Navigating Political and Regulatory Risk in Southeast Asia: Insights for Australian Business

On behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we invite you to express your interest in attending the event “Navigating Political and Regulatory Risk in Southeast Asia: Insights for Australian Business”.

Join Louise Adams, Australia’s Business Champion for Vietnam and CEO of Aurecon, for a discussion to equip Australian businesses with the capability to better understand and manage political and regulatory risks in Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia offers significant opportunities for informed and well-prepared Australian businesses, but exporting goods, services, and outbound investments into the region also introduces new risks that must be identified, mitigated, and actively managed.

Southeast Asia’s strong economic growth, geographic proximity and economic complementarity make it a compelling destination for Australian business. At the same time, the operating environment can be complex, requiring Australian companies to navigate political risks such as instability, policy shifts, and changes in government priorities, as well as regulatory risks including unpredictable rule changes, increased compliance costs, and potential impacts on investment attractiveness and market competitiveness.

This discussion will explore practical strategies for navigating political and regulatory environments across Southeast Asia, including risk identification, stakeholder engagement, local partnerships, compliance frameworks, and how businesses can leverage Australian Government support to strengthen their risk management approach.

Additional speakers to be announced.

Guest Speakers​​​​​​​ ​​

• ​​​Louise Adams, Australia’s Business Champion for Vietnam; CEO, Aurecon
• Catherine Mudford, Acting CEO, Asialink Business

Event Details​​​​​​​ 

Date: Wednesday 18 March 2026
Time: Arrival and morning tea from 10.30am – 11.00am. Event at 11.00am – 12.30pm.
Location: Melbourne TBC

To express your interest in attending, please register using the link above or click here.

As this is an invitation-only event, we will review submissions and contact eligible organisations with further details. Places are limited and we are prioritising submissions from Australian businesses with an interest in Southeast Asia. Expression of interest does not guarantee attendance.

We look forward to the opportunity to connect with you. For any queries, please contact asialinkbusiness-events@unimelb.edu.au

Louise Adams, Australia’s Business Champion for Vietnam and CEO, Aurecon

Louise Adams is the Chief Executive Officer of Aurecon, leading 7,500 people across 31 locations in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Louise is also a member of the National Advisory and Fiduciary Boards of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, Consult Australia’s Champions of Change Group, an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering (ATSE), and a member of Chief Executive Women (CEW).

In March 2024, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed Louise as Australia’s Business Champion to Vietnam, expanding the role she has held since 2021 to further trade and investment opportunities between Vietnam and Australia. Louise is also part of the Australian Government’s Advisory Board of the ASEAN-Australia Centre, and an Advisory Board Member of the Australia Vietnam Policy Institute (AVPI). 

Catherine Mudford, Acting CEO, Asialink Business

Catherine Mudford is Acting CEO at Asialink Business, Australia’s National Centre for Asia Capability.

Catherine is a senior business leader with 20+ years of experience in international business, gained across developed and emerging markets. She has lived in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore and worked extensively across the Asia region from these bases. Her career to date has included roles on the client side and in consultancy, in the private sector, government and in the education sector. She joined Asialink Business in 2021 leading the development of a series of initiatives to equip Australian businesses with the skills to succeed in fast-changing Asia. This included launching the Asialink Business Academy in 2023 and the publication this year of “Asialink Leaders: 30 Years of Asia success” showcasing stories of business success in Asia and the capabilities that enable that.

Catherine is passionate about helping leaders and organisations build the awareness and insight to help them be successful as they work across borders.