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Webinar: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP): A new trade agreement that will shape global economics

January 21, 2021 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

EABC in collaboration the European Business Organisation Worldwide Network (EBOWWN) is organising a webinar on the RCEP on Thursday, 21st January 2021 from 15.00-17.00 (Thailand Time) via Zoom. Mr. Bob Fox, EABC Vice President and Chair of Digital Economy/ ICT Working Group of EABC will join a panel discussion.

The RCEP is a free trade agreement (FTA) that was signed on 15 November 2020 between the 10 ASEAN Members, its dialogue partners Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand, and is an important milestone in the regional economic integration. Companies that are located in the RCEP-region can leverage on this FTA and benefit from the preferential market access provided. Learn how our experts on the ground evaluate the key achievements and limitations of the RCEP. They will also discuss the impact the trade deal will likely have on supply chains and trade volumes across Asia.

Date: Thursday, 21st January 2021

Time: 15.00-17.00 (Thailand Time)

RSVP via: [email protected] (zoom meeting link will be share after RSVP)

*Free to EABC members.

Agenda:

15.00-15.05: Introduction, Mr. Jason Collins – President EBOWWN

15.05-15.15: Introduction RCEP presentation – Dr. Deborah Elms, Asian Trade Centre

15.15-16.25: Moderated Panel discussion

16.25-16.55: Q&A session (questions from the audience)

16.55-17.00: Closing remarks

Speakers will be representing:

  • Australia: The European Australian Business Council (EABC)
  • Cambodia: European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia
  • China: European Chamber of Commerce in China
  • Indonesia: European Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia
  • Japan: European Business Council (Japan)
  • Laos: European Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lao PDR
  • Malaysia: European Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia
  • Myanmar: European Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar
  • the Philippines: European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines
  • Singapore: European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore
  • South Korea: European Chamber of Commerce in South Korea
  • Thailand: European Association for Business and Commerce in Thailand
  • Vietnam: European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam

Meet the speakers:

 

Introduction Presentation

Deborah Elms

Dr Deborah Elms is the Founder and Executive Director of the Asian Trade Centre (ATC). She is Vice Chair of the Advisory Board for the Asia Business Trade Association (ABTA), Co-Chair of the Trade Policy Committee of the Global Trade Professionals Alliance (GTPA), and also a senior fellow in the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Trade Academy.

Previously, Dr Elms was head of the Temasek Foundation Centre for Trade & Negotiations (TFCTN) and Senior Fellow of International Political Economy at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Dr. Elms received a PhD in political science from the University of Washington, a MA in international relations from the University of Southern California, and bachelor’s degrees from Boston University. Dr Elms publishes the Talking Trade Blog.

 

Moderator panel discussion:

Robert Schulte

PwC | Director Singapore

Robert is a Director with PwC’s Worldtrade Management Services (WMS) practice, based in Singapore. Robert has over 10 years of experience in Asia advising companies on all aspects of international trade and customs.

In his role, Robert is the lead relationship manager for some of PwC WMS’ largest regional accounts, with experience ranging across multiple industries. He has valuable experience in cross border regulatory compliance, preferential origin and the use of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), supply chain optimisation, customs valuation, customs clearance procedures and opportunity reviews. Robert also has experience from a number of regional business restructuring projects for multinationals across the Asia-Pacific region.

Since starting his career in Asia with PwC, Robert has predominantly been based in our Singapore office but also spent two years with our PwC WMS Japan practice between September 2013 and September 2015.

 

Australia

 

Prudence Gordon 

Dr Prudence Gordon is Founder and Executive Director of the Australian Centre for International Trade and Investment (ACITI). Pru has worked on international trade and investment issues as an academic, policy maker, ministerial adviser, and as an industry representative. Prior to launching ACITI, Pru was General Manager, Trade and Economics at the Australian National Farmers Federation (NFF). Pru joined the NFF after working as a Senior Adviser to Steven Ciobo MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, and Adviser to Andrew Robb AO MP, Minister for Trade and Investment. Between 2005 and 2013, Pru worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in the Office of Trade Negotiations and the China Economic and Trade Section. While with DFAT, Pru spent three years as a diplomat working in the Trade Branch of the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. Before joining DFAT, Pru worked in the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of New South Wales, and the Department of International Relations at the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. Pru spent two years as Dean and Acting Head, Fenner Hall, at the Australian National University and began her career as the Trade Policy and Research Adviser with the Australian Parliamentary Research Service.

