In an increasingly globalized business arena, many companies are looking to Asia for talent, solutions and business expansion. This session explores how D&I is often viewed and treated differently, and will highlight the D&I topics relevant to Asia which can differ from western markets. The first part will be an introduction to key D&I issues currently trending in markets – Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and India, touching on other markets as well. It will cover best practices shared by global MNCs in Asia.

As part of the session, Heather Price, CEO of Symmetra has been invited to a fireside chat with Florence Chan, to discuss sensitive topics affecting the Asian workforce and consumer market. This section is entitled ‘Is ethnocentrism a barrier for US companies in Asia?’ and covers such topical issues as:

• Strategic inclusion or exclusion.
• The bamboo ceiling – what are Governments and companies doing about it?