We are living in very dynamic times,” says John Riady, co-chair of the upcoming World Economic Forum East Asia and a Lippo Group director. “There are a lot of challenges and many new challenges facing both leaders and society at large.”
The meeting to be held in Jakarta from April 19-21 will bring together leaders from government, business, civil society and academia. It takes place at an opportune time for both Indonesia and East Asia. The region remains one of the key engines of global economic growth but is undergoing tremendous change.
One of the key themes raised at the WEF East Asia will be rebuilding public trust in the institutions of government, business, religion, banks and media.
“It has been almost eight years since the sub-prime crisis and most of the economic challenges today stem from the crisis and kicking the can down the road,” John adds. “We have been pumping liquidity into the global financial system for seven years and we are still facing huge economic uncertainty.”
Geopolitically, the world faces even more daunting challenges. “We are entering a post-US unilateral superpower era with countries such as China and Russia playing a more dominant role.”