Our Past Speakers
H.E. Dr. Joachim Bergström
Ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia
H.E. Dr. Joachim Bergström
Ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia
Joachim Bergström is since August 2021 Ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia. From September 2019 to August 2021, Bergström was Sweden’s Ambassador to the DPRK. Previously, he was Ambassador to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Ambassador for intercultural and interreligious dialogue from 2017 to 2019. He holds a PhD in history from the University of Tokyo with a dissertation on transnational public memory of war crimes during World War II. Bergström is a clinical psychologist and former journalist working for media organizations in Sweden, Japan, and the United States. After joining the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, he has been posted to Tokyo, Riyadh and Washington, DC.
Professor Dr. Jung Hoon Lee
Honorary Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government Republic of Korea
Professor Dr. Jung Hoon Lee
Honorary Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government Republic of Korea
Jung-hoon (John) Lee is currently Honorary Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government (2023~) and Professor of Technology and Innovation Management at the Graduate School of Information, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. He is also director of Digital Transformation of Technology Management Research Center and was visiting scholar to Stanford Graduate School of Business (2011/2012) and visiting academic fellow at the center for Technology Management, IfM, University of Cambridge. Prof. Lee has been involved in several leading R&D projects to develop a national strategy and vision for Smart City, analyzing and designing Smart City services and implementation and developing Performance Management Systems. At national level, he is currently a member of National Smart City Committee and the chair of public data open/usage committee in Open Data Strategy Council of Republic of Korea and working committee member of National Data Policy Committee.
Antonio (Tony) Estrella
Author and Strategic Futurist Taliossa, Singapore
Antonio (Tony) Estrella
Author and Strategic Futurist Taliossa, Singapore
Tony Estrella is an author, podcaster, and strategic futurist for Personalised Health and Health Equity, two areas which are influencing the future of health. As an author and podcast host, Tony envisions the impact of technology - such as AI, smart devices, robotics, and data - on all healthcare stakeholders, from public health to private industry. He is the host of FutureProofing Healthcare – a series exploring the global innovation of public health – and Digital Health Today Asia Pacific Edition – a series analysing the factors, challenges, and examples of HealthTech across APAC. His debut novel Comatose explores the science of the mind in a globe-trotting fiction thriller. Numerous media and organisations feature him, including the BBC World Service, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Singapore Writers Festival, and The Healthcare Blog. He is currently working on a new book highlighting the mindset shift required to overcome health inequality. He advises the Digital Therapeutic Alliance on their APAC strategy and global Health Equity. He also serves as an independent board director on numerous boards and on the Steering Committee for Frontiers Health. Prior to Taliossa, Tony led health innovation for MetLife Asia.
Dr. Non Arkaraprasertkul
Senior Expert in Smart City Promotion, Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) and Smart City Office, Thailand
Dr. Non Arkaraprasertkul
Senior Expert in Smart City Promotion, Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) and Smart City Office, Thailand
Dr. Non Arkara is an award-winning innovator, smart city expert, and global architect driven by a passion for creating more livable and sustainable urban environments. With a diverse background spanning architecture, urban design, anthropology, and public policy, Dr. Non brings a multidisciplinary perspective to addressing complex urban challenges. Currently serving as a Smart City Expert at Thailand's Digital Economy Promotion Agency, he has spearheaded numerous digital transformation and smart city initiatives nationally. This includes launching Thailand's first smart city program and delivering capacity building to 5000+ officials. Dr. Non's unique combination of design, research, and public sector experience enables him to develop human-centered solutions that leverage technology for better quality of life. He is a solutions-oriented visionary dedicated to shaping future cities.
