MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Mike Walsh is the leader’s futurist. A best-selling author of three books and a

regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, he helps leaders and

organizations answer the question - ‘where do we go from here?’ - in this age

of accelerating technologies and disruptive change.

Mike is the CEO of Tomorrow, an innovation research lab focused on preparing

leaders for the 21st century. For the past twenty years, he has been a leading

authority on disruptive innovation, digital transformation and new ways of

thinking. A global nomad, futurist and author of three bestselling books, Mike

advises some of the world’s biggest organizations on reinvention and change in

this new era of machine intelligence.

Mike’s latest book, The Algorithmic Leader: How to Be Smart When Machines

Are Smarter Than You, offers a hopeful and practical guide for reinventing

leadership and organizations. Translated into Japanese, Chinese, Korean,

Arabic, German and Polish - The Algorithmic Leader has been an international

publishing success and was selected to be given to the world leaders and

executive attendees of the Ambrosetti Global Forum at Villa d'Este in

Cernobbio, Italy.

Futuretainment, Mike’s first book, was published by Phaidon and was the

winner of the design award by the Art Director’s Club in New York. Released in

2009, it predicted the impact of the smartphone on reshaping the media and

marketing industry, and the imminent rise of social media, digital influencers

and streaming entertainment. In The Dictionary of Dangerous Ideas, published

in 2014, Mike anticipated breakthroughs in micro satellite networks,

cryptocurrencies, self-driving cars, drones and digital biology.

A dynamic and engaging keynote speaker, Mike has given over a 1,000 talks

over the last decade, from strategic briefings for the boards of companies to an

employee summit for a healthcare corporation, that filled a sports stadium with

an audience of over 25,000 people. In addition to both in-person and virtual

presentations, Mike also works with enterprise learning and development leaders to create compelling programs to up-skill teams for a world of AI-

powered competition.

In 2023, Mike was the keynote speaker for the Global Police Summit in Dubai,

and also for the Reddington IT Summit which is the largest gathering of IT

companies in the Middle East region. Earlier in the year, he was invited to

conduct a fireside chat with the CTO of AT&T with their key enterprise

customers, and also hosted a private briefing for the CEO and his top 15 global

leaders of PepsiCO. Previously in 2019, he led a leadership transformation

program for the top 300 leaders at Verizon in conjunction with McKinsey &

Company, and was further invited to address the global board on the subject of

the future transformation of the business. He was also invited to run a session

on the future of organizations for the senior logistics team of Amazon.com at

their global HQ in Seattle.

Chief Scientist & Chief Advisor for Digital Economy, Sarawak Government, Malaysia Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh is acknowledged as one of Australia’s leading ICT researcher and thought leader with extensive senior level academic & research leadership and consultancy experience both in Australia and globally. Jack has considerable experience in initiating and leading large-scale initiatives collaboratively with industry, government, universities and community driving high impact economic and social outcomes of global significance.

Prior to his current appointment, he held various positions in Australia, including Victorian Director of the National Centre for ICT Excellence Australia; Director of SenseT - a partnership program between Fed Govt., Tasmanian State Govt., CSIRO, University of Tasmania and industry to transform Tasmanian economy; Director of Innovation and Translation at Swinburne University amongst others.

He has also served on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Transport Expert Group and member on number of Boards, including Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), Oceania Cybersecurity Centre, Australian Microelectronic Network, National Networked Teletest Facility, amongst others.

Dato’ Sri Idris Jala is a world-renowned transformation guru in driving performance for both Governments and the private sector through his Big-Fast-Results Methodology. He is currently the Chairman of PEMANDU Associates, a multi-disciplinary consultancy based in Kuala Lumpur that specializes in public sector transformation, business turnaround, and strategic communications. In 2014, Bloomberg placed him amongst the top-10 most influential policy makers in the world. Under his leadership, PEMANDU was also named as the top-20 most innovative Government agencies globally by Bloomberg Philanthropies and NESTA UK.

Dato’ Sri Idris Jala served as a Cabinet Minister under the Prime Minister’s Department between 2010 and 2017, taking helm of Malaysia’s National Transformation Programme (NTP), a roadmap designed to spearhead the nation’s transition towards high income status by 2020. Prior to PEMANDU, Dato’ Sri Idris was the CEO of Malaysia Airlines, and also held various senior positions in the Shell Group for 23 years.

