Welcome Luncheon with Ambassador Michael Michalak (Manila)

Welcome luncheon hosted by Alexander C. Feldman, President & CEO, for
Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, the Council's new
Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director
 
The Honorable Michael W. Michalak, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, will join the Council as Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director effective September 1, 2015. The roundtable will serve as an opportunity for members to get to know Ambassador Michalak prior to his move to Singapore in September and introduce him to some of your company's current priorities and areas of focus.

Ambassador Michalak will oversee the Council?s 6 offices in ASEAN from the Council?s regional headquarters in Singapore.  Ambassador Michalak will lead the Council?s regional advocacy efforts, and engage regularly with key ASEAN policymakers and thought leaders to offer his unique perspective on the key role U.S. businesses can play in ASEAN.  He will also manage, coach and develop the Council?s most critical resource: its staff.

Ambassador Michalak brings a tremendous knowledge of the ASEAN region and Asia earned over 30 years of government service. He will be a fantastic advocate for the Council?s members as he proved during his time as the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, and as a result the Council will have a substantially upgraded ability to engage with governments across the region.

Ambassador Michalak most recently worked as an independent business consultant focused on Asia and particularly Vietnam. He also served as Senior Advisor to the private sector host committee of the U.S. APEC Year (2011).  Ambassador Michalak?s diplomatic career with the State Department spanned more 30 years.  It included: postings to Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia; Islamabad, Pakistan; Beijing, China; as well as Washington, D.C. He served as United States Ambassador to Vietnam from August 2007 to February 2011.  Prior to his position in Vietnam, Ambassador Michalak served as Ambassador and Senior U.S. Official to APEC. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and the second highest ranking diplomat in Japan. In addition, he received a group award for valor for his actions in time of crisis when the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad was burned down. Ambassador Michalak began his career as a research physicist at NASA.

He holds Bachelor of Science in Physics from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and Master of Science in Applied Physics degree from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He received a second Master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  He speaks Japanese and Chinese.