U.S. Relations with Asia in an Era of Geopolitical Uncertainty
The 21st century has been called “The Asian Century,” with the “pivot to Asia” having been an integral part of America’s foreign policy under the Obama administration. With the Trump administration’s focus on “America First,” however, the implications for diplomatic and economic relations, as well as military alliances, between the U.S. and Asian nations remain at best uncertain. This session will address developments that have occurred thus far in President Trump’s term, and the potential challenges and opportunities they portend for U.S.-Asia relations, particularly from a public policy and legal perspective.
Presenter: The Honorable Glyn T. Davies, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand 

Thailand’s Emerging Multinationals: Strategies & Projections
Over the past decade, many Thai companies have been going global. From Charoen Pokphand Group’s over 200 subsidiaries in China, to PTT Group’s operations in Australia and Canada, Central Group’s department stores in Denmark, Germany, and Italy, and Thai Beverage’s distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, and France, Thai companies are investing heavily in foreign jurisdictions. Between 2008 and 2015, overall growth in cumulative outward foreign direct investment of all Thai companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand has far exceeded cumulative inward foreign direct investment. This session will feature a discussion by in-counsel from leading Thai companies, examining their long-term business strategies and market outlooks. 
Presenters: Somboon Earterasarun, Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins
Kristina Fischer, Assistant Vice President of Business Development & Legal Services, Centara International Management
Michelle Ray-Jones, Consultant, Tilleke & Gibbins
Yingyong Tanthanapongphan, Senior Manager of IP Management, Siam Cement Group
Centara: Central Group of Companies

Turbulence & Change: Law Firm Networks in Today’s Legal Market 
The late Andy Grove once said, “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” SCG Legal has had a very successful run over the last 28 years. However, what got it here isn’t going to be good enough to get it there any longer. It has to adapt. This session will focus on the options for change being considered by the board of directors, and invite comments from attendees about which they believe will likely yield the most promising outcomes.
Presenters: Henry Bubel, Partner, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler,& Chairman, SCG Legal 
David Poisson, CEO, SCG Legal
SCG Legal in Today’s Legal Market: Time to Adapt & Innovate

Fighting Fakes: Strategies to Enforce IP Rights in Thailand
Thailand’s intellectual property laws have evolved significantly in the past 20 years. This evolution has been driven by the establishment in 1997 of the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court, making Thailand the first country in Asia to set up a specialized IP court, and it has increasingly become a venue for complex IP litigation. In many cases of IP infringement, the preferred remedy of IP owners is enjoining the infringing activities as soon as possible through either civil or criminal actions. Focusing on case studies, this session will provide participants with new insights into the IP enforcement environment and current practices in Thailand.
Presenter: Suebsiri Taweepon, Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins
Fighting Fakes: Strategies to Enforce IP Rights in Thailand

Doing Business in Singapore 
Widely regarded as being a leading global commercial center, Singapore is endowed with sophisticated infrastructure, a stable political climate, favorable business policies, a skilled workforce, the use of English as the main working language and respect for intellectual property rights. Besides being ranked in the World Bank 2016 Report as the world’s easiest place to do business, Singapore is also ranked by the World Economic Forum as the most competitive economy in Asia and the top Asian country for its quality of life by the Mercer Quality of Living Survey. This session will acquaint participants with the arguments for locating a business in Singapore, and provide an overview of the various types of business entities in Singapore, and the tax-related and other consequences of choosing one form over another. 
Presenters: Pradeep Kumar Singh, Partner,Colin Ng
Quek Li Fei, Partner, Colin Ng
Doing Business in Singapore

Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in China
In the 30 years since China’s ratification of the United Nations Convention for the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, questions have arisen as to whether Chinese courts enforce foreign arbitral awards consistent with the requirements of the Convention. Some have alleged, for example, that the uneven quality of Chinese judicial officials, the tendency of Chinese courts to protect local interests, and the general lack of transparency in many Chinese judicial proceedings have made it difficult for parties seeking to enforce foreign awards in China, all of which appear to be contradicted by the World Bank’s Doing Business enforcing contracts indicator, which at 14.3 on an 18-point scale ranks the quality of China’s judicial processes ahead of those of France (11), Germany (12), Japan (7.5) and the U.S. (13.8). This session will examine the domestic legal framework in China and Chinese judicial opinions interpreting the Convention, with suggested strategies for successfully navigating the intricacies of China’s system of enforcing foreign arbitral awards.
Presenters: William Thornton, Partner, Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren
Jie Xu, Partner, Beijing DHH Law Firm
Yuan Yao, Partner, Beijing DHH Law Firm
Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards – China

Addressing Corruption in the Pacific Rim through Localized Compliance Programs 
Foreign companies seeking to do business in the Pacific Rim need to be mindful of corruption, asset concealment, fraud, and other economic crimes. Compliance programs are essential for protecting a company from potentially adverse legal, financial and reputational impacts. However, there is no one-size-fits-all compliance program, as local business practices and culture, and legal and regulatory frameworks need to be considered. This session will focus on how to design and implement effective local compliance programs for foreign companies, using case studies as examples. 
Presenters: John Frangos, Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins
Tom Pickthorn, Partner, Mills & Reeve
Michael Ramirez, Partner, Tilleke & Gibbins
Corruption: The U.K. Perspective