AGP Executive Report

Cybersecurity & Business Resilience: Fortinet launched a Singapore cloud PoP to bring network detection and response closer to customers across ASEAN, aiming to cut alert overload and improve visibility across hybrid and cloud environments. Energy & Renewables (Brunei): Brunei’s Department of Energy opened a tender for five grid-connected solar installations at government buildings in Muara, covering design, build, operation and maintenance, with applications due June 23. Entrepreneurship (Brunei): Universiti Brunei Darussalam relaunched its Start-Up Center and Entrepreneurship Village to help students, alumni and young entrepreneurs turn ideas into scalable ventures. Regional Payments & Finance: Visa expanded Adeline Kim’s role across Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, while appointing Serene Gay to lead value-added services in Asia Pacific. ASEAN Connectivity & Trade: Sarawak highlighted demand for direct Guangzhou–Kuching flights, saying stronger air links can boost tourism, investment and business exchanges with China. Geopolitics with Economic Impact: The Philippines protested China’s deployment of a floating “structure” at Scarborough Shoal, raising concerns it could support an island base. ASEAN Security of Undersea Assets: Seventeen countries launched GUIDE to protect critical underwater infrastructure, including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

South China Sea Tensions: The Philippines released new satellite-linked images of six newly identified structures and objects at Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc/Huangyan Island), including suspected antennas, a floating structure, a cylindrical object and buoys, as Manila monitors a mobile makeshift structure with occupants—while China rejects the claims and reiterates “indisputable sovereignty.” Brunei Energy & Renewables: Brunei’s Department of Energy has issued a tender for five grid-connected solar installations at five government buildings in Muara, covering design, build, operation and maintenance, with applications due June 23. Brunei Entrepreneurship Push: Universiti Brunei Darussalam relaunched its Start-Up Center and Entrepreneurship Village to help students and young entrepreneurs develop and scale ventures. ASEAN Sports Rights: Laos became the eighth ASEAN country to secure FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights, with matches free on LaoTV; Brunei remains among nations still finalising deals. Regional Business & Connectivity: Sarawak highlighted demand for direct Guangzhou–Kuching flights, while Sarawak leaders also discussed hybrid “petro-electro” energy and hydrogen plans. Payments Leadership: Visa expanded Adeline Kim’s Asia Pacific role across Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, alongside a new appointment for value-added services. Undersea Security: A 17-nation GUIDE initiative launched in Singapore to strengthen cooperation on protecting critical underwater infrastructure, with Brunei among Southeast Asian participants. Food Rescue Partnerships: Malaysia’s i-FB food bank plan is inviting more industry and NGOs as strategic partners to cut food waste and support vulnerable communities.

Brunei Energy & Renewables: Brunei’s Department of Energy has opened a tender for five grid-connected solar installations at five government buildings in Muara, covering design, build, operation and maintenance, with applications due June 23. Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Universiti Brunei Darussalam relaunched its Start-Up Center and Entrepreneurship Village to help students and young entrepreneurs turn ideas into viable businesses. Cabinet & Diplomacy: Sultan Ibrahim’s cabinet reshuffle is making waves, with Prince Abdul Mateen appointed foreign minister—an unusually high-profile move for Brunei’s diplomacy. Food Security & Partnerships: Government is inviting more firms and NGOs to join the Ihsan Food Bank (i-FB) initiative, positioning food rescue as both ESG action and community support. ASEAN Connectivity: Sarawak’s Guangzhou–Kuching direct flight is drawing strong demand, with the minister citing benefits for tourism, trade and investment—relevant for Brunei-region business links. Regional Security Cooperation: Seventeen countries launched a new underwater infrastructure defence exchange framework, including Brunei, to protect critical cables and energy links. ASEAN–China/US Shift: A survey finds ASEAN stakeholders still prefer China over the US as a strategic partner, driven by economic presence and trust. South China Sea Tensions: The Philippines protested China’s deployment of a floating “structure” at Scarborough Shoal, while Japan also criticised Beijing for actions that it says worsen tensions.

Renewables & Energy: Brunei’s Department of Energy has issued a tender for five grid-connected solar installations at five government buildings in Muara, covering design, build, operation and maintenance, with applications due June 23. Entrepreneurship Push: Universiti Brunei Darussalam relaunched its Start-Up Center and Entrepreneurship Village to help students, alumni and young entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses. Digital & Innovation Ecosystem: Brunei also moved to advance Digital Brunei 2030 through a national event aimed at accelerating the country’s digital growth agenda. Government & Business Leadership: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a cabinet reshuffle, appointing Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister—an unusual move with clear succession planning implications for Brunei’s leadership pipeline. Regional Connectivity: A Guangzhou–Kuching direct flight is showing strong demand, with Sarawak’s transport minister citing benefits for tourism, trade and investment—relevant for Brunei firms eyeing regional China links. Undersea Security: Seventeen countries, including Brunei, launched a framework to protect critical underwater infrastructure, supporting safer subsea energy and telecom networks.

