ASEAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY FORUM 2025

In collaboration with partners under the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and nearby venues 14-17 October 2025

Online Registration

14-15 Oct 2025 | Partner Event
16-17 Oct 2025 | Main Event

ACEF 2025

The ASEAN Circular Economy Forum (ACEF) 2025 will be hosted in Malaysia, aligning with the country’s ASEAN Chairmanship and its overarching theme: Inclusivity and Sustainability. ACEF 2025 will spotlight how circular economy solutions can drive inclusive development, reduce inequality, and foster innovation across the region.

Online Registration

Programme Structure

Partner events

Oct 14

09:00 – 18:00 @Mandarin Oriental

ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution (ACCPP) 2025
Co-hosted by ERIA and the Ministry of NRES


Oct 15

08:00 – 13:30 @Sheraton Imperial

Ecothon in Malaysia – Demo Day
Co-organised by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC), the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (MEDC) and the Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR)

09:00 – 17:00

SEA MaP – Regional Platform for Knowledge and Partnerships

15:00 – 18:00

Team Finland, Sitra and EU CERC: Unlocking New Value in Southeast Asia Through Circular Business Models

18:00 – 21:00

Networking dinner
hosted by Team Finland, Sitra, and EU CERC.

18:00 – 21:00

ASEC/World Bank: SEA-MaP Network Dinner with Platform launch

ACEF / MAIN EVENT

Oct 16

ACEF 2025 – Day 1

For more information, please check the detailed schedule below

Concurrent Partner Event – (Time TBC)

a) SEA MaP
Accelerator cohort 1 pitch session

b) SEA MaP
women-led and underrepresented countries pitches

Oct 17

ACEF 2025 – Day 2

For more information, please check the detailed schedule below

Concurrent Partner Event – (Time TBC)

Integration of the SEA-MaP Regional Platform for Innovation and Investments in ASEAN eco-system – case Malaysia

Concurrent Partner Event – (Time TBC)

Pitch sessions by start-ups

ACEF 2025 – MAIN EVENT

DAY 1, THURSDAY
OCT 16, 2025

08:30 – 09:00

Coffee and registration

09:00 – 09:05

Opening ceremony

09:05 – 9:25

Opening Remarks

  • HE Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General, ASEAN Secretariat (Pre-Recorded)
  • HE Sujiro Seam, Ambassador of the European Union to ASEAN
  • HE Dr Pitchayaphant Charnbhumidol, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
  • HE Jarno Syrjälä, Finnish Undersecretary of International Trade

09:25 – 09:30

Group Photo

09:30 – 10:10

Circular Economy State of Play in ASEAN Presented by ASEAN Secretariat

10:10 – 10:40

Break & refreshments

10:40 – 12:00

Resource Use in ASEAN and the Role of the Circular Economy in Achieving ASEAN Vision 2045, Moderated by Magnus Bengtsson

Presenter and Panellist:

  • Kari Herlevi, Programme Director Circular Economy, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra – Positioning ASEAN in the Global Circular Economy Transition
  • Alessio Miatto, Senior Research Scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) – Material flows, public policy, and socioeconomic development – ASEAN in a global context
  • Margaret Anak Kuyor, Deputy Undersecretary (Circular Economy Policy), Urban Sustainability Division, Ministry of Housing and Local Government – The Role of the Circular Economy in Achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2045
  • Anthony Pramualratana, Deputy Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) – The ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ACESP): Advancing CE Across ASEAN Pillars” Showcase how ACESP integrates cross-sectoral CE efforts and fosters collaboration across AMS, businesses, and civil society

Reflection and Q&A

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch break & Networking

13:00 -13:30

Announcements of New Circular Economy Initiatives in ASEAN

Presenter:

  • Tuan Haji Rahman bin Mohd Din, ASEAN Coordinating Committee on MSMEs (ACCMSME) Malaysia: Centre of Excellence for Green Transition
  • Nurshaffira Izad, Cradle Fund Malaysia: Startup ASEAN
  • Phong Giang, GIZ: New Circular Economy Programmes in ASEAN (Trade and Circular Economy and 3RproMar II)
  • Marisa Aisha Mohamed Razeek, EU-ASEAN Connectivity Package on Trade (SCOPE-Trade
  • Worajit Setthapun, Expert Group on ASEAN Talent Mobility (Thailand): ASEAN Talent Mobility Pool (Pre-recorded)
  • Rene Van Berkel, SWITCH-Asia: ASEAN+3 Leadership Program

