NEW YORK; May 16, 2025 — Asia Society New York this week hosted the 17th annual Global Talent Symposium, bringing together over 1,400 AAPI professionals in person and online from a wide range of businesses and industries to build connections and community while hearing from visionary leaders driving the business case for global talent. 

Asia Society President and CEO Dr. Kyung-wha Kang opened the daylong event, noting that “by investing in talent, we are investing for the future…the ability to engage with differences—authentically, skillfully, and emphatically—[is] a strategic imperative.” 

In her opening keynote, Dr. Tiffany Moon, entrepreneur, anesthesiologist, and TV personality spoke of her early life and how she came to be, unexpectedly, a spokesperson for the AAPI community. “It’s not just about visibility, it’s about possibility” she noted. “My joy practices [include] laughter and connection. And in one moment in time, if we can laugh together, it’s unifying. It reminds me that we are more alike than different.”

Following the keynote, a panel titled “From Invisible to Influential: How to Stay Seen in Any Environment” explored ways individuals can strengthen their visibility and impact. Disruption Advisors Co-Founder and CEO Whitney Johnson noted, “Your story makes your brand uniquely [yours]. The best part of your brand could be the parts that are invisible to you, the parts that you might be ashamed of.” Psychotherapist and founder of WellGuide Israa Nasir suggested thinking about personal competencies, and the context in which those skills will be interpreted. “Authenticity requires boundaries…Leadership skills require setting boundaries.” Former AT&T Business CEO Anne Chow suggested coming up with five words to describe your personal brand and ask other people to choose five words to describe you. “[This] will tell you whether you are showing up where you aspire to be.” She added, “The more people you relate to, the more powerful and effective you can be.” 

In a stirring conversation later in the morning, James Rhee, an impact leader, entrepreneur, investor, and author of red helicopter, shared his personal and professional experiences learning to live and to lead with courage, clarity, and purpose. In conversation with Dr. Janet Ahn, chief behavioral scientist and researcher, he reflected on how he has drawn on his life experiences to learn to lead with humanity and compassion. “How do you operationalize ambiguity?” he asked, sharing how he learned to “surrender” and to nurture his passions. “Maybe this group can be too hard on themselves,” he said to the audience’s knowing laughter. “You’re ok. I tell CEOs this a lot.” 

In the afternoon, a panel of Asian CEOs and founders shared personal stories, how their backgrounds shaped their leadership style, how they experience and handle imposter syndrome, and approaches to risk-taking. “I have a hard time leading a team without having done it myself,” said Sandro Roco, founder and CEO of Sanzo. “I’m a big learner and leader by doing.” 

“As the child of Chinese immigrants, I grew very comfortable with discomfort,” said Betty Liu, former NYSE Executive Vice Chairman, founder and CEO of Radiate, and ex-Bloomberg anchor. “Everybody feels imposter syndrome, and it occurs when you’re in a place where you don’t feel like you know everything or feel like you belong. Growing up with this discomfort made it easier for me because I’ve always lived with that discomfort.” David Liu, founder XO Group Inc. and CEO of KINJO Group Inc., added, “I don’t trust someone who doesn’t feel imposter syndrome. Life is full of challenges and we are all learning as we go along.” 

He went on: “There is often a mystique about entrepreneurs and startups that they are risk tolerant. I actually think entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs because they have inside information on what will be successful [and what risks to take].” 

“If you are being told no 95 out of 100 times, you are experiencing success,” Sandro noted. “Momentum builds on itself as you turn all those nos into a few yeses. “On the way to success there will be many failures. Failures, learnings, lessons along the way are part of the journey [to success].” 

Moderator Akiko Yamahara, General Counsel, Citi Wealth, Citigroup Inc., asked each of the panelists to give one piece of advice to the audience. Maintain flexibility (Sandro), lean into your strengths (David), and understand what your values are (Betty). “From there, she concluded, “you can make decisions about your future, your job, anything in your life.” 

The afternoon concluded with a networking reception and presentation of the Impact Awards, celebrating outstanding individuals from the Asian diaspora making waves in their workplaces and communities. The awards included:

Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award: TE Connectivity
Most Innovative Rising Star: Courtney Lum, Associate Director, Supply Chain Analysis and Reporting, City Harvest
Most Inspiring Leader: Cuong Quy Huynh, Co-Founder, General Manager, and CFO, Rende Progress Capital
Most Accomplished Advocate: Ngan Nguyen, Senior Vice President, Global Talent Management & Engagement, Citi

Learn more about the Global Talent Symposium and Asia Society’s other initiatives here.