Horasis convened the 2017 Horasis Asia Meeting in Kolkata, India over 26-27 November, co-hosted by the Government of West Bengal and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The annual Horasis Asia Meeting is one of Asia’s foremost gatherings of the region’s most senior leaders from business and government. Download the report and visit the photo gallery.
According to Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal, India, ‘Kolkata is the ideal location to advance the region’s economic, political and social agenda, being India’s gateway to ASEAN and the whole of Asia’. ‘Asia represents a huge potential global growth engine to the world economy. Bangladesh, in particular, is hitting record growth figures,’ added Tofael Ahmed, Minister of Commerce, Bangladesh. Reflecting on the host country’s economy in a video message, Suresh Prabhu, Union Minster for Commerce and Industry, said that ‘the Indian economy’s prospects for the next couple of years look very good.’ Amit Mitra, Minister for Finance, Commerce & Industries, West Bengal, India, commented on crucial aspects of the Indian economy, highlighting emerging opportunities: ‘India has the potential of achieving economic growth rate of 8.5 percent per year,’ he said. ‘The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the expanded digital economy will give an additional boost,’ added Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister, Assam, India. Zaw Myint Maung, Chief Minister, Mandalay Region, Myanmar, noted that ‘Myanmar’s economy is rebounding and macroeconomic imbalances are stabilizing with growth expected to be around 7 percent in 2018.’
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| Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal | Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister, Assam, India |
According to Om Prakash Lohia, Chairman & Managing Director, Indo Rama Synthetics, Indonesia, ‘Asia, with its predominantly young work-force offers a demographic dividend for some 20–30 years ahead. ‘Positive demographics and rising incomes shall advance Asia’s present growth narrative,’ said Timothy Ong, Chairman and Founder, Asia Inc Forum, Brunei. According to Huynh Quang Hai, Chief Executive Officer, VSIP Group, Vietnam, ‘all Southeast Asian economies are enjoying a robust growth resurgence.’ ‘India and other trade-reliant economies in Asia have also received a boost this year from an improvement in global demand,’ stressed Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, India. ‘Japan is increasingly competing to invest in infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia,’ commented Yoshito Hori, Founder and Chairman, Globis, Japan. ‘Those investments will also lift Japan’s economic growth on the long run,’ added Toshihiro Toyoshima, Chief Executive Officer, Mercuria Investment Co., Japan.
Myint Naing, Chief Minister, Sagaing Region, Myanmar, noted that ‘Asia’s infrastructure development precedes economic gain.’ ‘Presently a massive economic stimulus is provided by China through its Belt & Road initiative which is expected to develop new hub infrastructures supporting innovation and economic growth in many nations across Asia,’ said Wang Dong, Secretary General, The Pangoal Institution, China.
‘The Horasis Asia Meeting is poised to be the ideal platform to explore and advance regional cooperation, impact investing and sustainable growth,’ pinpointed Supachai Panitchpakdi, Former Secretary-General, UN Conference on Trade and Development, (UNCTAD), Thailand. Shashwat Goenka, President, Indian Chamber of Commerce, India, concluded by stating that ‘the meeting provided opportunities for Asian companies to globalise their organisations.’
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| Tofael Ahmed, Minister of Commerce, Bangladesh | Zaw Myint Maung, Chief Minister, Mandalay Region, Myanmar |
The co-chairs were:
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Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, India |
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Yoshito Hori, Founder and Chairman, Globis, Japan |
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Huynh Quang Hai, Chief Executive Officer, VSIP Group, Vietnam |
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Hemant Kanoria, Chairman, Srei Infrastructure Finance, India |
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Rajive Kaul, Chairman, Nicco Group, India |
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Om Prakash Lohia, Chairman & Managing Director, Indo Rama Synthetics, Indonesia |
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Thiri Thant Mon, Managing Partner, Sandanila Investments, Myanmar |
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Timothy Ong, Chairman and Founder, Asia Inc Forum, Brunei |
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Mohan Das Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global Education; President, AIMA, India |
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Prinn Panitchpakdi, Governor, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Thailand |
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Sanjiv Puri, Chief Executive Officer, ITC, India |
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Ron Somers, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, India First Group, USA |
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Wang Dong, Secretary General, The Pangoal Institution, China |
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Bryan Yang, Chief Executive Officer, Inspiration Inc., China |
Horasis – a global visions community committed to enact visions for a sustainable future – provides a unique platform for companies from emerging and developed markets to globalize their organisations. In addition to the Horasis Asia Meeting, Horasis hosts the annual Horasis Global Meeting, Horasis China Meeting, Horasis India Meeting, Horasis Russia Meeting, Horasis Arab Meeting as well as the gatherings of the Horasis Visionary Circle.
Located at the centre of ASEAN and representing its second largest economy, Thailand is the ideal location to advance the region's economic, political and social agenda.
Kobkarn Suriyasat Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Thailand
The middle path is the overriding principle for appropriate economic, political and personal conduct.
Veerasak Footralul, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
We need to restore morals and increase social welfare.
Yukio Hatoyama, Former Prime Minister, Japan
Regional cooperation will strengthen Thailand and its neighbours.
Supachai Panichpakdi, former Secretary General, UNCTAD
India is on a fast-rising trajectory curve. The country will be able to sustain its world-leading economic growth rate.
Amit Mitra, Minister for Finance, Commerce and Industries, West Bengal, India
We need ASEAN now more than ever.
Surin Pitsuwan, Former Secretary-General, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thailand
The digital economy is going to be the game changer.
Piyush Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, DBS Bank, Singapore
The Chinese Dream is alive and well.
Harry C. Hui, Founder and Managing Partner, ClearVue Partners, China
The government Myanmar will initiate profound changes, clean up corruption and bring stability to the country.
Serge Pun, Chairman, Serge Pun & Associates, Myanmar
Connectivity is the key to globalization. It could be connecting to devices, enterprises or it could be people.
Shoei Yamana, Chief Executive Officer, Konica Minolta, Japan
India and China are the twin drivers for Asia and the world.
Sunil Munjal, Chairman, Hero Corporate Services, India
Business people need to question their purpose of life and their goals for the community.
His Holiness Kakuhan Enami, Head Priest of Bishamon-Do temple, Tendai Temple Sect, Japan