Tag: ASEAN

Bangkok, Thailand – The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion of Thailand (OSMEP), in association with the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and the Federal Government of Germany and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) have spearheaded the launch of the ASEAN Access MATCH, a business matching platform, with a view to boosting trade within and beyond the ASEAN region.

Said platform is the newest feature of the ASEAN Access, the online portal for business information on trade and market access in ASEAN launched in June 2021. The platform offers registered members of the ASEAN Access platform the opportunity to be a part of an international business community and create visibility for their businesses beyond the region.

In his keynote address, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Veerapong Malai, director-general of OSMEP Thailand, said, “The MATCH’s feature will be a gamechanger in connecting enterprises across ASEAN and beyond to remain relevant in the global supply chain by establishing business connections from MATCH services which include live market information events, 1-2-1 matchmaking meetings, and product and technologies showcasing opportunities.”

Meanwhile, Reinhold Elges, country director at GIZ Thailand, highlighted the convenience of connecting to businesses abroad offered by the ASEAN Access MATCH.

“ASEAN Access MATCH will allow these businesses and entrepreneurs to connect with buyers and suppliers in ASEAN and beyond, at the click of a button. No more extensive travelling to meet a potential client, and no more travelling and accommodation costs when meeting suppliers. ASEAN Access MATCH will allow businesses to connect virtually with one another and showcase their products and services, free of charge,” he stated.

The ASEAN Access contributes to the implementation of the ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for SME Development 2016 – 2025 which envisions to create globally competitive MSMEs that are seamlessly integrated into the ASEAN community by focusing on initiatives to promote productivity, technology and innovation; increase access to finance, enhance market access and internationalisation; enhance policy and regulatory environment and promote entrepreneurship and human capital development.

Bangkok, Thailand – In line with the celebration of International MSME Day on 27 June, the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME), the body responsible for strengthening MSMEs’ participation in ASEAN, has recently launched ASEAN Access – a one-stop business information gateway for international-oriented businesses to expand their market outreach within the ASEAN. 

According to ASEAN Organization, intra-ASEAN trade accounts for the largest share of ASEAN’s trade, reaching 22.5% of total merchandise in 2019, indicating a high level of interdependence among the ASEAN Member States. With the ongoing pandemic, many businesses within the region were severely impacted by the drastic reduction in demands for goods and services. However, it was also an opportune moment for accelerating businesses’ digital transformation and diversification of sources. 

The ASEAN Access, with the tagline ‘Your Business Information Gateway to ASEAN and Beyond’, is a portal that aims to facilitate internationalization efforts among MSMEs by providing trade-related information and market opportunities for ASEAN businesses from both suppliers and customer sides, at no cost, for them to make informed decisions before entering a particular ASEAN market.

The platform, which is flagship initiative of the ACCMSME with the support of Thailand’s Office of SMEs Promotion (OSMEP), and the Federal Government of Germany and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), is designed to connect businesses to service providers in areas of distribution, transportation and logistics, market research, and consultancy on intellectual properties, as well as laws, and regulations, among others.

The team behind the ASEAN Access, comprising the public and private sectors, will be pooling their resources to operationalize and provide services to the portal, including business matching services, which are scheduled to be available by the end of 2021.

ASEAN Economic Community’s Deputy Secretary-General Satvinder Singh welcomed the ASEAN Access as the latest addition to ASEAN’s trade facilitation support for businesses operating in the region. Singh urged the national focal points to actively play their roles to promote, contribute content, and secure quality service providers, ensuring the portal serves its purpose for the ASEAN business community.

Meanwhile, Dato’ Suriani binti Dato’ Ahmad, the chair of ACCMSME and the secretary-general of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives of Malaysia, noted that the launch of the portal is timely, given the prevalent use of digital platforms among businesses as one of the adaptive measures employed to survive the pandemic.

ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC)’s Chair Dr. Yanty Rahman said, “We should address the need to enhance business to business and people to people interaction through effective engagement and connectivity as our central purpose of recovery efforts must be to serve the needs of the community.”

ASEAN Access also contributes to the implementation of the ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for SME Development 2016–2025, which envisions creating globally competitive MSMEs that are seamlessly integrated into the ASEAN community by focusing on initiatives to promote productivity, technology, and innovation. 

It increases access to finance, enhances market access, and internationalization, as well as enhances policy and regulatory environment, and promotes entrepreneurship and human capital development.

Bangkok, Thailand – Japanese automaker Nissan has announced three new changes in the senior management of the company’s presence in the ASEAN region, a part of their midterm plan streamlining operation, financial stability and profitability.

Isao Sekiguchi (left of banner picture) has been appointed as regional vice president for marketing and sales in ASEAN, where he will report to Yukio Ito, corporate vice president for marketing and sales in Japan-ASEAN and is effective starting December 1, 2020.

Prior to his position, he worked for Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corporation, and is responsible for managing automotive companies based in US, Germany, and Slovakia. He later joined Nissan in 2014 as managing director for Nissan North Africa and Egypt, and later on as president director for Nissan Motor Indonesia.

Yutaka Sanada (center of banner picture) is promoted as Nissan’s corporate vice president for corporate strategy and special projects, and will report to Hideaki Watanabe, senior vice president for corporate strategy, new mobility, corporate governance, corporate management, board of directors office. Sanada joined Nissan in 1999 and has held various positions concerning logistics, sales and marketing, production and supply chain management. More recently, he was Nissan’s regional senior vice president and head of Asia & Oceania (A&O) operations.

“Sanada has been instrumental in strengthening the Asia & Oceania region and in driving a focused strategy. He has created a strong, customer-focused organization that makes us well-positioned to tap into new opportunities. In his new role, Sanada’s deep understanding of the business will further support the execution of the Nissan NEXT transformation plan,” said Ashwani Gupta, chief operating officer at Nissan.

Former corporate vice president for Nissan Japan business Yukio Ito (right of banner picture) has been promoted as Nissan corporate vice president marketing and sales for the Japan-ASEAN region, and will report to Asako Hoshino, executive vice president for brand champion, global marketing and sales, global customer experience, MC chairperson for Nissan Japan-ASEAN.

Sanada and Ito’s appointments are effective by January 1, 2021.

The senior management shuffle is part of Nissan NEXT, the company’s corporate revamp, including new car models and market realignment to four key regions: Japan-ASEAN, China, Americas and AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe & Oceania).