Our Focus Areas

April 18, 2023

What a US-China biotech war would mean for Hong Kong and the world

Biotech is especially important given the ageing population and economic ambitions of Hong Kong – and China as a whole. For the world, biotech protectionism will lead to more expensive treatments and greater health insecurity.

August 27, 2021

Networks for a Resilient Future: An Asian Perspective

In 2021, resilience is undoubtedly top-of-mind for business leaders as they face the COVID-19 pandemic and threat of climate change amidst a precarious geopolitical environment. While corporate resilience is the capacity of an individual company to transform nimbly, rebound quickly, and prepare effectively for dramatically changed circumstances, collective resilience refers to the capacity of multiple

June 24, 2021

“Asia’s Challenge 2030” Global Essay Competition: A Compendium of Award-winning Essays

The “Asia’s Challenge 2030” Global Essay Competition challenged students across the world to answer the question: How would you address some of the most important issues in Asia in the coming decade? Participants were asked to tackle a problem in one of three categories: Economy, Trade, and Finance; Environment and Public Health; and Cities and

June 2, 2021

Asia Business Council Members Come to Aid of India and Call on International Business Community to Address the Humanitarian Crisis

In May 2021, as India witnessed a deadly surge in COVID-19 cases, Asia Business Council members took immediate action to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow members in India and help alleviate a humanitarian disaster of extreme proportions. In response to an appeal letter from Council Chairman Daniel Tsai and Vice-chairman Tak Niinami, members made donations to

January 15, 2021

Extraordinary Endeavors in Turbulent Times: Asian Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact during COVID-19

The year 2020 will be remembered for the turbulence caused when a pandemic swept through the world, fundamentally changing people’s way of life, presenting unprecedented challenges to governments worldwide, and forcing businesses to reflect and adapt in order to survive. With this in mind, the Asia Business Council and the Tanoto Center for Asian Family

June 23, 2021

KomU as a Strategy to Improve Family Communications

Hanun Thalia, a student at Universitas Indonesia, writes about a novel technology-based approach for improving communication among family members, an approach that she argues can contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. KomU, an app, helps families learn to use the “I statement” and “sandwich feedback” methods of communication, two psychology-based approaches

June 23, 2021

Tackling Unrealistic Beauty Standards in Japan and Korea

Suzu Yokoyama, of Tsuda University in Japan, identifies unrealistic beauty and weight standards as a major public health problem facing young people, and particularly young women, in Japan and Korea today, leading to health problems such as anorexia and malnutrition. The essay analyzes the factors contributing to the excessive focus on weight, including the media

January 19, 2021

As Covid-19 crisis shows, sovereign wealth funds have a role that goes beyond providing money

Singapore’s Temasek is one of several government funds to go beyond their traditional mandate and fight the pandemic, not just by investing in the search for a vaccine, but also by supporting the production of medical goods As Hong Kong prepares to launch its own Growth Portfolio, it needs to consider if there’s a larger

October 28, 2020

Leadership in a Time of Crisis: Asian Businesses Respond to COVID-19

By almost any measure, the response to COVID-19 in much of Asia, East Asia in particular, has been among the world’s most effective. Measured by the absolute number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, or cases and deaths per 100,000 people, Asia has been more successful than the United States and most countries in Europe in

January 15, 2021

Ayala Corp. (Philippines) – Recommitting to a Broad Stakeholder Ecosystem During the Pandemic

Ayala Corp is one of the oldest conglomerates in the Philippines with a history of supporting the wider community in difficult times. The company realized many years ago that it could be more effective during crisis situations by engaging a network of companies to coordinate relief efforts. In 2009, it helped establish the Philippine Disaster