the Ukraine, the dynamics of Russia-China relations and strategies for resolving the conflict. Other topics were also covered, including Nord Stream 2, NATO, the United States' response, a withdrawal by Russia, and the impact of sanctions.

Sir Tony Brenton is the former British Ambassador to the Russian Federation, in post between 2004 and 2008. Upon his retirement from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Sir Tony had served for 30 years. Sir Tony has worked on Middle East issues, energy and European matters amongst other roles. Taking a sabbatical at Harvard University, Sir Tony wrote a book on international environmental policy titled &ldquo;The Greening of Machiavelli&rdquo;. A fluent Russian speaker, Sir Tony was first posted to Moscow in 1994, when he focused on Russian economic reform. In the early 2000s, Sir Tony focused on UN matters in London, and was subsequently posted to Washington to deal with the consequences of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the ensuing wars. He was awarded a KCMG by Her Majesty the Queen in 2007, and became a Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge in 2009.

Sir Tony Brenton

Leaders meet to discuss Russia's imminent invasion.

The Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Influential economist, Dr. Gerard Lyons, leads the 2021 Global Economic Outlook with the Asia Leaders Series, offering his outlook on global growth, dominant pre-pandemic trends, China, dual circulation and the inflationary impact of the Pandemic on Asia. Dr. Lyons engages in a dialogue with Jerome Haegeli (Group Chief Economist at Swiss Re), Bill Emmott (Former Chief Editor of The Economist), Louis Kujis (Chief Economist Asia at Oxford Economics) and Dr. Jim Walker (Founder of Asianomics).

Gerard Lyons is a British economist and writer. He is an expert on the world economy, global financial  markets and on economic and regulatory policy, focusing on international banking. Lyons was the co- founder of 'Economists for Brexit' and played a leading role in the UK European Union Referendum.  From January 2013 to May 2016 he was Chief Economic Advisor to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Prior to that, Lyons spent 25 years in the City, most recently as Chief Economist and Head of Global Research at Standard Chartered Bank. He is an author and public speaker, as well being a regular commentator for the press and television. Currently, Lyons is Chief Economic Strategist at Netwealth Investments. Additionally, he is a Senior Economic Advisor to Parker Fitzgerald and a Senior Advisor to DealGlobe. He is involved with organisations promoting UK education, UK trade and the City of London: Advisory Board of Warwick University Business School; Advisory Board of the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics and Imperial College, University of London; Vice-Chairman of the 48 Group, boosting UK–China ties, Committee Member of the Royal Society of Asian Affairs; Committee Member of the Hong Kong Association; Council Member of Open Europe and Commissioner on the London Stansted Growth Commission.

Dr. Gerard Lyons

State of the global economy as the pandemic eases.

Global Economic Outlook

In this exclusive interview in Shanghai with Li Yongzhong, President of state-backed Shanghai Pharmaceuticals - one of the top pharmaceutical groups in China - we dive into the company's international strategy to become a pre-eminent leader in the global pharmaceutical industry.

Li Yongzhong has been serving as Vice President and Executive Director in Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd. since October 2016. He used to be Assistant General Manager and Deputy General Manager in Shanghai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. He holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from China Europe International Business School.

Li Yongzhong

Rare interview with the CEO of a major Chinese company

China&apos;s Emerging Pharma Powerhouse

In this high-level briefing of international business leaders, we explore the mindset of one of India’s most revered industrialists - Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Group, a leading business conglomerate in India. The meeting is chaired by Sir Martin Sorrell, touching upon the challenges which foreign investors face in navigating the complexities of operating profitably in the world’s largest democracy. Mr. Piramal shares his view of India’s wider role on the global stage, particularly with regards to China and Southeast Asia.

Ajay Gopikisan Piramal is Chairman of the Piramal Group, a conglomerate with interests in pharmaceutical, financial services, real estate, healthcare analytics and glass packaging. In 1977, at age 22, Piramal started out in his family's textile business, founded in 1934 by his grandfather Piramal Chatrabhuj. His father, Gopikisan Piramal, died in 1979, and after five years he lost an older brother to cancer, prompting him to take over the business. Piramal holds a bachelor's degree in Science from the Jai Hind College and Basantsingh Institute of Science, University of Mumbai (then Bombay), a master's degree in management studies from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, University of Mumbai, and in 1992 attended the six-week Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.[5] Piramal has received an honorary doctorate by Amity University, India[7] and Honorary Doctor of Science from IIT Indore.

