Welcome Back Cocktails 2025

On January 13, AMCHAM kicked off 2025 with its first event – the Welcome Back Cocktails! This much-anticipated gathering, held at the newly opened Hyatt Centric Kuala Lumpur, provided a fantastic opportunity for members to reconnect, network, and catch up over delicious food and refreshing drinks.

AMCHAM’s CEO Dato’ Siobhan Das provided an overview of what the Chamber has planned and what happened during the end of 2024. This year’s event featured an engaging discussion on the implications of the U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, with insights from three esteemed speakers:

• Steve Okun, Senior Advisor to Kroll, Head of External Affairs for American Association of the Indo-Pacific,
• Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement and Program Director of Taylor’s University’s Philosophy, Politics & Economics Program, and
• Deborah Elms, Head of Trade Policy at the Hinrich Foundation in Singapore.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our distinguished guests for sharing their perspectives on how the second Trump presidency may influence the U.S. business community in Asia.

A special shoutout to for hosting us in such a beautiful venue. A huge thank you to Chikako Shimizu, General Manager of Hyatt Centric Kuala Lumpur, for hosting us and  sharing her inspiring story about the exciting hotel.

Here’s to a year filled with meaningful connections and impactful discussions!