Pru has a Bachelor of Arts (History)(Honours) from the University of New South Wales, a Master of Arts (International Relations) from the Australian National University, and a Doctor of Philosophy (International Political Economy) from the University of New South Wales.

 

Cambodia

Tayseng LY

Chairman of EuroCham Cambodia’s Tax Sectorial Committee and Managing Partner of HBS Law.

Mr Tayseng LY is an experienced business lawyer and notary public, regularly acting as counsel to local and foreign banks, state enterprises, and other multinational corporations on complex financing projects, equity investments, IPOs, corporate bonds, M&A, telecommunication and infrastructure projects.

Mr. LY was Legal and Political Researcher and Analyst at the General Secretariat of the Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC) under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet from 2005 to 2012. He also served as the Secretary General of the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia from 2004-2008, and has been a Labor Arbitrator for the Arbitration Council of the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training since 2003.

He is accredited by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia to advise on securities laws and regulations, by the Ministry of Commerce as a Mark Agent, and is a Labor Arbitrator for the Labor Arbitration Council.

 

China

Carlo Diego D’Andrea

Vice President, European Chamber, Shanghai Chapter Chairman and Founding Partner and Managing Director at D’Andrea & Partners

Degree in Law at the Universita’ degli Studi in Teramo (Italy), Master post Lauream in Corporate Advisor at LUISS Rome, Chinese Diploma at Nanjing Normal University, Admitted to the Italian Bar Association. Mr. D’Andrea arrived in Chine in 2005 and began his career in one of the most important Italian law firm in Nanjing. Since a few years ago Mr. D’Andrea has been leading his own company in Shanghai – D’Andrea&Partners – a boutique law firm that has become a point of reference as well as a well-established entity in the international legal profession. D’Andrea&Partners serves foreign as well as Chinese companies with the ambition to globalize themselves in a worldwide economy while focusing on Asia and Europe.

Mr. D’Andrea, Attorney at law, is fluent in Italian (mother tongue), English, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. He joined the board of the Shanghai Chapter of the European Chamber in 2014 and since May 2017 he is the Chairman of the Shanghai Board.

 

Indonesia

Wichard von Harrach

President Director of PT Jawa Power, Indonesia and board member of EuroCham

Wichard von Harrach – trained economist – is working over 25 years in different business development and management functions for IT, Telecom and Infrastructure.

2003 he entered Siemens in Bangladesh followed by a position as Vice President Project Development of Siemens Project Ventures in Germany. Developing and implementing a strategy for Siemens through project development and equity participation resulted in a large pipeline of renewable projects for Siemens. In 2009 being seconded for the first time as a board member of a large German Renewable Developer with a track record of 1.200 MW and 12 GW of pipeline. In 2014 he was send for Siemens to become President Director for PT Jawa Power – a 1220 MW coal fired power plant.

He is on the advisory board of the Association of Coal fired Power Plants and member of the Executive Board of EuroCham since 2017, since 2019 Vice Chairman. His role is coordinating EuroCham’s involvement in the CEPA negotiations. In addition, he is in the board of EU Asean Business Council (EU ABC).

 

Japan

 

Valerie Moschetti

Valerie Moschetti began her career in Africa (Ivory Coast, South Africa and Morocco) in the consulting industry, helping local and foreign companies find the right strategy to develop their business in the region, and in European organizations (EuroChamber and French Embassy in RSA), building and expanding economic relations between Southern Africa and Europe.

In Japan since 2008, she was the Head of Saint-Gobain’s External Affairs department and Edenred’s Governmental Affairs before joining the EBC in February 2020.

