The global Covid-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing has disrupted ‘traditional’ ways in which businesses and enterprises operate, with stricter borders and face-to-face meetings.
While the global economy appears to be increasingly subject to new restrictions and limitations, the annual Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) is going online this year from 14-17 October 2020. This alternative solution will provide an informative and engaging virtual experience, allowing participants to tap into various opportunities that were originally developed for the on-site experience.
SIBS has grown substantially since its inception in 2015, with the aspiration of making Selangor the Gateway to ASEAN. Since then, the event has welcomed almost 100,000 visitors from over 50 countries, and accumulated RM1.143 billion ($276.6 million) in transaction value.
The event last year saw a rise to new heights with 787 booths, more than 34,000 visitors and RM447.3 million ($108.3 million) in transaction value, marking SIBS2019 as the biggest success since its inception.
This year’s edition, although going virtual, is expected to be as successful as previous years, with the virtual focus creating a more vibrant business platform for businesses. Virtual SIBS2020 will include a virtual exposition, conference and webinar series. The four-day virtual summit also offers online networking and business matching opportunities, allowing a larger group of business representatives as well as attendees to discover, connect and network.
According to Dato’ Hasan Azhari Hj Idris, CEO of Invest Selangor Berhad: “The initiative of digitalisation will help to reaffirm the smart state status in leading the adoption of digital technology in doing business and at the same time, assists entrepreneurs to reboot and rise in a time of crisis”.
International Appeal, Regional Opportunities
Virtual SIBS2020 will feature the three successful components from previous years: The Selangor International Expo, Selangor ASEAN Business Conference and the Selangor Smart City & Digital Economy Convention. The combination of all the events under the banner of SIBS will help complement the networking and engagement opportunities between attendees and other participants.
Morphed into a virtual expo with a series of webinars featuring prominent industry players from across the region, the Selangor International Expo 2020 (SIE2020) focuses on industry trends, covering every section of the food industry, from food and beverage (F&B) products to the technology behind it; the science that aids it; the services that deliver; and the halal component of the industry. The virtual expo is powered by an exclusive online business matching platform, allowing trade visitors and buyers to engage with top F&B brands virtually.
The Selangor ASEAN Business Conference 2020 (SABC2020) will see a monthly series of four webinars starting in August and ending in December 2020, with the main conference slated on October 14, 2020. Under the theme of “ASEAN: A Beacon of Light in a Pandemic-hit World Economy”, the fully online event will provide a wide perspective on economic integration in ASEAN and in addressing core and current issues related to the ASEAN Economic Community, especially the detrimental effects of the global pandemic on the world economic scenario and ASEAN’s response.
Dato’ Hasan added: “ASEAN can capitalise on its inherent resilience with a common regional response, dedicating its collective resources to rebuilding both at home and in the region”.
The Gateway to ASEAN
Selangor is the most progressive state in Malaysia and located in ASEAN, in an area of central proximity to most ASEAN key markets. The region houses over 200 of the world’s largest corporations, and with a combined consumer market of over 600 million, the region boasts highly-developed infrastructure, well-established investment and an advanced commercial ecosystem.
Dato’ Hasan explained: “Selangor offers a high-tech and business-friendly environment, with a comprehensive ecosystem of ICT-equipped innovation in industry 4.0 and manufacturing hubs alongside many other competitive advantages”.
Positioned as the ‘gateway to ASEAN’, the state government has invested significantly to showcase Selangor as a premier regional economic, industrial and business hub, while pivoting global trends and innovations like Industry 4.0, Big Data and Internet of Things in line with the rising digital transformation.
The Smart Selangor project was initiated to enable Selangor’s transformation into a smart state in the future. Virtual SIBS2020 is one of the state’s key initiatives in paving the way towards achieving the smart state evolution, hence making it the first state-led virtual platform to inspire the future of business and build a brighter Tomorrow, Today.
Those interested to participate in the expo, conference, webinars or wants to know more about Virtual SIBS 2020, are advised to visit www.selangorsummit.com
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