October 28, 2026
FDI Center will participate in the Fourth ASEAN Investment Forum on November 10, 2026, in Manila, Philippines, contributing to discussions on sustainable investment and officially launching the Women in Investment Promotion Mentoring & Peer-Learning Program together with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
The forum will bring together policymakers, investors, industry leaders and development partners to explore investment opportunities across ASEAN. Its agenda focuses on advancing the region’s energy transition, strengthening regional value chains and connecting investment-ready projects with private capital.
FDI Center’s Managing Director, Andreas Dressler, will moderate two sessions on the main forum agenda: “Biomass, Biofuels & Sustainable Aviation Fuel” and “Investment-Ready Projects: Opportunities in Renewable Energy.” These discussions will explore opportunities in sectors central to ASEAN’s green transition, bringing together perspectives on industry development and concrete projects seeking investment.
The forum will also host the official launch of the Women in Investment Promotion Mentoring & Peer-Learning Program on its main stage. FDI Center’s Kathryn Rothwell and ESCAP’s Dr. Heather Taylor-Strauss will introduce the program, its objectives and the experience of its pilot cohort.
Delivered jointly by FDI Center and ESCAP, the program supports the professional growth of women working in investment promotion agencies through structured mentoring, thematic learning, and cross-regional peer exchange. It aims to strengthen participants’ professional skills and networks while building capacity within their institutions.
Alongside the main forum, there will be a separate half-day side agenda for program participants from both the pilot cohort held across May - June this year as well as the current ongoing cohort. The sessions will focus on mentoring in practice, approaching and engaging investors, and investment attraction across different markets and business cultures.
The dedicated agenda will give participants an opportunity to meet in person, share practical experiences, and strengthen connections within the program’s global community.
The Forum is jointly organized by the Committee on Business and Investment Promotion, led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Board of Investments (BOI) of the Philippines; the ASEAN Secretariat; the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Investment (CCI); the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC); the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC); Maharlika Investment Corporation; and the UK Mission to ASEAN through the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund (ASEAN-UK GTF).