Conservation Tech: A new Soundscape Baselines Project is using bioacoustics to track whether forests’ living “rhythms” stay intact, since satellites and carbon accounting can miss changes under the canopy—pilot sites include Brunei and other countries. Food Security & ESG: Brunei’s government is inviting more firms and NGOs to join the Ihsan Food Bank (i-FB) food rescue push, positioning it as a structured way for businesses to meet ESG goals while cutting food waste and aiding vulnerable communities. Regional Security: Seventeen countries, including Brunei, launched GUIDE in Singapore to improve cooperation on protecting critical underwater cables and energy links, with a focus on shared principles and faster incident response. Royal & Policy Shift: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, appointing younger sons Prince Abdul Malik (PMO) and Prince Abdul Mateen (foreign minister), plus new coordinating portfolios as Brunei plans ahead. Payments Leadership: Visa expanded Adeline Kim’s Asia Pacific role across Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, while appointing Serene Gay to lead value-added services for the region.

Brunei Cabinet & succession planning: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, appointing Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister and Prince Abdul Malik as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, alongside new coordinating roles to strengthen policy delivery under Wawasan 2035. Undersea security for trade: Brunei joined a 17-nation initiative launched in Singapore to protect critical underwater cables and energy links, with the GUIDE framework aimed at shared principles and better incident response. Digital economy push: Brunei convened a “Digital Brunei 2030” dialogue to move from planning to measurable outcomes, building on connectivity, digital payments and national digital identity. Consumer & SME trade push: Brunei’s CFTE33 Consumer Fair & Trade Expo returns June 24–28 at the ICC, featuring business matchmaking and dedicated MSME pavilions plus Thailand and India showcases. Payments leadership in the region: Visa expanded Adeline Kim’s role across Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, while Serene Gay was appointed Head of Value-Added Services for Asia Pacific. Regional business context: International tourism rose 2% in Q1 2026 despite Middle East disruptions, a reminder of how travel demand can stay resilient even when costs and flight capacity shift.

Cabinet reshuffle and succession planning: Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major Cabinet overhaul, appointing younger sons Prince Abdul Malik (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office) and Prince Abdul Mateen (Foreign Minister), while creating new coordinating minister roles and restructuring the Primary Resources and Tourism portfolio into the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry—moves widely read as preparing the next generation amid global energy-market pressure. Digital economy push: The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications held a Digital Brunei 2030 dialogue to turn the national digital roadmap into measurable, citizen-focused outcomes, building on connectivity, digital payments and national digital identity. Trade and consumer business calendar: Brunei’s CFTE33 Consumer Fair & Trade Expo is set for June 24–28 at the ICC, with business matchmaking and MSME, Thailand and India pavilions. Regional undersea security: Seventeen countries, including Brunei, launched GUIDE, a voluntary framework to share best practices and improve early warning for threats to subsea telecom and energy cables. Sports tourism in Labuan: Labuan will host its first-ever international 42km full marathon as part of the Pearl of Borneo Marathon 2026, aiming to boost the duty-free island’s events and running tourism. Film release with Brunei in the first wave: China’s box-office hit “Dear You” is rolling out internationally from June 18, with Brunei among the initial territories.

Brunei Cabinet & Succession: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, appointing Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister and Prince Abdul Malik as minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, alongside new coordinating portfolios—widely read as succession planning as Brunei navigates an energy-stressed global environment. Digital Economy Push: Brunei convened a Digital Brunei 2030 dialogue session to move from planning to measurable delivery, building on connectivity, digital payments and national digital identity. Trade & SME Boost: Brunei’s CFTE33 consumer fair and trade expo is set for June 24–28, with business matchmaking and MSME pavilions including Thailand and India. Regional Undersea Security: Seventeen nations launched GUIDE, a voluntary framework led by Singapore to strengthen protection of critical underwater telecom and energy infrastructure, with Brunei among participants. Energy Investment Watch: Petronas signalled upstream investment targets of RM50–RM60 billion annually, with Sabah expected to remain central to long-term production. Miri Tourism & Culture: Miri’s RIUH OOH! festival (July 24–26) targets 30,000+ visitors, with Brunei highlighted as a key source market.

