Reflections on my recent Austrade Trade Mission to the Philippines
Chris Levanes
Business Leader | ex- Microsoft, Red Hat, HP, Lumen | CMO, Product Management, Government Relations, Strategy, Business Operations
For more than two decades, I have had close affinity with the Philippines.?
This began back in the early 2000’s, from the first of many work trips to this vibrant and exciting country whilst working for Red Hat and then Microsoft. I am also a Director of a Philippines charity organization – High Five Sports Philippines – which since 2008, has been running sports related programs that support street and underprivileged kids.? And last, but by certainly not least, I have my loving Filipino family, and many Filipino friends living there and aboard.
So it was with immense pleasure that last month I was able to represent Telstra on another Austrade Trade Mission in South East Asia (SEA), this time to the Philippines.
The mission stemmed from the release of the “Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 Report” by the Australian Federal Government and the up leveling of the Australian/Philippines bilateral relationship to a “Strategic Partnership”. Both occurred in September 2023.?
The mission was extremely well planned by the stellar Austrade team. Over 2 days, myself and fellow delegates heard from and engaged with senior executives and leaders from industry and government, including:
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Without exception, the trade mission sessions were impressive.? They conveyed that SEA as a bloc is projected to be the 4th largest economy by 2040.? In 2024, Philippines is the fastest growing economy in SEA and 2nd highest in Asia-Pacific – forecasted to be at 6% this calendar year.? The sessions also illuminated the solid economic foundation that has been built by previous administrations, and the progressive policy changes enacted by the current Philippines administration to continue to fuel accelerated growth.
From a professional perspective, I have watched the economic progression of the Philippines over the last 2 decades. Its sustained growth is remarkable and is projected to continue at an accelerated rate.? It represents?outstanding opportunities for businesses to continue to expand/diversify their supply chains, or acquire new markets and customers.?
I was also inspired from a personal viewpoint. Through my charity involvement, I have seen firsthand the degree of poverty that still exists within the Philippines. ?I applaud the vision of the government.? Investments in roads/bridges, energy, water and digital infrastructure seeks to enable a future of prosperity for their entire population.
Over 15 years’ experience in International Trade | Strategy and Execution | Business Development | Investment Attraction and Facilitation | Stakeholder Engagement | Growth & Partnership | Government Relations
5 个月Thanks so much Chris for sharing your reflections and feedback on the recent business mission to the ???? We need more advocates like you who has first-hand experience in the market. It’s not an easy market to crack but with persistence, good people on the ground and help from able partners, the rewards and returns are high! Look forward to have you back in Manila soon.
Strategic Business Leader | Alliances & Ecosystem Expert | Growth and Transformation GTM Architect. WIICTA innovation winner
5 个月Insightful read, thanks Chris Levanes
Government Relations, Public Policy and Strategy, Tech Policy Advocacy, Business Development
5 个月Great post Chris Levanes . Agree that economic progression of the Philippines over over the last 2 decades has advanced significantly. Their sustained growth is remarkable and is projected to continue at an accelerated rate. A good indicator for other markets in SEA for benchmarking.