ASEAN’s infrastructure needs are a major priority for governments throughout Southeast Asia. The funding requirements exceed government budgets. “Infrastructure needs represent an opportunity for American business and Southeast Asia to work together to find mutually beneficial solutions,” said Council President Alexander Feldman. “The Council takes its corporate citizenship seriously and we are working to partner with the ASEAN Secretariat and the Ministries of Finance to create a conducive environment that can help channel capital flows toward investment opportunities in the region, including infrastructure projects. Promoting enhanced uniformity and predictability in legal rules around secured lending and cross-border investment can greatly stimulate capital flows and liquidity throughout Southeast Asia.”

“More broadly, US companies are looking to develop and promote their core businesses within ASEAN. We are looking for opportunities to further access markets and compete on a level playing field. In doing so, additional investments will be made, jobs created, and important products and services will be offered to the ASEAN people. We look to play an important role in ASEAN reaching their goals of 2015,“ said Dave Wolf, President of ACE Life and Chairman of the Council’s Financial Services Working Group.

The Council is the only U.S. based business organization to be recognized in the ASEAN Charter. The Council and its members support the continuing development of ASEAN’s financial regulatory system and the important role played by international financial services companies.

In addition to meeting with the ASEAN Finance Ministers, Council delegates held bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Finance from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam as well as the Chairman of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum. In these meetings, Council delegates discussed country-specific issues, as well as regional priorities such as the continuing development of regional equity and bond markets.

Council member companies participating in the Mission included: ACE Group, C.V. Starr Investment Advisors, Citi, Deloitte, Fenway Partners, General Electric and Standard & Poor’s.

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Currently celebrating its 25 th anniversary, the US-ASEAN Business Council represents approximately 100 major U.S. Corporations, ranging from those who have been active in Southeast Asia for over 100 years to newcomers looking to expand their presence in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. The Council’s sectoral working groups, including Customs, Defense & Security, Energy, Financial Services, Food and Agriculture, Health & Life Sciences, Information & Communications Technology, and Infrastructure, bring together the pre-eminent companies in their fields to enable high-level dialogues that help resolve issues and drive innovation and investment. With long-established personal and professional relationships in ASEAN and Washington, the Council is the most effective conduit between decision-makers on both sides of the Pacific.