She holds a Master’s in Political Science from the Paris Institute of Political Studies where she specialized in EU economics, law and policies; a Master’s in Intercultural Communication and Management from the French Institute of Oriental Languages; a Master in Italian Language and Civilization from Sorbonne University; a diploma in Japanese language.

 

Korea

 

Christoph Heider

President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK)

Christoph Heider has been the President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) since 2013. He was the former Chief Financial Officer for Bayer Korea Ltd. in Seoul and Regional Manager of Bayer AG Legal Entity Accounting Asia Pacific Division in Germany. Christoph had worked for Bayer Ltd. in Tokyo since 1997 having arrived in Japan as a teacher shortly before.

Christoph graduated with an Intermediate Diploma in Economics from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany in 1988 before going on to complete his Diploma in Business Economics from the University of Mannheim in 1991. He then went on to finish a Postgraduate Program in Japanese from the University of Tuebingen in Germany and Doshisha University in Japan in 1996. In 2016, Christoph received an Honorary Citizenship of Seoul. His other honorary assignments include being a board member of Heider-Kober Foundation in Munich, Germany as well as being a member of the European Union Domestic Advisory Group and the Korea-EU Civil Society Forum. Christoph currently lives in Korea with his wife, 1 daughter and 1 son.

 

Laos

 

Anthony L. ASSASSA

Treasurer at ECCIL EuroCham Laos

Anthony is an experienced advisor dealing front-office in situations of high complexities for investors and shareholders involving reporting, compliance and change. He has 10+ years background in IFRS, Accounting, Tax, Compliance and Advisory in various markets and jurisdictions including Africa & Asia. Anthony is mainly contacted by international investors and CFO to strengthen companies’ strategy, performance & value, risk management.

Anthony has a long-term practice and close connections with senior executives involved in Investment projects, Mining, Energy, Banking & Financial Services, Telecommunication sectors. He has been supporting the OECD for reviewing mineral policies for the period covering 2014 to 2019 for Africa and several Tax Authorities in changing policies and modernizing organizations.

Anthony sits at the Board of Directors of European Chamber of Commerce & Industry (EuroCham Laos), leads the CFO & Finance Advocacy Group, belongs to the IFRS Implementation Committee of the Lao Stock Exchange (LSX), the CPA Registration Committee of the Lao Chamber of Professional Accountants & Auditors (LCPAA), daily acts as CPA Trainee Deputy Supervisor and speaker on IFRS, Tax & Accounting.

 

Malaysia

 

Oliver Roche

Chairman of the EUROCHAM Malaysia and Board of Director for Irish Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia.

Oliver graduated from Ireland as a Quantity Surveyor in 1994. He has 26+ years of experience in the construction industry working in the USA, Qatar, Ireland, Vietnam & Malaysia and founded Real Project Management Sdn Bhd (RPM) in 2013.

He expanded his business by setting up a new division; RPM Schedulers Sdn Bhd in 2018 which provides planning and scheduling services to the construction and Oil & Gas industries.

Oliver is also the founder of Proficient Software Solutions Sdn Bhd which has developed an AI powered Project Management Software which was launched in early 2020.

 

Myanmar

Adrian Short

Chairperson of the Board, EuroCham Myanmar and General Manager Cycle & Carriage Myanmar
Adrian Short joined Cycle & Carriage Myanmar as General Manager in November 2017. In this role he is responsible for Cycle & Carriage’s motor operations in Myanmar, representing Mercedes-Benz Passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Since his arrival, Adrian has been an active member of the EuroCham Automotive working group and as a member of the Eurocham Myanmar board since 2019. In December 2020, following the re-election, he became a Chairperson of the EuroCham Myanmar board.

With over 25 years’ experience in global manufacturing industries Adrian has worked for Rolls-Royce, Audi, Volkswagen Group and Massey Ferguson. He has a proven track record in developing markets, auto industry and commercial sales. Adrian is very experienced with business to government lobbying and understands and appreciates complex and changing policy environments. Adrian was Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia from 2014 to 2017. At the same time, he was a board member of EuroCham Indonesia and Vice President of EuroCham from 2015 to 2017.

