MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Ruslena Ramli is an Islamic Finance advocate with 20+ years of experience. Her banking repertoire include corporate strategy, advising on sukuk/bond issuances, as well as development of Islamic banking products. She is an avid speaker in local and international Islamic Finance and Islamic Fintech conferences.

She leads MDEC’s Digital Finance and Islamic Digital Economy national-level Promoted Sector initiative. Her expertise in Shariah-compliant structures and established relationships with Islamic finance communities locally and aboard are among her valuable attributes. Ruslena holds a BA (Honors) in Accounting and Finance from Middlesex University of London and a Master’s Degree in Islamic Finance from International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF).

Hello, I'm Jacob, and my journey from aerospace engineering in Germany to the heart of Sarawak reflects my passion for startups and their potential to solve the nation’s problems. I'm a lifelong entrepreneur with a commitment to building impactful startups that contribute to a better world.

Currently, I have the privilege of working alongside the dedicated team at TEGAS, where we're fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. My enthusiasm extends beyond startups; I'm also deeply passionate about game development as a medium for creativity and problem-solving.

In addition to my professional pursuits, I host a podcast where I engage with fellow entrepreneurs and thought leaders, sharing their stories and insights. Through these conversations, I aim to humbly contribute to the global dialogue on innovation and inspire others to take action

Anna is an experienced smart city professional having worked with over 100 government organisations across local, state, and Federal jurisdictions. Her insights come from hands-on experience working with communities to understand their challenges, concerns, and areas of strength to be further supported by technology, data, and innovation.

Anna understands the intricacies of government and how clients can work within their organisations to build the skills, confidence and buy-in required for successful transformation programs.

Leveraging lessons on a global level, Anna applies insights and experiences from global leaders to her approach to smart cities, regions, places, and communities in Australia.

Special Course : Emerging Leaders Program

Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education

Harvard University- John F. Kennedy School of Government

79 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States

November 3 – 8, 2019

Post Graduate : Master of Public Administration, Bukidnon State University

March 2015

Special Program : Fellow, 2nd Co-Hort, Mindanao Bridging Leaders Program

Asian Institute of Management

July 2011 – November 2012

OTHER REGIONAL DESIGNATION:

Chairman, Economic Development Committee

Regional Development Council - Region 10

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) R10

Congressman (Two-Terms)

House of Representative, Lone District of Iligan

a. July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022 (2nd Term)

b. July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019 (1st Term)

City Councilor (Two Terms)

Sangguniang Panlungsod, Iligan City

a. July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2016 (2nd Term)

b. July 2010 – June 2013 (1st Term)

Dr. Giancarlo Mangone is internationally recognized for his unique interdisciplinary expertise in planning, designing + implementing communities, strategies, + assets that maximize their socioeconomic+sustainability performance potential, in ways that achieve aspirational client objectives practically+within budget.

Implemented solutions have achieved world leading performance targets in diverse performance categories, such as: reducing municipal, business, and residence costs (up to 35% city capex + opex); economic, business, and industrial development; affordability; livability; circular economy; climate and disaster resilience; nature regeneration + community + economy integration.

Dr. Mangone currently implements sustainable masterplanning and policies with the United Nations in the Asia Pacific region, is a Senior International Planning Leader at DLR Group, and is Principal of the design research firm Wicked Solutions.

Justin Wong, the CEO of TrueXR, a visionary known for pioneering work that reimagines storytelling and XR applications. With a firm belief in harnessing XR's potential to revolutionize work, learning, and entertainment, he has collaborated with several telecommunications companies to integrate XR technology into 5G initiatives for tourism and education. Currently, Justin leads advancements in volumetric video technology, pushing the boundaries of XR to redefine the future of storytelling, entertainment, and immersive training experiences.

Karla leads the Startup Community & ecosystem team at QBO innovation Hub, dealing

particularly with general awareness, learning and collaboration initiatives for innovators

and partners who want to engage in the startup space.

Her previous work in the former DOST-ICT Office now Department of ICT gave rise to her

drive to serve in the startup community, having been involved in the national deployment

of the agency’s earlier startup initiatives which included startup bootcamps for teachers,

awareness roadshows and the first few runs of the Philippine Startup Challenge.

Carrying this drive for nation-building and innovation has led her to continue her work at

QBO where she aims to contribute more in building an inclusive, supportive and fun

ecosystem for innovators and enabalers in the country.

Dato’ Ng Wan Peng is a highly motivated professional with more than 30 successful years in the corporate and Government Incorporated Company (GIC) environment. She is an enthusiast in digital transformation that drives economic growth and she has led many key transformation initiatives that have benefited businesses and the community.

She currently serves as a board member of public companies and Government-owned organisations; including F&N Holdings, Hong Leong Assurance, IRIS Corporation, Securemetric, Digital Penang, Nano Malaysia, and Autocount Dot Com.

She advises Governments and corporates on National Digital Transformation strategy, and continues to play an active role as an advisor and member of industry associations, technology and NGOs, mentoring startups and judging for business competition and Awards.

