Province Appoints New Agent-General in Southeast Asia

NEWS RELEASE

Province Appoints New Agent-General in Southeast Asia
Appointment will protect Ontario’s economy by strengthening and diversifying provincial trade relations

TORONTO —The Ontario government has appointed Bernard Derible as the province’s new Agent-General in Southeast Asia, supporting the government’s work to protect Ontario by advancing international trade and investment opportunities in the region. This appointment will also build on the success of Ontario’s newly opened Trade and Investment Office (TIO) in Singapore.

“In the face of global economic uncertainty and a tightening investment environment, our government is protecting Ontario by creating new opportunities for our businesses, workers, and families and strengthening Ontario’s presence abroad,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “As one of the fastest-growing global markets, the ASEAN region, is a critical economy. We welcome Mr. Derible to this important role and look forward to seeing his expertise support our ambitions to diversify trade relations and attract new investments.”

Bernard Derible holds over 35 years of senior management and leadership experience, working across government, business, and international non-profit sectors and has served as a strategic advisor on economic reform in Afghanistan and supported development and education initiatives in Southeast Asia.

As Ontario’s Agent-General in Southeast Asia, Mr. Derible will serve as the province’s senior representative in-market, providing strategic advice, identifying investment opportunities and facilitating trade partnerships. He will work in close coordination with Ontario’s new Trade and Investment Office in Singapore, which supports engagement across the ASEAN region, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Since June 2018, the province’s global network of TIOs have attracted over $27 billion in new investment that have resulted in the creation of nearly 15,400 new, good-paying jobs and facilitated market access to thousands of Ontario companies from various industry sectors.

Quick Facts
The Agent-General in Southeast Asia will report directly to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade while working closely with Ontario’s existing international network.
In his capacity as Agent-General, Mr. Derible will be held accountable for clear performance targets including investment deals closed and Ontario companies supported, in keeping with his duties to strengthen strategic government-to-government relations and enhance Ontario’s international profile.
The ASEAN region represents a combined GDP of $5.1 trillion and is home to nearly 689 million people.
Ontario’s international network includes 14 Trade and Investment Offices around the world and an office in Washington, D.C.
The Agent-General in Southeast Asia will support Ontario’s broader international strategy to diversify exports, attract foreign direct investment, and create good-paying jobs across Ontario.