After winning an OPC award for his coverage of China’s economic modernization, he rose to became Beijing bureau chief and returned to the United States in 1982. Since then, he spent 11 years with BusinessWeek overseeing its international coverage and made frequent return visits to East Asia. In 1989, he spent months in Japan writing his book, “The Japanese Power Game.”
He became president of the Overseas Press Club in 1994, a term that lasted until 1996. He has been active in the club in awards judging, programming and selling tables to the annual dinner as the Dinner Chair. Additionally, he is president of the OPC Foundation, which grants scholarships to college students who aspire to become foreign correspondents. He is treasurer of the Corresponents Fund, which grants money to international journalists with acute medical or personal needs.
After BusinessWeek, Holstein joined U.S. News & World Report and then Business 2.0. In 2003, he became editor in chief of Chief Executive magazine and he moved to become editor of Directorship magazine in 2006. He also has written for Fortune and The New York Times.
He has written five books, most recently one entitled The Next American Economy: Blueprint for Real Recovery.
His core areas of international coverage have been Greater China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japan and Korea.