The Council will deeply miss working with Ambassador Virachai and will always remember his great contributions to the Washington D.C. community and the advancement of the U.S.-Thai economic relationship.

On February 12, 2019, the Council hosted a farewell luncheon for H.E. Ambassador Budi Bowoleksono before his return to Indonesia after five years of service in Washington, DC. Ambassador Bowoleksono has made tremendous progress in promoting U.S.-Indonesia relations and it has been our pleasure working with Ambassador Bowoleksono in Washington.

From January 15-17, the Council held its second engagement with the 22nd Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers (M-ATM) in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. The Council’s delegates to the ministerial comprised of senior executives from leading companies across the travel and tourism value chain. During the consultation session with the ASEAN National Tourism Organizations, the Council explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration through multiple platforms, such as organizing a panel on the role of the digital economy in travel and tourism, and business mission road shows to ASEAN countries, among others.

On December 5, the US-ASEAN Business Council hosted a plenary working luncheon with 20 ICT Ministers and Senior Officials from all 10 ASEAN Countries, as well as the Secretary Generals of ASEAN and the ITU, as part of its 2018 Business Mission to the ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers and Senior Officials Meetings (TELMIN/TELSOM). A delegation of 13 companies was led by the Chair of the Council's ICT Committee, Naveen Menon, President for ASEAN of Cisco Systems, Alexander C. Feldman, President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council; and Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, Council Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director.

2018 Malaysia Business Mission - On October 18, the US-ASEAN Business Council met with Malaysia's 4th and 7th Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, as part of its 2018 Malaysia Business Mission.  A delegation of 28 companies was led by the Chair of the Council's Malaysia Committee, Ramzi Toubassy, CEO Amlife Insurance Berhad, Alexander C. Feldman, President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council; and Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, Council Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director

On September 19, the Council, BSA | The Software Alliance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce co-hosted a dinner dialogue and a cyber security briefing, bringing together leaders of the American business community and ASEAN Ministers and senior officials responsible for cybersecurity, participating in the Singapore International Cyber Week 2018.

The US-ASEAN Business Council concluded its business mission to the 50th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting in Singapore, with 17 U.S. companies engaging key economic officials on regional and bilateral trade and investment issues. This year marks the Council’s 19th annual meeting with all ten ASEAN Economic Ministers. Ambassador Jeffrey Gerrish, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, led the consultation as part of the AEM-USTR Dialogue.

The US-ASEAN Business Council met with H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.), Prime Minister of Thailand, during its annual Thailand Business Mission on June 28, 2018. The delegation of 38 companies was co-led by the Chairman of the Council’s Board of Directors, Keith Williams, President, CEO and Trustee of Underwriters Laboratories (UL); Alexander C. Feldman, President & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council; Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council; and the Council’s Thailand Committee Chair, Brad Middleton, Managing Director, Chevron Asia South.

The US-ASEAN Business Council welcomed three featured speakers at our annual gala dinner: Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Industrial Competitiveness Jeffrey D. Gerrish (and now Acting President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States), Rep. Joaquin Castro, co-chair of the U.S. Congressional Caucus on ASEAN, and Rep. Ted Yoho, Chair of the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.