Austrade appoints Trade Commissioner for Myanmar
Austrade media release
18 March 2013
Austrade CEO Bruce Gosper today announced the appointment of Mark Wood to the new position of Trade Commissioner in Yangon, Myanmar.
A senior Austrade official with experience in South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand, Mr Wood is expected to take up his appointment in May 2013, establishing a permanent Austrade office to promote trade, investment and education links.
Today’s announcement highlights the Government’s commitment to strengthened commercial ties with Myanmar and coincides with the visit to Australia of the country’s President Thein Sein and delegation of senior ministers.
“Austrade’s Myanmar office is part of the expanded diplomatic and commercial presence foreshadowed in the Government’s Asian Century White Paper,” Mr Gosper said.
“It also reflects Austrade’s increased focus on emerging markets around the world, including our new consulate in Bogota, Colombia, and new Trade Commissioners in Accra, Ghana, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.”
The Yangon office will operate from the Australian Embassy, staffed by Mr Wood and locally engaged business development managers.
Key areas of focus will include education and training, financial services, agribusiness, infrastructure, energy and mining technologies and services.
“Myanmar is an emerging economy with extensive natural resources, a growing population and numerous opportunities for collaboration with Australian companies,” Mr Gosper said.
“Austrade’s role will be to help establish commercial relationships with this strategic market, forecast to grow at over 6 per cent in the current financial year,” Mr Gosper said.
A graduate of the Australian National University and Australian Graduate School of Management, Mr Wood joined Austrade in 1986 and is currently Trade Commissioner in Austrade’s Bangkok office, covering the Myanmar market since October 2012. He was previously Trade Commissioner in Seoul and Hong Kong.
ENDS
Media contact
Jim Dickins
Email: jim.dickins@austrade.gov.au
Tel: + 61 2 93922024
For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre.
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