Dear members,
Greetings from the Council! As I step into the role of interim President & CEO, I’m honored to continue building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessor, Ambassador Ted Osius (ret.). With Ted now based in Ho Chi Minh City as our Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director, our presence in the region is strong. After 20 months in the region, I know many of you and have learned a lot about your companies. I’m excited to connect with more member companies in the weeks ahead—please don’t hesitate to reach out to Yasmine (yrahmaan@usasean.org) if you’d like to schedule a time to meet or talk by phone about how USABC can best support your company’s goals in the ASEAN region.
As part of our strategic reconfiguration to better serve our members, I’m pleased to share that Mario Masaya assumed the role of Vice President for Research and Digital Policy in July. Mario has been with the Council since 2014 and has been nothing short of exceptional. I have no doubt he will do great things in his new role.
It’s also been a busy month in Washington, D.C. on the Southeast Asia front. The Trump Administration announced reciprocal tariff framework deals with three ASEAN nations— Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with Vietnam being among the few to finalize a deal ahead of President Trump's July 9th deadline, which subsequently was extended to August 1st. While official details about these three framework deals have only been released for Indonesia, it’s encouraging to see positive momentum with ASEAN countries in these negotiations. The Council has actively supported the negotiating processes by creating opportunities for members to engage ASEAN trade delegations and by engaging in conversations with U.S. government officials including Deputies in Treasury and USTR. As we look ahead, we will continue to organize opportunities for members to engage administration officials like the July 25th conversation we organized for members of the Council’s Board and the Trade and Tariffs Working Group with Treasury’s Assistant Secretary for International Trade and Development Francis Brooke.
Over the past few weeks, our team has also been deeply engaged with member companies, ASEAN partners, and U.S. government stakeholders to advance critical conversations on trade, investment, and regional resilience.
Earlier this month, the Council and 3M hosted a warm and gracious welcome reception in my honor. I was truly honored to be received by such a distinguished gathering of Washington’s Southeast Asia policy community, including ASEAN ambassadors and embassy officials, U.S. government representatives, and leaders from our member companies.
From July 9–11, I had the privilege of joining the US-ASEAN Business Council’s Board of Directors in Hanoi for our semi-annual Board Meeting and a series of high-level engagements with senior Vietnamese government and business leaders. Our visit coincided with the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations and followed important bilateral trade discussions with the U.S. administration. The trip culminated in a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and members of his cabinet, where we exchanged views on trade, investment, and economic reform. I was especially proud to mark my official transition to Interim President & CEO during this visit. We also hosted a special reception on July 10 to celebrate the private sector’s contributions to U.S.-Vietnam relations, bringing together key leaders from the diplomatic and business communities.
Over in Singapore, the Council led its largest-ever delegation of 29 U.S. companies for our annual Business Mission from July 14-17. We engaged Deputy Prime Minister Gan and senior officials from key ministries and statutory boards on priorities including trade, digital transformation, and regional innovation. The mission reaffirmed Singapore’s position as a trusted global hub, and our meetings emphasized areas where the U.S. private sector can help accelerate progress on national and regional goals, including smart city development, green energy, and digital economy initiatives.
The Council also conducted its first Financial Services Mission to Indonesia on July 9–10, engaging senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, Financial Services Authority (OJK), Indonesia Stock Exchange, and the ASEAN Secretariat. In collaboration with OJK and the Stock Exchange, we also hosted a Financial Services Roundtable for more than 60 stakeholders. Discussions centered on AI, data systems, ESG, innovation, and market resilience.
To support national alignment and readiness for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), the Council—together with Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs—held a DEFA In-Country Workshop in Jakarta on June 30. The event fostered public-private dialogue on core DEFA priorities, such as digital product treatment, market openness, cybersecurity, and cross-border data flows. The workshop reflects our continued commitment to supporting policymakers and accelerating DEFA implementation ahead of its anticipated conclusion in 2025.
We were also honored to host Ambassador Steve Lang, U.S. Coordinator for International Information and Communications Policy, for our Q2 ICT Committee Meeting on July 1. I had the privilege of moderating a rich discussion with Ambassador Lang on AI, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). As he prepares for retirement, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude for his 30+ year career in the Foreign Service. We also thank Cisco for generously hosting the event and all the members who participated.
