On October 26th, Asia Society celebrated the 10th anniversary of its signature annual event – Asia Game Changers. Cipriani at 25 Broadway was the site for this special occasion, where Shabana Basij-Rasikh, Yao Chen, Yayoi Kusama, Josie Natori, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Dr. Stephen Riady, and Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki were recognized for profoundly strengthening the bonds between Asia and the world.
After cocktails, the evening’s 2023 awardees, former honorees, Asia Society Global Trustees, dignitaries and other guests took their seats as a Taiko drummer performed.
Asia Society Global Trustee Ida Liu made welcome remarks and introduced a video commemorating the Society’s Game Changers over these ten years. Ms. Liu, Global Head, Citi Private Bank, served as Mistress of Ceremony for the event. One by one, the night’s illustrious honorees were called to the stage to receive their 2023 Asia Society Game Changers Award.
Asia Society Board Vice Chair Betsy Cohen presented the award to Shabana Basij-Rasikh, Co-Founder and President of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA); Asia Society Global Trustee Thierry Porte presented the award to Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, and Asia Society Global Trustee James Kondo accepted on her behalf.
Asia Society Board Vice Chair Lulu Wang presented to Josie Cruz Natori, CEO and Founder, The Natori Company; and Asia Society President Emeritus Ambassador Nick Platt presented to The Philadelphia Orchestra, which marks its 50th anniversary of being the first U.S. orchestra to visit China. Matias Tarnopolsky, President and CEO, accepted on the orchestra’s behalf.
Asia Society Global Trustee Duncan Clark presented to Yao Chen, Co-Founder, Bad Rabbit Pictures, award-winning actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador; Asia Society Board Chair Emeritus Ronnie Chan presented to Asia Society Global Trustee Dr. Stephen Riady, Executive Chairman and Group CEO, QUE; and Joe and Clara Tsai (2020 Game Changer Awardees) presented to Jerry Yang, Co-Founder and former CEO of Yahoo! Inc., and Akiko Yamazaki, former Chairman of the Board, Asian Art Museum.
The stunning Asia Society Game Changer Awards were custom created and contributed by Tiffany & Co.
During the event, guests enjoyed a musical performance by the Children’s Orchestra Society.
Attendees included: Ambassador Ping Huang (Consul General of China in New York) and his wife Madam Aiping Zhang, Ambassador Mayen Lagdameo-Hogan (Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United States), Ambassador Mikio Mori (Consul General of Japan in New York), Jin Qian (Deputy Counsel General of China in New York), Maisie Ho (Director, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office); Asia Society Global Trustees Ambassador Chan Heng-Chee (Board Co-Chair), HRH Prince Turki AlFaisal, Mohit Assomull, Kuo Chuan Kung, Henry Cornell, Fritz Demopoulos, Serge Dumont, Susan Hakkarainen, George Hicks, Doris Ho, Brad Hu, Stephanie Hui, Omar Ishrak, Adrian Keller, Asheet Martha, Geoff Mehta, Nick Rohatyn, Emily Rafferty, Charles Rockefeller, Ernie Thraser, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Trustee Emerita Carol Gluck, former Trustee Zhang Xin, Trustee Emerita and President Emerita Ambassador Josette Sheeran; former Asia Society Game Changer awardees Kikka Hanazawa, Fashion Girls for Humanity (2014), Dr. David Ho (2021), Nanette Medved-Po (2022), and Wang Shi (2018); and Guoqing Chen, Carolyn Hsu-Balcer and Rene Balcer, Noreen and Ken Buckfire, Ryan Fleur, Catherine Heald, Younghee Kim-Wait, Ambassador Ronald Lauder, Yeuo-Cheng Ma, Sheila and Ron Marcelo, Richard Reitknecht, and Myla Villanueva.
