Dimitry Rakin is the Associate Director of the Economist Corporate Network North Asia, where he is responsible for events planning, private briefings, data analysis and research in Japan and South Korea. He is an expert on Japanese economy, business and trade as well as on the history and politics of the East Asia region.

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Dimitry was a Senior Officer of Economic Affairs in the Trade Delegation Unit of the Russian Embassy in Japan connecting Russian and Japanese companies, promoting Russia as an investment destination and facilitating Russia-Japan intergovernmental negotiations on economic cooperation. He started his career as an editor covering East Asia in one of the biggest Russian news agencies (ITAR-TASS) working in the central office and Tokyo Bureau of the agency.

Dimitry has an MA degree in Japanese language and history from the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) and was also a Japanese government (MEXT) research scholar at Meiji University’s Graduate School of Law, Tokyo. In addition to native Russian language skills, he is fluent in English and Japanese.

Janet Pau is the Director of The Economist Corporate Network in Hong Kong. She brings her experience working with top executives throughout Asia, coupled with economic knowledge and industry insight to help organisational leaders and their teams gain a holistic, practical appreciation of the opportunities and challenges in Greater China and across Asia.

Before joining The Economist Corporate Network, Janet was Program Director for the Asia Business Council, developing and delivering content for private forums for an all-CEO membership in Asia for more than a decade. Prior to that, she was Manager at the Global Business Policy Council at consulting firm A.T. Kearney in Washington D.C., where she led consulting projects and intellectual capital publications for senior executive clients in both business and government.

Janet’s publications include Through the Eyes of Tiger Cubs: Views of Asia’s Next Generation (Wiley, 2012) and Building Energy Efficiency (Encyclopaedia of China Publishing House, Chinese edition, 2008). She was an op-ed contributor and columnist for the South China Morning Post from 2011 to 2019. She has also contributed opinion pieces and book chapters, and spoken at various local and regional business conferences.

She serves on the leadership team of Hong Kong-based charity Beyond Foundation, which advocates for children with special needs and their families. She was a member on the Hong Kong Government’s Antiquities Advisory Board, Museum Advisory Board, and Central Policy Unit.

Janet received a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies and psychology with honours from Yale University and a Master in Public Policy specializing in economic policy and competitiveness from Harvard University.