The Asian Bond Markets Conference on 2-3 Dec 2009, to be officiated by the Malaysian Second Finance Minister, YB Dato’ Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamed Hanadzlah, will serve as an important platform for the governments and the industry to deliberate and consider issues that are critical for the development of the primary and secondary bond markets in Asia.

This will help pave the way for greater financial integration in the Asian bond markets as envisaged under the Asian Bond Markets Initiative (ABMI). ABMI is an initiative endorsed by the ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers, and supported by the ADB.

The Ministry of Finance, Malaysia and Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) together with ADB will co-host the conference to be held at the SC.

ADB Vice President Mr Bindu N. Lohani and SC Managing Director Datuk Ranjit Ajit Singh will also address the conference, themed “Gearing up Regulatory Framework and Regional Cooperation – for New Era of Growth in Asian Bond Markets.”

The other speakers include Mr Shi Wenchao, Executive President and Secretary-General of China National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors; Mr Toshihiko Sasaki, Executive Advisor of Japan Securities Dealers Association, Mr Nattapol Chavalitcheevin, President of Thailand Bond Market Association, Mr Lee Han-Gu, Research Specialist from Korea Financial Investment Association and Mr Surinder Kathpalia, Managing Director of Standard & Poor’s Singapore.

Conference participants will comprise officials from finance ministry, central banks, capital markets regulators as well as senior representatives from national securities dealers’ associations and financial market intermediaries from the ASEAN+3 countries.