Brunei Cabinet & succession planning: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, appointing Prince Abdul Malik as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister, while creating new coordinating minister roles—moves widely read as preparing the next generation as Brunei navigates energy-market pressure. Digital economy push: Brunei convened a national dialogue to advance “Digital Brunei 2030,” shifting from setting direction to delivering measurable, citizen- and business-ready digital services. Trade & consumer activity: Brunei’s 33rd Consumer Fair & Trade Expo (CFTE33) is set for June 24–28, with business matchmaking and MSME pavilions aimed at boosting local trade links. Agri-storage financing (regional signal): Pakistan launched a PKR 7.1bn agri-storage portfolio financing facility backed by partners including PBICL, highlighting how private financing and storage upgrades can cut post-harvest losses—an approach Brunei businesses may watch for cross-border lessons. Undersea security framework: Seventeen nations, including Brunei, launched a voluntary GUIDE framework to better protect submarine telecom and energy cables via information sharing and improved incident response. Ocean Week Brunei 2026: The month-long “Ocean of Opportunities” programme kicked off, spotlighting blue-economy growth, marine conservation, and community livelihoods.

Brunei Cabinet reshuffle: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major Cabinet overhaul, appointing Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister and Prince Abdul Malik as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, alongside new coordinating roles and a reshuffle aimed at policy continuity and next-generation leadership. Digital Brunei 2030: The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications convened a national dialogue to turn the Digital Brunei 2030 plan into measurable, citizen-focused outcomes, building on connectivity, digital payments and national digital identity. Agri storage push (regional finance): While Pakistan launched a PKR 7.1bn agri-storage financing facility with partners including PBICL, the move highlights how Brunei-linked investors are backing storage and cold-chain capacity to cut post-harvest losses. Undersea security (regional): Seventeen nations, including Brunei, launched GUIDE to share best practices and strengthen protection of critical submarine telecom and energy cables. Trade & business events: Brunei’s CFTE33 consumer fair and trade expo is set for June 24–28, with business matchmaking and MSME pavilions. Blue economy: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicked off, spotlighting blue economy opportunities and marine conservation.

Brunei Cabinet Reshuffle: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah named Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister and Prince Abdul Malik as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, alongside new coordinating roles and a reshuffle aimed at policy continuity and succession planning. Digital Economy Push: The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications convened a Digital Brunei 2030 dialogue to turn the national digital roadmap into measurable, citizen- and business-facing outcomes. Trade & SME Spotlight: Brunei’s 33rd Consumer Fair & Trade Expo (CFTE33) is set for June 24–28 at the ICC, with business matchmaking and MSME pavilions featuring regional exhibitors. Undersea Security Framework: Brunei is among 17 nations launching GUIDE, a voluntary framework to strengthen protection and early warning for critical underwater telecom and energy cables. Ocean Economy Momentum: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicked off with a month-long programme focused on blue economy opportunities, marine conservation, and sustainable ocean livelihoods. Regional Growth Watch: AMRO revised growth forecasts for Brunei upward in the near term, while still flagging the need for policy agility amid global shocks. Cross-border Business Links: AllianzGI is in exclusive talks to buy UOB Asset Management, with UOB’s regional footprint including Brunei—an M&A signal for ASEAN financial services.

Brunei Governance: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major cabinet reshuffle, appointing Prince Abdul Malik as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and naming Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister, alongside new coordinating minister roles—widely read as succession planning as Brunei navigates energy-market pressure. Digital Economy: Brunei launched “Digital Brunei 2030,” a five-year national masterplan to move from digital foundations to measurable outcomes, aligning government, society, business, and a cross-cutting data/AI strategy under Wawasan 2035. Trade & Consumer Business: Brunei’s CFTE33 Consumer Fair & Trade Expo is set for June 24–28 at the ICC, with business matchmaking and MSME pavilions featuring regional partners. Regional Growth Watch: AMRO revised growth forecasts for Brunei upward to 2.3% (2026) while keeping ASEAN+3 growth at 4% for 2026–27, flagging risks from the Middle East crisis. Blue Economy Push: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicked off with a month-long programme on blue economy opportunities, marine conservation, and sustainable ocean livelihoods. Finance/Deals (Regional): Allianz Global Investors is in exclusive talks to buy UOB Asset Management, with Brunei listed among UOB’s regional offices.

