Bowen Banbury

Bowen Banbury paved the way for his career with a comprehensive and well-rounded education. After graduating from high school, Bowen Banbury entered Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, where he earned a degree in political science and history in 1990. After completing his undergraduate work, the young businessman entered the Thunderbird School of Global Management, earning a Master of Business Administration in 1992. Bowen Banbury worked as the Director of Programs for the independent, pro-business, apolitical Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) in Honolulu, Hawaii, from 1992 to 1996. During his time at PBEC, Banbury played a key role in an organization that has been promoting free trade and investment in the Pacific for more than four decades. The role required him to make important decisions in recruiting, setting up systems, and creating a marketing plan. When Bowen Banbury joined, the organization was a program of the Center for Strategic International Studies but soon became its own nongovernmental organization (NGO). In this important position, Bowen Banbury attended several international conferences, including Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and his own PBEC annual conferences as a representative of the business community. An opportunity to stimulate trade and business opportunities throughout the pacific region, the meetings brought Bowen Banbury into contact with key businesspeople, including the Chief Executive Officers of companies such as Toyota Motor Corporation; Motorola, Inc.; LG Electronics; Boeing; and ADI Limited.