Asia Society Northern California Annual Dinner

Jack Ma, China’s Internet Pioneer, honored at Asia Society Northern California’s Sold Out Annual Dinner

San Francisco , CA -- Asia Society Northern California held its sold-out Annual Dinner, Across the Pacific: Transforming the Global Marketplace, on Wednesday, April 19th in the historic Garden Court at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. The event, attended by over 300 guests, began at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvre, followed by dinner and the program at 7:00 p.m. The evening featured a question-and-answer session with the evening’s honoree, Jack Ma, China’s leading e-commerce businessman, facilitated by CBS anchorwoman Sydnie Kohara. The dinner also featured remarks by Jerry Yang, Director, Co-Founder, and Chief Yahoo!, Yahoo Inc.

At the dinner, Jack Ma was presented with the Asia Society’s Leadership Award, which honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to mutual understanding between the US and Asia. A pioneer of the Internet in China, and most recently honored by China Central Television and its viewers as one of the “Top 10 Business Leaders of the Year,” Jack Ma came from humble beginnings. He explained how he founded the China Pages, widely regarded to be China’s first Internet-based company, with borrowed funds and no technological experience. Now as the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Alibaba.com, Mr. Ma has made the website available to over 20 million registered members in more than 200 countries. Yahoo! recently acquired a 40% economic stake (35% voting rights) in Alibaba in exchange for US $1 Billion plus all of Yahoo!’s Chinese-based assets (valued at approximately $700 mm). In his remarks, Jerry Yang, Director, Co-Founder, and Chief Yahoo!, Yahoo! Inc., discussed his relationship with Mr. Ma and how their relationship has grown since the early birth of the Internet.

The event also featured remarks by Jamie Metzl, Executive Vice-President of Asia Society, George Shultz, Honorary Chair, Jack Wadsworth, and Chong -Moon Lee, Advisory Board Co-Chairmen. Annual Dinner Co-chairs and Advisory Board members in attendance included, Iris and Mike Chan, David Lyon, Jim and Becky Morgan, Steve Silvestri, Emily Sano, Lip-Bu Tan, and Sandy and Jeanne Robertson.

The Asia Society is America’s leading institution dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia and communication among Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific. Drawing on its strength as one of the nation’s preeminent educational and cultural links, the Society strives to offer fresh perspectives on the forces and issues that shape Asia’s relations with California, the United States and the rest of the world. Founded in 1956 and headquartered in New York, the Asia Society has regional centers in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai and Shanghai.

All proceeds from the dinner benefit the ongoing educational programs of the Asia Society of Northern California.

Honorary Chairs:
Richard C. Blum
The Honorable Kamala D. Harris
Chong-Moon Lee
Orville Schell
Charlotte M. Shultz
The Honorable George P. Shultz
John S. Wadsworth, Jr.

Co-Chairs:
Iris and Mike Chan
Kristine Johnson and Tim Dattels
Phyllis and Bill Draper
David W. Lyon
Becky and Jim Morgan
Steve Silvestri
Lip-Bu Tan

Patron:
Senator Dianne Feinstein & Richard C. Blum
Susy and Jack Wadsworth

Benefactor:
Bank of America
Morgan Family Foundation
Newbridge Capital
Wells Fargo

Sponsor:
Gina and David Chu
Hellman Family Fund of The San Francisco Foundation
Phyllis and Bill Draper
Chong-Moon Lee
Manitou Ventures
Walden International Investment Group

Contributor:
Public Policy Institute of California
Friends and Trustees of the Chinese American International School

Donor:
AT&T
California Pacific Medical Center
HSBC Private Bank
Jeanne and Sandy Robertson
Pam and Dennis Joyce
Newport Asia Partners

(Partial list)