A high-profile Australian trade and investment mission is visiting the Philippines this week, with representatives of 14 key investment funds and corporations including global financial services group Macquarie Group joining the two-day affair.
The Australian embassy in the Philippines said that the mission has been scheduled from September 5 to 6.
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“Australia is continuing to seek opportunities to partner with the Philippines to help it reach its ambition to be an upper middle-income economy soon,” Australian Ambassador to Manila Hae Kyong Yu said in a statement.
Strategic partnership
“This business mission is our strategic partnership in action. The Philippines’ need for high-quality investment in capital, expertise, and technology aligns perfectly with Australia’s strengths,” she added.
Australia’s business champion for the Philippines and Macquarie Groupʼs managing director and chief executive officer Shemara Wikramanayake is leading the delegation.
Institutional investors and corporate officials from the agribusiness, resources, infrastructure and digital sectors will join the mission, according to the embassy.
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These include C-level executives from Australia’s pension fund, the Australian Super and Future Fund, and institutional investor IFM Investors and Investible.
Officials from the Plenary Group, EMR Capital, ANZ and Telstra, as well as key agribusiness players Bega Foods, Costa Group, GrainCorp, Sunrice and Pristine Pacific will also be there.
The delegation is also expected to meet with senior Philippine government officials, as well as representatives from local conglomerates, and Australian companies operating in the country.
Opportunities
“Consultations with the Philippine government will focus on investment opportunities and regulatory framework in agrifood, infrastructure, transportation, and energy sectors, where Australia’s expertise complements the Philippines’ capabilities and aligns with the Philippine Government’s priorities,” said the Australian embassy.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will also conduct a briefing on co-investment opportunities.
To date, there are more than 250 major companies from Australia operating in the Philippines, employing over 44,000 Filipinos, according to the Australian embassy. INQ