Ng was with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation between 1998- 2020, including serving as its Chief Operating Office from 2009 until December 2020. She has led the successful implementation of the organization’s vision and strategy, championing the country’s digital economy and digital transformation agenda.

Throughout her career, she has built ecosystems around emerging technology including Data Technology, AI, Cybersecurity, and Cloud in Malaysia, championed new economic models such as Sharing Economy, and Promoting Malaysia Globally. She is a regular speaker at international and national events and conferences, interviewed on TV, Radio, Social media and main media on market trend, technology, and management.

She graduated from USM and is an HBS Alumni.

Richard Ker is a tech influencer who has over 280k followers on social media. A viral marketer & ecosystem builder previously attached to MaGIC, Cyberview and Aerodyne Group, he has more than 20 years of experience in tech, entrepreneurship, social media & digital marketing. Richard spent 10 years living and working in Beijing, China. He is a 5 times TEDx speaker and a digital storyteller of businesses, tech and Malaysian success stories.

Currently Co-Coordinator Flying Labs Malaysia, Convenor Farm Robotics Working Group Flying Labs Network

Convenor, Global Sustainability Summits and Dialogues, Initiator, ASEAN/Asia-Pacific/Global Green Chamber of Commerce (www.apacgreenchamber.com)

Currently Director, Green Renewable Organic World (GROW) Centre Sdn Bhd providing:

o advisory for sustainability and waste management projects,

o advisory for sustainable farm systems, aquaculture, and microalgae production,

o use of agriculture biomass for SAF biofuels, biofertiliser and bioproducts,

o development of organic/natural farms, cultural, rural eco-agro tourism enterprises;

o remote sensing applications in precision agriculture utilising AI empowered satellite & UAV platforms.

Advisor, Malaysian FIRST Foundation (www.malaysianfirst.foundation), Member, RSB (www.rsb.org)

As the strategic leader for the Azure business and go-to-market in ASEAN region, leading end-to-end accountability including strategy, planning, execution, advocacy governance and learning.

Azizah Ali currently helms the role of Chief Operating Officer at Microsoft Malaysia, leading business operations, marketing strategy, and overall business performance for the subsidiary while delivering successful digital transformation for its customers and partners.

An industry veteran with more than two decades of experience, Azizah has been a trusted technology leader and advisor for organizations and governments across Asia Pacific in enabling them to realize and achieve their digital transformation visions and ambitions.

Azizah started her career at Microsoft more than two decades ago serving multiple portfolios. Previously helming the role of Director of Small, Medium, and Corporate (SMC) Group, Azizah was instrumental in helping SMCs achieve their digital transformation goals by leveraging Microsoft solutions and Microsoft’s vibrant partner ecosystem.

Other assignment includes;

- Director of Public Sector Group for Microsoft Malaysia, leading key initiatives in establishing the framework collaboration model and eGovernment projects with the Government of Malaysia.

- Country Manager for Microsoft Brunei where she led the collaboration with the Government of Brunei

- Director for Small, Mid-Market Solutions and Partner Group where she built the partner ecosystem to support the growth acceleration of SMEs leveraging on the cloud.

- Microsoft Asia Pacific’s Enterprise Channel Lead in One Commercial Partner organization where she worked with the partner ecosystem in supporting the customers’ cloud digital transformation journey across Energy, Healthcare and Government.

Azizah holds an MBA from Aston University, UK; a BSc. In Business Administration from Washington University, USA;

A Why-based" & Purpose driven entrepreneur, coach, mentor & human who stands for Freedom, Happiness & Oneness.

Currently serving as the CEO and Co-Founder of W3GG, Irene Umar started her career as a global international banker that gave her the opportunity to work and live in MENA, India and the SEA. She returned to Indonesia in 2016 and started the first game-focused venture capital in the region when esports was still at its infancy.

She fell in love with the game industry and has become an advocate for the industry since then. She strongly believes that gaming is the birthright of every human - which many of us forgot as we grew up.

Blockchain gaming is the next phase or extension to the gaming industry and she believes that it could unlock the real value of traditional gaming digital economy and help remind many the importance of “play” in life. In addition, she is also excited looking at the current “level-playing” field blockchain industry has to offer. Through W3GG, she aims to centralize as much opportunities as possible for knowledge transfer, self growth and “jobs” within the industry to prepare the community for a decentralized economy and future of works! Centralize to Decentralize!

Azran is the CEO of Naluri, a digital health startup that addresses mental health and chronic diseases together, in a preventive, holistic and outcomes-based approach. He was previously CEO of AirAsia X where he grew it from a business plan to a $1billion IPO with 2,500 employees in six years, and CEO of iflix Malaysia which scaled to 20 million users in 20 markets in 3 years. He held prior leadership roles at Astro, Bursa Malaysia and McKinsey. He holds a Masters and Bachelor's degrees in Engineering, from Stanford University. He chronicles his leadership challenges in his book, ’30 Days and 30 Years’. He is an Ironman triathlete.