In partnership with the Social & Economic Research Initiative (SERI), the Council launched a new white paper titled “Driving ASEAN Unity: Malaysia’s Vision for 2025” on July 10. The paper highlights Malaysia’s five key ASEAN chairmanship priorities: Digital Economy, Workforce Development, Healthcare, Sustainability, and Energy Transition. We look forward to working closely with Malaysian stakeholders and our member companies to advance this agenda in 2025.
Lastly, as someone still new in this role, I’m especially grateful for the warm welcome and strong support I’ve received from so many of you. It’s been a pleasure to work with our excellent DC team and meet many of you, and I look forward to deepening our collaboration in the months ahead. The Council’s work depends on your engagement, and I’m excited to continue advancing our shared goals across Southeast Asia together.
Best Regards,
Brian
UPCOMING EVENTS
Cybersecurity Workshop — Malaysia (August 5)
On August 5, the Council will convene senior Malaysian policymakers and U.S. industry representatives in Kuala Lumpur for a cybersecurity policy workshop. Titled Securing Malaysia’s Digital Future, the program builds on our successful cybersecurity engagement in Indonesia and will explore pressing issues such as AI governance, online safety, and cybersecurity resilience in critical sectors. Please contact Jileen Yong for more information.
AI Workshop – Malaysia (August 12)
As an official partner of the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit, the Council will host its first AI-focused workshop on August 12 in Kuala Lumpur. The program will spotlight ASEAN’s AI safety landscape and discuss responsible AI development across the lifecycle. It will bring together members of the ASEAN Working Group on AI Governance and other key players for practical dialogue and solution-sharing.
Philippines Business Mission (August 12-14)
The Council invites senior executives to join its annual Philippines Business Mission, taking place in Metro Manila from August 12 to 14. The mission will feature in-person meetings with senior Philippine government officials and key stakeholders, focusing on inclusive growth, regulatory modernization, workforce development, and regional economic resilience. The program aligns with the Philippines’ national priorities and preparations for its 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship. For more information, you may reach out to Angelica Ortega (aortega@usasean.org).
Aerospace & Defense (ADS) Mission to the Philippines (August 14-15)
From August 14 to 15, the Council will lead an Aerospace, Defense, and Security (ADS) mission to the Philippines, spotlighting key sectors such as defense systems, civilian aerospace, dual-use and autonomous technologies, secure communications, and cyber capabilities, while advancing opportunities for co-production, joint development, technology transfer, and workforce development. These efforts aim to strengthen national security, build resilient supply chains, and cultivate a skilled workforce, offering U.S. companies significant prospects for long-term engagement. Proposed engagements include senior Philippine defense and security leaders, such as the Secretary of National Defense, Armed Forces Chief of Staff, service branch commanders, and key civilian and legislative stakeholders involved in defense policy and industry development. For more information, please contact Chuck Casey (ccasey@usasean.org).
Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Program (August 20-21)
On August 20–21, the Council will lead a delegation to explore opportunities within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Our meetings with government counterparts in both Singapore and Johor Bahru, as well as site visits, aim to advance U.S. private sector engagement in this important bilateral initiative. Interested companies should reach out to Christine Wan and Jannica Tjandra.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Please join me in welcoming several new additions to the Council’s team.
Max Knight has transitioned to the role of Membership and Business Development Associate, also supporting our Financial Services and Public Affairs portfolios. Max holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, where he specialized in Economic and Political Development and Data Analytics.
Jannica Tjandra returns to our Jakarta office as Strategic Initiatives Associate after previously serving as a Council fellow. She brings strong academic grounding in Political Economy and International Social Policy from King’s College London and LSE, respectively.
We’re also glad to welcome Chris Zoromski as Special Assistant to the President and CEO. Chris was a two-term intern with us and recently earned his degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.
Finally, after seven years, the Council bids farewell to Lilibeth Almonte-Arbez, Senior Director for Maritime Southeast Asia, International Trade Policy, and Sustainability. The Council will miss her meticulous planning skills and legal and regulatory expertise.
); and for queries related to Food and Agriculture, please reach out to Hai Pham (hpham@usasean.org).
COUNCIL IN THE NEWS
30 years of Việt Nam-US relations normalisation: Past achievements, future prospects - Viet Nam News
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