Mark Thomas
Managing Director, Keynote Speaker, Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leader, New Zealand
Mark Thomas
Managing Director, Keynote Speaker, Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leader, New Zealand
Mark Thomas leads Serviceworks which specialises in smart mobility, city digitisation strategies and citizen technology opportunities. Mark is a regular international speaker and commentator on these issues. He has worked extensively throughout the Asia Pacific and was also an elected member of Australasia's largest local authority and one of the world's most liveable cities Auckland New Zealand, Mark received the Leadership Award for Outstanding Contribution towards building Smart Cities, the Asia Smart Cities Excellence Award and was part of the Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leaders. Mark is on the boards of the Smart Cities Asia Advisory Board, digital technology organisation NZRise and NZTech's sustainability sub-board. He chairs the Auckland Night Shelter Trust, is director of the Committee for Auckland and is the immediate past Chair, and a current board member, of the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council.
Purushottam Kaushik
Head, Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution India the World Economic Forum India Liaison Office, India
Purushottam Kaushik
Head, Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution India the World Economic Forum India Liaison Office, India
Purushottam Kaushik (Puru) joined World Economic Forum in March 2020 and has twenty-five years of experience in Telecom and IT in sales leadership and management consulting roles before joining Forum. Puru started his career in 1995 and has worked in various Telecom companies including Alcatel Systems, Lucent Technologies, and Nortel Network till 2009 in sales leadership roles. From 2009 to 2016, he was at Cisco systems, India and performed as Managing Director Sales from 2014-16. He was head of Telecom business (2011-2014) and Head of Services business (2009-2011). Subsequently he has worked as Senior Advisor-McKinsey from Dec 2016 to June 2018 and in April 2018, he joined as Head – Strategy and Mega Business for Larsen and Toubro Ltd. He is also Board of Director for Bhopal Smart City and on has been Board of Governors for Punjab Engineering College (Deemed University) from 2017-2020.
Ts. Md Farabi Yussoff Md Yussoff
Head of Smart City Unit, PLAN Malaysia
Ts. Md Farabi Yussoff Md Yussoff
Head of Smart City Unit, PLAN Malaysia
Farabi Yussoff currently holds the post of Head of the Smart City Unit at PLANMalaysia. Throughout his 20 years of service in Government, he gains experience at the Federal, State & Local Government level with a special interest in digitalisation, Geospatial Information System (GIS) digital infrastructure planning, smart city, urban mobility and Big Data Analytics (BDA). He was involved in the formulation of the first National Urbanisation Policy & National Physical Plan, and responsible for the hosting of the Ninth Session of World Urban Forum (WUF9), Kuala Lumpur in 2018 during his tenure with Urbanice Malaysia, a Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cities and Community Well-being under KPKT. He is also a Professional Technologist to the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) and a Graduate Member of the Malaysia Board of Town Planners (LPBM).
Dato’ Haji Noorazam Dato’ Haji Osman
Moayor, Johor Bahru City Council
Dato’ Haji Noorazam Dato’ Haji Osman
Moayor, Johor Bahru City Council
YB Dato' HJ. Mohd. Noorazam Bin Dato' HJ. Osman is currently the Mayor of the Johor Bahru City Council. Boasting a distinguished civil service career in Johor since 1991, YB Dato’ HJ. Mohd. Noorazam held various leadership roles which include being the Private Secretary to the former Chief Minister of Johor, Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Abdul Ghani bin Othman and thereafter becoming the Assistant Director of Johor State Economic Planning Unit (UPENJ). In 2003, he became Senior Assistant Director at UPENJ until 2006 when he was promoted to the post of Deputy Director. During the same period, he was also appointed as Director of Syarikat Air Johor Holdings Sdn Bhd. In 2013, he became the District Officer of Kota Tinggi and subsequently the District Officer of Muar in January 2017. Finally, in November 2017 he was appointed as Chief Executive Office of Sports Johor Sdn. Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor Sdn. Bhd, primarily responsible for the development of sports in Johor and main organiser for SUKMA Johor 2020.
