Page 8 - Forbes - Asia (September 2018)

FORBES ASIA

SIDELINES

Editor Tim W. Ferguson
Editorial Director Karl Shmavonian
Rich, Yes. Crazy?
Art Director Charles Brucaliere
Senior Editor John Koppisch
Wealth Lists Editors Luisa Kroll, Kerry A. Dolan
Statistics Editor Andrea Murphy ven many of the favorable
Research Director Sue Radlauer reviewers of the hit movie Crazy
Online Editor Jasmine Smith ERich Asians concede it is familiar
Reporter Grace Chung romantic-comedy fare from Hollywood,

Editorial Bureaus save for the faces. Yet therein lies the
Beijing Yue Wang basis of a cultural moment, as Asian
Shanghai Russell Flannery (Senior Ed.); Maggie Chen characters assume mainstream roles for
India Editor Naazneen Karmali a largely Western audience.
Contributing Editors Of direct interest to Forbes Asia
Bangkok Suzanne Nam readers is the backdrop of the story
Chennai Anuradha Raghunathan (earlier a book by Kevin Kwan): the tussle between traditional and modern mores in
Hong Kong Shu-Ching Jean Chen an extremely wealthy Singaporean Chinese family. Of course this ilm is an entertain-
Melbourne Lucinda Schmidt
ing caricature, although I trust it inspires conjectured likenesses to real clans. Singa-
Perth Tim Treadgold
pore itself appears in several glam cameos. he vast ictional fortune itself, however,
Singapore Jane A. Peterson
popularizes what this magazine has been reporting for years: the Asia-Paciic region’s
Taipei Joyce Huang
extraordinary personal riches.
Vietnam Lan Anh Nguyen
If this cinematic staple is nevertheless a breakthrough on the far side of the Paciic,
Columnist Ben Sin
it is not the only one lately for those of Asian background. Amid the continuing and
Production Manager Michelle Ciulla
ever remarkable rise of immigrants and their ofspring from East and South Asia in
North America, we are seeing their academic, artistic and inancial success extend

gradually into the civic realm. A growing (if belated) presence in public and political
life, through new candidates and constituencies, is rounding out the “cast” of North
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF America’s real-life drama.
Steve Forbes Note two recent cases of similar theme: irst, an attempt by New York City oicials

to soten the admission criteria for its prestigious specialized high schools, where a stan-
FORBES MAGAZINE
dardized-test cutof has resulted in a bulge of ethnic Asian enrollment. And second, a
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Randall Lane
lawsuit aimed at the fuzzy measures by which Harvard University has arguably reduced
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michael Noer
ART & DESIGN DIRECTOR Robert Mans eld the number of its ethnically Asian matriculants (Harvard being a proxy for elite colleges
generally). In each case, Asians have been unusually outspoken in the debate.
FORBES DIGITAL
To be sure, solidarity is one thing, but tribalism is another, and such a scourge can
VP, INVESTING EDITOR Matt Schifrin
take both let- and right-wing forms. It can cloud legitimate policy considerations.
VP, DIGITAL EDITOR Mark Coatney
VP, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Salah Zalatimo Take the increasing resistance in the West to mainland Chinese economic forays: Is
VP, WOMEN’S DIGITAL NETWORK Christina Vuleta this a bigoted response or an expression of strategic or security concerns? A culture
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITORS warrior might see the former—ater all, look at China’s great companies on our Fab 50
Frederick E. Allen LEADERSHIP
(p. 38). But what of other Asian nations also recoiling from Beijing’s push?
Loren Feldman ENTREPRENEURS
Janet Novack WASHINGTON he world is getting smaller, and battles for turf are to be expected. Competition
Michael K. Ozanian SPORTSMONEY that is open and objective under the rules will make for happier endings.
DEPARTMENT HEADS
Mark Decker, John Dobosz, Clay Thurmond
Jessica Bohrer VP, EDITORIAL COUNSEL
FOUNDED IN 1917
B.C. Forbes, Editor-in-Chief (1917-54)
Malcolm S. Forbes, Editor-in-Chief (1954-90) Tim Ferguson
James W. Michaels, Editor (1961-99)
William Baldwin, Editor (1999-2010) Editor, forbes asia
globaleditor@forbes.com ALAMY

6 | FORBES ASIA SEPTEMBER 2018