Keynote Speakers

Secretary of Trade and Industry, Philippines

 

Mr. Ramon M Lopez worked at the Presidential Management Staff Office (1981), the Department of Trade and Industry (1982-1989), and the National Economic Development Authority (1989-1993), where he gained experience in trade and industry development planning and industry development programs.

He also acquired 22 years’ experience (1994-2016) as a top executive of RFM Corporation. He was the Executive Director of the entrepreneurial advocacy group Go Negosyo (2005-2016), co-hosted a Go Negosyo radio program at DZRH, and gave entrepreneurial lectures and mentoring.

He was named Secretary of Trade and Industry by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in 2016. As trade chief, he helms advisory boards and councils like the Board of Investments and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

With the Philippines hosting ASEAN 2017, he serves as the ASEAN Economic Ministers chairman. He is one of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade and is a founding member of the World Economic Forum-ASEAN Regional Strategy Group and the Stewardship Board for International Trade and Investment System.

He has a Masters in Development Economics at Williams College in Massachusetts, USA (1988) and an AB Economics degree at the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics (1981).