The Next Challenge for Chinese Business Chinese companies are still under-represented amongst the truly global multinational companies. Notwithstanding their recent international forays including Lenovo's purchase of IBM's PC-business and TCL's merger with Thompson, much of the promise of the Chinese firms leading a Pacific century has yet to be realized. Dr Frank J�rgen Richter, President of HORASIS and the former Director of the World Economic Forum in charge of Asian affairs, will talk about the growing ambitions of Chinese companies to go global and the rising pressures on them to internationalize. HORASIS is a Geneva-based consultancy focusing on long-term scenarios related to corporate globalization and Asian business. Industry change, political shifts and advancements in technology have brought about fundamental changes in the structure of competition, which challenge the traditional strengths of Chinese companies. For those that have grown on the back of national protection and information asymmetries, the environment has become tougher than ever. By profiling leading contemporary globalizers, Dr. Richter will show how Chinese companies can best climb the globalization staircase and develop the strategies and the capabilities needed to succeed in the global future. He will also explore what the internationalization of Chinese firms means for the Western world. Dr Richter is a sought-after speaker who has extensive knowledge and connections throughout the region. I hope many of you can come to what should be a very interesting discussion.