Following the success of last year’s edition, the second Switzerland - Japan Economic Forum was held on March 5 at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo as a joint initiative by the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ), and IMD business school. Ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and given that Switzerland is the home of the International Olympic Committee and will be hosting the upcoming Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, the discussions centered on the theme of “Sports Values for Business: Experiences from Japan & Switzerland”. Following opening addresses by Mr. Jean-François Paroz, Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan and Mr. Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, panels explored how the values of sports can provide new business opportunities, enhance the motivation of employees, and contribute to society in general.
This year’s speakers notably included Professor Dominique Turpin (Dean of External Relations, IMD business school), Ms. Makiko Eda (Chief Representative Office, World Economic Forum Japan), Professor Dr. Tom Toida (Professor, Juntendo University; President/CEO, Sports Think Tank Co., Ltd.), Mr. Axel Kuhr (Managing Director, ABB in Japan), Mr. Jean-Claude Biver (non-Executive Chairman, LVMH Watchmaking Division), Ms. Miyako Tanaka-Oulevey (Consultant, Japanese Society of Sports Psychology), Mr. Isamu Tatsuno (Founder/CEO, Montbell, Co., Ltd.), Mr. Naoshi Takatsu (Managing Partner, IMD business school), and Mr. André Zimmermann (Representative Director, Lindt & Sprüngli Co., Ltd.; President, SCCIJ).
The Forum was followed by a reception featuring a buffet of Swiss gastronomy and wines at the Imperial Hotel, which currently hosts a Swiss Fair (March 1-31, 2019) in collaboration with 2 Michelin stars Executive chef Laurent Eperon, who heads the Pavillon restaurant at the Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich.
On March 1st in the evening, jointly organized by the Japan-Swiss Society and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, the Japan-Swiss Spring Ball 2019 was also held in the Imperial Hotel, with more than 160 participants, and with the gracious presence of H.I.H. Princess Takamado.
