THAILAND-U.S. TRADE & INVESTMENT SUMMIT 2025 SPEAKERS
MathiasCormann TheOrganisationforEcon Co-operationandDevelop
KasemsitPathomsak TheBoardofTradeofThailand
H.E. Pichai Chunhavajira DeputyPrimeMinisterand MinisterofFinance
Dr SurakiartSathirathai FormerDPMandMinisterof ForeignAffairs
Dr.AnuwatJulintron MinistryofIndustry
Amb. Robert Godec US AmbassadortoThai
ChatitHuayhongtong AMCHAMThailand
H.E. Pichai Naripthaphan MinisterofCommerce
Dr.ChanintrChalisarapong ThaiPetFoodA
Dr PojAramwattananont TheThaiChamberof Commerce
KellyStange US DepartmentofAgriculture
NateeSithiprasasana SuratGreenGroup
SimonDenye
JohnGoyer US ChamberofCommerce
Dr SoipetchPrathuangset BDMSWellnessClinicSoonvijai
Dr.PhuwanartChoonhapran EnergyRegulatoryCommission (ERC)
SakchaiSae-Seai ChevronThailand AnnabelLee AWS
PhilipBernard WesternDigital
NonnabhatPaiboon HerbertSmithFreehills
MinorInternational
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
HisExcellency PichaiChunhavajira
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
HE Pichai has served as the Minister of Finance since 2023, overseeing the country's economic policies during challenging global conditions Previously, he served as the Chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), Chairman of the Bangchak Board, and a member of the Bank of Thailand’s Board of Directors, He was also a director at PTT Exploration and Production Plc Pichai holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Thammasat University and a master’s degree in the same field from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania
AmbassadorRobertGodec
U S Ambassador to Thailand
Robert Godec was confirmed as US Ambassador to Thailand by the Senate on August 4, 2022 This is his third ambassadorship; he previously served as Ambassador to Kenya from 2013 to 2019 and as Ambassador to Tunisia from 2006 to 2009 His other recent positions include Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and Senior Coordinator for Afghanistan in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Ambassador Godec has also served as Deputy Commandant and International Affairs Advisor at the National War College, the State Department’s Principal Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and Deputy Coordinator for the Transition in Iraq
ProfessorDr.SurakiartSathirathai
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Surakiart Sathirathai is a former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand, currently serving as the Chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council (APRC) and the Advisory Vice Chairman of the Friends in Need (of “Pa”) Volunteers Foundation, Thai Red Cross. He holds an S.J.D. and LL.M. from Harvard Law School, and has extensive experience in law, politics, and international relations, along with numerous honors and royal decorations
OPENING REMARKS
PojAramwattananont
n of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
amwattananont serves as the Chairman of the Thai Chamber of e and the Board of Trade of Thailand He is currently the and President of Sea Value, overseeing a group of 15 s with combined annual revenues exceeding 50 billion Baht verse industries Dr Poj previously served as a Senator in National Legislative Assembly from 2014-2018 He holds a of Arts in Political Science and a master’s degree from mhaeng University, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Political om Valaiya Alongkorn Rajabhat University
titHuayhongtong
nt, AMCHAM Thailand nt, Chevron Thailand
ayhongtong serves as President of AMCHAM Thailand He is President of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd, he assumed in May 2021 As President, he is responsible for operations in Thailand Chatit began his career with Chevron in over a 20-year period has held numerous engineering and p positions of increasing responsibility around the world, in the United Kingdom and United States Prior to becoming Chatit served as General Manager for Operations from 2018, as Manager for Asset Development from 2016, as Asset Manager of et from 2013, and as Deputy Asset Manager of Platong Asset Chatit graduated from Chulalongkorn University with an MA in Business Administration in 2003 and a BA in Petroleum Engineering in 1994.
