Asia House digital series convenes senior officials amid coronavirus crisis

Asia House is running a series of digital briefings with senior officials to keep our global network informed as the world grapples with the coronavirus crisis.

The digital briefings range from exclusive private sessions for Corporate Members only, to broader discussions with a wider global audience. The series features government officials, experts and decision makers from across Asia, the UK and the US.

Upcoming digital briefings include Nazir Razak, former Chairman of CIMB Group and Asia House Advisory Board member, who will discuss Malaysia’s efforts to combat the coronavirus amid pressing economic challenges, as well as the dramatic and volatile political situation in the country.

Dr Robert Koopman, Chief Economist, World Trade Organization and leader of a WTO coronavirus taskforce, will brief Corporate Members on the potential impact of COVID-19 on global trade, as well as the WTO’s response to the crisis, on April 2.

And with the Asian Development Bank taking a lead role in addressing the economic fallout of the pandemic, Ahmed Saeed, ADB Vice President, will update Corporate Members on the steps being taken during a digital briefing on April 7.

Jon Lambe, UK Ambassador to ASEAN, will brief Corporate Members on April 8, and Barbara Weisel, former Assistant USTR for Southeast Asia, will share her insights on the policy responses in the US when she briefs us from Washington DC on April 16.

How COVID-19 will reshape trade and investment in the Gulf will be the focus of a roundtable discussion with DIFC on April 22, convened as part of the Asia House Middle East Programme.

The coronavirus pandemic is also disrupting trade globally, including the UK’s efforts to forge new trade relationships for a future outside the EU. Crawford Falconer, Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser, UK Government, will share insights on the UK’s progress on trade deals amid the challenges posed by COVID-19 on April 27.

Asia House will also be hosting a videoconference with the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) on COVID-19, the impact on the Chinese economy and society, and the implications for the global economy. The webinar, which takes place on 30 April, will follow the release of CKGSB’s monthly business conditions index. Professor Li Wei will present details from the report before taking part in a Q&A.

The digital briefings run alongside Asia House’s ongoing activities to support businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, including our regular advisory notes to members on the situation in Asian and Middle East countries.

Briefings in the series so far have included Dame Barbara Woodward, British Ambassador to China, who shared insights from the ground in  Beijing, and Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong SAR, who updated Corporate Members as Hong Kong moved to shore up its beleaguered economy. Asia House Corporate Members joined the digital briefings from around the world, and had the opportunity to put questions to the speakers.

More digital events are being planned as part of the series. Keep an eye on the website and our regular emails for further additions to the programme.

To find out more, please contact Evie Cramb, Programme Coordinator, at evie.cramb@asiahouse.co.uk

See all upcoming events here

Asia House services

Asia House offers a range of services to support businesses and organisations, including bespoke events, online briefings, research, political intelligence, and stakeholder engagement and strategic communications advice. We are also running a coronavirus monitoring service, bringing together key public health and economic data, as well as the latest policy responses, from across Asia. These reports are shared with Corporate Members each week.

For more information about these services, including Asia House’s coronavirus monitoring reports, please contact Sarah King, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, at: sarah.king@asiahouse.co.uk