Stephen is a Senior Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the International Christian University. Previously he was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Japanese Studies from December 2009 to January 2014. He obtained his PhD from Waseda University, Japan in International Relations in December 2008 and worked as a Research Associate at the Institute of Asia Pacific Studies at Waseda University from October 2007 to November 2009. His recent funded research projects are “Sino-Japanese Relations in the Wake of the 2012 Territorial Disputes: Investigating changes in Japanese Business’ trade and investment strategy in China” and “Non-traditional security Cooperation in Northeast Asia” and “Human Security Paradigm in Japan: Exploring the Challenges and Possibilities of International Cooperation in Northeast Asia”.

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.

Jeremy Pelofsky is a Managing Director for Finsbury, based in Washington, DC. Most recently, Jeremy served as Vice President of Media Strategy at Ketchum, a global public relations and marketing agency that specializes in corporate and product positioning. At Ketchum, he provided counsel and support, including messaging, media strategy, engagement and media training to a range of Fortune 100 and other clients.

Previously, Jeremy was a veteran journalist who spent 15 years covering all facets of news in Washington for two of the world’s largest wire services. His reporting expertise runs the gamut of government, politics and business, including the White House, Congress and national campaigns, as well as corporate news, national security, legal matters and regulations. At Reuters, Jeremy served as the legal and national security correspondent, a White House and political correspondent, U.S. media and telecommunications policy correspondent, and deputy editor for the Washington team covering company-related issues and government agencies. Before joining Reuters, Jeremy reported for Bloomberg News covering international financial institutions. He graduated from Bates College in 1997 with a B.A. in US History.

Takuji Okubo is the North Asia Director of The Economist Corporate Network, managing the Networks in Japan and in South Korea.

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Takuji was the Managing Director and Chief Economist at Japan Macro Advisors, serving global fortune 500 companies and financial institutions in Japan and abroad. In his past career, Takuji was a Chief Economist at Societe Generale, in charge of Japan and of South Korea, and a senior economist at Merrill Lynch and at Goldman Sachs. Outside his role at ECN, Takuji also serves as a non-executive director at Japan Risk Forum, an association of Chief Risk Officers among Japanese financial institutions.

Takuji holds B.A in Economics from Tokyo University and while at the university he was a recipient of prestigious INOUE scholarship. He holds MBA from INSEAD and Msc. In Economics from UPF in Barcelona. Apart from work, he enjoys motor-cycling, scuba-diving, cooking as well as worrying about the future of the Japanese economy.