On top of his role in Pemandu, he currently serves as the non-executive co-Chairman of Sunway Group, the Chairman of Heineken Malaysia, and the pro-Chancellor of Sunway University. Dato’ Sri Idris also lectures annually at Harvard University under the Harvard Ministerial Programme, continuously sharing his secrets for effective transformation to Ministers and CEOs worldwide today.

Sanjay Sarma is CEO, President and Dean of the Asia School of Business, and a professor of mechanical engineering and the Sloan School of Management at MIT. Sarma was one of the founders of the Auto-ID Center at MIT, which, along with a number of partner companies and its "spin-off", EPCglobal, developed the technical concepts and standards of modern RFID. He also chaired the Auto-ID Research Council consisting of 6 labs worldwide, which he helped set up. Today, the suite of standards developed by the Auto-ID Center, commonly referred to as the EPC, are being used by over a thousand companies on five continents. Sarma serves as chairman of EPCglobal, the worldwide standards body he helped create. Between 2004 and 2006, Sarma took a leave of absence from MIT to found the software company OATSystems, which was acquired by Checkpoint Systems (NYSE:CKP)in 2008. He is a consultant and board-member at several companies, and also serves as a permanent guest of the board of GS1 and a member of the board of governors of GS1US. He also served on the board of Hochschild Mining (LON: HOC), and was involved in the IPO of the spinout, Aclara Resources(TSE:ARA). He has also served on the boards, founded or advises several companies including Cleanlab (an AI startup), Alsym (a battery startup), IFM Investors and Jimco. Sarma received his bachelor’s from the Indian Institute of Technology, his Masters from Carnegie Mellon University and his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. In between degrees, Sarma worked at Schlumberger Oilfield Services in Aberdeen, UK. Sarma's Masters thesis was in the area of operations research, and his PhD was in the area of automation. His current research projects are in the areas of radio frequency identification, manufacturing, design and energy, especially applied to energy and transportation. He has over 150 publications in computational geometry, manufacturing, CAD, RFID, signal processing, security, sensors and automotive systems. He is one of the key author's of India's Aadhaar unique ID system which underlies its digital ecosystem. Sarma's research has been recognized with several best paper awards. He is a recipient of the MIT MacVicar Fellowship, National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Daniel and Fort Flowers Chair at MIT, the Den Hartog Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Keenan Award for innovations in undergraduate education, the New England Business and Technology Award, and the MIT Global Indus Award. He was selected on 2003's Business Week ebiz 25, Fast Company Magazine's Fast Fifty and the RFID Journal's Special Achievement Award. Between 2010 and 2012, Sarma helped establish a new university in Singapore called the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Since 2012, he served as the first Director of Digital Learning at MIT and the VP of Open Learning there. His Office, the Open Learning, oversaw MIT’s Open CourseWare project and the development of MIT’s pioneering Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s), MicroMasters, the MIT Integrated Learning Initiative, the Jameel World Education Lab, MIT xPro and Horizon. Sarma also served on the board of edX, the global MOOC provider.

Bussemaker is the chair of the ‘Institute for Accountability in the Digital Age’. An association instigated by UNESCO in 2017 aimed to help define instruments for, and manage accountability in the Digital Age. Bussemaker has a passion for bringing people together in the Digital Age. He has initiated and helped run a number of (international) communities focused on linking Information Technology, Innovation and Impact. He has been working in the International ICT industry since the 80s. He started with a Dutch IT start up. Held various marketing and alliance positions including: CIONET where he was the Secretary General International Relations a community of over 7000 CIOs where he represented the community with international institutes like the European Commission. He is the initiator of the Global Digital Leader Alliance linking over 20.000 Digital Leaders from China, Europe, India, Japan, Russia, South America and the US. He is a founding member and vice-chair of the outreach committee of the ITU ‘AI for Good Global Summit, WCIT2010, WCC2012 and WCF 2104. He is a regular speaker and chair at international events and has spoken in Australia, China, Europe, Ghana, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South-Korea, Sri Lanka and the United States. He has an MSc in Geophysics from Delft University.

Anthony is the Managing Director of AGW Legal & Advisory, a multidisciplinary legal and advisory practice advising in many areas of emergent technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data, and Intellectual Property.

Anthony is the President of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) www.ifip.org, headquartered in Austria, created under the auspices of UNESCO in 1960. IFIP is the leading international organization in Information & Communications Technologies and Sciences recognized by the United Nations.