Dato’ Haji Rumaizi Baharin
Mayor, Ipoh City Council
Dato’ Haji Rumaizi Baharin
Mayor, Ipoh City Council
Dato' Rumaizi bin Baharin @ Md Daud was appointed the Mayor of Ipoh on April 1, 2020. He was born on April 17, 1975 in Ipoh, Perak. He started his career as an Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development on April 1, 2000. However, he began his career in the state of Perak on April 15, 2003 as Assistant Director in the Office of Land and Mines and subsequently as Senior Secretary to the Perak Menteri Besar on November 16, 2009 and Secretary of the Perak State Assembly and MMK, Perak State Secretary of State Administration on February 1, 2010.
Ir. Dr. Karl Ng
Vice President, Digital Health and Digital Cities, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
Ir. Dr. Karl Ng
Vice President, Digital Health and Digital Cities, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
Dr. Karl is a thought leader in Malaysia's digital economy and data ecosystem, harnessing data to fuel innovation and growth. With over 26 years of experience across government, ICT, and manufacturing, he has championed efforts in innovation, capacity building, startups, and digital transformation. Currently serving as Vice President of Digital Health & Digital Cities at MDEC, Dr. Karl spearheads the digital transformation of Cities and healthcare. Notably, he has spearheaded key national projects like the Big Data Analytics Framework and National AI Framework, boosting numbers of data professionals and data-driven organisations. He also developed the National Data Sharing Policy and currently co-chairs the technical committee.
Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh
Chief Scientist & Chief Advisor for Digital Economy, Sarawak State Government
Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh
Chief Scientist & Chief Advisor for Digital Economy, Sarawak State Government
Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh is acknowledged as one of Australia’s leading ICT researchers and thought leader with extensive senior level academic & research leadership and consultancy experience both in Australia and globally. 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.
Ts. Nizmar Mohd Nazar
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)
Ts. Nizmar Mohd Nazar
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)
Nizmar bin Mohd. Nazar is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) at Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) with more than 15 years of experience in Information Technology, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) & Automotive industry. Strategizing from the NAP 2020 core value to transform the Malaysia Automotive Industry moving towards Connected Mobility Ecosystem by year 2030. Involved in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for mobility as a service (MaaS) development under automated drive, telematics implementation, simulation & virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) integration for Next Generation Vehicle (NxGV) development. Lead MARii as a focal point in technology coordination centre for the development of the Malaysian automotive (NxGV – Electric Vehicles (EV) & Autonomouse Vehicles (AV)), IoT & Robotics deployment in all matters related to automotive industry, IoT, Robotics & Industry 4.0 technology, including formulating of the national automotive policy (NAP) and Industry4WRD policy and its expansion technology programmes, managing talent I4.0 development programme, formulating and coordinating industry 4.0 and automotive related research.
Dr Seow Vei Ken
Chief Executive Officer, Sunway Medical Centre
Dr Seow Vei Ken
Chief Executive Officer, Sunway Medical Centre
Dr Seow Vei Ken was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City (SMC) in July 2022. Prior to his appointment, he was the Medical Director of the hospital where he successfully steered Malaysia’s leading private quaternary hospital into a phase of growth. Under Dr Seow’s direction, SMC, the flagship hospital of Sunway Healthcare Group (SHG), has achieved a series of accolades and recognitions. Among them are from the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS), Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) and the win of Frost & Sullivan’s Malaysia Smart Hospital Company of the Year in 2021 and 2022. Dr Seow is a trained Specialist in Critical Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine from Taiwan.
Hazwan Najib
Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, DoctorOnCall
Hazwan Najib
Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, DoctorOnCall
Hazwan Najib is the Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of DoctorOnCall. After spending years working and understanding how the digital revolution disrupted various industries, he decided to solve some of the biggest challenges in the healthcare space through digital innovation. He got first-hand experience in creating a digital proposition and innovation in an industry that will continue to evolve and improve the quality of our lives with the birth of DoctorOnCall. Since then, the platform has grown from strength to strength and now provides health information to more than two million users on a monthly basis and thousands of individuals who are looking for personalised medical advice from qualified doctors.