Ajay Piramal

Invigorating discussion among  pioneers in Europe & Asia

The&nbsp;Mindset of&nbsp;an&nbsp;Indian Pioneer

As Hong Kong emerges from a period of political and economic disruption and the Coronavirus, business leaders across the world are assessing the city's future. With widespread consensus that Hong Kong is at the dawn of a new era, we ask upcoming leaders to paint a picture of what might lie ahead. Mr. Lau, Chairman of Chinese Estates, offers unequivocal insight into the inner workings of Hong Kong. In this rare briefing, Mr. Lau engages in an open discussion with Bernard Chan, President of Asia Insurance and Deputy to the National People's Congress of China. The discussion is moderated by Alan Rosling CBE.

Presently, Ming Wai Lau holds the position of Chairman of Chinese Estates Holdings Ltd. He is also on the board of 10 other companies. In the past he was Chairman for Aidigong Maternal & Child Health Ltd. He received a graduate degree from London School of Economics & Political Science and a graduate degree and a doctorate from King's College London.

Ming Wai Lau

Reflections on how Hong Kong is changing.

The&nbsp;Economic Future of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong

Sir Martin was CEO of WPP for 33 years, building it from a small company in 1985 into the world's largest advertising and marketing group, employing 200,000 people in 113 countries. In an exclusive briefing with a small group of global leaders, Sir Martin reflects on the impact of COVID-19 across a range of industry verticals - painting a clear picture of the world of business as he sees it. On Asia, Sorrell elaborates on Biden's likely approach to China, while sharing his own unique experiences on building WPP in the region.

Sir Martin Sorrell is Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital plc, the tech led, new age / new era digital advertising and marketing services company. Sir Martin was Founder and CEO of WPP for 33 years, building it from a £1 million ‘shell’ company in 1985 into the world’s largest advertising and marketing services company. Prior to that, Sir Martin was Group Financial Director of Saatchi & Saatchi plc for nine years and worked for James Gulliver, Mark McCormack and Glendinning Associates before that. S4Capital is listed on the London Stock Exchange under SFOR.L. Sir Martin supports a number of leading business schools and universities, including his alma maters, Harvard Business School and Cambridge University, and a number of charities. He was ranked the second best-performing CEO in the World by the Harvard Business Review in 2016 and 2017, and received the Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award. He has also been nominated as one of the TIME 100: The Most Influential People.

Sir Martin Sorrell

Leaders meet to discuss a post-pandemic world.

Post-Pandemic World

In this high-level gathering of influential business leaders in Zurich, Huawei's Deputy Chairman, Ken Hu, makes a rare appearance to shed light on the social and economic impact of today's technology revolution and the unprecedented challenges posed by US sanctions on Huawei. Mr. Hu speaks about digital technologies such as 5G, IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Cloud, exploring their social impact and how organisations can better leverage them to grow and prosper.

Ken Hu joined Huawei in 1990 and has served as President of the Marketing and Sales Department in China, President of the Latin America Region, President of the Global Sales Dept, Chief Sales and Service Officer, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Chairman of the Global Cyber Security and User Privacy Protection Committee (GSPC), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Huawei USA, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Rotating Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Human Resources Committee. Currently, he is Deputy Chairman of the Board and Rotating Chairman of Huawei. Ken has a Bachelor's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Ken Hu

Fireside chat with the Deputy Chairman of Huawei.

Huawei&nbsp;&&nbsp;The 5G&nbsp;Technology Revolution

In a country where the role of the family patriarch lies at the heart of its culture and where the majority of businesses are in the control of families, what could we learn from India? Along with his two siblings, Sunil Munjal is the second-generation owner of Hero MotorCorp, the World’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles. In this fireside chat with business leaders in Switzerland, Mr. Munjal shares his personal experience as the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune and one of India's most respected companies.

