Page 1

NEW MYANMAR UNION PARLIAMENT ANNOUNCES 18 INCOMING MINISTERS INCLUDING AUNG SAN SUU KYI

The Myanmar government introduces a total of 18 new ministers to assume control of 21 ministries. Only Aung San Suu Kyi, who will lead 4 ministries, is responsible for multiple ministries in the new government.

Client briefing note | 24 March 2016

VDB Loi (www.vdb-loi.com) is a leading legal and advisory firm focusing on helping clients achieve their investment objectives in emerging markets of South East Asia. With our affiliated companies, we have nine partners and over 100 lawyers and advisors in offices in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia, with representatives in Singapore and Tokyo.

With over 40 lawyers and advisors in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw we are one of the leading firms in Myanmar and are consistently ranked in the top tier by legal reference guides.

Our renowned corporate and investment team has assisted on the market entry and licensing of some of Myanmar’s largest greenfield projects, in telecommunications, oil and gas, banking, services, manufacturing and infrastructure. Clients often choose us for our ability to navigate the real world obstacles in a commercial and practical way,and for our unique working relationship with the authorities.

On March 22nd, 2016, the Pyihtaungsu Hluttaw announced the names and positions of the Union Ministers who will take control of their respective ministries on April 1st, 2016. A full list of the incoming ministers, as well as a brief background where available, is included at the end of this article.

The new ministers come from diverse backgrounds including the National League for Democracy (“NLD”), the Union Solidarity and Development Party (“USDP”) the business world and academia.

Of particular note is Aung San Suu Kyi’s appointment to head a total of four ministries including the Ministry of the President’s Office, the Ministry of Energy and Power, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education. These 4 ministries had spanned a total of 10 separate ministries in the previous government before the recent consolidation approved by the Union Parliament on March 21st, 2016.

It should be noted that this will preclude Aung San Suu Kyi from future involvement in the Union Parliament.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s appointment, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs lands her a spot on the National Defense and Security Council (“NDSC”), a body

with expansive yet opaque powers. The Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) reports directly to the NDSC.

In addition, Aung San Suu Kyi, as the head of the Ministry of Energy and Power, will lead one of the most complex and economically important ministries in the country.

The consolidation of the ministries and replacement of all of the Union Ministers will certainly present a unique challenge for the incoming government. We expect the situation to remain fluid over the coming months as the new ministers take their posts and carry out the new government’s restructuring plans.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS WILL PRECLUDE AUNG SAN SUU KYI FROM FUTURE INVOLVEMENT IN THE UNION PARLIAMENT.

Page 2

MYANMARGOVERNMENT

VICE PRESIDENTU MYINT SWE

U HENRY VAN THIO

AUDITOR GENERALNOT YET KNOWN

ATTORNEY GENERALNOT YET KNOWN

PRESIDENTU HTIN KYAW

MINISTRIES OF MYANMAR

Sr. No. Name of Minister Name of Ministry

1 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Electric Power and Energy

Ministry of Education

Ministry of the President’s Office

2 Dr. Aung Thu Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation

3 U Thant Zin Maung Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications

4 Thura U Aung Ko Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs

5 U Ohn Win Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation

6 U Thein Swe Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Man Population

7 U Kyaw Win Ministry of National Planning and Finance

8 U Khin Maung Cho Ministry of Industry

9 Dr. Myint Htwe Ministry of Health

10 U Win Khine Ministry of Construction

11 Dr. Win Myat Aye Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement

12 U Ohn Maung Ministry of Hotels and Tourism

13 U Than Myint Ministry of Commerce

14 Dr. Pe Myint Ministry of Information

15 Naing Thet Lwin Ministry of Ethnic Affairs

16 Lieutenant General Sein Win

Ministry of Defence

17 Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe

Ministry of Home Affairs

18 Lieutenant General Ye Aung

Ministry of Border Affairs

Client briefing note Dated 24 March 2016

Page 3

Edwin VanderbruggenSenior Partner, VDB loiedwin@vdb-loi.comT: +95 137 1902 +95 137 1635www.vdb-loi.com

CONTACT

OUR OFFICES IN MYANMAR

NAY PYI TAW

No. S-204, Tha Pyay Kone Ward Zabu Thiri Township T: +95 678 108 091F: +95 678 108 092

