Event Details

Just as the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 brought historic volatility, from the steepest global downturn on record to the strongest rebounds, 2022 has also been remarkably turbulent, with multiple idiosyncratic shocks including supply and demand imbalances, persistent waves of covid-19, and the war in Ukraine.


What will 2023 bring?

With many central banks likely to remain on a monetary tightening course, a substantial rise in borrowing costs will suppress consumer activity as well as business costs. Have we finally reached the inflationary peak? And how will currency markets react to the pause in Fed hikes? Meanwhile, geopolitical risk is mounting against the drumbeat of self-sufficiency and protectionism. What will a bifurcated world with parallel supply chains look like? Will China's exit from zero-covid shift the balance of power back to Beijing? Further exacerbating economic stability, dwindling private sector savings will put the resiliency of emerging economies to the test as growth looks to remain well below pre-pandemic trends. Where are the new growth markets? And how will they fare against the continued tightening of global finances and weaker global growth?


We invite you to join us at this critical juncture for our March Regional Strategic Forecast. This flagship programme convenes twice a year to explore how companies can become more resilient in the face of risk and navigate emerging challenges to global business.


In this programme, we will:

  • Present our latest analysis of the global and Asian economies,
  • Address the question of whether inflation has peaked and the consequences of a pause in Fed hikes,
  • Consider which emerging economies exhibit the most potential for consumer growth and which are on the wane,
  • Explore changes in the global trade landscape and their implications for business, and
  • Share perspectives on addressing current business challenges


Breakfast will be served

Dress code: business attire

Agenda

8:00 AM - 8:20 AM
Registration and Networking
8:20 AM - 9:05 AM
Presentation by Simon Baptist and Q&A
9:05 AM - 9:10 AM
Stage set change break
9:10 AM - 10:00 AM
Panel discussion and Q&A

Speakers

  • Dr. Simon Baptist (Global Chief Economist & Editorial Director of The Economist Intelligence Unit)

    Dr. Simon Baptist

    Global Chief Economist & Editorial Director of The Economist Intelligence Unit

    Simon Baptist is Editorial Director and Chief Economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit. Prior to his current role, he has held a number of other senior management and editorial positions in the business, including Managing Director for Asia, Regional Director of our Asia editorial team, Director of Global Forecasting, and Consulting Director in both Europe and Asia

    Simon’s focus is on the global economy, national and international political developments, and public policy. He engages with business, government and international organisations, helping them to understand the operational and strategic implications of the EIU’s forecasts.

    He has a doctorate in economics from and was a lecturer at Oxford University, along with degrees in economics and science from the University of Tasmania. His academic research investigated technology and the determinants of productivity in manufacturing firms.

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  • Hiroo Murota (Vice President & General Manager at Thermo Fisher Japan Group)

    Hiroo Murota

    Vice President & General Manager at Thermo Fisher Japan Group

    Hiroo Murota is Representative Director and General Manager of Thermo Fisher Scientific Group in Japan, a leading company in science with >1300 people in Japan.
    Prior to the currently role, he worked for Siemens Healthcare as Representative Director of Siemens Healthcare K.K., concurrently as head of APJ, Point of Care Business.

    He holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and BA in Law from the University of Tokyo.

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  • Naoko Ishii (Executive Vice President, Professor at Institute for Future Initiatives, and Director for Center for Global Commons of The University of Tokyo)

    Naoko Ishii

    Executive Vice President, Professor at Institute for Future Initiatives, and Director for Center for Global Commons of The University of Tokyo

    Dr. Naoko Ishii is a professor and executive vice president at the University of Tokyo, where she is also an inaugural director for the Center for Global Commons, of which mission is to catalyze systems change so that humans can achieve sustainable development within planetary boundaries. She is of a view that academia can and should play an active role in mobilizing movements with policymakers, business and civil society towards a shared goal of nurturing stewardship of the global commons; stable and resilient planetary earth system. Under her vision, the Center for Global Commons has been collaborating with reputable international research institutions in the area of sustainability, and launching projects with Japanese business focusing on energy transition, food system, and circular economy.

    Before joining the university in 2020, Dr. Ishii served the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as CEO and chairperson. During her tenure of 2012 to 2020, she formed GEF’s first mid-term strategy, GEF 2020, focusing on the transformation of key economic systems and collaborating with multi-stakeholder coalitions.

    Dr. Ishii entered Japan’s Ministry of Finance in 1981, working mostly for the international finance and taxation. She also worked for IMF as economist for Kenya, Uganda and Kyrgyz Republic, World Bank as country director Sri Lanka and the Maldives. She served as Deputy Vice Minister of Finance from 2010-2012.

    She holds a B.A. in economics and a Ph.D. in international development, both from the University of Tokyo. She published several books among which two are awarded by academic prizes.

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  • Vivian Tokai (Director, North Asia of Economist Intelligence Corporate Network)

    Vivian Tokai

    Director, North Asia of Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

    Vivian Tokai is the North Asia Director of the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network based in Tokyo and covering Japan and South Korea. She is responsible for programme development and client engagement. She works closely with c-level executives on key economic and political issues and industry-specific analysis to support their businesses in the region.

    Vivian is a government affairs and public policy professional with 25 years of experience covering a wide variety of sectors, including energy, environment, aviation, transportation, defense, IT and digital economy. She has extensive senior leadership experience with a wide range of blue-chip multinational businesses in Japan. Prior to joining the Economist Group, she led Japan government relations activities at UPS, GE, Facebook, eBay and Honeywell. She was responsible for developing and executing strategic lobbying approaches, and ensuring strong relationships with regulators and government leaders.

    Vivian has been active in a number of business organisations. She is a member of the Keizai Doyukai, Japan Association of Corporate Executives, and has held various board roles with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. She has also been a visiting professor and lecturer at a number of Japanese universities including Chuo University and Showa Women’s University.

    Her personal commitment is female empowerment. She served as Chief Diversity Officer at Citigroup in Japan and was selected as Women’s Leadership member at GE.

    Vivian also possesses extensive experience in the media. She anchored a sports news segment of a daily evening news program at NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. She earned a Master of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism from School of Journalism, College of Communication, Boston University. She can speak Japanese and English, and introductory Chinese, Korean and French.

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Venue

Grand Ballroom (3F), Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi

1-2-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, Japan

If you have any questions please contact EICN North Asia

Contact Organizer

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