OPINION: Business Leadership
Sir, Your report, "Kodak to focus on recruiting top Asians" (ft.com, January 9), must have tickled many Asian executives simply because these issues are well known to be endemic among western companies operating in Asia.

Chandran Nair

While other companies have acknowledged the issue, few have done more than hire Asian figureheads to appease political sensitivities or appear to embrace diversity. Still fewer have hired the best Asians. There are exceptions.

We must ask why this sad state of affairs exists at all. Too often the reasons are not discussed.

First, western global companies are run by boards dominated by westerners who do not appreciate the rapid changes going on in the world or that managing globalisation and localisation must go beyond rhetoric. Many have not spent time truly working outside their home countries and it shows in their lack of global insight.

Second, many global companies retain old notions of headquarters for senior managers, typically in western capitals. Almost by definition, Asians are excluded and the consequence of westerners with limited experience running global operations is perpetuated.

Increasingly the best Asians are refusing to relocate to headquarters for several fruitless years on the off chance that they may make the grade.

Little wonder, then, that the leadership "gene pool" falls short and when positions become available in Asia, the western-centric viewpoint from boards to executive committees prevails and results in the appointment of either a western manager without the intuitive knowledge or a token Asian.

Last, top-tier Asians are unwilling to accept what they consider are effectively second-tier management positions in multinationals.

Asian managers in multinationals also far too often remain silent for fear of risking their careers.

Chandran Nair,
Founder and chief executive,
Global Institute For Tomorrow,
Hong Kong

www.gobalinstitutefortomorrow.org/