H.E. Ekkaphab Phanthavong supports the Secretary-General of ASEAN in the implementation of the ASCC Blueprint 2025 and leads the ASCC Department of the ASEAN Secretariat. He oversees the implementation of projects under ASCC that focus on forging a common identity and building a caring and sharing society.

DSG Phanthavong has served numerous appointments at the Lao PDR Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Before assuming his current role, he was the Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of Lao PDR to ASEAN from 2018-2021. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Director-General of the ASEAN Department at the Lao PDR MOFA.

DSG Phanthavong holds an MA in International Relations from Flinders University, South Australia and a diploma in English Language from the Pedagogical University of Vientiane, Laos.

Matt is the Member for Kingsford Smith and the Assistant Minister for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and the Republic in the Albanese Labor Government. He previously served in Parliamentary Secretary appointments for Pacific Island Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, and Infrastructure and Transport. Matt holds a Bachelor of Economics from UNSW, Diploma of Law, and a Diploma of Modern Languages in Chinese. He has been an active surf lifesaver for over 38 years.

Louise Mabulo is a chef, farmer, and entrepreneur. She is the Founder of The Cacao Project, which cultivates resilient and Climate-smart livelihoods, positioning farmers for sustainable success in San Fernando, Camarines Sur, Philippines.

Mabulo is a National Geographic Young Explorer, Young Champion of the Earth under the United Nations, a Forbes Asia’s ‘30 Under 30’ honouree, Young Activist Summit Laureate and an honouree of Tatler’s ‘Generation T’.

Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), former Ambassdor to Vietnam Ms Mudie is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Australian Ambassador to Vietnam (2019-2022). She has previously served overseas as Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives (2012-16); Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (Geneva); First Secretary, UN Permanent Mission, New York; and Second Secretary, Hanoi. In Canberra Ms Mudie was the inaugural Executive Director of the DFAT Diplomatic Academy (2016-2018) and has served as Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy Branch; Assistant Secretary, Information Resources Branch; and Director, Strategic Policy Section. Ms Mudie holds a Master of Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Hull; Bachelor of Arts (Honours), from the University of Adelaide; and a Graduate Diploma (Foreign Affairs and Trade) from the Australian National University. Ms Mudie is a Vietnamese speaker who has studied Vietnamese at the RAAF School of Languages (1992), the Foreign Languages School, Hanoi (1993) and the Diplomatic Academy (2019). Ms Mudie is married with two sons.

Turning Over a New Leaf: Circular & Greener Economies

Australia - ASEAN Economic Cooperation

A New Wave: The Rise of Fintech in Southeast Asia

Interfering with ASEAN’s Non-Interference Policy

ASEAN: A Fractured Order?

Breaking The Biases: Positionality and Socioeconomic Inequality in ASEAN

Walking the Tightrope: Balancing Climate Crisis and Development

Breaking Ground: Where Can Women Reclaim Space?