Kuala Lumpur, 29 May 2025 – North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany’s most important economic region, is strengthening its international presence in Southeast Asia. The state-owned trade and investment agency, NRW.Global Business is opening a new ASEAN Service Desk in Kuala Lumpur to signal the intensification of economic relations between NRW and the ASEAN countries.
The official opening took place today as part of a business roundtable with the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC).
The ASEAN countries are among the world’s most dynamic growth regions. Their economic relations with Germany are growing in importance. With the Service Desk, NRW.Global Business is establishing its first permanent point of contact in the region. The Service Desk will provide companies and potential investors from the ASEAN region with direct support on site, ranging from comprehensive information about NRW as a business location and investment conditions to practical assistance with specific location projects.
Felix Neugart, CEO of NRW.Global Business said, “With our ASEAN Service Desk, we aim to raise the profile of NRW as an innovative and attractive business location in the ASEAN region, intensify bilateral trade and investment relations and promote cooperation in future-oriented areas such as digitalisation, sustainable technologies and research.
The ASEAN countries are important partners for us: They offer new sales and procurement markets as well as opportunities to establish business contacts with innovative companies and institutions. By establishing a direct presence, we are creating a point of contact to better leverage this potential together with local partners.”
The Business Roundtable on “Business Opportunities between NRW and Malaysia – Introducing NRW.Global Business ASEAN Service Desk” provides the framework for the official opening. Here, companies, local authorities, economic development agencies and multipliers from Malaysia and NRW come together to discuss opportunities for investment, cooperation and market development.
Jan Noether, Executive Director of the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC), said, “We are delighted to be implementing the ASEAN Service Desk together with NRW.Global Business. NRW offers diverse opportunities for companies from the ASEAN region and the new service desk will significantly contribute to facilitating market access and further deepening relationships.”