In the colonial era of the 19th century and the age of decolonialization of the 20th, Asia was viewed as a passive arena for conflict and competition among the Western nations. By now, the roles appear to be reversed: Asia directly and actively influences global geopolitics, including in Europe. Why is India participating in the Ukraine peace conference, but refuses to sign the final declaration? Has China’s Belt and Road Initiative created a set of vassal states in the region? And how are Asian countries positioning themselves in the intensifying conflict between the USA and China?

In this exclusive roundtable, co-organized with our Corporate Member Homburger, James Crabtree will discuss how Asian countries fare in a changing world, and what ambitions and interests drive their foreign policy. Daniel Daeniker, Partner at Homburger, will moderate the roundtable conversation.

James Crabtree is the TOY Senior Fellow for Asian geopolitics at Asia Society Switzerland and the Asia Society Policy Institute. He is a distinguished analyst with long-standing experience and a vast range of high-level contacts in the region. His book The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India’s New Gilded Age, was named an Amazon book of the year and short-listed as FT / McKinsey business book of the year. He is a distinguished visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He was previously the Singapore-based Executive Director of the Institute of International Strategic Studies (IISS) in Asia, and a correspondent for the Financial Times.

Daniel Daeniker is the Senior Partner of Homburger AG, one of Switzerland's leading law firms based in Zurich. His practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, equity capital markets and financial services regulation. Daniel Daeniker spent most of his professional career with Homburger AG. He joined the firm as a trainee in 1988, after growing up in the USA and Switzerland and gaining professional experience in Panama and Hong Kong. Daniel became a partner in 2000, was head of the Corporate / M&A practice group from 2009 to 2014, and Managing Partner from 2013 to 2019. Today, in addition to being Senior Partner, he is head of the India focus group of Homburger. He is active in various non-profit organizations, including as Chair of the Donor Foundation of Avenir Suisse, an independent Swiss free-market think tank, and as a member of the advisory board of the Asia Society Switzerland.

Partner

This event is co-organized with Homburger, a valued Corporate Member of Asia Society Switzerland.