Founder of BML Educorp Services and Bml Munjal University, Sunil Kant Munjal is a businessperson who has been the head of 15 different companies and occupies the position of Chairman at The Doon School, Chairman & Managing Director at Hero Management Service Ltd., Chairman of Hero Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Chairman at BML Educorp Services, Chairman for Management Entrepreneurship & Professional Skills Council, Chairman of Hero Enterprise Partner Ventures, President for Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam and Chairman of Hero Corporate Services Pvt Ltd. In the past Sunil Kant Munjal occupied the position of Chairman for Shivam Autotech Ltd., Joint Managing Director & Non-Executive Director at Hero MotoCorp Ltd., CEO & Managing Director-Cold Rolling Division at Hero Cycles Ltd., President of Confederation of Indian Industry and President of All India Management Association. Mr. Munjal received an undergraduate degree from the University of Delhi.

Sunil K. Munjal

Family business and the challenges of succession.

Future of&nbsp;Family Business

Since the end of the Cold War, the West has strengthened its position on the world stage by maintaining a tight alliance among democratic nations. In the meantime, China has emerged as a powerful nation, competing directly with the USA across a range of industry sectors. Does China pose a genuine threat? Ronnie C. Chan, one of Hong Kong's most prominent business figures and Honorary Chairman of Asia Society, offers his unique perspectives on US-China relations.

Ronnie C. Chan is Chairman of Hang Lung Group Limited and its subsidiary Hang Lung Properties Limited. Both are publicly listed companies in Hong Kong, with the latter being a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index. Founded in 1960, the Group has been expanding into mainland China since 1992. Mr. Chan co-founded the Morningside group. In the past 26 years, Morningside and its associates owned and managed companies focusing on manufacturing, public transport operations, outdoor advertising, media, healthcare, online game operators, high tech and biotech investments in mainland China, developmental capital investments in Southeast Asia, manufacturing and distribution in Europe, and service industries, biotech and other venture capital investments in North America. In Hong Kong and the mainland of China, Mr. Chan is Chairman of the Executive Committees of One Country Two Systems Research Institute and of Better Hong Kong Foundation, Convenor of Hong Kong Development Forum, a Vice President of The Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, a Governing Board member of China-United States Exchange Foundation, an Advisor and former Vice President of China Development Research Foundation in Beijing, and a former Trustee of China Foreign Affairs University. Internationally, Mr. Chan is Co-Chair of the Board of Asia Society and Chairman of its Hong Kong Center, a founding Trustee of African-Asian Society and a Director of the Board of Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Ronnie C. Chan

A rare perspective on US-China relations.

The&nbsp;US-China Power Struggle

Piyush Gupta is the Chief Executive of DBS Group - the largest bank in South-East Asia. Since 2009, Mr. Gupta has transformed DBS from a traditional financial institution into the World's leading digital bank. In this gathering of influential figures in Banking and Finance at the Asia Leaders Series in Zurich, Mr. Gupta shares his views on the threats and opportunities presented by Asia’s rising technology giants such as Alibaba and Tencent. Mr. Gupta sheds light on the challenges he foresees for Europe's largest banks.

Piyush Gupta is a banker in Singapore. He is the current chief executive officer and director of DBS Group, a position he has held since 9 November 2009. Gupta has been credited with leading the banking group to become a leading Asian financial services group. In 2014, Gupta was named as the Singapore Business Leader of the Year by CNBC. In 2013, Gupta was named "Best CEO, Asia Pacific" by The Asian Banker, and "Best CEO, Singapore" by Asiamoney and The Business Times. Gupta started his career at Citibank India at the age of 22, as a management trainee. He did several assignments with Citibank India, eventually being chief of staff to the India head, responsible for finance, technology, human resources and strategy. Gupta then moved to Singapore in 1991, as chief of staff to the Asia head. Gupta held positions of increasing responsibilities, moving into various senior management roles across Citi's corporate and consumer banking businesses. In 2000, he left Citigroup to start up a dot-com company, an internet portal called GO4i.com but closed his venture and re-joined Citigroup in 2001. Gupta served as country officer in Malaysia from 2002 to 2007, where he helped built up Citigroup's branch network, before assuming the role of country officer in Singapore and the head of the Corporate and Investment Bank in ASEAN. In 2008, Gupta was appointed the chief executive officer of Citibank in South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In 2009, he left Citigroup to join DBS Group as chief executive officer.

Piyush Gupta

Fireside chat with the CEO of Southeast Asia's largest bank.

