The 18th World Economic Forum on East Asia will take place in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 18-19 June. Participants, including Asia’s leading decision-makers from business, government and civil society, will examine the region’s response to the economic crisis. The meeting will provide insight on building a common agenda for Asia to revitalize the global economy through new models of growth, technologies and corporate practices.

The programme is designed to address the distressed global economy, environmental protection and resource scarcity. Further, it will be an occasion to discuss the expanding G20 leadership roles of South Korea – which will assume the G20 chairmanship in 2010 – and Japan, set against the continued growth and rising influence of China and India.

 

UPDATE 9 June 2009

Watch an interview with Sushant Palakurthi Rao, Head of Asia Region, on the programme of the meeting. The full programme is below.

Programme of the World Economic Forum on East Asia

Thursday 18 June 09.30 – 11.00 (00.30 – 02.00GMT)

East Asia, the G20 and Challenges to Global Redesign
Asia accounts for six countries among the G20 and for more than 35% of world GDP, compared to 20% each for the US and EU.
Having taken the bitter pill after the 1997 crisis, and as South Korea prepares to take up the G20 presidency next year, how will Asian countries help drive solutions to the current crisis? How must the global system change to reflect Asia's increasing stake in international affairs?

  • Rajat M. Nag, Managing Director-General, Asian Development Bank, Manila
  • Il SaKong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Korea International Trade Association (KITA), Republic of Korea; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered, United Kingdom; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Kiat Sittheeamorn, Trade Representative, Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand, Thailand

Chaired by

  • Andrew Stevens, Anchor and Correspondent, CNN, Hong Kong SAR
Thursday 18 June 11.15 – 12.20 (02.15 – 03.20GMT)

East Asia@Risk: Future Threats to the Recovery
Glimpses of an Asian economic recovery are emerging thanks to positive flow-on effects from government stimulus packages, particularly in China. Yet, slumps in exports in Japan and South Korea, in addition to geopolitical uncertainty linked to security in the northeast and southern parts of Asia, are cause for continued concern.
Which risks will pose the greatest challenges for Asia in the near and long term?

  • Azman Mokhtar, Managing Director, Khazanah Nasional, Malaysia; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Yasuchika Hasegawa, President, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Japan
  • Lim Hwee Hua, Minister, Office of the Prime Minister of Singapore
  • William L. Meaney, Chief Executive Officer, Zuellig Group, Hong Kong SAR
  • Joseph L. Rice III, Chairman, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, USA
  • Sir David Wright, Vice-Chairman, Barclays Capital, United Kingdom

Chaired by

  • Chloe Heemyung Cho, Anchor and Correspondent, CNBC Asia, Singapore
Friday 19 June 09.00 – 10.15 (00.00 – 01.15GMT)

Setting Asia's Green Growth Agenda
By investing up to two-thirds of their billion dollar recovery packages in promoting environmental initiatives, Asian countries are well poised to lead a global "Green New Deal", developing clean technologies and generating new jobs in the process.
Given high expectations for massive infrastructure investments to reignite Asian economies, what is the potential for Asia's green agenda?

  • Chiaki Ito, Vice-Chairman, Fujitsu, Japan
  • Kim Hyung-Kook, Chairman, Presidential Committee on Green Growth, Republic of Korea
  • Troels Lund Poulsen, Minister of the Environment of Denmark
  • Tarek Sultan Al Essa, Chairman and Managing Director, Agility, Kuwait; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia

Opening Remarks by

  • Han Seung-Soo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea

Chaired by

  • Robert Greenhill, Managing Director and Chief Business Officer, World Economic Forum
Friday 19 June 10.30 – 11.45 (01.30 – 02.45GMT)

Towards New Drivers of Growth
Asian economies have suffered severe shocks from the global economic downturn, yet are better placed than most for recovery thanks to lessons learned from the Asian financial crisis, significant stimulus packages and the potential to mobilize regional consumption.
Who will lead the recovery in Asia, and which sectors are demonstrating the most promising growth prospects?

  • Dominic Barton, Director, McKinsey & Company, People's Republic of China
  • Max Burger-Calderon, Senior Partner and Chairman, Asia, Apax Partners, Hong Kong SAR
  • Hoang Trung Hai, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam
  • Kim Jeong, President, Bell Labs, Executive Vice-President, Alcatel-Lucent, Alcatel-Lucent Bell Laboratories, USA
  • Ruben K. Vardanian, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Troika Dialog Group, Russian Federation; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia; Young Global Leader

Chaired by

  • Phil Smith, Editor, North Asia, Thomson Reuters, People's Republic of China
Friday 19 June 17.30 – 18.15 (08.30 – 09.15GMT)

Next Steps for Asia in Global Redesign
The global economic crisis provides Asia with the unique opportunity to leverage the strength of its collective economic position, redefine its growth model and reinvigorate the global economy. With high expectations on Asia, this closing session will outline the major outcomes of the meeting as well as the top priorities for the region's leaders.

  • Azman Mokhtar, Managing Director, Khazanah Nasional, Malaysia; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Cho Suck-Rai, Chairman, Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), Republic of Korea; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Il SaKong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Korea International Trade Association (KITA), Republic of Korea; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered, United Kingdom; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Tarek Sultan Al Essa, Chairman and Managing Director, Agility, Kuwait; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia
  • Ruben K. Vardanian, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Troika Dialog Group, Russian Federation; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on East Asia; Young Global Leader

Moderated by

  • Christopher J. Graves, President and Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Hong Kong SAR

The official tag of the meeting is Korea09. On Twitter: #Korea09. For more information go to http://tr.im/korea09