World Branding Forum Sponsors Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Conference 2014

LONDON, August 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Over 120 speakers and delegates from around
50 countries expected to participate in Tokyo

The World Branding Forum (WBF) today announced that it will sponsor the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) 2014 Conference, organised by Harvard University in cooperation with Keio University. HPAIR is the largest annual Harvard event in Asia, and its largest student event in the Asia-Pacific Region.

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Taking place from 22-26 August 2014 in Tokyo, HPAIR seeks to bring together future and current leaders from around the world to engage in a five-day dialogue to explore and discuss the events and ideas that will shape the destiny of Asia on the world stage. The conference will challenge its participants to think critically about questions concerning Asia's future, as well as issues especially relevant to the host country. Over 550 delegates and 120 speakers from around 50 countries are expected to participate.

The World Branding Forum produces, manages and supports a wide range of programmes covering research, development, education, recognition, networking and outreach. Its main activities include: branding conferences, seminars, talks, debates and workshops. It is also involved with R&D and the implementation of standards, best practice guidelines and tools, as well as other relevant branding initiatives.

"The development of leadership skills in young people is critical for them to take on the challenges of the branding industry. Youth development represents one of the key pillars of the World Branding Forum and this collaboration with HPAIR is the result of a natural synergy in our shared values and ideals. The future of the branding industry lies in the hands of those who will lead it and we are keen to play a part in developing young talent to fulfil this role," said Richard Rowles, Chairman of the World Branding Forum.

Key speakers at the conference include Ichiro Fujisaki, former Ambassador of Japan to the United States; Atsushi Seike, President of Keio University; Kathy Matsui, Co-head of Macro Research in Asia, Goldman Sachs; Anthony Wong, Regional President and Global Brand Management of Ogilvy and Mather Asia Pacific; Amit Prasad, Health Economist, World Health Organisation; Akihisa Nagashima, member of the Japanese House of Representatives; Ambrish Jain, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Lenovo; Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Founder of the Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia; and Jose Maria Borja, Ambassador of Ecuador to China; among many others.

"HPAIR has been raising tomorrow's leaders in Asia and beyond since 1991 and we are excited to be working with the World Branding Forum to further promote the development of young leaders worldwide with this year's conference in Tokyo. It is only with the support of organisations like the WBF that we can provide all the fantastic opportunities for our conference participants and our 2014 conference is slated to be one of the most ambitious in recent years," said Whan Lee, Executive Director of HPAIR Asia Conference.

The World Branding Forum runs a sponsorship programme focused mainly on education. Sponsorships are available for non-commercial community projects and are open to registered charities, educational bodies and not-for-profit groups. Applications for 2015 sponsorships will open at the end of August.

The organisation's main recognition programme, the World Branding Awards, will be held on 25-26 October in London. The awards will recognise some of the best global brands for their work and achievements. Uniquely, the awards will be judged through four streams: brand valuation, consumer market research, public online voting, as well as the World Branding Forum's Advisory Council.

For more information visit brandingforum.org, and awards.brandingforum.org for the World Branding Awards.

About the World Branding Forum 

The World Branding Forum (WBF) is a registered global non-profit organisation. Its aims and activities are to provide benefit to all those involved in the branding community, including those who work in the branding, design, marketing, advertising, public relations and communications disciplines worldwide. In particular, the organisation's objectives are to advance the standards, skills and education of all those involved in the branding and related industries. The WBF produces, manages and supports a wide range of programmes covering research, development, education, recognition, networking and outreach. For more information, visit http://www.brandingforum.org.

About the World Branding Awards 

The World Branding Awards is the premier awards of the World Branding Forum, a registered non-profit organisation. Scheduled to be held in London on 25-26 October 2014, the awards will see some of the world's best brands recognised for their work and achievements. There are two major categories of awards. The Global Awards are awarded to international brands, while the National Awards are awarded to brands that are household names in their country of origin. For more information, visit http://www.awards.brandingforum.org.

About HPAIR 

As Harvard's largest annual student connection in Asia, the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations creates a forum of exchange and facilitates discussion of the most important economic, political, and social issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region. Since 1991, we have continuously gathered a growing pool of international students from top universities, renowned academics, business professionals, and political leaders to engage in our rigorous educational events. Through plenary sessions, panels, keynotes, workshops, and case studies, HPAIR provides valuable opportunities for discussion about challenges and trends in the international landscape. 

SOURCE World Branding Forum