Vladimir Bataev
Managing Director, ZAZ Ventures, Netherlands
Vladimir Bataev
Managing Director, ZAZ Ventures, Netherlands
Vladimir is a managing partner at Zaz Ventures—the top EU deep tech innovation funding consultancy which has raised €1bn of funding for various innovative companies & consortia. My team has funded breakthrough companies like CorTec (DE), Maeve Aerospace (NL), Dronamics (BG), Aurora Propulsion Technologies (FI), Ekkono (SE), Nuventura (DE), Lili.AI (FR), Tilkal (FR), Nowi (NL), Antabio (FR), SusPhos (NL), Transmetrics (BG), Restore Medical (IL), DAC/AirEnergy (PL) and many others. As a consultant I have led 50+ SMEs to funding under Horizon 2020 & Horizon Europe SME Instrument/EIC Accelerator in ICT, IoT, AI, security, aviation, space,
transport, logistics, energy, wastewater treatment, robotics, additive manufacturing, biotechnology & other areas.
Murali Ram
Lead, Cities and Advisory, Arup
Murali Ram
Lead, Cities and Advisory, Arup
Murali manages Arup Malaysia’s Cities & Advisory practice, and is the Country Facilitator for the Malaysia UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (PACT) programme. He acts as a Sustainability Advisor to urban actors and is the lead author of the
publication Creating Future-Proof Cities: How to Navigate the Climate Crisis. Murali has a wealth of experience in crafting urban strategies for social impact and seeing to their successful implementation. He holds a Master in Sustainable Development and
has completed a CISL Programme on Shaping a Sustainable Future.
Tay Kok Chin
Chairman, Smart Cities Network, Singapore
Tay Kok Chin
Chairman, Smart Cities Network, Singapore
Tay Kok Chin is the Chairman of Smart Cities Network, a network of innovative solution and services providers for smart cities and the Executive Director (ASEAN) for Smart Cities Council. Widely acknowledged as a thought leader for smart and sustainable cities and currently provides consultancy services at the city and national level and innovators. Visiting Professor for Smart City courses at the National University of Management (NUM) based in Phnom Penh and UN ESCAP Smart City Consultant to help develop the National Smart City Policy Guidelines for Cambodia. Involved with Smart Cities since 2011 as the IBM Leader for Smarter Planet and Smarter Buildings and project managed the Smarter Cities Challenge with the Singapore government in 2012.
Dr. Muruga Raj Rajathurai
President, Commonwealth Medical Association
Dr. Muruga Raj Rajathurai
President, Commonwealth Medical Association
Dr. Muruga Rajathurai, is a distinguished medical professional with an impressive academic journey, including an MBBS from KMC, Manipal, an MBA from Asia Metropolitan University, and an LLB from the University of London. With over two decades of experience, he has established and managed Poliklinik Anggerik and Poliklinik Taj in Johor Bahru, and serves as the CEO of Duane Holdings Sdn Bhd. Dr. Muruga Raj has held leadership roles in the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), including his recent tenure as MMA National President. He has also contributed to disaster relief efforts and assisted Ukrainian refugees. His dedication and leadership in various medical associations and committees continue to influence the healthcare sector.
Sugumar Munisamy
Senior Vice President, Head of Digitalisation, AmBank
Sugumar Munisamy
Senior Vice President, Head of Digitalisation, AmBank
Sugumar Munisamy brings a wealth of experience in Business and IT, boasting a solid 15-year track record spanning diverse industries, including manufacturing at SONY, oil and gas with SHELL, systems integration at EDSHP, and banking at CIMB and AMBANK. This extensive journey has equipped him with an in-depth comprehension of IT, business processes, and company goals. His unique strength lies in seamlessly bridging the gap between IT and business operations, resulting in heightened organizational revenue and cost-efficiency. Presently, as the Head of Digitalization at AMBANK, he spearheads Digital Delivery initiatives for the bank, showcasing his commitment to driving
innovation and digital transformation within the financial sector.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Law Teik Hua
Head, Road Safety Research Center, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Law Teik Hua
Head, Road Safety Research Center, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Dr. Law Teik Hua currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the Road Safety Research Center (RSRC) within the Engineering Faculty at the University Putra Malaysia in Malaysia. He has been at the helm of RSRC since 2015. Dr. Law earned his PhD in Road Safety Engineering from Imperial College London, U.K., in 2009. His primary areas of expertise encompass Road Safety, Public Transport Analysis, and Traffic Simulation. Dr. Law is actively engaged with the media and has been interviewed on more than 220 occasions by both national and international press, TV, and radio outlets since 2017. He has been a prominent figure in road safety initiatives and has received sponsorship from various national and international agencies, including the World Health Organization, Handicap, the Ministry of Transport, and the Royal Malaysian Police. Furthermore, Dr. Law's contributions to the field of road safety and transportation are underscored by his impressive publication record, with 60 high-impact scientific publications to his name.