Bank&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Future

Narayana Murthy founded Infosys in 1981 with a $250 loan from his wife. Today the company employs over 200,000 people and is valued at over USD $60 billion. In this invigorating discussion with global executives in Switzerland, Murthy describes the journey of building Infosys - sharing some of the unique challenges faced in scaling a culture of leadership in India, taking the company public and expanding in China.

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy, commonly referred to as Narayana Murthy, is an Indian IT industrialist and the co-founder of Infosys, a multinational corporation providing business consulting, technology, engineering, and outsourcing services. Murthy studied electrical engineering at the National Institute of Engineering, University of Mysore, and MTech at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. Before starting Infosys, Murthy worked with Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad as chief systems programmer and Patni Computer Systems in Pune (Maharashtra). He started Infosys in 1981 and served as its CEO from 1981 to 2002 and as chairman from 2002 to 2011. In 2011, he stepped down from the board and became chairman Emeritus. On 1 June 2013, Murthy was appointed as Additional Director and Executive Chairman of the board for a period of five years. Murthy has been listed among the 12 greatest entrepreneurs of our time by Fortune magazine. He has been described as Father of Indian IT sector by Time magazine due to his contribution to outsourcing in India. Murthy has also been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Shri awards.

Narayana Murthy

A remarkable story of entrepreneurship from India.

Building Infosys

In this engaging discussion with executives of large companies in Switzerland, Bernard Chan reveals his unique insights on the Bay Area project, and its economic implications for Europe's banking and insurance sectors. Mr. Chan is President of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Asia Insurance PLC, and serves as a Director on the Board of Cathay Pacific Airways.

Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan is a Deputy to the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. He was a Member of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the HKSAR) (from 2004 to 2009, and from 2012 to 2022), the Convenor of its Non-Official Members (from 2017 to 2022), and a Member of the Legislative Council (Insurance Functional Constituency) of the HKSAR (from 1998 to 2008). A graduate of Pomona College in California, Mr Chan is the Chairman and President of Asia Financial Holdings Limited, and the Chairman of Asia Insurance Company Limited. He is the Chairman of the Hong Kong-Thailand Business Council, and an advisor to Bangkok Bank (China) Company Limited. He sits on the boards of several local and overseas companies in financial services, and is a Director of Bumrungrad Hospital Public Company in Thailand. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2002, and a Commander (3rd Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand in 2004. In 2006, he was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government, and in 2020 he received Hong Kong’s highest honor, the Grand Bauhinia Medal. He has been conferred honorary degrees from Lingnan University, City University, Open University, and Savannah College of Art and Design.

Bernard C. Chan

A dive into HK and the Greater Bay Area.

Hong&nbsp;Kong City or&nbsp;Powerhouse

IdrisIdris Jala takes us through his most daring business turnaround yet: Malaysia Airlines. He took over the company as CEO during its worst financial period in its 50-year history; Malaysia Airlines had 20,000 employees and reported losses of $400 million in the 9 months leading to his entrance. In just 24 months of rigorous transformation, Jala produced a $260m profit. In his talk, he reveals his methods and leadership approach to critical business transformation.

Dato' Sri Idris Jala is the current Minister without Portfolio in the Prime Minister's Department and chief executive officer of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu). He is a Senator in the Dewan Negara, upper house of parliament. Before that, Idris used to work for Shell. In 2005, the Malaysian government elected him as CEO of Malaysia Airlines due to massive losses of the company. In February 2006, he announced the airline's business turnaround plan from a 9-month loss of USD400 million in 2005 to achieving a record profit of USD260 million in 2007. He served until August 2009.In May 2008, Idris appeared on national television announcing the airline's first ever 'zero fare' for domestic and a selection of international flights, a move that raised his spat between him and AirAsia's boss, Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes to a new level.Idris Jala is a Kelabit from Sarawak and is a Christian. He is one of the few non-Malay non-Muslims to have been appointed to head a GLC.

Idris Jala

Business turnaround - tips for leaders.

Malaysia Airlines Turnaround

Dr. Sachio Semmoto is a rarity in Japan. He is a bold, controversial and outspoken entrepreneur. He co-founded DDI Corporation (now KDDI) in 1984. KDDI is now capitalised at over $60bn and employs over 35,000 people as Japan’s second-largest provider of telecom services. Semmoto shares his story of entrepreneurship in Japan, shedding light on the nation's culture, its strengths, and its political and economic challenges.

