SBN Myanmar Chair First-Term Acceptance Speech

Acceptance Speech, Chair of the Executive Board

of Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network (SBN) Myanmar

17 September 2022

Mecure Hotel, Yangon

Mingalabar and good morning, everyone.

First of all, let me express my heartfelt thanks to all of you—for the trust you’ve placed in me by electing me as the Chair of the Executive Board of SUN Business Network Myanmar. I am deeply honored and humbled by your confidence, and I carry this responsibility with a strong sense of purpose and commitment.

I would like to congratulate my fellow Executive Board members: representatives from Wilmar International, Unilever, Myanmar Rice Federation, and New A1. It is a privilege to serve alongside such a dynamic and diverse group of leaders. Together, I believe we can bring collective strength and momentum to this important mission.

I would also like to sincerely thank the World Food Programme for convening and hosting the SBN Myanmar platform, and to acknowledge the support of the LIFT Fund—whose contributions make this network possible.

The official launch of SBN Myanmar has been a long time coming. The foundational work began as early as 2019—with landscaping studies, stakeholder consultations, and early mobilization efforts. But due to the unprecedented disruptions of COVID-19 and ongoing national challenges, the full establishment of this network was significantly delayed. That makes today more than a ceremony—it marks a quiet, but meaningful breakthrough.

As we gather here, the world is facing severe shocks to its food and nutrition systems. The global food security landscape has been deeply shaken, from the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe to cascading supply chain disruptions. The triple impact of food, fuel, and fertilizer volatility is being felt everywhere—including here in Myanmar.

And in the midst of these compounding pressures, the need for nutrition security has never been more urgent.

In this context, the role of the businesses is not a bystander—it is a frontline actor. The private sector sits closest to where action happens: where food is grown, processed, transported, and consumed. That proximity to production, to markets, and to consumers is what gives this network its power—and its responsibility.

I am both excited and honored to take on the Chair role at this moment. Not because it will be easy—but because it is meaningful. We have a rare opportunity to shape how business contributes to nutrition outcomes in Myanmar. Not only through profit, but through purpose. Not only through scale, but through stewardship.

I want to assure you all—my colleagues in the Executive Board, our hosts, our supporters, and our wider community—that I will give this role my best. I will do everything I can to support this network, and to serve its vision. I look forward to working with each of you—across sectors, perspectives, and institutions—to build a healthier, more resilient, and more nourished Myanmar.

Thank you very much.

END OF SPEECH