Digital Brunei 2030: Brunei’s Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications convened a national dialogue to turn the Digital Brunei 2030 plan into measurable, citizen-centric outcomes, building on connectivity, digital payments and national digital identity. Consumer & Trade Push: Brunei’s 33rd Consumer Fair & Trade Expo (CFTE33) runs June 24–28 at the ICC, with a business matchmaking programme and MSME, Thailand and India pavilions. Competition Watch: The Competition Commission of Brunei Darussalam warned market and festival organisers against price-setting rules or minimum selling prices that could breach the Competition Act. Cabinet & Succession Signals: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a cabinet reshuffle, creating new portfolios and appointing two younger sons as ministers, amid ongoing energy pressure. Ocean Economy: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicked off with a blue-economy theme, aiming to link marine conservation with jobs, food security and future industries. Regional Economy: AMRO raised growth forecasts for Brunei and some peers, while flagging risks from the Middle East crisis. Agri-Financing (Regional): Pakistan launched a PKR 7.1bn agri-storage financing facility backed by InfraZamin and partners including PBICL, targeting post-harvest loss reduction.

Brunei Governance: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major cabinet reshuffle on 4 June, creating new portfolios and appointing two younger sons as ministers—an apparent succession-planning move as Brunei faces wider energy-market pressure. Brunei Digital Economy: The Digital Brunei Council released “Digital Brunei 2030,” a five-year national masterplan to guide digital government, society, business and a cross-cutting data/AI strategy through 2030. Brunei Competition Watch: The Competition Commission of Brunei Darussalam warned event organisers and vendors against coordinating prices or setting minimum selling prices at markets and festivals, citing risks under the Competition Act. Brunei Business & Trade Links: Gleneagles Jerudong Park Medical Centre expanded its medical tourism push into East Kalimantan via partnerships with RS Parikesit and Bank Danamon, aiming to strengthen Borneo cross-border healthcare ties. Regional Macro: AMRO raised growth forecasts for Brunei to 2.3% (2026) but flagged that the Middle East crisis could still weigh on the region’s outlook. Ocean Economy: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicked off with a blue-economy focus, positioning Brunei’s ocean resources as a driver for jobs, livelihoods and sustainable growth.

Digital Economy & Policy: Brunei’s Digital Brunei Council has released Digital Brunei 2030, a five-year national masterplan to guide the country’s digital growth to 2030, aligning digital government, society, business, and a cross-cutting data & AI strategy under the “Together Towards a Digital Brunei” theme. Competition & Consumer Protection: Brunei’s Competition Commission (CCBD) warned event organisers and vendors against price-setting restrictions at markets and festivals, saying minimum-price terms could breach the Competition Act by effectively enabling indirect price-fixing. Blue Economy & Maritime Growth: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicks off on 2 June at UBD, spotlighting the blue economy and how Brunei’s ocean resources link to jobs, food security, innovation, and environmental protection. Regional Finance Outlook: AMRO expects Asean+3 growth to stay resilient at 4% for 2026 and 2027, but flagged mixed revisions across economies, including Brunei’s forecast upgrade. Trade & Connectivity: Inchcape Shipping Services opened a new office in Brunei, aiming to strengthen support for offshore, naval and logistics operations. Healthcare & Tourism: Gleneagles JPMC expanded its medical tourism outreach into Indonesia’s East Kalimantan via partnerships with local hospital and banking stakeholders. ASEAN Integration: Cambodia chairs the 35th ASEAN Customs Directors-General Meeting, pushing customs cooperation to support resilience and regional integration. Energy Risk Watch: A report highlights how the global oil supply shock—linked to the Strait of Hormuz disruption—could pressure ASEAN energy markets and economic stability.

Brunei Business & Economy: Brunei’s competition watchdog CCBD warned event organisers and vendors against coordinating prices or imposing minimum selling prices at markets and festivals, saying such terms can infringe the Competition Act by effectively amounting to indirect price-fixing. Tourism & Connectivity: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 kicks off on 2 June at UBD Pro Chancellor Arts Centre, spotlighting “Ocean of Opportunities” and the blue economy’s role in jobs, food security, innovation and environmental protection. Healthcare Trade: Gleneagles Jerudong Park Medical Centre expanded its medical tourism outreach into East Kalimantan, Indonesia, linking with RS Parikesit and Bank Danamon to strengthen cross-border cardiac care and awareness. Local Business Growth: Inchcape Shipping Services opened a new office in Brunei, aiming to boost support for offshore, naval and logistics operations. Regional Trade Deals: Argentina moved to formally apply to join CPTPP, a bloc that already includes Brunei, while Sri Lanka said Australia and New Zealand backed its RCEP bid. Underwater Infrastructure Security: Singapore spearheaded a 17-nation framework (GUIDE) to protect critical underwater infrastructure like subsea cables, with Brunei among endorsers.