The AABC is revitalising as the premier regional VOICE representing the interests of Australian and ASEAN companies operating in Australia and across more than one ASEAN country.
Our purpose is ‘Advancing Australia-ASEAN Business’ – trade, investment and ‘doing business’ – by promoting the importance of Australia-ASEAN business relations, and advocating the need for easier, more effective ways of doing business to Australian and ASEAN business leaders and policy makers. We have a regional approach to representing our members whilst respecting the unique differences of individual countries.
We do this by working with our member companies operating in Australia and across ASEAN, and drawing on our key relationships with Australian and ASEAN governments, ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Business Advisory Council, as well as industry bodies, research institutions and community across the region.
We act to support the needs and ambitions of our members through regional advocacy, network, intelligence and promotion activities. Our members and executive are both Australian and ASEAN, with a focus on present and next generation businesses and leaders.
Our executive team driving this revitalisation are:
President
Eleanor Mak (Venturenauts)
Immediate Past President
John Connor
Vice President
Bryan Clark (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
Vice President
Peter McKenna (Venturenauts)
See 3rd Australia-ASEAN Entrepreneurs’ Business Forum, 2 December 2019: 3rd Australia-ASEAN Entrepreneurs’ Business Forum 2019 – Agenda & Speakers
See Introduction to AABC flyer (PDF)
Regional attractiveness of ASEAN and Australia
Today, the regional economic architecture involving Australia and ASEAN is changing significantly. In addition to ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and other bilateral agreements between Australia and ASEAN countries, the ASEAN Economic Community was launched in 2015 and other regional agreements are likely to be finalised soon, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
ASEAN
Attractiveness – diversity and growth
- 10 member countries – Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
- 7th largest economy in the world – fast growing
- 600 million people, fast expanding middle class
- GDP more then US$ 2 trillion, economic growth around 5%
See Why ASEAN and Why Now ? (Joint Austrade and DFAT publication 2015) – (pdf)
Reference Materials
Right Approach to the Massive ASEAN Opportunity (Full Article) (P McKenna, July 2017)
ASEAN Economic Integration Brief, No. 1, June 2017 (ASEAN Secretariat, June 2017)
ASEAN Connected Report (Export Council of Australia and HSBC, 2017)
Australia
Attractiveness – innovation and resilience
- 12th largest economy in the world –over 25 years of uninterrupted economic growth
- 23 million people,
- AAA sovereign risk profile
- GDP more than US$ 1.2 trillion, economic growth around 3%
See Why Australia: Benchmark report 2016 (Austrade publication) – (pdf)
Reference Materials
National Trade Survey Report 2016 (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 2016)
Upcoming 2017
Activities and Events
Events hosted or supported by the AABC.
2018
March
Asialink Business – Emerging Opportunities of ASEAN – Wannaroo Business Breakfast Series, 20 March 2018. Register Here.
AABC Events During ASEAN-Australia Week:
- Announcement – 2018/19 Australian-ASEAN Entrepreneurs Regional Program. Details Here.
- 2-Day ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs’ Programme (sponsored by NSW Government), 14-15 March 2018
- ASEAN-Australia Business Insights Dinner (Welcome Dinner for ASEAN Business Advisory Council), 6pm-8.30pm 14 March 2018, King and Wood Mallesons, Sydney. Registration: Invitation – Australia-ASEAN Business Insights Dinner FINAL March 2018 4 Open
- ASEAN-Australia Aviation Roundtable Getting Ready for the Aviation Growth Explosion in the Asia Pacific, 8.30am-1.30pm Thursday 15 March 2018, King and Wood Mallesons, Sydney. Invitation – ASEAN-Australia Aviation Roundtable 10 March 2018 FINAL
- 2nd ASEAN-Australia Entrepreneurs Business Forum Entrepreneurship in the Digital Economy, 2.30pm-5pm Thursday 15 March 2018, Sydney Startup Hub. Registration: Invitation – 2nd ASEAN-Australia Entrepreneurs Business Forum FINAL 10 March 2018
- Business Leaders’ Exchange with ASEAN Business Advisory Council, 9am-12pm, Thursday 15 March 2018, Intercontinental Hotel. By Invitation: Invitation – ASEAN-Australia Business Leaders Exchange FINAL March 2018
- Programme of Site Visits for ASEAN Business Advisory Council and Business Delegation, Friday 16 March 2018. Hosted by Blackmores, WeWork and Haymarket HQ
- Invitation to join the ASEAN Business Advisory Council’s flagship initiative ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN) – to be launched for the first time outside ASEAN in Australia. Register: Invitation to Join AMEN – FINAL 2018
Asialink’s annual State of Nation: ASEAN (multiple cities) event: http://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/calendar/state-of-the-nation-asean-series-multiple-cities
2017
April
ASEAN Business Advisory Council: ‘Prosperity for All Summit 2017 ‘, 28 April 2017, City of Dreams, Manila, Philippines. Read more.
1st Exclusive Dialogue with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, 29 April 2017, City of Dreams, Manila, Philippines
Australia-ASEAN Business Council and the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council: Formal signing of MOU, 29 April 2017, City of Dreams, Manila, Philippines. Read press release.
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May
AANZFTA General Review: Consultation submission to DFAT by 12 May 2017. Please contact president@australia-aseanbc.org to find out how you contribute to our submission.
June
Pilot Australia-ASEAN Business Cluster Roundtable, Brisbane (more information coming soon)
July
August
ASEAN@50 Conference and Commemorative Dinner 4 August 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
September
ASEAN Business Advisory Council’s ASEAN Business Awards 2017, 6 September, Manila, Philippines. Event and nomination details here.
2nd ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Carnival, 5-7 September 2017, Manila, Philippines (more information coming soon)
3rd ASEAN Economic Integration Forum 2017, 14-15 September 2017, United Nations Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand. Details here.
October
ASEAN-Australia Entrepreneurs Business Forum 2017, Monday 9 October 2017 @ Dream Factory, Footscray. Details here.
November
ASEAN Business Club Business Mission to Sydney, 20-21 November 2017. To register for:
- Welcome Dinner (by invitation): 6pm – 8.30pm, Monday 20 November 2017. Registration details for: Welcome Dinner with ASEAN Business Club
- Business Leaders Exchange: 11am – 1.30pm, Tuesday 21 Nov 2017. Registration details for: Business Leaders Exchange
- Special ASEAN Roundtable series: 2.30pm – 5.30pm, Tuesday 21 Nov 2017. Registration details for: Special ASEAN Roundtable series
December
Insights into Myanmar Conference (more information coming soon)
PAST EVENTS
2016
July
Asialink Business and PwC ‘State of the Nation: ASEAN’ briefings in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Carnival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Find out more here.
August
AABC attendance at the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Joint Business Council Meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Australia-ASEAN Business Relations Conference 2016: A New Era of Trade, Investment and ‘Doing Business’ Opportunities in Brisbane, Australia (19 August). See full article here.
September
ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Vientiane, Lao PDR (5-7 September)
(a flagship event of the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council). See full article here.
ASEAN Economic Integration Forum 2016: Towards Global ASEAN: Prospects, Impacts And Challenges in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (14-15 September). See full article here.
October
AABC Business Roundtables (tbc).
Our new website launches soon.
Please visit again.
Contact for enquiries, membership and sponsorship
Eleanor Mak
Phone. +61 423 492 330
president@australia-aseanbc.org
Peter McKenna
Phone. +61 487 395 510
vicepresident@australia-aseanbc.org