BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE: MARCH 5, 2001 ISSUE

http://www.businessweek.com/2001/01_10/c3722015.htm

Ambassador to the Adult World

Keith Peiris admits he initially thought his Web design company, Cyberteks Design, ''would be a failure. All adolescents have phases,'' he says. Some phase. The company has won a prestigious industry award, and in February, Peiris, 13 years old, was invited to join a Canadian trade mission to China headed by Prime Minister Jean Chretien. frontier spoke with Peiris before his departure.

Why are you going to China?
Currently Canada is completely reliant on the U.S. in terms of their economy. Our company is no different. Most of our customers are in the U.S. We want to diversify our sources of revenue, so if the U.S. gets into an economic slowdown we won't suffer.

What will you be doing outside of the trade mission?
I'm giving two speeches. One is at a tech partnering and VC seminar. Another is at the Youth Productivity Achievement meeting.

What will you say?
The speeches aren't finalized. But I'll tell the students to believe in themselves. And to watch out for adults that don't believe in kids, that think kids don't have any say in life