Anthony served on the IT Industry Innovation Council for the Australian Government. He chaired the New South Wales Government ICT Advisory Panel and served on the New South Wales Government Digital Transformation Taskforce in Sydney, Australia.

He has also held senior management positions in multinational corporations and government, including as CIO of the Australian Tourist Commission during the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Anthony was awarded double Bachelor degrees in Computer Science and Law from Monash University, Master of Laws in Media, Communications and IT from University of New South Wales and a Master of Intellectual Property from UTS (University Technology Sydney), in Australia.

He is a regular international commentator and presenter on technology and legal issues, including on SkyNews, ABC, The Australian, and at various international forums, including the UN World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), at IDECS 2017, and at LAWASIA in Cambodia, Malaysia and Australia.

David Chin is currently CEO at SPARK. David has played an integral role to the overall growth of Spark since its inception. David has led business development activities with Spark’s growing network of tech partners and spearheaded new initiatives such as Spark’s Thought Leadership forums, Expert Workshops and Masterclasses. David is also responsible for Spark’s overseas expansion, building strategic relationships with tech, business and government leaders in Singapore and across Southeast Asia. David brings with him a diverse portfolio of experiences in B2B Tech Go-to-Market strategy, C-level programmes and omni-channel technology B2B marketing.

Anders Halvorsen is currently working as Vice President for Global Public Policy at the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), a leading consortium of tech association members from over 80 countries/economies around the world (https://witsa.org/). Anders has worked at WITSA since January 1998, covering a wide range of issues, including helping develop the program for WITSA’s flagship event, the World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT), managing the WITSA Global Innovation and Tech Excellence Awards (presented to select individuals, academic institutions, corporations, NGOs or governments whose use and applications of digital technologies exhibit exceptional achievement), as well as drafting substantive policy positions on a wide range of issues of concern to industry and engaging with member associations around the world as well as likeminded organizations and key stakeholders, including the WTO, UN, OECD, the World Bank, APEC, ITU, UNCTAD, ICANN, and IGF. Prior to working at WITSA, Anders worked as an executive officer at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (External Economic Affairs Department), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and European Commission DG XIII (Telecommunication, Information Technology, Industry & Innovation).

Dr. Mazlan is the CEO and co-founder of FAVORIOT Sdn Bhd, an IoT company. He is a recognized thought leader in the IoT industry, having been listed as a top 50 influencer by several organizations. He has extensive experience in the telecommunications industry, including as a CEO of REDtone IOT, a senior director at MIMOS Berhad, and various senior management positions at CELCOM. Dr. Mazlan has also worked as a professor at several universities in Malaysia and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Information Science and Technology, MMU. He holds a BEE from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, a MSc in Telematics from the University of Essex, and a Ph.D. in Telecommunications from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He is a frequent speaker at IoT, IR 4.0, Smart Cities, and telco conferences and serves on the Industry Advisory Panel for several universities. He is also a TEDx Speaker and has received an Honorary Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from UTHM.

Dr. Non Arkara is an award-winning innovator, urban designer and thought leader recognized globally for his human-centered approach to smart city development. With a diverse background spanning architecture, urban planning, anthropology and public policy, Dr. Non brings multidisciplinary expertise to addressing complex urban challenges. He holds a PhD in Anthropology from Harvard University, a Master’s in Architecture Studies from MIT, and a Bachelor’s in Architecture.

As a Smart City Expert at Thailand's Digital Economy Promotion Agency, Dr. Non has spearheaded numerous digital transformation and smart city initiatives nationally. This includes launching Thailand's first smart city program, delivering training to 5000+ officials, and winning an award for an AI platform managing water infrastructure.

With over 15 years of experience spanning 6 countries, he is a frequent speaker at global conferences and events. Dr. Non also gives back through academic reviewing, educational mentoring and pro bono consulting. Driven by a passion to create equitable, resilient and people-centric cities, Dr. Non is a solutions-oriented visionary constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. He thrives on leveraging technology responsibly to improve lives worldwide.

Ms Catherine Lian was appointed as Managing Director for IBM in Malaysia in 2019. In this role, she is responsible for all strategic and operational matters related to IBM's sales, services, and delivery operations in Malaysia.

Catherine leads the IBM Malaysia team to help key stakeholders and clients put smart to work in their organisations by applying IBM’s leading AI, cognitive solutions, and cloud platform to advance digital transformation.