JohnGoyer
Executive Director Southeast Asia
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
John Goyer is Executive Director of Southeast Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce John focuses on issues of market access, investment barriers, regulatory and other issues that pose challenges for US business in Southeast Asia He oversees an array of bilateral dialogues and forums to enhance commercial relations with countries in the region He has been closely engaged in the US Chamber effort to provide Covid-19 relief and assistance to Indonesia and Vietnam and oversees research on the ongoing impact of regional trade tensions on supply chains and trade flows in the region Since 2016, he has served as a consultant to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) ASEAN Investment Report Series as well as as a member of Indonesia’s B20 Trade and Investment Task Force during that country’s G20 Chairmanship in 2022
SUPPORTING REMARKS
MathiasCormann
Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Mathias Cormann is the sixth Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Before joining the OECD, he held several senior positions in the Australian government, including Minister for Finance, Leader of the Government in the Senate, and Senator for Western Australia Throughout his political career, he has consistently advocated for open markets, free trade, and a rules-based global trading system From 1997 to 2003, he served as Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to multiple state and federal ministers in Australia, as well as to the Premier of Western Australia He later held senior management roles at HBF, a leading health insurer in Western Australia, from 2003 to 2007.
KasemsitPathomsak
Vice Chairman, the Board of Trade of Thailand Executive Chairman, Merchant Partners Securities PCL
Kasemsit Pathomsak is currently the Executive Chairman of Merchant Partners Limited, a financial holding company comprising Merchant Partners Securities Plc. and Merchant Partners Asset Management Limited He serves as a Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Christiani & Nielsen (THAI) Plc, and as Director of WP Energy Plc, National Power Supply Plc, AJ Plast Plc, Starr International Insurance (Thailand) Plc Socially, Kasemsit is Honorary Chairman of ICC Thailand National Committee, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand, and Council Member of the APEC Business Advisory Council He attended the Harvard Business School Executive Program and the High-Level Chinese Economy Training Program for Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs at Guangzhou Jinan University and Beijing University
PROGRAM AGENDA
OPENING REMARKS
Dr Poj Aramwattananont, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
Chatit Huayhongtong, President, AMCHAM Thailand, President, Chevron Thailand
John Goyer, Executive Director Southeast Asia, US Chamber of Commerce
RECEPTION AND NETWORKING
ON MAY 20, 2025
REGISTRATION
JOINT WELCOMING REMARKS
Dr. Poj Aramwattananont, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FINANCE PICHAI CHUNHAVAJIRA
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY AMBASSADOR ROBERT GODEC, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THAILAND
COMMENDATION LETTER FROM THE HONORABLE TAMMY DUCKWORTH, U.S. SENATOR OF ILLINOIS
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
BUILDING ON A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP
Professor Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Thailand
KEYNOTE SPEECH BY SECRETARY GENERAL MATHIAS CORMANN, THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
SESSION 1
STRENGTHEN AGRI-FOOD TRADE & INNOVATION: ENHANCING THAILAND – U.S. COLLABORATION FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
Dr Anuwat Julintron, Senior Expert, International Industrial Economics, Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry
Dr Chanintr Chalisarapong, President, Thai Pet Food Association
Simon Denye, Managing Director, Harmless Harvest
Chris Markey, Deputy Regional Director for Southeast Asia & Oceania, US Grains Council [Moderator] Kelly Stange, Regional Agricultural Counselor, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA
COFFEE BREAK
SESSION 2
ADVANCING GREEN INITIATIVES: THAILAND – U.S. COOPERATION IN ENERGY TRANSITION FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Dr Phuwanart Choonhapran, Assistant Secretary General, Office of Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
Sakchai Sae-Seai, Vice President, Strategy, Business Performance and Commercial, Chevron Thailand
Annabel Lee, ASEAN Public Policy Director, AWS
Philip Bernard, Senior Vice President, Western Digital [Moderator] Natee Sithiprasasana, Managing Director, Surat Green Group
CLOSING REMARKS FOR MORNING SESSION
John Goyer, Vice President, Southeast Asia and Oceania, US Chamber of Commerce
LUNCH AND NETWORKING
OPENING REMARKS FOR AFTERNOON SESSION
Chatit Huayhongtong, President, AMCHAM Thailand President, Chevron Thailand
KEYNOTE SPEECH BY MINISTER OF COMMERCE, PICHAI NARIPTHAPHAN
SESSION 3
FOSTERING DIGITAL TRADE & INNOVATION: THAILAND –
U.S. SYNERGIES IN DIGITAL ECONOMY
Chatchai Khunpitiluck, Chief of Operations and Senior Executive Vice President, Digital Economy Promotion Agency
