Down to business in bustling Bangkok

August 2017

The vibrant city of Bangkok was the setting for this year's two-day Asia-Pacific regional meeting held on 3-4 August at the extraordinary Shangri-La Hotel situated along the Chao Phraya River - 'The River of Kings'. A hugely successful event; it was one of Russell Bedford's best attended Asia-Pacific meetings with 25 delegates across 12 countries, representing 14 member firms from the region.

Day one: A host of thought-provoking presentations

Day one launched with a welcome from host firm A.M.T. & Associates followed by a presentation from our newly appointed CEO Stephen Hamlet, who gave an update on RBI news, presenting latest developments and discussing exciting future plans for the network.

Associate Professor Dr. Chackrit Duangphastra, Director of Transportation Institute of Chulalongkorn University, joined as a guest speaker to discuss ASEAN Community 2025 and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. A presentation from BizCoach on business intelligence systems for SMEs concluded the first day of sessions.

Dinner on the Thursday took place at the conference hotel's Salathip Restaurant, where delegates enjoyed a quintessential Thai dining experience sampling a variety of top-class authentic Thai cuisine.

Day two: Practice and regional updates

The second day of the meeting commenced with internal discussions on practice and regional updates, which gave members an opportunity to give an update on their firm's progress, challenges and new developments. The conference heard from representatives from Bangkok, Beijing, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, Perth, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Taipei.

Generating fee growth was the theme of the afternoon session where topics discussed included the sectors that contribute the most to firm growth, using technology and social media to benefit your practice and why promoting RBI locally and regionally can deliver positive results to individual member firms and the network as a whole. Delegates then discussed how to work closer together in order to generate increased opportunities for business within the region and beyond.

Dinner on 'The River of Kings'

The two-day event drew to a close with a mesmerising dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya River, and it is no wonder why it is known as 'The River of Kings' as delegates felt every bit majestic as they sailed along, revelling in the wondrous temples and fascinating buildings of Bangkok's glorious landscape. The perfect end to a remarkable event.