President Rodrigo Duterte will be the keynote speaker and will be joined by leaders from government, business, academe and civil society during the 14th ASEAN Leadership Forum at Manila Hotel on April 28, 2017.

Organized by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) based in Malaysia, the forum will focus on how ASEAN can push forward to achieve its goals economically and technologically and will discuss key strategies going forward towards ASEAN 2025 vision.

The ASLI has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (the Chamber), the country’s oldest business organization in holding the event in conjunction with the 30th ASEAN Summit to be hosted by the Philippines on April 29, 2017.

The forum opens with a special address by former President Fidel V. Ramos and will be followed by a Ministerial Roundtable of ASEAN Economic Ministers to be chaired by former NEDA secretary Dr. Cielito Habito, now head of the USAID Trade-Related Assistance for Development Project, Philippines.

Serving as the resource speakers are Dato Seri Mustapa Mohamad, minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia; Pan Sorasak, minister of Commerce of Cambodia; Enggartiasto Lukita, minister of Trade of Indonesia and Gregory So, secretary of Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong.

The key issues to be discussed in the sessions will be on “CEO Roundtable: How business view the AEC and how it can benefit from closer economic integration,” “Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises: Driving growth and prosperity in ASEAN,” “International Engagement session: ASEAN and the World” and “Enhancing Hong Kong-Asean Cooperation.”

The CEO roundtable will be chaired by former Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and now chair of the Economics Department of Asian Institute of Management Dr. Federico Macaranas.

Jose Luis Yulo Jr., the Chamber president who will speak at the roundtable session has commended ASLI for holding this significant and high level forum and for its great work in forging the success of the ASEAN Dream.

Similarly speaking and share their insights on how business can grow in ASEAN and benefit from intra-ASEAN connectivity are Amb. Delia Albert, Canada’s Amb. to ASEAN John Holmes, Chief Corporate Officer Idham Nawawi of Axiata Group of Malaysia, Senior Vice President Laurence Chooi of Aladdin Group, Founder and CEO Dr. Jessie Tang of East West One Group, Pres. and COO Ramon Garcia of CFNN, Inc., Philippines and Tan Sri Dr. Lau Ban Tin, director of BIG Industries, Malaysia.