Opportunities in ASEAN and the CPTPP

KPMG UKABC Roundtable
 

17th May 2023: The Exchange, Birmingham

The Department for Business and Trade and University of Birmingham invite you to join the Chair and Senior Partners for KPMG Viet Nam and Cambodia and the CEO of the UK ASEAN Business Council at this round table style event targeting companies and organisations active or seriously interested in South East Asia.

Businesses across the Midlands should be thinking of South East Asia as part of their global strategy. This event is a rare opportunity to get a briefing from and to pick the brains of senior KPMG ASEAN management.

Why Attend?

• With a youthful, combined population of over 660 million and a collective GDP of almost US$3.2 trillion in 2019, ASEAN is the fifth largest regional economy in the world, after the US, China, Japan and Germany. GDP growth rates have consistently beaten the global average. Viet Nam and Cambodia lead the region with Viet Nam averaging over 6% GDP growth p.a. since 2020. ASEAN’s population is educated, increasingly online and tech-savvy with a growing middle-class.
   
• The UK already enjoys a Free Trade Agreement with Viet Nam which is phasing in tariff free access for a number of UK sectors including food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, machinery, auto parts and chemicals, with services exports also benefitting.
   
• The UK’s imminent accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade partnership will mean almost complete liberalisation of tariffs among the 11 participants around the Pacific Rim (including the ASEAN states of Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, and Viet Nam).
   
• ASEAN states have also benefitted from the increasing popularity of the so-called “China+1” approach to global procurement. This has seen a growing number of foreign investors looking to mitigate their supply chain risk by investing in a broader base of supply opportunities in the region.

Sectors of Interest

Sectors of particular export and partnership opportunity in Viet Nam include education, fintech, tech and digitisation, health and pharma and renewable energy.
Cambodia offers opportunities in Education, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Healthcare and digitisation and Fintech.

Speakers include:

Warrick Cleine - Chairman and CEO of KPMG in Viet Nam and Cambodia, and Managing Partner of the firm's Deals, Tax and Legal practice.

Warrick has been based in Viet Nam for 25 years and serves on the Asia Pacific Board and Global Council of KPMG. He is recognised as one of South East Asia's leading corporate advisors and is a speaker and writer on Asia Pacific business, geopolitical and economic affairs, with experience advising both Government and corporates on strategy, corporate governance, trade, taxation, and structuring.

James Roberts - Head of Advisory services and Consulting in Cambodia

Based in the region for more than 15 years, James serves on the Board of Directors for the International Business Chamber (IBC), The British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) and has previously served on a number of listed company boards. He draws on his unique blend of industry and practice experience to advise both Governments and Corporates on Strategic Matters, Corporate Governance, Bi-Lateral Trade, Investment and Corporate structuring.

Ian Gibbons - CEO of the UK ASEAN Business Council

Prior to his current position, Ian has held a number of senior roles across government including, most recently, British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

Registration

Places are limited, so please register your interest via the link below and we will confirm your place by May 12th.

During the sign up process you will also get the opportunity to provide further details about your business and your export experience to support your registration.

Register

For any other export related enquiries contact the Department for Business and Trade in the Midlands at ditmidlands@trade.gov.uk or call our export support service on 0300 303 8955.

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