Philippine Ambassador Welcomes UK-ASEAN Business Council Chief Executive to Strengthen Bilateral Trade Relations

On 28th June 2024, Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr. welcomed Mr Ian Gibbons, Chief Executive of the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), to the Philippine Embassy in London. Their meeting focused on enhancing the Philippines-UK bilateral relationship, particularly through bolstering two-way trade and investment. Ambassador Locsin extended an invitation to British businesses, encouraging them to invest in one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia.

Mr Gibbons shared his thoughts on the meeting via LinkedIn, expressing his pleasure in meeting the Ambassador. "The Ambassador’s focus is on raising the profile of the Philippines and on securing increased investment from the UK," he noted. Highlighting the significant funding in the infrastructure sector over the past decade, Gibbons pointed out the resulting opportunities for investment in the industry. However, he also mentioned the challenge for the Philippines in distinguishing itself from other ASEAN and APAC countries.

During their discussion, Mr Gibbons invited Ambassador Locsin to speak at a UKABC event for its members, an invitation the Ambassador gladly accepted. He also agreed to seek feedback from the Philippine business community on their procurement needs from the UK.

Mr Gibbons provided an overview of UKABC activities, particularly their engagement in the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit in collaboration with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC). While this year’s focus is on Laos, and Malaysia in 2025, he emphasised that "all roads lead to the Philippines in 2026."