A remarkable story of Japanese entrepreneurship.

Building a&nbsp;Telecom Giant

In this detailed overview of India's current and future potential as a technology-driven nation, Mohandas Pai demonstrates a remarkable ability to retain and communicate important data and facts. His talk covers a macro-overview of the world's foremost technological trends and offers a unique perspective on India's opportunities and challenges as it emerges as an increasingly important leader on the world stage.

Mohandas Pai is a Co-Founder and a Partner at Aarin Capital. He is a Co-Founder & Advisor at Exfinity Venture Partners. He serves as an Advisor at OAKS Asset Management. He also serves as Chairman and Board Member at Manipal Education and Medical Group. Until June 2011, he served as a partner at The habit fund. He serves as Advisor at Ideaspring Capital. He was Elevate Innovation Partners a Member of the Board of Directors of Infosys and the Head of Administration, Education and Research, at the National Stock Exchange of India, FinacleSM, Human Resources and the Infosys Leadership Institute. He also served as Investment Committee Member at 3one4 Capital. Over the span of a decade, he has been actively working with the innovation ecosystems of India to help cultivate and grow startups and funds in the country. He holds an LLB from Bangalore University and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from St. Joseph's College of Commerce, Bangalore. 

Mohandas Pai

India's path to becoming a $10 trillion economy.

India in Data

Alan Rosling had spent 5-years alongside Ratan Tata as the first non-Indian on the Executive Board of Tata Sons when he was charged with the task of internationalising the $100bn group. In his talk, Alan Rosling draws on his vast experience of India's economic transformation, its private sector reforms, the pros and cons of doing business in India, and the country's appetite for entrepreneurship.

Alan Rosling is an entrepreneur and strategic adviser who has had a deep engagement with India over the past thirty-five years. He is co-founder of ECube, an investment manager dedicated to raising standards of environmental social and governance compliance. He cofounded Kiran Energy after leaving the Tata Group, where he was the first non-Indian Executive Director of Tata Sons (the holding company of the Tata Group), charged with internationalization of the company. His earlier career included general management, strategy and banking, and three years as a Special Adviser to the British Prime Minister in the Policy Unit at 10 Downing Street. Educated at Downing College, Cambridge, and Harvard Business School, Alan now lives in Hong Kong but is in India frequently. He was awarded a CBE (an honor for a distinguished contribution to Britain) in 2014.

Alan Rosling

Internationalising an Indian conglomerate.

India Boom Country

In the first ever Asia Leaders Series Evening Conference, Lord Green reveals remarkable insight into Britain’s developing relationship with Europe, Europe’s wider role in the world, and the geopolitical and cultural challenges in Europe and Asia.

Lord Green began his career in 1970 with the British Government’s Ministry of Overseas Development.  In 1977, he joined McKinsey & Co Inc, management consultants, with whom he undertook assignments in Europe, North America and the Middle East.  He joined The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in 1982. In 1998, he was appointed to the Board of HSBC Holdings plc as Executive Director, Investment Banking and Markets.  He became Group Chief Executive in 2003 and Group Chairman 2006.  He retired from HSBC in December 2010. He was created a Life Peer in 2010 and was appointed Minister of State for Trade and Investment on 11 January 2011. He retired from this position on 9 December 2013. He was educated at Lancing College, Sussex, and at Oxford University where he graduated in 1969 with a BA (First Class Honours) in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.  He also obtained a Masters Degree in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1975.  

Lord Stephen Green

"Is Europe in decline?" with Chairman of HSBC.

The&nbsp;Rise&nbsp;of&nbsp;Asia or&nbsp;the&nbsp;Break-Up of&nbsp;Europe?

Callam Fletcher conducts an exclusive interview in Bangalore with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the distinguished Founder and Chairman of India's largest biotech company, Biocon.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (born 23 March 1953) is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur. She is the executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore, India. She is the former chairperson of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. In 2014, she was awarded the Othmer Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry. She was on the Financial Times 2011 top 50 women in business list. In 2019, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes and was named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020.

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