5/22/22, 5:08 PM Vicky Bowman: ‘What’s important is to ensure a level playing field’ | Frontier Myanmar ISSUES SIGN UP NOW Vicky Bowman: ‘What’s important is to ensure a level playing field’ FEBRUARY 9, 2016    When Vicky Bowman became director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business in October 2013 she was hardly a stranger to the country. The former diplomat had served at the British embassy as a second secretary from 1990 to 1993 and as ambassador from 2002 to 2006. After working as director of global and economic issues at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2008 to 2011, Ms Bowman joined the Anglo-Australian metals and mining giant Rio Tinto, where she was responsible for implementing the company’s commitment to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Fluent in Myanmar, she is married to well-known Myanmar artist Htein Lin. Ms Bowman spoke to Frontier’s Peter Janssen. MCRB has been operating for more than two years. What do you regard as its main achievements? We conducted some detailed studies on several sectors – oil and gas, tourism and ICT – and highlighted the key challenges and issues for businesses that they need to address to be more responsible. We’ve produced a comprehensive picture of the policy, regulatory and societal challenges in these sectors, and identified which international standards and good practices are relevant, something that’s not been done before. We’re finding companies – and not just western ones, but Chinese and other Asian companies – are now coming to us, and using us as a sounding board and a source of information about how to identify risks and engage with their stakeholders. We’ve helped to do that on the Thilawa SEZ, where we have brought together the government, the companies, the affected community members, NGOs, and JICA [Japan International Cooperation Agency] to have a constructive dialogue focused on finding solutions to grievances. How receptive was the U Thein Sein government to advice from the MCRB? https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/vicky-bowman-whats-important-is-to-ensure-a-level-playing-field/ 1/7