The 1999 Harvard Asia Business Conference, held at HBS in early February, again lived up to its billing as Harvard University's largest student-run conference. This year's event, "Asia at the Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities," featured some fifteen hundred attendees and a roster of high-profile academics, business practitioners, and government officials who participated in 26 panel discussions. "This is one of the premier forums for learning about the issues facing Asia today and how business and economic leaders are approaching the future," conference chair Joseph L. Ngai (HBS '99) told the Harbus News.

Cohosted by the Asia Business Club of HBS and the Asia Law Society of Harvard Law School, the conference kicked off with a Friday afternoon keynote speech by Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Harvard Institute for International Development, whose remarks were followed by a plenary session and several panel discussions.

Saturday's sessions began with an opening address by Amaret Sila-on (68th AMP), chairman of Thailand's Stock Exchange and of the country's Financial Restructuring Authority. Some twenty panel discussions followed throughout the day, on subjects ranging from "Japan: What Happened to the Miracle?" to "Competing for One Billion Customers: Telecommunications in China." Twelve of the conference's panels were moderated by HBS professors.

The gathering also featured social events and many opportunities for networking. As Andrea S. Chen (HBS '99), finance director for the conference, told the Harbus, "What makes this conference special is the ability for students to interact professionally and socially with a huge range of attendees from around the region and the world."

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