TAGUIG, Philippines — Global investors are increasingly eyeing the Philippines, but converting initial interest into fully funded, operational projects now hinges on rapid execution and aligned public-private priorities.
That was the central takeaway at HSBC Philippines‘ third annual Flagship Business Summit, “Philippines Forward: Building the Future, Accelerating Growth,” which gathered approximately 500 corporate clients, public sector officials, media, and industry stakeholders at the Grand Ballroom of Shangri-La at the Fort.
Amid rising geopolitical tensions and global market volatility, international capital has grown far more selective. To secure foreign and local investment over the next six to twelve months, summit delegates stressed that the Philippines must demonstrate a clear, accelerated transition from initial project announcements to active rollout.
Discussions throughout the summit focused on actionable steps to maintain capital momentum. Delegates highlighted key structural drivers designed to compress project timelines:
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Leveraging collaborative structures to mobilize both foreign and domestic capital into priority developments.
- Ease of Doing Business Reforms: Streamlining administrative and regulatory hurdles for prospective foreign entrants.
- Economic Liberalization Laws: Opening key industries to higher levels of foreign equity and operational expansion.
“Global Multinationals and International investors are asking how quickly opportunities in the Philippines can turn into projects they are able to finance,” said Priya Kini, HSBC Managing Director and Head of Banking, International Markets, Asia. “Our role is to connect them to those opportunities and to the people who can move them forward. We are well placed to do that through our network across Asia and internationally.”
Following Kini’s opening remarks, Hon. Michael Peter A. Alejandro, Undersecretary of the Department of Finance, delivered the summit’s keynote address, outlining government policy priorities. Frederic Neumann, HSBC Chief Asia Economist and Co-Head of Global Research Asia, subsequently delivered a global macroeconomic perspective detailing how shifting market dynamics impact regional capital flows.
The summit concluded with an executive panel assessing which sectors are best positioned to capture near-term funding—and what regulatory, policy, and infrastructure enhancements are required to support them. The panel featured:
- Sandeep Uppal, CEO and Head of Banking, HSBC Philippines
- Ambe Tierro, Country Manager, Accenture
- Jose Maria ‘Joey’ Concepcion, President and CEO, RFM Corporation
“Our clients around the world can see the investment case for the Philippines. What they are asking for is a clearer path from interest to projects they can commit to, and that path gets shorter when government and business work through the same set of priorities,” said Sandeep Uppal, CEO and Head of Banking of HSBC Philippines. “We have been here for151 years and have operated through multiple macro-economic cycles. We intend to keep helping our clients put capital to work in this country.”
The summit marks the third installment in HSBC Philippines’ business series, following “Driving Growth for the Philippines” in 2023 and “Philippines: ASEAN’s Rising Star” in 2024. The 2025 period coincided with the institution’s 150th anniversary in the country. Now in its 151st year of local operations, HSBC maintains its strategy of deploying capital into local talent, client networks, and broader economic development.
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