Page 44 - ASEAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2019

44 ABIS 2019

ASEAN-BAC’S 2019

Legacy Project

AHEAD

(ASEAN Human Empowerment

And Development)

ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) has chosen the 2019 Theme of “Empowering
ASEAN 4.0” which is pretty much aligned with ASEAN Chairmanship‘s 2019 theme of “Advancing
Partnership for Sustainability” which is focused on digital economy, digital connectivity and
sustainability. The ASEAN-BAC ‘s theme also looks to the future, with an emphasis on four main
drivers, namely digital infrastructure, digital connectivity, digital workforce (or human capital
empowerment), and digital MSMEs. Of these main drivers, ASEAN-BAC has recognized the
importance of human capital empowerment as a precondition to compete in the digital era. This
matter has been elevated up as ASEAN-BAC’s 2019 Legacy Project, that is a special project undertaken
by the ASEAN-BAC Thailand Chairmanship in the name of “ASEAN Human Empowerment And
Development (AHEAD)”.

The AHEAD Legacy Project is anchored on digital transformation that is designed to transform
skilled workforce and professional services across ASEAN, through upskilling and reskilling and
discovering new jobs via intensive research and development in human capital empowerment. This
project is aimed at increasing awareness, knowledge, and preparation for digitalization, addressing
challenges and opportunities of digital transformation toward human capital development, and
pushing forward ASEAN’s action agenda toward 4IR.

During 2019, the AHEAD project has been implemented in various ways. Firstly, the seminars
and symposiums have been conducted to increase awareness of human capital issues in advocacy
platforms, in collaboration with the Department of Trade Negotiations, the Office of Industrial