Description: This month we catch up with PBEC Board Member Luis Miguel Aboitiz who previously served as a Director of Unionbank and as Executive Vice President – Chief Strategy Officer of Aboitiz Group, before his retirement on April 30, 2020. He was also Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Corporate Business Group of AboitizPower from 2016 to 2018, and Senior Vice President-Power Marketing and Trading from 2009 to 2015. Miguel is currently a Director of Aboitiz Power…
News
Zoom conferencing won’t work if the Southeast Asian bloc is to tackle the big issues by Luke Hunt The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 across Southeast Asia is threatening to derail Cambodia’s ambitious agenda as this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which hinges on face to face meetings and backroom in-person negotiations among bureaucrats. Topping Prime Minister Hun Sen’s agenda are the “peace” talks with the junta in Myanmar and his plans…
Investment will increase access to credit, with specific focus on women entrepreneurs As Vietnam accelerates economic recovery amid COVID-19, IFC, LeapFrog Investments, and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft have invested $165 million in convertible Tier 2 bonds issued by Ho Chi Minh City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HDBank), a leading Vietnamese private retail and SME bank. While strengthening the bank’s capital base, the funding will help increase lending to retail and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including women-owned…
“Customs has a key role in making trade seamless, safe and secure,” stated WTO Deputy Director-General Anabel González at a 20 January hearing of the European Union’s Wise Persons Group on Challenges Facing the Customs Union. DDG González observed that customs authorities need to respond and adjust to changes in the global trade landscape brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid technological developments, geopolitical tensions and climate change. She added that the role of customs was becoming increasingly complex, and…
When the central bank of Russia proposed a sweeping ban Thursday on crypto activity, digital assets barely skipped a beat. Bitcoin even rose around 5% at one point during New York trading hours. “There are bigger concerns right now in crypto right now,” Chris Vecchio of DailyFX told Insider. “What’s happening is much more closely tied to global stimulus conditions and central banks pulling back their pandemic era efforts. That, to me, is the prevailing story here.” John Wu, president…
THE nation kicks its presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) into high gear this month with a flurry of activities and events, including forums for CEOs of companies from member countries where they will discuss issues from sustainable development to women’s empowerment. The Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister, which is responsible for the scheduling and substance of Indonesia’s G20 presidency, said that on Jan 27, representatives of companies from the 20 member countries and another 40 from non-member…
The carbon tax and carbon credit markets will be major topics of discussion at the finance ministers’ meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Thailand this year, says Fiscal Policy Office adviser Warotai Kosolpisitkul. The Apec finance ministers’ meeting is scheduled before the leaders’ meeting. The two themes of the finance ministers’ meeting are sustainable finance and the digital economy, Mr Warotai said. Read More
A PBEC hosted webinar bringing together experts and commentators in their respective fields on regional Supply Chain Transparency in the Asia Pacific. We assembled an expert panel of academics and senior executives to this dialogue discussion on supply chain transparency and traceability. We hear some invaluable insights, takeaways and latest trends in supply chain relocation data provided by Professor Neale O’Connor. Anson Bailey of KPMG moderates and extracts recommendations from each of the panellists. We witnessed a lot of probing…
You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jan 20, 2022 11:00 AM to 12:15PM Hong Kong SAR Topic: Achieving Equitable Supply Chain Transparency Please register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_O5rbcEobSMO0PNjtCLavdA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. ‘What are the challenges and priorities in 2022 to keep supplying and delivering, including emission reduction pressures?’ A PBEC hosted webinar led by our moderator Anson Bailey, who is bringing together experts and commentators…
An Apec-branded Covid face mask, a handwritten letter from Jacinda Ardern to a future NZ Prime Minister and even a copy of the Herald’s Apec 2021 supplement are among items being tucked away within a time capsule which will be “unearthed” when New Zealand next hosts Apec. In her letter to a future prime minister, Ardern expresses her hope – for the sake of everyone – “that you don’t find yourself hosting in the middle of a pandemic!” “May your…