The Asia Business Council was established in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 in 2002, and is an independent organization of top executives, typically from leading Asian companies or multinational corporations with significant Asian operations, who share an interest in the policies needed to ensure the continued economic development and competitiveness of the region. The Council is a membership organization limited to 75 CEOs and Chairmen with operations in Asia.

The Council's current chairman is Marjorie Yang

Marjorie Yang

Marjorie Yang Mun-tak is a non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong.She is Chairwoman of the Esquel Group, the world's biggest cotton shirt-maker, which was founded by her father in 1978, as well as independent non-executive director of HSBC, Swire Pacific and Novartis AG...

, who is chairman of the Esquel Group.The Council's current vice-chairman is Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, who is Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation

Ayala Corporation

Ayala Corporation is a holding company for the diversified interests of the Ayala Group. Founded in the Philippines by the Spanish and German Ayala, Roxas, and Zobel families during colonial rule, it is the country's oldest and largest conglomerate...

. Mark Clifford

Mark Clifford

Mark L. Clifford is an author and former journalist who worked for BusinessWeek, the Far Eastern Economic Review, and Forbes. He was the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Standard newspaper in Hong Kong from January 2004 to February 2006, and the Editor-in-Chief the South China Morning Post, its...

 is the Council's executive director.

Mandate

The Asia Business Council was formed by a group of prominent business people and is the first pan-Asian CEO organization. The mission of The Asia Business Council is to:

• Foster dialogue and understanding among Asian and international business leaders

• Improve the efficacy of the private sector in promoting continued economic growth and development in the region

• Be a collective voice to influence other corporations, governments, multilateral organizations and members of civil society

Research

The Council conducts research on specific issues that are important to Asia's future, including green jobs, climate change, corporate social responsibility, and the food and agriculture sector in Asia, energy efficiency, innovation within Asian firms, intellectual property rights, and public-private partnership

Public-private partnership

Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...

s. In 2010, the Council's research included containing pandemics and epidemics in Asia and solutions for Asia’s cities. In 2009, the Council's research focused on green jobs and innovation. In 2008, the Council's research focused on corporate social responsibility and the food and agriculture sector in Asia. In 2007 it published Building Energy Efficiency: Why Green Buildings Are Key to Asia's Future. The book was translated into Chinese in 2008.