The US-ASEAN Business Council met with Indonesia President Joko Widodo during its Annual Indonesia Business Mission on March 13 at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. The delegation of 41 US companies was co-led by Alexander C. Feldman, President & CEO of the Council, Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, Council's Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director, and the Chair of the Council's Indonesia Committee Madhusudan Gopalan, President Director of P&G Indonesia.

On March 7, the US-ASEAN Business Council met with Philippine Secretary of Finance Carlos Dominguez III during its annual Philippines Business Mission in Manila. The delegation of 23 U.S. companies was co-led by Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, the Council's Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director, and Mr. Marc Mealy, the Council's Vice President for Policy.

The Council held its annual ASEAN Secretariat Business Mission in Jakarta, with 12 leading U.S. companies engaging top officials from the ASEAN Secretariat, including recently-appointed Secretary-General H.E. Lim Jock Hoi, to further develop longstanding commercial ties with the region. The Mission was co-led by Alex Feldman, the Council’s President & CEO; Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, the Council’s Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director; and Chair of the Council’s ASEAN Committee, Archawat Chareonsilp, ASEAN Public Affairs and Communications Director of the Coca-Cola Company.

On December 11, 2017, the Council hosted a Welcome Luncheon in honor of H.E. Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, the Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States, who formally assumed his post on November 29. The event featured remarks from the Council’s President & CEO Alexander Feldman; Mr. Vance Y. Hum, CEO of I.M. Systems Group; and Mr. Jon Huenemann, Vice Chair of the Philippines Committee and Vice President of U.S. & International Corporate Affairs at Philip Morris International.

The US-ASEAN Business Council met with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during its annual Myanmar Business Mission to Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. The delegation of 14 companies also met with key economic Ministers and the Myanmar private sector.

Celebrating ASEAN@50 and 40 years of U.S.-ASEAN Relations at its Board of Directors’ Dinner in Singapore, the US-ASEAN Business Council hosted a panel on ASEAN’s Digital Economy. The panel was moderated by Council Chairman and President, CEO & Trustee of UL, Keith Williams, and featured Robert Yap Min Choy and Douglas Foo from the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, and David Koh, Chief Executive of the Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore.

On October 3, the US-ASEAN Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted a dinner in honor of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha of Thailand during his official visit to Washington, D.C. The dinner also featured remarks by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. President Donald Trump hosted Prime Minister Prayut at the White House the day prior to discuss further strengthening of U.S.-Thai bilateral relations.

The Council organized a high-level business delegation to accompany U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to Thailand and Laos. The group of six companies was led by Keith Williams, Chair, US-ASEAN Business Council Board of Directors and President, CEO and Trustee, UL. The Council delegation accompanied Secretary Ross’s meetings with H.E. Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand and other senior officials.

On September 12, the US-ASEAN Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted a dinner in honor of Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia during his visit to Washington, D.C. The dinner also featured remarks by Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Elizabeth Erin Walsh. President Donald Trump hosted Prime Minister Najib at the White House earlier the same day to strengthen the Comprehensive Partnership and celebrate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.