Message from the Chairman! April, 2020

​Dear members,

2020 is proving a very challenging year for us all. Business and livelihoods are threatened, lives upended with kids home from school, families in some cases split across continents. For some it is even more consequential, with health and lives threatened. I hope that in a relative sense, you and yours are well under the circumstances. 

​Online Board ​Meetings

The board of directors have now moved board meetings online and held one meeting in March and another one in April. We do not know when restrictions will be lifted but we know that things will not entirely go back to the old ways afterwards. We are adjusting to this new reality and will starting next week, be offering on-line alternatives to our erstwhile Business Breakfast Briefings or evening cocktail sessions.

Latest events

For DANCHAM, we managed to hold two events during Q1 before we had to stop the face to face activities. We had the brewery tour at Carlsberg in January and the Fastelavn family gathering in February, Both events well attended with upwards of 50 participants each. 

​Join the zoom webinar: The future Impact of Government change and MCO to Malaysia

The topic next week, a Zoom Webinar on Friday 17 April at 9am titled “The future Impact of Government change and MCO to Malaysia”, will be for members only; free of charge and deal both with the very significant event in Q1 of Malaysia getting a new government, as well as with ramifications of the current MCO caused by the Covid-19 crisis. We hope you will join this event and possibly also share inspiration and requests for other online events you would like us to arrange.

​The Challenge for Malaysia: 
Political ​manoeuvrings and the fight against COVID-19

​Key speaker:  Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, Senior Associate, Vriens & Partner, Malaysia

• ​​Brief recap of political takeover by Perikatan Nasional
• Current challenges within PN and their impact on the fight against COVID-19An assessment of the cabinet to date, including politicking questions re. political legitimacyChallenges to the economy, perspectives on stimulus packages announced, disruption the supply chain
• ​Political and economic landscape with extension of MCO:What’s next on the political agendaRole of the opposition
• Road to economic recovery

​​No face to face events during first half of 2020

We have determined that regardless how long the MCO eventually plays out, currently running until 28^th April, DANCHAM will not be holding face to face events during the first half of 2020. Therefore, the earliest we now expect is to resume our event calendar with physical meetings in September 2020. We expect that Sep-Dec will see a Novo Nordisk company visit, an inter-chamber 2021 budget event and the EU Sustainability Awards gala.

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We are still available for support!

Meantime, if you are seeking support or advice on how to adjust your company to the new reality, other members and the board are available so feel free to drop a mail to the secretariat at any point if you have concerns or would like MDBC to champion a case also towards authorities. We continue, in collaboration with EUMCCI, to give input to MITI on initiatives and stimulus packages that the government may take in order to keep the wheels going and your insights and concerns are much welcomed.

On behalf of the board of directors, I hope that you stay healthy and positive and wish you the very best for your business in these trying times. For some it will prove a new beginning, new opportunities.

Stay safe!

Allan Jensen, Chairman, DANCHAM