ONG Kian Yew

CEO

PIKOM

The National Tech Association of Malaysia

Ong Kian Yew is the CEO of PIKOM, the National Tech Association of

Malaysia, an industry association representing over 1,000 active members

that command 80% of the total tech business in Malaysia. As CEO, he is

responsible for the operations of the association and its wholly-owned events

arm, PIKOM Services Sdn Bhd.

Kian Yew is very active representing PIKOM at international fora including

the World IT and Services Alliance (WITSA) and the Asian Oceanian

Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO). He served as Secretary General

of ASOCIO in 2013.

Kian Yew is also responsible for the government engagement in PIKOM. He

sits on various committees representing the ICT industry and plays a key

role in ICT industry advocacy to the government.

A graduate of the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, Kian Yew has more

than 20 years’ experience in the ICT industry.

I Mr. Hemant Kumar Chaurasia am an engineer with over 30 years of dedicated involvement in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). I served as the President of the Federation of Computer Association Nepal (CAN Federation) from 2017 to 2019 and held key positions in global ICT organizations, including the WITSA Board of Directors in 2020 and the current role of WITSA's Treasurer.

Within the CAN Federation , I actively contributed to a range of initiatives, including organizing awareness programs, panel discussions on digital transformation in Nepal, and national-level events. My expertise extends beyond borders, as I completed IT integration program training in Japan and also have been working as the Managing Director of Computer Point Nepal for three decades.

Furthermore, I have made significant contributions to ICT policy advocacy through my role at CAN Federation collaborating with the Ministry of Information Technology in Nepal. My dedication to advancing Nepal's ICT landscape is exemplified by my active participation in steering committees, notably in Nepal's largest ICT Exhibition, CAN Info-Tech. I had also participated in the WCIT 2022 event in Malaysia, gaining valuable insights into digital transformation and smart city. My extensive experience and unwavering commitment continues to drive progress in the ICT sector, which makes me a significant figure in Nepal's technology landscape.

Jonathan Smith joined irix in January 2019 as a Technical and Commercial Advisor and rose to the position of CEO in January 2022, fuelling irix's ambitions to lead the Digital Transformation in Sarawak. With a three-decade track record in global telecom infrastructure development and leadership, he's fervently dedicated to advancing fibre deployment.

Beginning his career at BT in the UK during the 1990s, he played a pivotal role in deploying the first SDH core networks. In the early 2000s, he joined Level 3 Communications and contributed to subsea fibre deployments across the Atlantic and Pacific. As fibre technology expanded, he led global consultancy projects for last-mile fibre access solutions. Notably, he spearheaded multimillion-dollar network modernisation programmes in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.

As irix CEO, Jonathan has built a formidable team, blending local talent with international experts. They successfully launched a product portfolio encompassing IP Transit, IPLCs, and Tier IV Data Centre services. Recognising that a strong team serves as the foundation for future irix innovations, Jonathan is committed to advancing ICT services, building the infrastructure which underlies broadband, and making IoT accessible to all Sarawakians. Under his leadership, irix is poised to drive transformative change in the Sarawak region.

Meet En Shu, the Head of Solutions Architect at Alibaba Cloud Malaysia. As a true pioneer of Alibaba Cloud in Malaysia, En Shu has been a guiding force for numerous local businesses across diverse industry verticals, with a particular emphasis on the financial services and government sectors.

En Shu's expertise extends far beyond conventional advisory roles; he is a strategic partner, dedicated to architecting and implementing mission-critical workloads optimized for the cloud. With his unwavering commitment to helping clients navigate the complexities of digital transformation, He becomes not just an advisor but a catalyst for their growth and success in today's fiercely competitive landscape. His outstanding contributions have firmly established him as a trusted and invaluable asset to his clients and the wider tech community alike.

Ts. Hamadlan is an IT expert with over 20 years of experience in IT services management, ITIL, method processes, strategic technology planning, and building cost-effective solutions to fulfil customer business objectives.

He holds a diploma in Computer Science from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Bachelor Degree in Information Technology from Universiti Malaya and Master Degree in Information Technology from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). He is also a member of the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT)

He began his career in the telecommunications industry in 2000 with Maxis Communication Berhad, followed by UMobile Sdn Bhd and overseas companies such as Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Saudi Arabia (ZAIN) and Kuwait Viva.

Throughout his career, he has worked on policy, strategic planning, IT service management, consultation, and a wide range of other initiatives. He returned to his hometown in December 2013 to work for SACOFA Sdn Bhd, where he developed and managed the operational transformation division, which encompassed the domains of the transformation strategy, transformation performance management, process transformation, and workflow automation.

Later, he was appointed as Deputy General Manager of Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), where he oversaw collaboration between the state government, private sector, and the people in order to comply with the state’s Digital Economy strategies. Ts. Hamadlan was then appointed as Chief Technology at SDEC, where he is in charge of overseeing digital economy initiatives and network operations beginning November 2021.