Join us for an exclusive pre-Oxford Debate LIVE reception to welcome John Lee, our new TOY Senior Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland. A leading expert on China's foreign relations, political economy, and high-tech industries – including semiconductors, electric vehicles, and AI – John brings invaluable insights into the evolving dynamics of global trade, technology, and geopolitics.

This gathering offers a unique opportunity for our VIP community – including Corporate Members, Patrons, and Passport Members – to meet John in an intimate setting before he takes the stage at Oxford Debate LIVE: Will Innovation Made in China Change the World?.

The TOY Senior Fellowship, made possible by Max and Monique Burger & the "Thinking of Yves" Family, Hong Kong, enables Asia Society Switzerland to explore global transformations in depth through expert discussions and events. Over the coming months, John will engage with stakeholders, members, the media and the public, contributing to critical conversations on geopolitics and technology. 

Don’t miss this chance to meet John in person, gain insights into his work, and discuss the pressing global issues shaping our future.

Program
17:00 – Doors Open / Reception
18:30 – Oxford Debate LIVE
20:00 – Event Ends

This event is invitation only. Want to receive an invitation? Become a Passport Member today and receive regular invitations to our Passport Program.

John Lee is the Director of East West Futures, a consultancy specializing in China's high-tech industries, political economy, military capabilities and international diplomacy. He holds Master's degrees from the Australian National University and King's College London and is a qualified Australian legal practitioner.

John was a Senior Analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin and previously served in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Department of Defence. Currently, he is a researcher at the Leiden Asia Centre and a Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, National University of Singapore. John co-leads the China Semiconductor Observatory project funded by the European Union, and is a member of the European research consortium Digital Power China.

His research focuses on China's influence on the semiconductor and automotive industries, telecommunications and the internet of things, and governance of cyberspace and the internet. He also works on defence sector matters, including military applications of artificial intelligence. John's work has been published by a range of academic and think tank publishers, and he has been published and quoted in major international media outlets, including The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, South China Morning Post and Le Monde Diplomatique.

John is a familiar face at Asia Society Switzerland, having contributed to events such as the Oxford Debate LIVE: Will Asia’s Rise Lead to a New World Order? and Executive Roundtable on The Global Tech Tug-of-War in April 2024. In 2022, he spoke at our flagship STATE OF ASIA conference, discussing the global race for technological supremacy and its impact on Europe and Switzerland.