25 Sept – 6 Oct 2013

It has been an interesting experience over the past 12 days engaging with businesses in Asia, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia. I was on a private business mission travelling in South East Asia to expand my business networks, connections and to boost the potential opportunities for my clients and business. I was also presented with potential board roles and business opportunities in Asia. Additionally, I was on a helping mission, seeking solutions for a trusted friend and reconnecting with cultural origins and spirituality.

As an Asian Australian businesswoman, I have many stories to share about relationships, trust, persistence, success, diversity, inclusiveness and exclusiveness in the business circles.

I travelled to Singapore and Malaysia at around the same time as our Australian Prime Minister, Hon Tony Abbott MHR, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop MP, Australian Minister for Trade and Development,  Andrew Robb MP, NSW Deputy Premier Hon Andrew Stoner MP and Victorian Governor, Alex Chernov AC QC, were also travelling to South East Asia.

Some 21 big business leaders joined the business delegation led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to Jakarta.

Several private business owners, including myself worked through local business associations, business chambers, Austrade and High Commission offices to connect and attend some of the briefing sessions and business networking sessions where the Victorian and NSW governments also presented.

My networking and connecting experiences were incredibly wonderful in both Malaysia and Singapore.

Special thanks to Austrade KL, Austrade Singapore, AustCham, Malaysia Australia Business Council, Australia Malaysia Business Council,  High Commission offices, Victorian Governor and NSW Deputy Premier for making my presence at the various local networking events very welcome.

Special thanks also to Spiro Pappas, NAB Asia CEO, and his NAB Singapore and NAB HK team for their kind hospitality with business opportunities and connections.

I am always excited about travelling on trade missions. In the coming months ahead I will be joining David Thomas of Think Global, as part of the China Strategy Consulting team, to lead the Citrus Australia delegation to Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai and Guangzhou. In 2014, I will also be joining the Australian Business Forum, as Ambassador for Australia China Business Week, joining business delegations from Australia with Think Global, ABF and many other associations, to Guangzhou and Shanghai. There is also the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong in January 2014, working with Think Global, to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

You are welcome to connect with me by email carolinehong@carolinehong.com.au if you need more information.  I work as a private business consultant, business owner, company director and advisory board member. I  can help represent your company for business facilitation, engagement with Asia and expansion into new markets whilst I am travelling overseas.

In addition to my  current roles in a variety of commercial and NFP projects, I  am very excited about my involvement in new emerging opportunities in the healthcare,  agriculture (food, wine and diary), property investment, significant investor visa projects, tourism, business events, and mining sectors.

Whilst travelling in Asia, it was  good to hear our Australian PM Tony Abbott, announce that he plans to take a big delegation to China in 2014.  Businesses can  register to join his delegation and it will be interesting to see who  registers, and who gets accepted to join the PM’s delegation in 2014. I hope our Australian PM and Foreign Minister will remember that the business sector is made up of many Small and Medium enterprises and not just big companies, that will welcome the opportunity to join the PM’s trade mission overseas.  SMEs make up 99.7% of total businesses in Australia and contribute to 70% of total employment. SMEs that are engaging with Asia, are already mostly paying their own way, so would continue to do the same with or without joining the PM’s trade mission. However, when dealing with Asia, there is always a greater sense of excitement and interest from Asian Businesses, when the Australian government is also present for some of the time at business networking, ceremonial, cultural and briefing update events.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/abbotts-focus-on-international-trade-delights-ceos/story-e6frg926-1226731151648

Hear what I said about trade missions, in my chat with award winning talented Whitney Fitzsimmons on ABC TV Business Today program

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-27/critical-challenges-for-small-enterprise/4984924