Krungsri (Bank of Ayudhya PCL) and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) jointly supported the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Annual Membership Meeting, held recently in Bangkok. The meeting brought together leaders and executives from the global financial and banking community to exchange views on the future of the financial sector across a wide range of dimensions.
Held alongside the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings, the IIF Annual Membership Meeting brings together leaders from across the global financial community. With Thailand hosting this year's rotation outside Washington, D.C., Krungsri and MUFG took the opportunity to jointly support the event and showcase the potential of Thailand and Southeast Asia to the international financial community. This year's meeting was held under the theme "Growth, Risk, and the New Map of Global Finance," reflecting Asia's growing importance in global finance in the years ahead as trade routes, supply chains and capital flows continue to shift. More than 50 speakers from Thailand and abroad took part.
Among them, senior executives from Krungsri and MUFG joined the panel discussions: Mr. Hironori Kamezawa, Chairman of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Mr. Prakob Phiencharoen, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking Group, Bank of Ayudhya. In addition, executives from MUFG took part in the roundtables held one day before the main meeting.
Asia: MUFG's "second mother market"
Mr. Hironori Kamezawa spoke in the session "Views from the C-Suite: Asia's New Horizons - Growth, Fragmentation and Opportunity," outlining the opportunities and importance of Asia, which MUFG describes as its 'second mother market' after Japan. Asia currently contributes nearly 20% of MUFG's profit portfolio, with loan volume in the region of nearly US$200 billion. Southeast Asia is a particular focus, where MUFG has been building its foundations and investing for more than ten years.
The MUFG Chairman also stressed Asia's importance to Japan, noting that the region holds strong growth potential driven by decarbonization, digitalization and industrial upgrading. He highlighted teamwork and
co-creation among stakeholders as key success factors, particularly in expanding in areas such as energy, digitalization and infrastructure across the region.
Thailand and the opportunities from supply chain realignment
Mr. Prakob Phiencharoen joined the session "Asia in a Changing World: Capital Flows, Trade and Connectivity with Other Regions." He noted that geopolitical volatility has pushed multinational companies to adjust their strategies and diversify their production bases to strengthen supply chain resilience. This trend opens opportunities for Thailand across several industries, including data centers, digital infrastructure and the energy transition.
However, these opportunities come with the need for readiness, including the development of power generation capacity and supporting measures that facilitate investment, alongside the sustainable management of resources. At the same time, financial institutions have an important role to play in developing financial solutions that strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of businesses.
The support for the IIF Annual Membership Meeting reflects the close collaboration between Krungsri and MUFG in connecting Thailand with the global financial network and in helping shape the direction of Asia's financial sector in the years ahead.