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Perth lawyer spearheads new network for Asian business
An in-house lawyer has organised the first gathering of an alliance of Asian business councils, chambers and associations, as part of an effort to connect the community with the state government’s Asian Engagement Portfolio.
Melissa Coade
A special gala dinner to host the first event for the Asian Business Alliance (ABA) in Western Australia was held at the Hyatt Regency Perth earlier this month.
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Perth-based lawyer Peter Le, who works for hotel owner Tuan Sing Holdings Limited, organised the event. He said the objective of the ABA was to facilitate collaboration and cross networking within the Asian Business Community.
“The purpose of the ABA is to be a united voice, a collective greater voice,” Mr Le said.
“Going forward, the ABA will engage the West Australian Government on policies to promote not just trade and commerce, but also culture, tourism and education,” he added.
WA is increasingly viewed as having certain regional advantages given its geographic location and sharing a time zone with major international commercial hubs in Asia such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
Opportunities to be found in Asian markets, from Perth, have also become a major focus of the WA government. WA recently established its first dedicated Asian Engagement Portfolio.
A new report released by Asialink Business has said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be used by Australian companies in the future as more of a launch pad to enter other Asian and international markets. By 2030, the 10-nation region is expected to become the world’s fourth largest economy.
Asialink Business CEO, Mukund Narayanamurti said that it was time for Australian business to “deep-dive” into the dynamic opportunities in the ASEAN region.
“General awareness is rising — but if we really want to be part of ASEAN’s growth story, then businesses need deep market insights and practical skills to navigate these complex and competitive markets,” Mr Narayanamurti said.
The ABA describes itself as an alliance of a number of local Asian business councils, chambers and associations. Mr Le is the groups inaugural chair, as well as the president of the WA branch of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association and vice president of the WA Vietnam Business Council.
According to Mr Le, the state government has supported the ABA since its inception.
Bill Johnston MLA, the state minister for Asian Engagement, was the keynote speaker for the ABA’s Thursday 17 May event.
John Poulsen, former Managing Partner of Minter Ellison and Squire Patton Boggs, was master of ceremonies for the event.
Pictured above L-R: Peter Le (Chair of the ABA and Vice President of the WA Vietnam Business Council), Philip Lin (President of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce WA), Mathew Clarke (President of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association), Hon. Bill Johnston (Minister for Asian Engagement), Young Yu (Chairman of the Australian Korean Business Association), Eugene Lim (CEO, Singaporean Chamber of Commerce WA), and MC John Poulsen.
