A hybrid Selangor International Business Summit opens the gateway to ASEAN
The fifth edition of Selangor’s premier business conference and exhibition series brings together industry players and global brands to explore the potential of regional markets.
Menteri Besar of Selangor Seri Amirudin Bin Shari visiting one of the booths at the Selangor R&D and Innovation Expo 2019. Photos: Invest Selangor
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As the world begins to open up again, the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2021 prepares to welcome visitors both online and in real life to its series of exhibitions and conferences, including two brand new events this year.
Running from Nov 18 to Nov 21 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the fifth edition of SIBS includes the Selangor International Expo (Food & Beverage), the Selangor ASEAN Business Conference, the Selangor Smart City & Digital Economy Convention and the Selangor R&D and Innovation Expo.
This year, SIBS is also launching the Selangor International Expo (SIE MEDIC) and the Selangor Industrial Park Expo (SPARK). Both events are expected to generate robust interest and create business opportunities for investors, business owners and other industry players.
SIBS is organised by Invest Selangor Berhad, the state’s investment promotion agency aimed at facilitating local and foreign direct investment to encourage Selangor’s economic growth. Last year saw a virtual SIBS due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth edition had around 300 exhibitors participating from more than 50 countries and attracted an estimated 180,000 virtual visitors.
With real-life events combined with easy virtual access, this year’s SIBS is primed to help re-energise businesses that have been affected by pandemic-related travel restrictions.
MARCHING FORWARD TO A DIGITAL WORLD
The most developed state in Malaysia, Selangor is known as the gateway to ASEAN for its strategic location and competitive business environment. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic and international investor interest in Malaysia and Selangor has continued to be resilient, with Selangor recording a total of RM38.7 billion (US$9.25 billion) in approved investments in 2020 – a significant portion of the total RM164 billion (US$39 billion) invested in Malaysia.
Selangor’s digital ecosystem is also well underway with the Smart Selangor Vision 2025, which aims to strengthen its people, businesses and public sector through digital technologies in four domains – government, economy, community and digital infrastructure.
To this end, SIBS launched its virtual business platform last year – the Selangor Business Hub (SBH), a virtual engagement and networking platform for visitors to reach partners and clients across the ASEAN region. During the 2020 SIBS, the SBH played host to 286 exhibitors and 51 speakers from a total of 54 countries and matched 282 businesses. It returns this year in conjunction with physical exhibition booths and conferences.
SHOWCASING THE FUTURE
As vaccination rates rise and the world’s economies begin to ramp up again, Malaysia continues to see growth, with its conferences and events industry expecting to recover by the third quarter of this year and the country itself being named the best conference and exhibition destination in Asia for 2020.
As Selangor’s premier business event, SIBS is home to an exciting array of conferences and exhibitions. The Selangor International Expo (Food & Beverage) 2021 is a trade exhibition that brings together key players in the food and beverage industry to showcase new ideas and trade insights in this growing sector, while the Selangor Smart City & Digital Economy Convention explores innovations and opportunities in digital trends like the Internet of Things, big data and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Playing host to government delegations, trade associations, business chambers and more is the Selangor ASEAN Business Conference, where participants discuss the way forward in market access, economic integration and opportunities in the bustling ASEAN region.
At the Selangor R&D and Innovation Expo, co-investments, strategic partnerships and networking are driven by the latest innovations on display. In the medical and life sciences sectors, the inaugural SIE MEDIC showcases the best of Selangor’s health services from diagnostic, healthcare, pharmaceutical, hospital and rehabilitation equipment companies.
SPARK will exhibit the state’s latest industrial park products and developments, offering integration, connectivity and convenience to investors seeking to locate or relocate operations in Selangor.
Whether SIBS 2021 visitors attend virtually through the SBH or in person at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, they can expect to engage in dialogue with key decision-makers, network with business partners and gain insights into the thriving regional market. Online and offline, Selangor looks set to remain the gateway to ASEAN.
Register for the 2021 Selangor International Business Summit virtual portal. For more information, visit selangorsummit.com.
