The UK-ASEAN Business Council welcomes the announcement by CPTPP members that preparatory discussions will begin with the Philippines and Indonesia on their potential accession to the agreement.

The UK-ASEAN Business Council attended a roundtable discussion in London on the business case for a potential UK-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The event was organised by BritCham Indonesia and hosted at the Embassy of Indonesia in London.

The UK-ASEAN Business Council welcomes the launch of negotiations for the Malaysia-UK Digital Trade Agreement. Once concluded, the agreement will represent a significant milestone in the UK-Malaysia bilateral relationship and support UK businesses seeking to engage with the continued growth of Malaysia and ASEAN’s digital economy.

Fresh from leading a delegation alongside TheCityUK to present to ASEAN Deputy Finance Ministers and Bank Governors in Manila, the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC) held its inaugural meeting with the ASEAN London Committee (ALC) - the body comprising the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of all eleven ASEAN member states based in London.

The UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC) is pleased to announce the successful delivery of the 5th UK-ASEAN Business Forum 2026, held at HSBC’s global headquarters in Canary Wharf, London.

UK-ASEAN Business Council CEO, Ian Gibbons OBE, is delighted to announce that Siderise has joined the UK‑ASEAN Business Council as a new member.

UKABC was delighted to welcome Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, back to the UK for a business dialogue and networking reception marking the 5th anniversary of the UK’s Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN.

ASEAN must be inclusive - not only working with big business, but especially for MSMEs and micro enterprises. This was the key message from Joey Concepcion III, ASEAN BAC Chair 2026, at the first Joint Business Council meeting for the year.

UK-ASEAN Business Council’s online dialogue on strengthening UK-ASEAN energy cooperation highlighted how the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) is moving from long-term vision to near-term execution, with opportunities for UK businesses across sectors.

Brunei Darussalam is advancing a carefully sequenced economic transformation - strengthening fiscal resilience, accelerating diversification, and pursuing a pragmatic energy transition aligned with long-term sustainability. As the country broadens its economic base beyond upstream hydrocarbons, there is a strong policy focus on downstream and value-added activities, alongside the development of new growth sectors, modern infrastructure, and future-ready human capital.

UKABC Chief Executive, Ian Gibbons OBE, and Chief Operating Officer, Ben Raby, visited the Royal Cambodia Embassy to meet the Cambodian Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Tuot Panha.

2025 has been a landmark year for the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), marked by strengthened trade relationships, deeper policy engagement, and a sustained programme of high-impact activity across the UK and Southeast Asia.

British pharmaceutical companies are set to gain up to £250 million over the next five years as part of a Vietnamese law change that makes it easier to sell UK-made medicines to the country.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy delivered a speech on diplomacy in the digital age whilst in Singapore.

Britain will deepen relations with countries across the Indo-Pacific to bring together UK and Southeast Asian innovation and technology to drive economic growth and create new business opportunities at key meetings in Malaysia today (Friday, 11 July).

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Kingdom today officially launched the ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership Programme (HSP), a five-year programme, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as a major new initiative aimed at strengthening Southeast Asia’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats.

As featured in the newly released Investing in ASEAN 2025|2026 publication, UKABC Chair, The Rt Hon. the Lord Vaizey of Didcot, shares his perspective on the UK’s growing strategic partnership with ASEAN. In his op-ed, Lord Vaizey outlines the economic opportunities for UK businesses across the region and highlights the significance of deepening digital, trade, and sustainability cooperation.

The UK-ASEAN Business Council was delighted to host Matt Western MP, UK Trade Envoy to Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, on 4 June for an exclusive UKABC partner briefing. This was the second in our series of dialogues with UK Trade Envoys following our initial session with Naz Shah MP.

Lord Vaizey, Ian Gibbons, and Ben Raby attended a lunch discussion hosted by Cheong Boon Png, Chair of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), in London this week. We were delighted that UKABC partners, including Arup, AstraZeneca, KPMG, Mott MacDonald, Prudential plc and Standard Chartered were able to join us for the opportunity to engage in discussions and explore broader regional ASEAN collaboration amidst current economic trends and challenges. BAE Systems, Element Materials Technology, and Plexal were also present.

UKABC was delighted to work alongside the UK Department for Business and Trade and the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry to host a briefing and reception to celebrate the inaugural UK-Philippines Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).