Seminar: The Impact of TPP on SMEs, SOEs and GLCs

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and government-linked companies (GLCs) have significant presence in Southeast Asian economies that are participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. The TPP contains specific provisions covering SMEs and SOEs. Will the reduction in trade and investment barriers benefit SMEs or will it also increase competition in domestic markets? Will it enhance SME participation in global production networks? Will the SOE-related provisions in TPP create a greater level-playing field? These and other related issues will be explored in this seminar.

Wan Khatina Nawawi is Director of Research at the Khazanah Research Institute. Previously, she was the Director of Research and Investment Strategy at Khazanah Nasional Berhad where she led a team looking at industrial organization (IO) issues including competition economics/law, regulatory economics, and international trade regulation. In the past, she had been a Senior Regional Economist at the National Economic Action Council (NEAC) of the Prime Minister’s Department; and a Regional Economist at SG Research, part of the Societe Generale Banking Group; among others. Khatina has degrees in public administration, competition economics and competition law, business administration, and commerce (Asian economies and economics history) from Harvard University, King’s College London, and the University of Melbourne.

Charles Harvie is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, University of Wollongong. Dr Harvie was Director of the Centre for Small Business & Regional Research, University of Wollongong. He specializes in SME development and performance, East Asian economic development and integration, economic and development issues and policy in the Greater Mekong Subregion economies.  Dr Harvie has been involved in a number of research activities and projects for major international organisations including the Asian Productivity Organisation, Asian Development Bank, Asian Development Bank Institute, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. He has conducted extensive research across a number of countries in East Asia and is currently focusing upon the contribution of SMEs to inclusive and broad based growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion economies. Dr Harvie received his PhD from the University of Warwick.