Officials to Discuss the Outlook for ASEAN's Cyber Resilience and the Way Forward at Singapore International Cyber Week 2026
(Singapore) - The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), in collaboration with Cisco Systems, convened a multi-stakeholder engagement titled “Cyber for Breakfast: Emerging Technology & Threats – Risks & Opportunities for Building ASEAN’s Cyber Resilience” on the sidelines of Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) 2026. The Breakfast brought together senior ASEAN cybersecurity officials, the U.S. Government and industry leaders to advance public-private dialogue on the intersection of cybersecurity policy and the governance of emerging technologies.
In his opening remarks, USABC’s Vice President of Research, Technology and Financial Services, Mr. Mario Masaya, emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration in safeguarding the region’s digital future. He noted that as ASEAN’s digital economy continues to expand, sustained cooperation between government and industry is essential to addressing evolving cyber threats and strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure.
The Breakfast also featured keynote remarks by Mr. Lloyd Freeman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, U.S; Dr. Ryan Donaghy, Chief Operating Officer, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; Mr. Ong Kok Wee, Assistant Chief Executive for Policy and Corporate Development, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, and Mr. Sivaram Superamanian, Assistant Director and Head of Digital Economy Division from the ASEAN Secretariat. Their contributions highlighted key cybersecurity priorities and the importance of strengthening regional preparedness amidst an evolving threat landscape.
Building on these strategic insights, USABC facilitated a high-level moderated session to address the complex, interconnected cybersecurity challenges facing the ASEAN region related to legacy and end-of-life technology, AI-enabled cyber threats, long-term resilience priorities, and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) readiness. The discussion emphasized the necessity of forward-looking public-private partnerships to enhance regional cyber resilience. The session featured representatives from cyber and digital agencies from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, demonstrating a shared commitment to regional digital security.
Mr. Seow Hiong Goh, Chair of USABC’s ICT Committee, and Executive Director of Global Policy and Government Affairs APAC, Cisco Systems, underscored the importance for industry to work alongside ASEAN member states to move from awareness to concrete action, ensuring the long-term security and resilience of the region’s critical infrastructure through sustained public-private collaboration.
USABC extends its sincere thanks to Cisco Systems, the United States Government and our distinguished ASEAN guests for their collaboration in making this engagement possible.