Manila, Philippines, September 21, 2026 – The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and the Office of the U.S. Executive Director at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) co-hosted Partners' Night for the third consecutive year on September 21 at ADB Headquarters in Mandaluyong City, joined for the first time by ADB's North American Representative Office. The event officially kicked off activities leading to the 14th ADB Business Opportunities Fair (BOF). This year's edition also introduced a Knowledge-Sharing Session, co-developed with the support of USABC member company Quisumbing Torres, a member firm of Baker McKenzie.
ADB and USABC Partnership
The partnership between USABC and ADB aims to broaden U.S. private sector involvement in the Bank's development agenda, drawing on the expertise and innovation American companies can bring to the region. Partners' Night supports this goal by connecting U.S. companies with ADB and offering practical guidance on how to participate in its projects.
Knowledge-Sharing Session
The first-ever Knowledge-Sharing Session was held ahead of the traditional Networking Reception, featuring presentations and a panel discussion on the legal and regulatory foundations of establishing a corporate presence in the Philippines. It drew over 100 attendees, mostly from U.S. companies, including USABC members and other American firms interested in ADB-financed projects.
The program opened with a Welcome Briefing for U.S. Companies led by Ambassador Robert Sweeney, U.S. Executive Director at ADB, with remarks from Dr. Junkyu Lee, Representative of ADB's North American Representative Office; Gregory Harris, Senior Commercial Officer of the U.S. Commercial Service in the Philippines; and Atty. Herminio "Third" Bagro III, Chief Representative for the Philippines at USABC.
Outlining the session's objectives, Atty. Bagro said, "A successful outcome from today would be for participants to leave with a clearer understanding of how to navigate the Philippine business environment, where opportunities exist within the ADB project pipeline, and what concrete next steps they can take to explore potential partnerships."
A panel of Quisumbing Torres partners then examined the legal and regulatory frameworks supporting renewable energy, fintech, and data centers, along with key risks and the role of ADB and other stakeholders in enabling sustainable and inclusive development. Moderated by Atty. Camille Bianca Gatmaitan Santos, the panel featured Atty. Alain Charles Veloso, who heads the firm's fintech practice, and Atty. Ina Dominguez and Atty. Alexandra Castro-Samson of its energy practice.
Director Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr. of the Board of Investments followed with a presentation on ease of doing business in the Philippines. Richmond Sales, Senior Investments Specialist at the Board of Investments, then joined the Quisumbing Torres panelists for an open forum moderated by Atty. Bagro.
The session closed with practical guidance on navigating ADB procurement and the BOF from Mittpheap Steele, Business Opportunities Consultant at ADB's North American Representative Office, and Michael Mia, Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Commercial Service.
Networking Reception
The Networking Reception that followed welcomed 180 distinguished guests, including senior Philippine government officials, representatives of multilateral and development institutions, members of the diplomatic community, and private sector leaders, marking a notable increase in attendance from last year.
Ambassador Robert Sweeney opened the evening, followed by remarks from Dr. Junkyu Lee and Aman Trana, Director General of ADB's Procurement, Portfolio, and Financial Management Department.
In his closing remarks, Marc Mealy, Executive Vice President of Research and Chief Policy Officer of USABC, underscored the Council's commitment to advancing collaboration with ADB. "Many of the strongest partnerships begin with a conversation, a new introduction, or simply an opportunity to better understand where our respective priorities align," he said. "We see significant opportunities for our member companies to support ADB's work across the region."
Partners' Night served as a prelude to the 14th ADB Business Opportunities Fair, running from September 22 to 24, 2026.
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