This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 20, 2025 - October 26, 2025

THE Asean Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2025 will convene in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 25 and 26, bringing together government leaders and decision-makers from the private sector to discuss the key issues shaping Asean’s economic and strategic outlook.

The goal is to strengthen the region’s position as a resilient, fast-growing and forward-looking economic bloc.

Hosted by the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) Malaysia, the summit comes at a time when the region faces growing complexity — from economic fragmentation and climate volatility to digital disruption and widening inequality. These challenges call for not only national resilience but also stronger regional coherence.

With a combined gross domestic product (GDP) nearing US$4 trillion in 2024, Asean stands as the world’s fifth-largest economy and is projected to rise to fourth place by 2030.

Asean-BAC chairman Tan Sri Nazir Razak describes the summit as timely, urging Asean to use this moment to strengthen unity, create shared economic value and enhance its strategic influence on the global stage.

“ABIS 2025 comes at a critical and opportune time. The world is shifting fast — this is the moment for Asean and its dialogue partners to prove that when we collaborate and stand together, we can not only create economic value but also shape a more resilient and influential Asean in the emerging world order,” he says.

The two-day summit will be held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec).

Under the theme “Unifying Markets for Shared Prosperity”, ABIS 2025 will focus on advancing regional integration through initiatives such as the Asean Business Entity, enhanced intra-Asean capital flows and greater facilitation of cross-border movement of people and goods.

The summit will also examine how Asean can deepen business-to-business collaboration, foster a stronger regional identity and promote greater inclusion by supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), equal opportunities and workforce development.

It will further address regulatory challenges and spark a regional conversation on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to drive Asean’s growth.

Among the key highlights of ABIS 2025 are the unveiling of the 10th e-Conomy SEA report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, as well as the Leadership Dialogue held in conjunction with the launch of Google AI for the Planet.

In addition, the summit will see the launch of the Green Finance Pillar (Pillar II) of the Asean-UK Green Transition Fund, while the Asean-Japan Centre (AJC) will host a panel discussion titled “Driving Inclusive Futures in Asean and Japan: Women’s Entrepreneurship in a Digital World”.

More than 1,500 delegates are expected to attend the summit, including heads of government, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and investors.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who also serves as Asean Chair 2025, will officiate ABIS 2025 and deliver a keynote address at the summit, outlining Asean’s priorities and response to current global economic pressures.

Speakers include Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz; Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir; Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo; and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (Tenaga) president and CEO Datuk Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan.

International leaders set to join the fireside dialogues include Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.

Leading regional and global corporations have pledged their support for the summit’s objectives, including Titanium Sponsors such as Capital A Bhd (AirAsia), CIMB Group, Google, Mastercard, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, The Weststar Group, TikTok and Yinson Holdings Bhd.

Other sponsors include Airbus, AmBank, Genting Malaysia Bhd, Grab, HSBC, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Monash University Malaysia, MR DIY Group, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, UEM Group, UOB Malaysia and YTL Power International Bhd.

Running alongside the summit will be the Asean Business Awards (ABA) 2025, which will be held on Sunday evening to honour leading enterprises and individuals contributing to the region’s progress.

Now in its 18th edition, the awards recognise excellence across 10 categories, celebrating companies that have demonstrated innovation, resilience, and commitment to sustainable growth.

This year’s finalists include a number of Malaysian names such as Genting Malaysia, Teleport, Yinson, Pandai Education Sdn Bhd, CIMB Group, YTL Corp Bhd, MR DIY and Top Glove Corp Bhd — spanning sectors from logistics and finance to manufacturing and education technology.

The awards will also honour individuals whose contributions have shaped Asean’s social and cultural landscape. Among those recognised under the Key Opinion Leader (KOL) category is Professor Adeeba Kamarulzaman, founder of the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA), a globally renowned infectious diseases specialist whose pioneering work in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and policy reform has transformed public health across Malaysia and Asean.

Meanwhile, the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (ERIA) will present the One Asean Startup Award recognising groundbreaking startups that embody Asean’s spirit of collaboration and progress, with two award categories — Zero Emission and Artificial Intelligence.

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