ABB - THE BATTLE FOR THE PACIFIC

Asea Brown Boveri ABB was created in 1987 as a result of a merger betw een Asea from Sweden and Brown Boveri from Switzerland. The newly form ed company with a combined turnover of around 30 billion US$ in 1993 a nd a total number of employees of 206 thousand spread over 140 countri es is the world's largest company in power generation, transmission an d distribution. It is also a leading supplier of robotics, railways an d environmental and pollution control. Under the leadership of Preside nt Percy Barnevik ABB has undertaken a corporate transformation and co nstitutes today a reference for the transnational model. In 1993, the company was reorganised into four global businesses: 1. Power Plants, 2. Power transmission and Distribution, 3. Industrial and Building Sys tems, 4. Transportation - and three regions 1. Europe, 2. Americas, 3. Asia Pacific. The Presidents of these global businesses and regions a re members of the executive commission. Alexis Fries is President of A BB, Asia Pacific Limited and is located in Hong Kong.