Asian American Business Roundtable To Host 4th Annual Asian American Roundtable

The fourth annual Asian American Business Roundtable will host discussions and drive practical outcomes at its exclusive one-day Summit on "Diversity and Inclusion IS a Business Strategy" at New York University in Manhattan on January 16, 2019. Keynotes from some of America's biggest brands will join Asian, Latino and African American senior executives, diversity experts and workplace leaders to go beyond words to concrete solutions, it was announced today by John Wang, Founder and President of the Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC), the Summit host.

Delivering keynote speeches will be business luminaries Jeff Gennette, CEO of New York City's iconic retailer Macy's, which has embedded diversity and inclusion into the fabric of its business and employee ranks; Betty Liu, Executive Vice Chairman for the New York Stock Exchange, one of the world's best-known stock-exchange operators with an expanding number of women leaders; James Rhee, CEO of Ashley Stewart, one of the largest and oldest fashion brands deeply rooted in the African American community; and Skip Spriggs, CEO of the Executive Leadership Council, the premier group for senior African American executives. The Summit is co-hosted by Phyllis J. Campbell, Chair, Pacific Northwest and Vice Chair, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

"It's been widely recognized that businesses need to be diverse and inclusive in order to succeed, not just here in the U.S., but across the globe," said Mrs. Campbell, "Our previous summits explored the 'new normal' of the New Majority community. We're taking the next step of convening results-oriented discussions on how to actually achieve leadership that better reflects the customers, employees and communities that businesses serve."

More than six years ago, the AABDC identified the beginnings of a growing movement in American business: the rise of The New Majority centered around ethnic groups, formerly the minority, gradually becoming the majority in some large urban areas and states. Mr. Wang observed that the consumer power of this bloc comprised of African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos was forecast to reach over $4.1 trillion by 2019.

"Corporations have been working to improve diversity and inclusion for a number of years; however, the progress is remarkably slow and we are far from the desired state," said Mr. Wang. "We think that well-known tools like employee resource groups, for example, are a critical piece of the solution but will only work with visible leadership support and a strong connection to business strategy. Our intention is to bring together the various players to highlight practical tools and effective strategies for greater impact."

The Roundtable's Summit discussions will cover a wide range of topics related to the multicultural-business model. One panel will examine why few New Majority executives make it to the C-Suite and outline recommendations from those who have achieved the office on how to overcome cultural and structural barriers. The impact of women leaders on Corporate America, the role of employee resource groups in D&I strategy, and how executive search firms can help change the leadership landscape will be other topics explored during the Summit. Distinguished speakers include Lorraine Harriton from Catalyst, Subha Barry of Working Mother Media Group as well as executives from Bank of America, PwC, Accenture, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, McCann and the Boston Consulting Group.

To maximize the impact of this Summit, AABDC is hosting a pre-Summit networking event which will feature Henry Cisneros, Founder & Chairman, City View and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Steve Walker, General Counsel of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the nation's only membership organization devoted to improve corporate board performance and an organization that supports the goals of AABR. The reception will bring together premier executive search firms with senior New Majority executives, board members of color and organizations that set the standards for corporate governance.

Mr. Wang believes that it is time to put the pieces together in order to achieve progress in multicultural business leadership. "We aim to be the connector and the catalyst to spark momentum and movement," he says.

The fourth annual Asian American Business Roundtable is sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, Macy's, PepsiCo, MGM, Goldman Sachs and Northwestern Mutual.

For tickets or more information on "Making Impact: Diversity and Inclusion IS a Business Strategy," visit www.AABusinessRoundtable.org.

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