Ekaraj Panjavinin, Chief Digital Officer and Acting Chief Business Officer at True Corporation Public Company Limited
Randy McGraw, Chief Commercial Officer, Sertis [Moderator] Nonnabhat Paiboon, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
SESSION 4
REVITALIZING CREATIVE INDUSTRIES & TOURISM: THAILAND – U.S. TIES IN TRAVEL AND ENTERTAINMENT
Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, Executive Vice President, Sukosol Hotels & The Siam | Chair, Tourism Subcommittee, National Soft Power Development Committee
Soipetch Prathuangset, MD, Director of BDMS Wellness Clinic Soonvijai, BDMS Wellness Clinic and Wellness Resort
Ed Bowers, President Global Development, MGM Resorts International
Ruben Hattari, Director of Global Affairs, Southeast Asia, Netflix
[Moderator] Ririnda Tangtatswas, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Minor International
CLOSING REMARKS
Kasemsit Pathomsak, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand
COFFEE RECEPTION
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Dr.AnuwatJulintron
Senior Expert
International Industrial Economics, Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry
Dr Anuwat Julintron is a Senior Expert in International Industrial Economics at the Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry, Thailand He has extensive experience in industrial policy analysis, economic modeling, and international economic cooperation His work has supported key policy decisions and contributed to Thailand’s engagement in major trade negotiations, including the WTO and ASEAN Free Trade Agreements Dr Anuwat leads industrial development planning, focusing on analyzing global trends and strategies to enhance Thai industry competitiveness He holds a PhD in Applied Behavioral Sciences Research from Srinakharinwirot University and a Master’s in Economics from New York University He also advises on international industrial economics, providing strategic recommendations to support executive-level decision-making
Dr.ChanintrChalisarapong
President
Thai Pet Food Association
Dr Chanintr Chalisarapong is the President of both the Thai Pet Food Trade Association (TPFA) and the Thai Tuna Industry Association (TTIA), as well as Vice Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce With decades of leadership in Thailand’s seafood and pet food industries, he currently serves as Senior Vice President of Seavalue PCL Dr Chanintr has also played key roles in regional fisheries cooperation, having served multiple terms as Chair and Co-Chair of the INFOFISH World Tuna Conference He holds a Doctorate in Social Sciences (Third World Development) and a master's in political science from the University of Paris VII
SimonDenye
Managing Director Harmless Harvest
Simon has lived in Southeast Asia for the last 17 years between Thailand and the Philippines He currently serves as Managing Director of Harmless Harvest, where he helms all operational and business functions in Thailand, fulfilling the “Harmless” mission of providing the best tasting, organic, and fair for life coconut products to the World Simon believes in a values-led approach and is passionate about generating wealth for all stakeholders through good business leadership Previously, Simon was with Dole Thailand for almost a decade in various roles, most recently as the VP & MD In this role, he was the President of five legal entities and all operations in Thailand, contributing 40% of the Worldwide Packaged Food profit of Dole. Simon is also a Non Executive Director of Prime Hemp Science and Industry srl, and an advisor to the board of Thai EuroCoat
ChrisMarkey
Deputy Regional Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania
U.S. Grains Council
Chris Markey serves as the Deputy Regional Director of Southeast Asia & Oceania at the US Grains Council, a non-profit organization promoting the global use of bioethanol and coarse grain products Chris designs and executes policy advisory, trade servicing, and capacity building programs for biofuel and animal feed stakeholders across the region Prior to joining the Council in 2022, he spent six years as a government affairs and market research consultant supporting clients in energy, agriculture, industrial, technology, and FMCG sectors in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia Chris holds a BA in International Studies and an MS in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University
KellyStange
Regional Agricultural Counselor, Foreign Agricultural Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Kelly Stange is the Agricultural Counselor for the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Bangkok, overseeing US agricultural affairs in Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos She leads missions to expand market access, forges stakeholder engagements, and promotes US food and beverage industries Previously, she held senior leadership roles in Washington, DC, Berlin, Costa Rica, and Brussels, with expertise in agricultural trade policy analysis recruitment, and international development program evaluation She holds degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia
19-20,
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Dr.PhuwanartChoonhapran
