WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008

CHINA ROUNDTABLE

ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

Managing the Dragon: Building a Business in China

with

Jack Perkowski, chairman and chief executive officer, ASIMCO Technologies

“Managing the Dragon, Jack Perkowski's story of his almost 13 years running ASIMCO, an automotive components maker, in China is...a rare treat—a first-hand account of the struggle to build a business there....Mr. Perkowski is sensible on every issue—from the need to nurture (and listen to) local managers to the relative importance of local over central government relations.”  –The Economist

“If you want to do business in China, Jack Perkowski is your man. In Managing the Dragon he takes you into the heart of the Middle Kingdom and shows you the way with insight, humor and the kind of practical advice an entrepreneur or a down home tourist needs to navigate this fascinating and often bewildering colossus of a country.” –Tom Brokaw

In The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman says that if extreme capitalism were an Olympic event, Jack Perkowski would win the gold. In 1994, Perkowski founded ASIMCO Technologies, an automotive components manufacturer headquartered in Beijing. ASIMCO is now a $500 million company with 17 factories in eight provinces, 52 sales offices around China, and overseas offices in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan. In a rewarding yet tricky market like China, Western companies often struggle to achieve financial success in its highly bureaucratic economy, especially when cultural and communication mistakes can instantly derail progress. As a Western entrepreneur on the ground in China, Perkowski will provide critical insight on a range of topics, including decentralization, the importance of strong local management, China’s different cost perspective, intellectual property concerns, and practical advice on how to start a business in the country. His new book, Managing the Dragon: How I’m Building a Billion-Dollar Business in China, will also be available for purchase and signing.

Jack Perkowski is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of ASIMCO Technologies, one of the largest independent automotive components manufacturers in China. Prior to founding ASIMCO, Perkowski worked on Wall Street for over twenty years and served as director of investment banking at Paine Webber, now part of UBS. Perkowski received his MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and his BA from Yale University.

The Chicago Club
81 East Van Buren Street
Chicago IL 60605
Business attire required.

5:30 p.m. Registration and Reception
6:00 p.m. Lecture and Q & A
7:00 p.m. Adjournment and Book Signing

China Roundtable Members Complimentary
Members $20
Nonmembers $30

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