YANGON

Level 8, Centrepoint Towers No. 65 Sule Pagoda Road & Merchant Street, Kyauktada TownshipT: +95 137 1902 / +95 137 1635F: +95 124 1238

RELATED VDB LOI PUBLICATIONS

A Critical First Look at Myanmar’s New Arbitration Law

New healthcare related laws pave way for foreign investment in myanmar hospitals and clinics

Special Goods Tax Law provides boost for local cigarette, wine and alcohol producers

Client Alert – Emission Guidelines Issued

Client Alert: Temporary exemption on Stamp Duty Penalties

Client Alert: Second Round Of Foreign Bank Licensing In Myanmar

Edwin’s practical and highly engaged approach makes him uniquely suited to advise foreign investors on their projects and deals in Myanmar. He and his team advise multinationals, strategic and financial investors in a wide range of sectors as well as commercial banks, development financial institutions or non-bank financial institutions.

Edwin’s strongest points are probably his deep understanding of what really works in practice locally and his strong Government relations, having regularly acted for various state-owned enterprises and Government departments. He and his team assist the Government with privatizations and corporatizations in the energy, transportation and telecommunications sectors. He has a wealth of personal experience negotiating with and providing technical assistance to the Myanmar investment Commission.

He has assisted a large number of projects from start to finish, including manufacturers in the Thilawa SEZ, power plants, mobile network operators, global beer brands, oil and gas supermajors, and infrastructure developers.

Dr. Aung Thu - Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation

Dr. Aung Thu is a MP for the Upper House. He started his career teaching mathematics as an assistant lecturer and, after working in different universities across the country, became eventually became the head of Yangon University. He joined the NLD in 2015.

U Thant Zin Maung - Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications

U Thant Zin Maung is a MP for the Lower House (NLD Party, Monywa Constituency) and was previously a General Manager for Myanmar Railways. Before starting his career in Myanmar Railways, he lectured in Mathematics at Yangon University.

Thura U Aung Ko - Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs

Thura U Aung Ko is a retired military officer and member of the USDP. Previous posts included the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs and Deputy Minister of Science and Technology.

U Ohn Win - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation

U Ohn Win a former head of the University of Forestry, Yezin, Myanmar. He has extensive experience in research management, hydrology, watershed and soil conservation, climate change adaptation and bio-diversity conservation.

U Thein Swe - Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population

U Thein Swe is a MP for the Upper House (Ann Constituency, Rakhine State). He is a Chairman of the Transportation, Communication and Construction Committee (Pyithu Hluttaw) and a Vice Chairman of the Commission of Studying, Examining and Reviewing Legal Affairs and Special Cases. He was previously the Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Transport.

U Kyaw Win - Ministry of National Planning and Finance

A MP for the Lower House, U Kyaw Win has been an Economics (Business) Advisor for the NLD since 1997. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from Yangon University and worked as a Chief Officer (Planning, and later Tax) for the Ministry of Finance – 1972-1997.

Dr. Myint Htwe - Ministry of Health

Dr. Myint Htwe is a member of the Hluttaw affairs and Special Issues Committee and Central Executive Committee of Myanmar Academy of Medical Science; a Vice Chairman for Liver Foundation (Myanmar) and a Chairman for the Ethical Review Committee, under the Ministry of Health. He holds a number of medical degrees from both Myanmar and foreign universities and previously worked as a Director for Program Management at the World Health Organization.

U Win Khaing - Ministry of Construction

U Win Khaing started his career as an engineer at MOGE, in the Ministry of Energy. He is the Chairman of Myanmar Engineering Society, a member of the National Energy Management Committee, the Myanmar Industrial Development Committee, the Myanmar Board of Engineers, the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations and the ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology.

Dr. Win Myat Aye - Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement

Dr. U Win Myat Aye is a renowned specialist in child healthcare. He taught at medical universities across the country and has participated in a number of initiatives to promote healthcare, education and rural development. He is a member of several committees dealing with child healthcare and medical education.

U Than Myint - Ministry of Commerce

A Chairman of the NLD Executive Committee (Hlaingthaya Township), U Than Myint holds a Bachelor Degree of Economics from Yangon University. He started his career as a Chief Officer (Planning) at the Ministry of Finance and later worked for the UN. He is a member of the FMI City Housing development Committee and a volunteer for free ambulance service in Yangon.

Biographies of Incoming Ministers