Promoting investment

The annual 2023 BusinessAdvantagePNG Investment Conference will take place on 10 and 11 August in Brisbane, Australia. Here’s a preview of what to expect from PNG’s pre-eminent investment promotion event.

In the words of Investment Promotion Authority head Clarence Hoot, foreign direct investment into PNG suffered a ‘huge slump’ during the COVID pandemic. By the time the 2022 Business Advantage PNG Investment Conference took place in August 2022, he was reporting that interest was back across a range of industry sectors, including wholesale, mining and petroleum, real estate, construction and financial services.

It is this interest that the organisers of the 2023 PNG Investment Conference plan to galvanise further and help turn into real investment activity.

First run in 2011, the annual conference provides a platform to accelerate investors’ understanding of the business opportunities PNG has to offer and provide a conducive atmosphere for the right conversations to take place.

In 2023, the event will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. It will include a business expo, social program and a two-day program of presentations, panel discussions, interviews, and interactive sessions for delegates.

Keynote speaker

Leading the program in 2023 will be keynote speaker Alan Kohler, the highly respected financial journalist and broadcaster. In his own accessible and engaging style, Kohler will be providing his expert take on the global factors that will affect PNG’s investment climate and provide some insights into the opportunities that lie ahead.

He will be joined by a line-up of around 40 expert speakers and panellists, including multilateral and bilateral investment agencies, bankers, investment fund managers, stockbrokers, portfolio managers, economists, entrepreneurs, and the heads of key government agencies.

International event

In line with previous conferences, a wide range of private sector and government delegates are expected to attend, from both PNG and its key international markets.

‘It’s the perfect opportunity for investors and business leaders to connect with each other, have the conversations they need to have,’ notes Andrew Wilkins, Publishing Director of

2023 Program

Of particular interest in 2023 will be:

• how the Marape government is reforming its investment regime following the creation of a new Ministry of International Trade and Investment

• presentation of the latest economic data on PNG

• updates on the country’s key mining and petroleum projects

• new and expected changes to relevant investment and capital market laws

• PNG’s keystone Special Economic Zones policy, currently the subject of review

• updates on key infrastructure projects, including many of those covered in this publication

• expert views on the country’s changing investment climate

• focus sessions on industry sectors of increasing interest, such as construction, renewable energy, ICT and services

• case studies of successful investments

• an expo of PNG-made produce, leading service providers and government agencies.