Assistant Secretary General Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
Phuwanart Choonhapran is Assistant Secretary General of the Office of Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Thailand, responsible for promoting competition in the gas and electricity sectors He has advanced gas business competition by introducing the Third Party Access Regime and Transmission System Operator (TSO) Framework to accommodate new shippers. He also sets gas provision regulations, demand forecasts, contract terms, and safety standards In electricity, he oversees regulations for energy innovation and disruptive technologies, such as Utility Green Tariff (UGT) and regulatory sandbox He is a member of the ASEAN Energy Regulators’ Network (AERN). Previously Phuwanart worked as a product manager for Siemens in Germany, performing risk and reliability analysis of power plants He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, with degrees from the University of New South Wales and King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology
SakchaiSae-Seai
Vice President, Strategy, Business Performance and Commercial Chevron Thailand
Sakchai has 30 years of experience in the energy industry He holds a bachelor’s degree from Kasetsart University and a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Drexel University, Pennsylvania, USA Prior to joining Chevron, he worked in refinery and energy conversation companies. He has been with Chevron for 25 years, serving in various technical and leadership roles in Thailand and abroad, including asset management, operations, engineering, project management, and organizational change programs He is currently the Vice President of Strategy, Commercial and Business Development at Chevron Thailand.
AnnabelLee
ASEAN Public Policy Director AWS
Annabel Lee leads Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) public policy work on Engagements and Campaigns for APJ and heads the ASEAN public policy team She has over 15 years of experience in telecom and technology policy, with deep expertise in digital policy issues, including privacy, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, from both industry and government perspectives Before joining AWS, Annabel worked in the Singapore Government on telecommunications and digital policy, holding roles at the Info-communications and Media Development Authority and the Personal Data Protection Commission She also led the government’s AI industry strategy and contributed to AI governance, including the Model AI Governance Framework Annabel previously worked at BSA | The Software Alliance, advocating for the software industry in the Asia-Pacific region
PhilipBernard
Senior Vice President
Western Digital
Philip Bernard is the Senior Vice President of Global HDD Operations, with over 30 years of experience in the hard drive industry He has held executive positions in engineering and operations at Western Digital Corporation in both Asia and the United States. In his current role, based in Thailand, he leads WD’s main operation in Thailand together with pilot factories overseas, as well as engineering support ranging from tools and test equipment design to sustaining engineering in many countries Philip holds multiple patents in the field of storage engineering and is a strong advocate for Industry 40 technologies, contributing to both industry and academic advancements. Philip Bernard was a member of Monash University’ Industrial Malaysia’s Engineering Advisory Panel from 2012 to 2015 In 2021, he became the Industrial Advisor for the Physics Department at Xiamen University Malaysia
NateeSithiprasasana
Managing Director Surat Green Group
Natee Sithiprasasana is the Managing Director of Surat Green Group, Thailand, which oversees a portfolio of renewable energy businesses He leads affiliated companies, including Surat Thani Green Energy Company Limited (SGEC), (99 MW biomass power plant), Natura One Company Limited (30 tons/day bio-oil refinery), Green To Energy Company Limited (14 MW biogas power plant), Nature’s Energy Solution Company Limited (NES) (energy investment and project management), and RTS (Surat Thani) Company Limited, (O&M) services He is also a Board Member of The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), Chairman of The Renewable Energy Industry Club, and serves on several other energy-related boards With over 20 years of experience in the renewable energy and certified emission reduction projects, he is recognized for advancing clean energy in Thailand
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
ChatchaiKhunpitiluck
Chief of Operations and Senior Executive Vice President Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA)
Chatchai Khunpitiluck is a leader in driving digital transformation and innovation with over 25 years of experience at the intersection of software, hardware, and digital technologies He began his career in Silicon Valley, where he contributed to the development of power-on self-test (POST) systems for Cray Supercomputers at Silicon Graphics Inc. He later founded his own tech startup, which he successfully exited before returning to Thailand Since then, he has played a pivotal role in advancing Thailand’s digital ecosystem, and smart technology adoption across the public and private sectors He holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science as well as Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and graduated from Stanford University with a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering
