Bangkok--20 Aug--Bangkok Bank
Bangkok Bank has successfully concluded its latest AEC Business Leader Program, which has been successfully strengthening the capabilities of Thai SME business owners to enter the ASEAN market for four consecutive years. Bangkok Bank President Chartsiri Sophonpanich presided over the closing ceremony of the AEC Business Leader Program Class 4, where he congratulated all 38 participants. As part of its mission to be a 'Trusted Friend' of Thai business owners, the bank organizes AEC Business Leader to empower entrepreneurs with insights, business skills, and strong networks to enable them to expand their businesses to the ASEAN region.
Recently held at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, the closing ceremony was joined by Royal Thai Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Office of Commercial Affairs Minister Counsellor Jirawuth Suwanna-Arj; Bangkok Bank Senior Executive Vice President in charge of Commercial Banking Virasak Sutanthavibul; Senior Executive Vice President, Head of International Banking Group, Chaiyarit Anuchitworawong; and Executive Vice President, Head of Metropolitan Commercial Banking, Kanoksak Mokkamakkul.
Bangkok Bank Senior Executive Vice President, Head of International Banking Group, and Director of the AEC Business Leader Program, Chaiyarit Anuchitworawong said the bank has been committed to supporting the ambitions of Thai SMEs to expand internationally, especially into the growing ASEAN market, with the AEC Business Leader Program now in its fourth consecutive year to help customers benefit from business opportunities in the region.
This program focuses on providing academic knowledge in the areas of marketing, law and tax, as well as business analysis. Experts are invited to share their practical experiences, including Thai entrepreneurs who have successfully expanded their businesses to ASEAN, business owners from other countries who have traded with Thailand, and Bangkok Bank ASEAN branch managers. The program also provides useful insights from economic analysts and BOI representatives, as well as information about Bangkok Bank's financial products and services that can support business expansion into ASEAN.
Participants also get hands-on experience by visiting Cambodia to explore business opportunities with successful entrepreneurs there and participating in a business plan competition to learn how to develop a practical business plan for expanding to the ASEAN market.
Mr. Chaiyarit said, "The winners of the business plan competition will present their plan to Talent Acquisition Platform, a Cambodian human resources development company, to showcase how they would innovatively develop their business in their chosen countries. Our program has been successful in enhancing efficiency and building the confidence of Thai entrepreneurs to tap into the ASEAN market, a goal for which the bank is ready to be a 'Trusted Friend, Reliable Partner'."
"In addition to knowledge and experience, the AEC Business Leader Program has provided participants with opportunities to build business networks with their cohort and alumni, leading to potential collaboration in the future. Meanwhile, participants have access to personal advisory services from Bangkok Bank overseas branch managers on business insights, law, bank benefits, and business opportunities. What's more, participants have privileged access to a business matching event organized by the bank, VIP seats to seminars, and useful information about ASEAN investment from the bank."
Worapoj Lapwatanamongkol, Director of Printing Solution Co., Ltd. – one of the winning teams –, said, "I would like to thank Bangkok Bank for this business plan award, which rewards the team for our hard work during the past three months to develop our MAP platform. We have gained useful knowledge from the AEC Business Leader Program and we will use it to adjust our business plan to be more practical and efficient."
Nakrop Niamnamtham, CEO & Founder of nForce Secure Co., Ltd., which is another one of the winning teams, said that the AEC Business Leader Program organized by Bangkok Bank is a great project. He added, "All participants had a chance to gain useful knowledge and share their experiences with other business owners, which cannot be found in any textbooks. These experiences have inspired us to see business opportunities. The information gained from our business trip and meeting with investors helped us improve our business plan, enabling us to win the prize. Also, we have gained good friendships with the other participants in Class 4 and alumni from earlier classes."
The AEC Business Leader Program is an intensive training course for executives organized by Bangkok Bank to enable Thai business owners and entrepreneurs to effectively and sustainably grow in the ASEAN market by combining the bank's knowledge with experiences from successful business owners in ASEAN.
Those interested in joining the AEC Business Leader Program can find out more at the Bangkok Bank website. Alternatively, you can contact AEC Connect at Tel. 02-2302758 and 02-2301507 or contact AECconnect@bangkokbank.com.