Ts. Zulkifflee Mohamad
Senior Principal Analyst 1/Vice President, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)
Ts. Zulkifflee Mohamad
Senior Principal Analyst 1/Vice President, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)
Ts. Zulkifflee Mohamad has more than 34 years working experiences in the field of manufacturing in the Automotive & Electronics industries and transportation. He has been with MIGHT for 15 years and involved in Strategic Industry and Technology development in the Automotive, Rail, Maritime Industry in Shipbuilding & Ship Repair (SBSR) industries and currently on the sustainable and smart cities initiatives especially in the area of mobility. His role was mainly involved in advising the Government on the Strategic industry development planning and provide the government with the strategic document or Blueprint as a reference document for policy and future planning in these areas. He spearheaded to work to collaborate with Melaka State on the development of Smart Melaka Blueprint 2035. He is involved in the sustainable cities program with UNIDO name GEF 6. Global Environmental Facilities (GEF) is a body based in US that received funds from developed countries for sustainable cities program. The project is under Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) where it involves 28 cities from 11 countries globally. He is leading in developing the Malaysia Smart City industry and to provide data analysis and strategic plan on industry & technology landscape and work closely in advising KPKT in the technology and industry for Smart City development at National level.
Dr. Gary William Theseira
Council Member, Climate Governance Malaysia
Dr. Gary William Theseira
Council Member, Climate Governance Malaysia
Dr. Gary Theseira recently retired from the government service in Climate Change and Sustainability Policymaking. He served at the
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) until his retirement and currently serves on the Council of Climate Governance Malaysia (CGM). He is also an adjunct faculty member (HRDC certified) at
the Asia School of Business (ASB) and a World Bank short-term consultant. He serves on the board of the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (CETDEM) as a non-executive director, is a Consultant Technical Advisor to the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) and advises Private Sector and Civil Society Organisations. He was Deputy Undersecretary for Climate Change at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE), formulated national climate policy and negotiated on Malaysia’s behalf at fourteen UN Climate Conferences (COPs).
Elina Jani
Chief Executive Officer, Greentech Malaysia Alliances (GTMA)
Elina Jani
Chief Executive Officer, Greentech Malaysia Alliances (GTMA)
With more than 19 years of experience in diverse portfolios in the green technology and biotechnology industry, Elina possesses a strong background in the public sector, as well as extensive experience in corporate sector. Elina Jani is currently one of the Senior Directors for in Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), and the Chief Executive Officer of GreenTech Malaysia Alliances (GTMA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MGTC. Elina has delivered close to RM30 billion worth of potential Investments for Malaysia’s Green Technology Sector from 2016-2022 from various projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, low carbon mobility, waste, sustainable water and sustainable manufacturing of green products. She has personally engaged and nurtured hundreds of companies in the green technology sector, and involved in changing the mindset of hundreds more companies originally not in the green space, to pursue sustainability for the future.
Ong Kian Yew
Chief Executive Officer, PIKOM
Ong Kian Yew
Chief Executive Officer, PIKOM
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.
