President's Report AGM 2019

Dear Members & Friends,

This past year has been an eventful one, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your enthusiastic support of AMBC Victoria during 2018/2019.  Since the last AGM, we’ve had many different occasions for us to explore opportunities and grow our networks:

• 2018 Annual General Meeting
• Meet visiting Malaysian Franchisor Delegation (led by Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs & Perbadanan Nasional Berhad)
• Drinks & Nibbles with the Consul General Wes Palon and new AMBC Board
• Meet with Invest Selangor on the Digital Economy
• Malaysia Day Celebration Dinner (Rendezvous Hotel)
• Meet visiting delegation to International Sourcing Expo 2018
• AMBC End of Year Celebration (Bangkok Jam)
• Yumcha Networking (Red Emperor)
• Welcome Drinks and Nibbles with the new Malaysian Consul General, Mazita Marzuki
• Beer tasting and Networking at Temple Brewery
• Future of Trade Forum (State Govt of Victoria)
• Winter Networking Drinks (Ladida)

Next week, we will also have an excellent opportunity to engage with a visiting Malaysian Trade and Investment delegation led by The Honourable Darell Leiking, Minister of International Trade and Industry.  This event will also involve representatives from various Malaysian and Victorian government trade bodies, and there is a Business Matching program in the afternoon. Details and links are on our website, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity.

At every AGM, we retire half of our Board members and open it up for elections. At this AGM, I am pleased to announce the unopposed re-election of the following members to the Board:

• Mike Anderson
• Damian Mannix
• Ken Ong

As mentioned in my letter last year, we were very keen to improve the gender diversity on our Board, and I’m very pleased to announce that Ms Shok Kuan Ho (Moray & Agnew) and Ms Meiling Tam (Macpherson Kelley) have also been elected to the Board.  I would also like to express my thanks to Michael Gough, who is stepping down after 3 years of service on the Board – your enthusiasm and ongoing support from Rigby Cooke is greatly appreciated.

Organisations such as ours thrive on new blood and new ideas – with this in mind, I would like to encourage you to participate in a Working Committee of your interest and help create the AMBC that we want.  These include:

• Property & Construction
• Manufacturing
• Food & Agribusiness
• Tourism & Hospitality
• Young Professionals
• Corporate Member Events
• Social & Networking Events

Please get in touch with our Secretariat Chris who will put you in touch with the relevant Board member.

This AGM marks my retirement as your President.  Over the past four years, I have received tremendous encouragement from members and friends, old and new, and have been both humbled and energised by your passion and enthusiasm for AMBC.  

If there is a highlight for me over the four years, it would have to be the AMBC-AAA Sabah Tour – not only was it a good mix of business and pleasure, but it was also a very meaningful celebration of the deep bonds between Malaysians and Australians forged during the Second World War, the Malayan Emergency and Konfrontasi.  This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and is an excellent example of how AMBC can open doors to opportunities and experiences that can’t be accessed by us as individuals.

My deepest thanks to all of you, my fellow Board members, and our Secretariat Chris for your support of myself and the organization.  We already have a reputation of being one of the most progressive and active bilateral business councils in Victoria, and certainly the most welcoming. I trust that this unique spirit is alive and well, and that AMBC is well-poised for the future. 
Semper Progressus (Always Forward),
 

Felix Wong GAICD
President, AMBC Victoria

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