13:30 – 15:00

Green Skills, Innovative Solutions and Investments – Unlocking the Potential of Circular Startups in ASEAN, Moderated by Imelda Bacudo

Presenter in Part A – SME representatives and CE Practitioners (Each panellist will share insights, initiatives, or case studies related to their work in green skills development, circular innovation, and elaborate on the most urgent needs for their respective businesses)

  • Saravanee Singtong, Division Director at NXPO, “Thailand’s innovation economy:“
  • Adi Reza Nugroho, CEO & Co-Founder, Mycotech Lab (MYCL)
  • Unchalee Mulalee: Head of ESG SCG Chemicals, Siam Cement Group
  • Thuy Tran Thi Thanh, ASEAN Access Network, GIZ Vietnam

Presenter in Part B –  Higher Education and Research Institutions, ASEAN Secretariat and EU-SEAN Business Council (Each panellist will share insights, initiatives, or case studies related to their work in supporting SMEs on green skills development, circular innovation, startup support, and elaborate on tools and infrastructure they can offer)

  • Engelbert Pasag, Pan Pacific University
  • Frank Feulner, EU – SCOPE
  • Ulrike Sengstschmid, EU-ASEAN Business Council

Joint Panel Discussion

Q&A with Audience

15:00 – 15:30

Break & refreshments

15:30 – 16:30

Closing the Loop: Catalysing ASEAN Circular Transition through Investment [in partnership with Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) [KWAP] Malaysia] Moderated by Fara Alyaa Azmin, Vice President, Private Equity, KWAP

Panellist:

  • Venon Tian, Chief Operating Officer (COO), ZUS Coffee
  • Mohamed Tarek EI-Fatatry, Founder of Electronic Recycling Through Heroes (ERTH)
  • Badrul Hisham Jaafar, Principal and Senior Vice President, COPE Private Equity
  • Chai Peng Teh, Founder & CEO, Complete Human Network (CHN)

Reflection

16:30 – 17:30

Closing session, Moderated by Magnus Bengtsson and Imelda Bacudo

Reflections and Pathways Forward: Advancing ASEAN’s Circular Economy through Innovation, Industry and Policy Alignment

DAY 2, FRIDAY
OCT 17, 2025

09:00 – 09:15

Opening Remarks

  • Datuk Dr Ching Thoo, Secretary General, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Malaysia
  • HE Kirstine Vangkilde Berner, Ambassador of Denmark to Malaysia [Including announcement of TEI Pillars 1 & 2 under the Danish CE TEI project (ASEAN-EU Green Team Europe Initiative: Transition to a Regional Circular Economy)]

09:15 – 09:30

Scene-setting presentation by Rene van Berkel, TEI Advisor

09:30 – 10:30

Panel I: ACEF Annual Policy Dialogue – Acceleration of Circular Economy in ASEAN – Priority Areas for Harmonised / Joint Action Moderated by Vong Sok

Panelists & Perspectives:

  • Rifki Weno, Executive Director – ASEAN Business Advisory Council – Business perspective to CE Transition, critical areas where harmonised regional action would create real value for ASEAN enterprises in the circular economy transition
  • David Christensen, Project lead, Denmark BOFA – “asic building blocks that are required in a regional block like ASEAN for transition to circular economy
  • Cuong Tran, Assistant Director of Trade Facilitation Division, ASEAN Secretariat – Regional actions to facilitate trade/material flow for circular economy transition
  • Chris Humphrey, Executive Director, EU-ASEAN Business Council – Trade as a facilitator to circular economy transition

Panel Discussion

Q&A with Audience

10:30 – 10:45

Break & refreshments

10:45 – 11:50

Panel II – Enabling CE Acceleration through Policy Action, Resource Mobilisation and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships Moderated by Vong Sok

Panelists:

  • Muhammad Iqbal Balative, Deputy Director of Islamic Financing Indonesian Ministry of Finance
  • Gerald Ko, VC, Gobi VC – Crowding in financing in the Circular Economy spacem
  • Tengku Zahaslan, Director of the New Industrial Master Plan, Malaysian Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI)
  • Datuk Shahril Azuar Jimin, Chief Sustainability Officer, Maybank Foundation

Panel Discussion

Q&A with Audience

11:50 – 12:00

Closing session

Vong Sok, Head of the Environment Division, Assistant Director of the Sustainable Development Directorate, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Department, ASEAN Secretariat

Jerome Pons, Head of Cooperation of the European Union (EU) Delegation to ASEAN

12:00 – 14:00

Lunch & Networking & Bilateral Meetings

14:00 – 16:10

Strategising Session

Upon Invitation Only