AS the Philippine British Business Council (PBBC) moves toward its 30th anniversary under its new London chairman, Joseph Miro, the background for the further development of bilateral trade and direct investment opportunities for both countries has never been stronger.

In 2024, it welcomed Gabriella Tuason Quimson and Stephen Phillips, among others, as members of the PBBC London. Quimson is a governance and anti-corruption specialist. Philips was appointed senior adviser at BDO Unibank Inc. in January 2024 after a long career focused on cross-border trade, investment and finance in Asia.

As a business-led apolitical body, the PBBC works closely with both governments’ trade and investment departments with much nonfinancial support from the Philippine Embassy in London, the British Embassy and the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in Manila.

Attending the recent meeting at the Philippine Embassy in London are (from left) former British Ambassador to the Philippines Paul Dimond, David Bill, Rowena Romulo, Gabriella Tuason Quimson, Chairman Joseph Miro, Melissa Dizon, representatives from the United Kingdom’s Department for Business and Trade Priya Soni and John Williams, and Alistair Fulton. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Individual PBBC members have cumulative experience of trading conditions and contacts of well over 100 years. Unlike other surviving business councils, the PBBC itself has long adopted the policy of focusing on those sectors.

It offers a free service of advice in the United Kingdom to bona fide companies new to the market and is happy to hear from British firms interested in the Philippine market, whether diversifying from other Southeast Asian markets or completely new to the region, and whether they wish to export products or services, find joint partners in the Philippines or invest there directly for longer-term market share.

The PBBC is equally happy to hear from Philippine companies seeking partners in the UK or looking for direct investment opportunities.