HBS Holds Weekend Conference on Asia

Sixty speakers from around the globe travelled to Boston this weekend for the Harvard-coordinated Asia Business Conference.

The Asia Business Club and the Harvard Asia Law Society hosted the two-day conference Friday and Saturday at the Harvard Business School (HBS). It was the fifth annual business conference of this type at HBS.

The conference focused on the economic crisis in Asia, according to Devtosh K. Khare, director of panels for the conference and a HBS second-year.

The event attracted a record audience of 1,300 people, according to Judy I. Ko, director of public relations and a HBS first-year. She said that about 30 percent of the attendees were young professionals, while 70 percent were students from colleges around the country.

"It went well. We really presented to the guests a very professional conference in the dinner, the quality of speakers," said Joseph L. Ngai, conference vice-chair and a HBS first-year. "The speakers were very impressed with how well run it was as a student conference."

The conference kicked off with a keynote address by Dr. Hong-koo Lee, Prime Minister of Korea from 1994 to 1995.

"We were trying to facilitate communication. It was an information vehicle," said Sutiawati Hokiarto, director of sponsorship and finance for the conference and a HBS first-year. "Right now there are a lot of things going on in Asia. We want to get the perspective from the micro level."

Khare said about 100 to 150 Harvard undergraduates and graduates attended the conference.

Ngai said the organizers were impressed with the interest the attendees showed in the topic.

"In the conference we saw that a lot of people were concerned and seeing clouds on the horizon," he said.

"We were surprised that the people were very interested in the issue," he added.

Many prominent CEO's and other executives of large corporations spoke at the conference, giving keynote speeches and leading panels.

Emphasizing the difficulty of "prescribing one medicine that fits [all Asian countries]," he recommended reformation of the financial sector and "openness of the economy," among other solutions.

But, in the end, Sugisaki said change lies with the countries involved.

Friday afternoon and Saturday conference guestsattended panels centering around the currenteconomic problems in Asia. Among the most popularwere "Comparisons and Lessons from FinancialCrises in Asia and Latin America" and "Internet inChina," according to Khare.

Organizers said they advertised the conferencemainly over the Internet, targeting a globalaudience.

"We sent over 50,000 e-mails," Khare said. Theconference had a Web site.

Hokiarto said about 150 students played a rolein organizing the conference.

About 10 to 15 undergraduate students helpedwith the organization of the conference, accordingto Thomas S. Wong '99 who was in charge of theundergraduate marketing team.

Wong added that the undergraduates dominatedthe ball held at the conclusion of the conferenceat the Cambridge Marriott. "The undergraduates ledthe party," he said.

Bain & Company led the conference's corporatesponsors, which include a number of consultingfirms and large corporations

Friday afternoon and Saturday conference guestsattended panels centering around the currenteconomic problems in Asia. Among the most popularwere "Comparisons and Lessons from FinancialCrises in Asia and Latin America" and "Internet inChina," according to Khare.

Organizers said they advertised the conferencemainly over the Internet, targeting a globalaudience.

"We sent over 50,000 e-mails," Khare said. Theconference had a Web site.

Hokiarto said about 150 students played a rolein organizing the conference.

About 10 to 15 undergraduate students helpedwith the organization of the conference, accordingto Thomas S. Wong '99 who was in charge of theundergraduate marketing team.

Wong added that the undergraduates dominatedthe ball held at the conclusion of the conferenceat the Cambridge Marriott. "The undergraduates ledthe party," he said.

Bain & Company led the conference's corporatesponsors, which include a number of consultingfirms and large corporations