In 2018 Adrian was awarded the honour of MBE from the Queen for services to Trade and Investment between Britain and Indonesia.

 

The Philippines

Anthony Amunátegui Abad

Anthony Amunátegui Abad is the CEO of the consulting firm, TradeAdvisors, and a founding partner of the law firm, Abad Alcantara Associates (TradeLawyers).  He is also a professor of international economic law at the Ateneo de Manila University Law School and is a regular lecturer, facilitator, and moderator at various conferences and seminars involving trade, investment, law, economics, and other topics.  Tony is presently serving as a panelist of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body and as the Chairman for the Philippines in the Commission on Competition of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).  He is also an active advisor and consultant of various multilateral, governmental, and non-governmental institutions, with projects ranging from international trade and competition law to technology and innovation to financial inclusion and poverty alleviation.  And, he is a news anchor and the host of the program “Political Capital” on Bloomberg TV, providing and facilitating analyses and discussion on current political and economic  issues.  Tony also served the Philippine government in various capacities.  He was a Tariff Commissioner, the Administrator of the National Food Authority, Chairman of the Food Terminal Inc., and President of the Philippine International Trading Corporation, among others.  Tony was the President of the Harvard Club of the Philippines from 2016 to 2018 and is currently the President of the Harvard Kennedy Alumni Association of the Philippines.  He graduated with an MPA from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.  He also has a Juris Doctor and an Economics Honors degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.

 

Singapore

Robin Hoenig

Division Head for Trade Policy (Asia/ASEAN) at the Singaporean-Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Robin Hoenig is the Division Head for Trade Policy (Asia/ASEAN) at the Singaporean-Chamber of Industry and Commerce (SGC). In his function, he monitors, assesses and reports on regional free trade agreements and advises the German Chamber Network in Asia-Pacific, the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) on the subject matter.

Mr Hoenig holds a Master in Public Policy from the Hertie School of Governance and Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences (international law and economics) from the University College Maastricht.

 

Thailand

Bob Fox

EABC Vice President, Chair of Digital Economy/ICT Group, JFCCT & EABC

Experience includes law (Baker McKenzie), private higher education (project director and main board member, Bond University, Australia), telecoms (group CEO of a major listed network operator Malaysia; one of founders of Starhub Singapore; launch of competitive second operator in UAE and various Asia Pac markets; regional director Asia Pac BT); digital services as regional director Asia Pac in via three company groups:  broadband wireless, analytics, digital media.   Developed and built policy positions in Thailand on foreign investment, engaging skilled labour, fast track regulatory reform, safe border opening, several aspects of the digital economy (privacy, security, digitalization, digital government, signatures, payments, data management, on-line governance)

Has B.A., LLB (UNSW), Masters, Stanford Graduate School of Business (Sloan Fellow), various IT and board certifications.

 

Vietnam

 

Nicolas Audier

Chairman at EuroCham Vietnam

Nicolas is EuroCham Chairman since October 2017, having been a member of its Executive Committee since 2014, with particular involvement in the preparation of the White Book and advocacy on behalf of foreign investors to the Vietnamese authorities.

Member of the Paris Bar, Nicolas Audier is an attorney with more than 25 years of experience in the ASEAN Region and Vietnam in particular. He has been working in Vietnam since 1995 and was head of a leading international law firm in Vietnam from 1995 to 2008, before establishing Audier & Partners, which now has offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Ulan Bator and Yangon.

He is special trade advisor on Vietnam for the French MFA since 1999, having been honored (“Bang Khen”) by the Vietnamese Minister of Justice in recognition of his substantial contribution to the development of Vietnam’s legal system, one of three lawyers to ever receive this distinction.

 

About EBOWWN:

The first global network representing the voice of European business abroad. Members in over 35 countries worldwide outside the European Union.

https://eboworldwide.eu/

Details

Date:
January 21, 2021
Time:
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Event Category: