Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual has confirmed that 22 chief executives of top US companies will join the Presidential Trade Mission to the Philippines on March 11 to 12, to be led by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Among the big firms that will visit the country are Google Asia Pacific, Visa Inc., United Airlines, United Parcel Service (UPS), FedEx, Mastercard, Microsoft Corp. and Marquis.
Google will be represented by Sapna Chadha, the vice president of its Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier; Asia Pacific Chairman Chris Clark for Visa; United Airlines’ President Brett Hart, UPS’ Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer Laura Lane; FedEx President of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa Region Kawal Preet; Shamina Singh, founder and president of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Executive Vice President, Sustainability; and Microsoft Vice President for Global Strategic Initiatives of Office of the President Mary Snapp.
Other significant players in the delegation include Black & Veatch Corp., GreenFire Energy, Inc., President’s Export Council, EchoStar/DISH, InnovationForce, Boston Consulting Group, KKR, SolGo, Capital One Philippines, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, Bechtel, the Apl.de.Ap Foundation International, UltraPass ID, and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp.
Black & Veatch Corp.’s President for the Asia Pacific and India Narsingh Chaudhary will be in the delegation, along with GreenFire Energy President Steven Brown, Export Council Chairman Mark Ein, EchoStar/DISH Co-Founder Charlie Ergen, InnovationForce Founder and CEO Kimberly Getgen, Boston Consulting Group Global Chair Rich Lesser, KKR Asia Pacific Co-Head David Luboff, Marquis Co-Founder Thomas L. Marquis, Sol-Go CEO Scott McHugo, Capital One President Sara Murphy, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council President and CEO Ted Osius, Bechtel Regional President Anne-Marie Padgett; Allan Pineda (aka Apl.de.Ap), Founder of the Apl.de.Ap Foundation International, UltraPass ID Co-Founder Eric Starr and Ultra Safe Nuclear Founder and CEO Francesco Venneri.
Eight official members of the US delegation will accompany Raimondo, said DTI.
Ahead of the visit, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual told reporters on Friday, March 8, that the mission will be a “matchmaking” opportunity and networking event for the US business leaders to engage with local businesses and the country's economic sector.
“The Mission was initiated by [US] President [Joe] Biden at the time our President visited him. It's [centered on] trade and investments because the companies that will be coming over are interested in doing trade or investing in the Philippines,” said Pascual.
The aforementioned companies include a mix of those who are already investing in the country, and those who remain on the cusp of investing.
Trade Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo noted that the US companies were chosen for already having strong interests in the Philippines and are investing in the projects.
Pascual stressed that the DTI is expecting deals to be signed during the two-day mission.
“Our main expectation is in respect to being able to get US companies interested in getting investments and pursuing trade with the Philippines. In this kind of delegation, there's some trade possibility, and maybe investment,” said Pascual.