Bringing together regional business leaders from across the globe, the Australia–ASEAN Business Forum 2025 is a powerful event that will be held in Adelaide from August 26 to 27. The forum is expected to attract over 750 executives, policymakers, and industry leaders from Southeast Asia and RCEP partner countries, including Australia, Japan, China, Korea, and New Zealand.
The main reason the forum has Dr. Kao Kim Hourn on its schedule is that he is the Secretary-General of ASEAN, who will be flying in from Adelaide to deliver a keynote address and provide new energy to Australia–ASEAN economic cooperation. Therefore, ASEAN’s commitment to increasing strategic engagement with both Australia and the regional business community is clearly demonstrated through Dr. Hourn’s participation.
With the theme “Advancing ASEAN’s Sustainability Agenda”, the forum aims to shed light on the emerging economic and environmental issues faced by the region. Some of the key discussion topics will be the adoption of renewable energy, the growth of the green economy, digital transformation through artificial intelligence, and the role of agriculture and food security in the future, along with the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as the major sources of the sustainable economy.
Over two days, the attendees will actively participate in a series of industry roundtables, exhibitions, and networking sessions designed to encourage collaboration and new ventures. The first day is dedicated to discussions on regional engagement and sustainable enterprise development, while the second day focuses on digital economies, human capital, and the resilience of SMEs in ASEAN–Australia business ecosystems.
The event will be attended by some notable figures who will act as the distinguishing feature of the forum. Among the attendees will be the Premier of South Australia and senior representatives from Austrade, BHP, Santos, the Singapore Business Federation, as well as members of various ASEAN business councils. As a group, they will be able to provide their knowledge on sustainable development, cross-border trade, and corporate leadership within the Asia-Pacific region.
The program is also about women-led innovation and smart agriculture, which were once only seen as a major tech trend but are now also regarded as a new growth area. The conference will welcome top leaders such as Omi Dang from Vietnam’s AgriS and Somruedee Chaimongkol of Thailand’s Banpu to talk about their industry-goes-digital transformations, while the rest of the digital economy specialists and AI experts from all over the region will predict the bright side and difficulties of the future.
Not just a meeting of minds, the forum also aims to be a catalyst for action. By coordinating strategies for sustainability, technology, and inclusive business models, ASEAN and Australia are expected to not only deepen commercial ties but also uncover new avenues of growth. It is not only that Dr. Hourn’s being in Adelaide represents nothing less than ASEAN’s pledge, but also it is the key moment for designing the next stage of synergy in business between ASEAN and Australia.
