Mukherjee to open Asian Corporate Conference

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the opening keynote address at the three-day 20th Asian Corporate Conference being held here from tomorrow by the Washington-based Asia Society.
The event is co-organised by the Wall Street Journal and the Confederation of Indian Industry and the theme of the conference is "India: Powering Asia's Ascent".
The conference will bring together policy and business leaders from around the world to explore Asia's role in driving the global economic recovery and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
“It’s great to be back in New Delhi for the 20th Asian Corporate Conference. This conference has been held in India three times previously over the years, tracking the country’s remarkable growth,” Asia Society President Vishakha N. Desai said.
“This a key moment for India as it seeks to build on its economic success, make sound investments in its future, ensure that growth is inclusive, hold fast to its commitment to reform, and assume a leadership role in multilateral institutions," she said.
Others slated to speak at the three-day conference are United States Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake, Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, former Japanese Finance Minister Koji Omi, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Environment & Forests Jairam Ramesh and Mr Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations.
According to a press release from Asia Society, this year's conference would build on a track record of examining the region’s developments, business forecasts, and shared challenges – with a special emphasis on the ascent of Asia in the 21st century.
The various sessions will explore topics such as India's place in the post-crisis economic outlook, strategies for managing India’s urbanization, Asia’s “smart power” in driving growth through innovation and leadership, educating Asia’s next generation and future workforce, the entertainment industry, bridging trade boundaries by strengthening global alliances, tackling climate change and resource scarcity, and whether Asia is poised to make the 21st century an Asian century.
Some of the confirmed speakers at the conference are CII Vice-President Hari S Bhartia, former CII Chief Mentor Tarun Das, Goldman Sachs (India) Managing Director and CEO Brooks Entwistle, McGraw Hill Companies Chairman Harold McGraw III, NIIT Ltd Chairman Rajendra Pawar and Mahindra & Mahindra Executive Director Arun Nanda.
The others on the list include China National Associatin of International Studies Director Victor Z Gao, Shantanu Ghosh of Genpact, Sid Myer of Yulgibar Group, John Negroponte of McLarty Associates, Ranodeb Roy of Morgan Stanley and Hugh Stephens of Time Warner.
Since 1989, the Asian Corporate Conference has attracted a combined audience of more than 18,000 participants from around the world. The 19th Asian Corporate Conference held in Ho Chi Minh City in April 2009 drew more than 1100 delegates from 20 countries. Recent conferences have been held in Tianjin, Tokyo, Mumbai and Bangkok, the release added
Founded in 1956, Asia Society works to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. It seeks to enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts, and culture. Apart from Washington, the Society has offices in Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai and Seoul.
NNN