Kamarul Bahrin Haron
Journalist, Editor, Moderator
Kamarul Bahrin Haron
Journalist, Editor, Moderator
Kamarul Bahrin Haron was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Astro Awani. In his 27 years of media career, this multiple award-winning TV journalist, editor and talk show anchor is well known for his grassroot focused journalism without fear or favour. He is especially sharp on the issues of digital, social, and economic inclusion, new politics reforms, 4th Industrial Revolution and socio development balance, social entrepreneurship for a more equitable society and science and technology communications.
Girish Ramachandran
Executive Director, 27 Advisory
Girish Ramachandran
Executive Director, 27 Advisory
Girish founded 27 Group in 2018 and he is one of the top leaders in the industry bringing over 27 years of experience in managing consultation assignments. With close to 30 years of extensive business leadership experience across countries in Asia Pacific, Girish’s involvement in nation-building projects covers various industries such as the oil & gas, real estate & smart cities, healthcare, plantation, manufacturing, hospitality, telecommunication, and recently on blockchain & digital technologies strategy formulation and execution as well as leading many change initiatives across the region. In 2019, 27 Advisory was recognised as one of the fast-moving companies and received the prestige SME100 Awards. In 2012, he was named as one of Malaysia’s Top 15 Entrepreneurs by Prestige’s Top 40 under 40 Awards. He was involved in projects with transaction values in excess of RM1 billion, development values in excess of RM20 billion and carried out advisory to the largest companies in Malaysia.
Jasmine Ng
Co-Founder, Women in Blockchain Asia, EnGame, myBID
Jasmine Ng
Co-Founder, Women in Blockchain Asia, EnGame, myBID
Jasmine Ng is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the financial services and tech sectors. She is a firm believer in using technology to democratize access to prosperity, health, information, and education. Jasmine co-founded Women In Blockchain Asia to build a generation of women builders in the blockchain space and a blockchain-based ID management project. She is also the co-founder of EnGame, a game development start-up that helps enterprises gamify their products for customer acquisition and loyalty. Jasmine is an Independent Non-Executive Director of public listed companies and serves on the advisory boards of various social enterprises and fintech companies. She is also the co-founder and advisor to EPIC Homes, a non-profit organization building homes for underprivileged communities in Malaysia since 2010, and the Vice Chair to the Board of Trustee to Junior Achievement Malaysia. Jasmine is a visionary leader who champions the use of technology to drive social impact and empower women in the blockchain space.
Bobby Varanasi
Top 25 Globalization Powerhouse Leaders, Top 20 Global Thought Leaders, Chief Executive Officer, Regenerative Futures
Bobby Varanasi
Top 25 Globalization Powerhouse Leaders, Top 20 Global Thought Leaders, Chief Executive Officer, Regenerative Futures
Bobby is one of Top 20 Global Leaders for “Future of Work” and “Business Strategy” by Thinkers 360; one of the Top 25 “Globalization Powerhouse Leaders” by Globalization Today; and one of Top 50 Global Leaders for “Digital Disruption” by Thinkers 360. He is the founder and CEO of Regenerative Futures (formerly
Matryzel Consulting), an independent advisory firm focused on global sourcing, M&A, carbon management & circular economy practices.
Shamsul Majid (Sam Majid)
Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
Shamsul Majid (Sam Majid)
Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
Recognised for his track record in Digital Transformation for business growth, Sam is a Business Technology leader with vast international experience in driving innovative growth across a diverse range of landscape including transportation, utilities, logistics, telecommunications and Government. At the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Sam is responsible as the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO) over the Commission's technology, innovation vision and strategies execution for growth whilst focusing on improving technological advancement. He had bootstrapped start-ups, drives corporate innovation, a regular public speaker and gained recognition with innovation awards of IDC, APICTA and iAwards.
