ASIA SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTS EIGHT NEW DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS

New York, July 3, 2007–Asia Society is pleased to announce that eight new members have been elected to the organization’s Board of Trustees, which is composed of distinguished business, cultural, educational and academic leaders, as well as former government officials from Asia and Australia. The role of the Asia Society Board of Trustees is to provide general oversight of the Society, promote its global mission, and advise on present and future initiatives.

The newly elected Trustees are: Ajay Banga, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Citigroup International Global Consumer Group; Lee Hong-Koo, Chairman of the Board, The Seoul Forum for International Affairs and The East Asian Institute and Former Prime Minister of South Korea, 1994-1995; K.S. (Sonny) Kalsi, Managing Director and Global Co-Head, Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing; Harold J. Newman, General Partner and Investment Advisor, Neuberger & Berman; Richard L. Plepler, Co-President, HBO; Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder, The Blackstone Group; Lulu C. Wang, Chief Executive Officer, Tupelo Capital Management; and Harrison Young, Non-Executive Director, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and former Chairman, Morgan Stanley Australia.

"The Board of Trustees looks forward to working with this group of eminent new Trustees," said Asia Society Chairman Richard C. Holbrooke. "We are raising our international profile in order to help realize the institution’s global aspirations, in a world where Asia plays an increasingly critical role."

Asia Society President Vishakha N. Desai commented: "The Asia Society is deeply honored to have such an illustrious group of individuals serving on our Board, who share a commitment to our core mission of preparing Asians and Americans for a shared future. We are fortunate to have had a strong tradition of Trustee participation throughout our 51-year history."

Asia Society Trustees are elected for three-year terms which begin at the Board's next meeting in October.

Asia Society is the leading global and pan-Asian organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders and institutions of the United States and Asia. We seek to increase knowledge and enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts and culture.

Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution with offices in Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Washington DC. Asia Society is on the web at www.AsiaSociety.org.

Contact: Deanna Lee or Elaine Merguerian at (212) 327-9271

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Officers, Asia Society Board of Trustees:

Chairman
Richard C. Holbrooke

Vice-Chairmen of the Board
Ronnie C. Chan
John S. Wadsworth, Jr.
Victor Menezes

Secretary
Susan E. Lynch

Treasurer
Henry Cornell

President
Vishakha N. Desai