Dutch Companies visit Brunei to explore collaborations

23-Jan-2013
 
Chief executive officers of major companies from Brunei and the Netherlands met yesterday for a roundtable meeting to discuss potential bilateral collaborations.

The meeting, which took place behind closed doors, involved senior Brunei government officials, key local business figures and 13 CEOs of Dutch companies.

Members of the media were only allowed several minutes inside the venue to take photographs before they were ushered out of the room.

According to delegates who attended the meeting, participants discussed potential cooperation in areas of interest such as oil and gas, food security, research and development, education and shipping.

The delegates, who requested anonymity on the basis that they were not authorised to talk to the media, said both countries expressed interest in developing partnerships in the aforementioned areas.

Possible joint-ventures were also mooted during the discussion, although specific details were not disclosed.

While no official statement on the meeting was made, one source said that follow-up meetings will be held in Brunei and the Netherlands respectively.

The Dutch CEOs represented various sectors including shipyard management, construction, solar energy, research and development, health care research, engineering and marine technology.

Representatives from the National Disaster Management Centre, government ministries, the Prime Minister's Office, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the National Chambers of Commerce and the Chinese Chambers of Commerce were present during the roundtable.

The roundtable was attended by Crown Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah and Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands.

Queen Beatrix also visited the Brunei Shell Petroleum Sdn Bhd Headquarters in Seria yesterday, and will be leaving with her delegation to Singapore today.