A Northern University of Malaysia graduate, Catherine's stint with leadership roles began at Dell Technologies, where she worked for the past two decades before joining IBM Malaysia. Her last role was the Senior Director & Managing Director for Dell Indonesia, based in Jakarta. She has also held various management roles within Dell Technologies, covering the South Asia markets, including Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indochina, and Cambodia. Throughout her career, Catherine has been consistently recognised as the key leader in the IT industry, helping and enabling clients to innovate and succeed.

Catherine is a strong advocate for women in leadership in the IT Industry and was recognised at the Channel Asia Women in ICT Awards 2020 as the Highly Commended winner under the Achievement Category in the ASEAN region. She continues to mentor aspiring talents, believing that by leading the way, aspirants are empowered to create thriving and sustainable communities.

Catherine has been appointed as the PIKOM (The National Tech Association of Malaysia) Councillor in 2021. She has held key positions in the association, including Chairman for Women in Tech 2022, Chairman for Tech Fest 2022 and Deputy Chairman for IR 4.0 SIG 2022.

In 2022, Prestige Magazine Malaysia recognised Catherine as one of the 100 nation's most influential Women of Power.

She is also recognised as the winner of the Channel Asia Women in ICT Awards under the Achievement category. Catherine won this award in recognition of a management career spanning more than two decades in Malaysia and South Asia, built on the foundations of business growth, customer success and individual mentoring.

Recently, Catherine was recognised by Tech Wire Asia as one of the five Most Influential Women in Technology

Hiroshi Ishiguro received a PhD from Osaka University, Japan in 1991. He is currently Professor of Department of Systems Innovation at Osaka University, Visiting Director of Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories at the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute (ATR), Project Manager of MOONSHOT R&D Project, Thematic Project Producer of EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and CEO of AVITA, Inc.

His research interests are interactive robotics, avatar, and android science. Geminoid is an avatar android that is a copy of himself. In 2011, he won the Osaka Cultural Award. In 2015, he received the Prize for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. He was also awarded the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award in Dubai in 2015. Tateisi Award in 2020, and honorary doctorate of Aarhus university in 2021.

Jasmine leads Microsoft's Corporate External and Legal Affairs for the ASEAN region. With over 30 years of award-winning experience, she brings extensive expertise in legal, policy, regulatory engagement, and communications. Prior to Microsoft, Jasmine held leadership positions at Dell, the UNDP, and the United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary-General.

She is a recognized advocate for marginalized communities and plays a crucial role in advancing policies on accessibility and promoting women in the field of technology. Jasmine is the first Malaysian appointed to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) by UN Secretary General. Her achievements have also earned her prestigious accolades such as the inaugural WIM's Tan Sri Napsiah Omar Women Leaders Award and the Global Leadership Award for ICT Excellence.

Jasmine holds a double degree in Law from the International Islamic University in Kuala Lumpur, pursued post-graduate studies in the UK, and earned a Ph.D. in business and human rights. With admission to practice law in Malaysia, UK and State of Washington, she is currently an Adjunct Professor in several Universities across the region and has received an Honorary Doctorate for her outstanding leadership and contributions in Public Policy and Governance from UNITAR International University

Dr. Ermo Täks is a highly skilled IT professional, known for his pivotal role in shaping the success of Estonia's e-Government initiative as one of its founders. Throughout his career, Ermo has spearheaded numerous development initiatives within the government sector, including the creation of the world's first Estonian Government Cabinet Meeting System in 2001. Inspired by this project he became an academic researcher in the field of AI and law, teaching and developing projects in Estonian and European Union level. Today he is working in the domain of healthcare data, responsible for implementation of the new IT security standard in the domain of Ministry of Social Affairs. Beyond his technical expertise, Ermo boasts a wealth of experience as a business consultant, collaborating with a host of globally recognized companies and governmental institutions.

Freda Liu is a Broadcast Journalist, Author and Adjunct Professor. She currently hosts The Shift (a show on sustainability) . She has interviewed thousands of thought leaders from Mohammad Yunus of Grameen Bank to Alex Stubb, former Prime Minister of Finland. She has authored 7 books including the best-selling "How Dare They" and is an adjunct professor for the School of Media, Art & Design at UNITAR International University. She is highly sought after as a moderator for major events.