Chua Yong Howe
Chief Digital Officer, UEM Edgenta Berhad
Chua Yong Howe
Chief Digital Officer, UEM Edgenta Berhad
Chua Yong Howe is the Chief Digital Officer of UEM Edgenta Berhad, as well as the founding member of Edgenta NXT. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Strathclyde Business School, Glasgow, United Kingdom (UK), as well as a Bachelor of Information Technology from Charles Sturt University, Australia. He has over 21 years of experience in digital strategy and data driven innovation, designing AI & technology framework to transform clients’ operations. Prior to joining UEM Edgenta, Yong was the Regional Managing Director of Eureka AI, a Softbank funded start-up specializing in unlocking insights from mobile telco data using proprietary AI technologies. His other experiences include analytics practice leader and management consultant roles at DXC and Accenture, leading technology and AI transformation across Asia region, Middle East and Europe.
Leftenan Kolonel Bersekutu (PA) Dr. Ajantha Segarmurthy MD, MBA
Deputy Director, Operation Coordination Section, National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA)
Leftenan Kolonel Bersekutu (PA) Dr. Ajantha Segarmurthy MD, MBA
Deputy Director, Operation Coordination Section, National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA)
Dr Ajantha Segarmurthy is a Medical Doctor by profession. After serving in National Health Financing in Planning Division of Ministry of Health (MOH), she pursued her Masters in Business and Administration. She has been a part of the Malaysian Health System Research, working closely with Harvard University from year 2016-2018. She is a speaker for Covid-19 related topics on multiple platforms organised by MOH and other Non-Governmental Organisations. She has contributed in several publications such as Malaysian Health Systems Research Volume 1, Malaysia Health Accounts 1997-2018, Supply and Needs-Based Requirement Projections of Malaysian Human Resources for Health Using System Dynamics Approach 2016-2030 and Human Resources for Health Country Profile 2015-2018 Malaysia. Currently, she is a Deputy Director of Operation Coordination Section, National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) in Prime Minister’s Department.
Dr. Daniele Gambero
President, Malaysia Proptech Association
Dr. Daniele Gambero
President, Malaysia Proptech Association
Dr. Daniele Gambero, expatriate to Malaysia from Italy since 1998, is the Group CEO and cofounder of strategic marketing consultancy firm REI Group of Companies. He is the Deputy President of the Malaysian Proptech Association and at the frontline in adopting digitalization in the Real Estate Industry. He has been appointed as strategic advisor by I.R.D.A (Iskandar Region Development Agency), Sarawak Housing Ministry (SHDC), and a mentor on local and international platforms such as FutureLab, AIESEC,I cube, Sunway, UTM, Portman College and Axiata YCDP. Dr. Daniele Gambero is recurrent speaker as key note speaker for conferences, summit, workshops and public events organised by TEDx, REHDA, SHAREDA, SHEDA, ASLI, KASI, University of Readings, University Malaya, UTM, UPM and various Property platforms.
Harpreet Singh Maan
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Blocklime
Harpreet Singh Maan
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Blocklime
Harpreet Singh Maan is the CEO and Co-founder of Blocklime, a Malaysian-based development and training company specializing in Blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) development. With over a decade of experience in software development, information technology, and Blockchain, Harpreet has become a thought leader in solving problems with DLTs and exploring their potential applications in fintech, insurtech, and regtech. Harpreet's journey in the field of Blockchain began at an early age when he started coding at the age of 14 and exploring Blockchain at the age of 19. His passion for this technology led him to become a Blockchain developer early in his career, and he firmly believes that DLT's applicability can be extended beyond financial and asset management.
Abdul Fattah Mohamed Yatim
ICT and Blockchain Consultant
Abdul Fattah Mohamed Yatim
ICT and Blockchain Consultant
Abdul Fattah Yatim is an accomplished engineer and ICT professional with 45 years of diversified experience. He is known for his expertise in Blockchain, Information Security Management, Privacy Information Management, Project Management and Strategic Planning. His professional journey is marked by notable achievements and leadership roles in the government and corporate sectors. Fattah was involved in standards development
in ISO/IEC in several ICT areas and Blockchain. He was a contributor in the development of Malaysia's National Blockchain Roadmap 2021-2025. He is a distinguished speaker, having delivered over 40 talks and presentations on Blockchain in various platforms including the World Halal Summit in Istanbul in 2019. Fattah is a member of several professional organisations including OIC-CERT, the Institution of Engineers Malaysia, the Government Blockchain Association USA, and the Association of Anti-Bribery
Management System Practitioners Malaysia.
