UBS held its 7th flagship OneASEAN Conference in Bangkok for the first time from September 16 to 17, bringing together 170 institutional investors to discuss the significant growth of the region and momentum of ASEAN markets. It marked the first time UBS hosted its ASEAN investment conference in Thailand, reflecting its increasing role on the global economic stage.

This flagship investment conference attracted influential guest speakers such as Dr Parag Khanna, managing partner, FutureMap, author of “The Future is Asian”; Manu Bhaskaran, Chief Executive, Centennial Asia Advisors, member of the Regional Advisory Board for Asia of IMF and council member; Valentin Laiseca, head of ASEAN Index Coverage, MSCI; and Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak, executive director, Institute of Security and International Studies, Chulalongkorn University.

Yeoh Choo Guan, head of ASEAN Equities, UBS, says, “ASEAN is poised to be a sweet spot for investors. Today, ASEAN represents the third-largest market globally for consumers with a total population of 687 million across 10 countries. This presents infinite opportunities in ASEAN’s geopolitical diversity, its infrastructure, consumer and technology sectors here – key areas of transformation which are impacting our world now. Thailand is uniquely positioned as a gateway to the region."

"This is why I am proud to launch our flagship OneASEAN investment conference here in Bangkok, for the very first time, assembling top local and international investors and listed companies to interact and explore investment opportunities alongside the top minds in our industry,” says Yeoh.

The conference attracted 170 institutional investors, reflecting strong international interest in Thailand’s economy as well as in the region.

Jamie Woodward, country head UBS Thailand, adds, "With the Thai Government pushing forward with their ambitious infrastructure projects and encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor, we would hope for some growth in foreign direct investment into Thailand. With Thailand at the heart of ASEAN, this is why UBS is organizing our flagship OneASEAN conference in Thailand this year.”

With the rise of passive investing in ASEAN, David Rabinowitz, head of APAC Market Structure and Beta Solutions, UBS, says, "We are honored to launch our first trading symposium in Thailand today, where we aim to highlight the latest trends and opportunities for investors to benefit in the current market conditions. The rise of passive funds has brought a shift in the trading landscape, including Thailand.“

Edward Teather, senior ASEAN economist, UBS Investment Bank, says, "ASEAN is a vibrant and diverse region economically. ASEAN includes Asia's fastest growing mainstream economy ( Vietnam ), some of the economies most closely integrated into global supply chains ( Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam ) as well as populous economies with significant potential for development ( Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam ). While global trade challenges are a drag on regional growth, ASEAN policy makers are well placed to respond with supportive policy. Additionally, we see ASEAN as a strong contender to benefit from China's ongoing outward investment and any supply chain relocation as a result of the Sino-US trade dispute."