EkarajPanjavinin
Chief Digital Officer and Acting Chief Business Officer True Corporation Public Company Limited
Ekaraj Panjavinin is an experienced Head of Sales and Business Management with a demonstrated history of working in the computer hardware and software industry He is skilled in sales, business development, storage, customer relationship management (CRM), and go-to-market strategy He holds a master’s degree from Thammasat University Ekaraj has been appointed Acting Chief Business Officer of True Corporation Public Company Limited, effective March 1, 2025 He has also served as Chief Digital Officer of True Corporation Public Company Limited since March 1, 2023 and as President of True Digital Group Company Limited since February 2023 Additionally, he is a member of the Thailand Advisory Board of the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform (AIBP)
RandyMcGraw
Chief Commercial Officer Sertis
A graduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University Pennsylvania, Randy is the Chief Commercial Officer at Sertis and C Chair of AMCHAM Digital Economy Committee A recognized expe with over 20 years experience in strategy and business development the digital space, he has served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Tru Digital Group, and led business development for Amazon in Japa where he built Prime's largest global 3rd-party distribution deal Pri roles include Managing Director of Altus Capital's digital division, Seni Director of BD at Hughes Electronics/DIRECTV, and Head of BD Singtel's Group Digital Life
NonnabhatPaiboon
Partner
Herbert Smith Freehills
Nonnabhat Paiboon has over 14 years of experience advising Thai and international clients on complex domestic and multi-jurisdiction cross border M&A transactions in a wide range of sectors, such as financial institutions, consumer, energy, TMT, food and beverage, insurance, automotive, and private capital She has substantial experience in structuring and negotiating cross-border transactions, as well as the acquisition and divestiture of corporate divisions. Nonnabhat has been involved in unique M&A deals within the country, some of which became the largest sector deals in Southeast Asia She is a highly regarded lawyer in competition and anti-trust and has been invited by relevant authorities to consult on proposed changes to Thai competition law
19-20,
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
MarisaSukosol
Executive Vice President, Sukosol Hotels & The Siam | Chair, Tourism Subcommittee, National Soft Power Development Committee
Marisa is a prominent voice in Thailand’s tourism industry, serving as Executive Vice President of Sukosol Hotels and The Siam, and Chair of the Tourism Subcommittee under Thailand’s National Soft Power Development Committee She led the Thai Hotels Association as President during the Covid-19 crisis and is known for championing sustainability, cultural tourism, and hospitality excellence Her work has earned her numerous honors, including Bangkok Post Woman of the Year and a spot in the Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) Hall of Fame
RubenHattari
Director of Global Affairs, Southeast Asia Netflix
Ruben Hattari is the Global Affairs Director for Netflix in Southeast Asia. He currently oversees Netflix’s regulatory engagements with governments and supports the growth of the region’s creative economy sector Previously, Ruben served as Head of Public Policy for Facebook in Indonesia and Timor Leste where he led initiatives in e-commerce, content management, investment, and national elections. He has also worked as the Corporate Affairs Director for Microsoft Indonesia, where he was responsible for policy issues related to data localization/sovereignty, data privacy, cybersecurity, smart city projects, and local content requirements for hardware devices Ruben has extensive regional expertise in Southeast-Asian affairs He has held positions as the Executive Director of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and as an official at the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
RirindaTangtatswas
Vice President, Strategic Planning Minor International PCL
Ririnda’s journey with Minor International Pcl commenced in 2009, and over the years, she has navigated various roles within the organization. From expanding her responsibilities in investor relations to strategic planning and implementation, her career trajectory requires a versatile skill set and insights In her current role as Vice President, Ririnda not only oversees strategic planning but also looks after investor relations, public relations, and corporate affairs for the Group Prior to joining Minor International, Ririnda was an investment banker at Trinity Securities Group, where she completed merger and acquisition deals for several leading organizations in Thailand’s hospitality and medical sectors, in addition to initial public offerings and securitization
