Mr. Ernest Bower is the CEO of BowerGroupAsia, the leading business advisory company focused exclusively on Asia with offices in 21 countries and founder of AkarAsia, a digital intelligence company designed to support companies in policy and business in Asia. He helped found and lead the US-ASEAN Business Council, created the first chair for Southeast Asia among Washington’s think tanks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and created the Pacific Partners Initiative. He serves as chair of the Southeast Asia Advisory Board at CSIS. In recognition of his work, the King of Malaysia bestowed him with the national title “Datuk.” The president of the Philippines awarded him the rank of “Lakan” or commander. He is the chair of the American Australian Council. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and studied Mandarin Chinese at Middlebury College’s Sunderland School of Foreign Language.