Page 40 - ASEAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2019

40 ABIS 2019

SINGAPORE

Our way of life and business operations are greatly influenced by
the widespread adoption of cyber-physical systems, internet of things,
cloud computing, cognitive computing and artificial intelligence.
As ASEAN moves towards 4.0, ASEAN business community will
need to level up their capabilities in 4.0 to remain relevant in the new
era. Embarking onto the 4.0 transformation journey to be relevant in the
new era, goes beyond having the latest hardware technology, software
DR. ROBERT YAP
capability, in terms of human empowerment and development, as well
as ‘Heartware Readiness’, in terms of mindset across the company, are
equally important factors to be developed.

VIETNAM

We wish to convey our profound congratulations to the ASEAN-
BAC Thai Team headed by our 2019 Chair, Khun Arin Jira, for the
forthcoming ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in November
2-3 in Bangkok. ASEAN-BAC Chairmanship is always a daunting
responsibility. But we have witnessed the admirable leadership of
Khun Arin to ensure a most memorable chairmanship year under
Thailand. This year’s ABIS promises to be a most powerful and highly-
DR. DOAN DUY
KHUONG anticipated event by business and industry leaders which is anchored
on the chairmanship theme of “Empowering ASEAN 4.0”. The impact
and relevance of the forces of the 4IR on business across ASEAN and beyond will be brought to bear
during the summit.
As Vietnam takes over the helm of the ASEAN-BAC Chairmanship in 2020, we stand to learn
much from ASEAN-BAC Thailand’s chairmanship and hopefully build on its achievements. Of
great importance to us is the impact of 4IR and the challenge of translating its many elements as
opportunities to hasten the integration and harmonization of the ASEAN Economic Community.
The need to facilitate and drill down the realization of a Single Market under the AEC 2025 Strategic
Blueprint must be given the push it truly deserves. For as long as ASEAN remains to be an economic
patchwork that features a disconnected and misaligned trade policy environment, the AEC can
never take off and realize its dreams and aspirations towards prosperity for all.
In this regard, the private business sector through the ASEAN-BAC must take on a bigger
role in partnering with ASEAN to hasten the much need reforms towards AEC. And we are happy
that ASEAN-BAC Thailand has helped strengthened that partnership in realizing the AEC dream.
Congratulations and best wishes to ASEAN-BAC Thailand!