For the past several years, the youth movement has grown stronger. The region in 1997 was clobbered by a financial crisis that ended the Asian economic miracle. Managers accustomed to ever-expanding revenue found themselves on unfamiliar footing. Suddenly, experience and connections no longer counted as much fresh ideas were needed to cope with slower growth and the onslaught of offshore competitors. You really have to deliver results.
Seniority is no longer the only way up the corporate ladder.
Nothing not demographics, not economic crisis has empowered Asia's youthful managers like the digital revolution. Old-line corporations, finding themselves clueless about technology and desperate for an online strategy, are turning to relative youngsters for guidance. The dotcom boom allowed Asians to break free of the family business altogether. Venture capital was suddenly available to the wired and precocious, offering unprecedented start-up opportunities. At 22, Hong Kong's Antony Yip has already launched two Internet companies.