The Economist increases focus on Asia

The inaugural ‘Banyan: Ideas for an Asian Century’ event, being held in Singapore on 18 October 2011, includes experts such as Dr Noeleen Heyzer, under-secretary-general of the United Nations and executive secretary of ESCAP; Rajat Nag, managing director, Asian Development Bank; Cho Won Hong, chief marketing officer, Hyundai Motor Company; and Said Irandoust, president, Asian Institute of Technology.

The event will be co-hosted by The Economist’s Banyan columnist, Simon Long and the publication’s Asia Editor, Dominic Ziegler.

The Economist launched its Banyan column two years ago to deepen the publication’s coverage of the region and reflect its increasing global prominence.

The strength of The Economist’s focus and presence in Asia is also reflected in the recent increase in the publication’s Asia Pacific weekly circulation to 146,016 – a 4.3 per cent rise in year-on-year growth, according to ABC figures released in August 2011. Subscriptions in Asia Pacific also increased strongly, by 8.7 per cent over the year.