American Express to Assume 2001 Chairmanship of the US-Malaysia Business Committee

American Express to Assume 2001 Chairmanship of the US-Malaysia Business Committee

Washington, DC. The US-ASEAN Business Council announced today that American Express will serve as Chair of its US-Malaysia Business Committee in 2001. Geoff Bruce, President - Asia/Pacific/Australia for American Express International, Inc. has agreed to represent American Express in this position. Mr. Bruce plans to travel to Kuala Lumpur regularly for consultations with Malaysian public and private sector leaders regarding the Committee's ongoing plans and activities.

As the new Chair of the US-Malaysia Business Committee, which includes more than 125 U.S. multinational companies with operations or interests in Malaysia, American Express will work with the U.S. and Malaysian public and private sectors, helping to develop activities that enhance and promote bilateral trade and investment between Malaysia and the U.S. In addition to developing a number of Malaysian tourism promotion projects in cooperation with Malaysian Airlines and Starwood Hotels and Resorts, American Express recently co-sponsored a High-Tech SME CEO Mission to Malaysia to expose executives from new-to-market companies to trade, investment, and partnership opportunities in Malaysia's high-tech corridors.

Mr Bruce said, "American Express is honored to accept this position, and we will work actively to promote trade relations between the U.S. and Malaysia. This appointment reflects American Express' commitment to Malaysia as an important center in South-East Asia, and our contribution to the promotion of Malaysia as both a tourist and business destination."

On the Committee's plans for the coming year, Mr Bruce said, "the Committee will continue its long tradition of supporting the Malaysian government and private sector in promoting training and increased investment in areas jointly identified as critical, such as information technology, tourism, and human resource development."

US-ASEAN Business Council President Ernest Z. Bower said, "The US-ASEAN Business Council values its long-standing relationship with American Express. We recognize American Express' commitment to its operations in Malaysia, and applaud the energy and enthusiasm the company has brought to the Committee's work. It is this dynamism that ensures the US-Malaysia Business Committee will flourish under the leadership of American Express."

American Express set up operations in Malaysia in 1979. It is a diversified worldwide travel, financial services and network services company. It is a leader in charge and credit cards, travelers cheques, travel, financial planning, investment products and insurance, and international banking.

The US-ASEAN Business Council is a private, non-profit membership organization working to promote increased trade and investment between the U.S. and the member countries of ASEAN. For information on the US-ASEAN Business Council or general information on the ASEAN region, please contact John Goyer at jgoyer@usasean.org or visit the Council's Web site at www.us-asean.org.

# # #

Get Mail To receive US-ASEAN Business Council press releases and
advisories as they are issued, click here.