Asia Society Northern California will host the 2024 Asia Game Changer West Awards Gala honoring individuals, organizations, and movements that have demonstrated true leadership and made a significant impact in the fields of policy and business, technology and innovation, arts and culture, and education. 

We are very excited for our lineup! Our Game Changer West honorees are Japan’s Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, Hong Kong visual artist Kongkee and Indian Tech Entrepreneur & CEO Padmasree Warrior. California State Treasurer Fiona Ma will also join us on stage.

Support our mission of navigating shared futures and spotlighting Asian and Asian Americans who are changing the world and our community for the better. Donate and enjoy an inspiring evening filled with stimulating conversation, stunning performances, and delicious food and drink. Join us in honoring and celebrating the achievements of our esteemed award recipients.

Take a look at photos and videos from our past galas in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 to get a sense of the amazing experiences that await you. Mark your calendars and make sure to join us on this special night of celebration and inspiration.

2024 ASIA GAME CHANGER WEST HONOREES

Stay tuned for more updates regarding our 2024 Game Changer West Honorees

Kongkee, a.k.a. KONG Khong-chang is a Hong Kong animation director and visual artist. Publications including Travel to Hong Kong with Blur in collaboration with English rock band BLUR in 2015. Kongkee started developing the comic series Mi Luo Virtual in 2013, which was later animated and transformed into a short film Dragon’s Delusion: Preface that won the grand prize of the 22nd DigiCon6 from the Japan TBS channel. In 2021, his interactive video installation  Flower in The Mirror was commissioned by M+ Museum. In 2022, his major solo exhibition Kongkee: Warring States Cyberpunk debuted at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, and toured to Wrightwood 659 Museum in Chicago and Tai Kwun in Hong Kong.

Mickey (Hiroshi) Mikitani is the founder, chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group, Inc. Founded in Japan in 1997 with the mission to contribute to society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship, Rakuten has grown to become one of the world's leading internet services companies. Rakuten has a dynamic ecosystem of more than 70 services, spanning e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications, bringing the joy of discovery to 1.8 billion members around the world. Rakuten also became Japan’s newest mobile network operator in 2019. 

Padmasree Warrior is the Founder, President and CEO of Fable, a social and AI discovery platform for content. Previously, Padma was the Chief Executive Officer of NIO U.S., Chief Development Officer and Board Member of NIO Inc., a manufacturer of smart electric vehicles. Prior to NIO, Warrior served as the Chief Technology & Strategy Officer (CTSO) for Cisco until September 2015. In this capacity she was charged with aligning the company's technology and business strategy to business results. Prior to Cisco, she was EVP and CTO at Motorola. Under her leadership, Motorola was awarded the 2004 U.S. National Medal of Technology. Padmasree Warrior has been widely recognized for her creative, visionary leadership. Forbes has named her one of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" for three years running. Warrior served on Boards of large public companies like Gap and Microsoft. She also served on key government initiatives, industry advisory boards, and charitable organizations. 

SPECIAL GUESTS 

Joining us at the dinner ceremony is Fiona Ma, California’s 34th State Treasurer. She was first elected on November 6, 2018, with more votes (7,825,587) than any other candidate for treasurer in the state's history and reelected on November 8, 2022. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. The State Treasurer’s Office was created in the California Constitution in 1849. 

Lillian Santos Stables is the Regional Community Outreach Manager for Corporate Responsibility at Southwest Airlines. She is an experienced community engagement strategist with a proven track record of cultivating deep, meaningful partnerships with nonprofits, community based organizations, city entities and corporations. She has a background in Asian American studies, education, criminal justice, non-profit management, and strategic partnerships. 

RECEPTION

The gala's welcoming reception will be a treat for wine and chocolate lovers! It include wine tastings from five vineyards Freeman Winery, Moone Tsai Wines, ShunYi Cellars, and chocolate tastings from Jade Chocolate.

ENTERTAINMENT

The night's program will include exciting performances by Ruby Ibarra, well-known, Filipina-American rapper, director, and spoken word artist, and the Northern California Okinawa Kenjin-Kai drum and dance group. The reception will feature the Mongolian Arts and Education Center (MAEC)'s quintet of morin khuur (Mongolian horsehead fiddles) playing a unique mix of traditional Mongolian and western songs.

SILENT AUCTION

We have a wide range of amazing silent auction items, ranging from valuable art pieces, exclusive wine country experiences, dinners curated by renowned Bay Area chefs, and travel opportunities. This is a special opportunity for our audience as this auction will only be open for live bidding on the day of the Gala.

We are privileged to be auctioning off a rare, lenticular lightbox artwork by Hong Kong contemporary artist Kongkee – whose work merges vernacular culture, our everyday experiences, and sci-fi fantasy.

KONGKEE 江記
Sham Shui Po, 2023 (Lenticular, Lightbox, Edition of 3 plus 2 AP, Lightbox size: 188.5 x 117.5 x 12 cm)

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Partnership opportunities are a great way to support Asia Society Northern California and the next generation of Game Changers. To learn more, contact the Director of Partnerships & Memberships, Jason Fong, at [email protected]. 

Thank You to Our Gala Supporters!

Gary & Yucca Rieschel

Chong-Moon Lee

Ruth & Kenneth P. Wilcox

Jack & Susy Wadsworth

Thierry Porté

Jean & Hing Wong 

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Magdalen Yum

The Naren & Vinta Gupta Foundation

Motwani Jadeja Foundation

Barry Taylor / Wilson Sosini 

Carmen Chang / NEA

William & Michelle Tai 

Tencent

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Buck Gee & Mary Hackenbracht

Daniel Chao

Danny Yu & Chun Mei Zhao

East West Bank 

James Gale and Lisa Barry

In-Kind Supporters

Cathay Pacific Airways

China Live

Eight Tables by George Chen

Freeman Vineyard & Winery 

Gary & Yucca Rieschel 

Gliding Eagle

Hope Chen

Jade Chocolates

KOSÉ America 

Magdalen Yum 

Moone-Tsai Wines

ShunYi Cellars 

Southwest Airlines

The Donum Estate

The French Laundry

Yao Family Wines