Ir. Dr. Saravanan Mariappan
Director, Nexus EC Sdn Bhd
Ir. Dr. Saravanan Mariappan
Director, Nexus EC Sdn Bhd
Ir. Dr. Saravanan Mariappan is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse educational background, including a Ph.D. in Global Environmental Studies from Kyoto University, Japan. He has excelled in international competitions, winning awards for his
innovative flood mitigation solutions. Dr. Mariappan holds multiple patents related to flood mitigation and engineering structures and has authored a book and numerous research papers. With 11 years of research experience, he is known for his expertise in addressing global warming, climate change, and sea-level rise.
Dr. Mariappan is a director of several consultancy firms and holds various professional certifications, making him a valuable asset in the fields of engineering and environmental sustainability.
Datuk Nik Ahmad Faizul Abdul Mallek
Chairman of 9th Smart Cities Asia 2023
Datuk Nik Ahmad Faizul Abdul Mallek
Chairman of 9th Smart Cities Asia 2023
Datuk Nik Ahmad Faizul is mission driven with 30 years' experience in steering planning and execution of several nation-building initiatives. His current focus is to accelerate the Urbanization and Climate Change mitigation through Smart and Sustainable Cities initiatives. He syndicates strategic programs and projects in Smart Cities for Federal, State and City Governments, GLCs, Private Sectors and Developers. Amongst his key activities are Digitalisation Readiness Audit, Smart City Action Plan, Integrated Operation Centre Business Model and Program Delivery. For these efforts, he was awarded the ‘Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leaders’ at the Global Smart Cities Congress, Mumbai, India.
Previous Speakers
Jordan Kostelac
Director of PropTech, APAC, JLL Hong Kong
Andy Brahney
Head of SMART (MEAP), Ramboll, Singapore
Dr Matt Benson
Programme Director, Think City, Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
Jessie Keating
Director Transport Network Coordination, Victorian State Government, Department of Transport
Jessie Keating
Director Transport Network Coordination, Victorian State Government, Department of Transport
Matthijs Van Leeuwen
Chief Innovation Officer of Sunway Group & Director of Sunway Innovation Labs (iLabs), Malaysia
Matthijs Van Leeuwen
Chief Innovation Officer of Sunway Group & Director of Sunway Innovation Labs (iLabs), Malaysia
Dr Renard Siew
Sustainability Advisor, CENT-GPS and Founder of Accelerating Climate Action
Fuad Shazly Salleh
Vice President, Technology and Innovation, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Malaysia
Fuad Shazly Salleh
Vice President, Technology and Innovation, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Malaysia
Isao Sekiguchi
Regional Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Nissan ASEAN
Elina Jani
Senior Director, CEO’s Office, Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC)
Elina Jani
Senior Director, CEO’s Office, Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC)
Kabi Subramaniam
Asset Services Leader, Arup Singapore
Lau Xin Yi
Green Finance Lead, South East Asia, The Carbon Trust, Singapore
Ying Jie Peh
Vice President, United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB), Singapore
Dr Mazlan Abbas
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FAVORIOT Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
TPr Norliza Hashim
Chief Executive Officer, Urbanice Malaysia
Marja-Liisa Niinikoski
Chief Executive Officer, Helsinki Business Hub Limited, Finland
Captain Chester Voo
Chief Executive Officer, Civil Aviation Authority, Malaysia
AR Wan Muhd Hisham
Chief Executive Officer, Selangor Industrial Corporation Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
Yong Kai Ping
Chief Executive, Selangor Information Technology & E-Commerce Council (SITEC), Malaysia
Yong Kai Ping
Chief Executive, Selangor Information Technology & E-Commerce Council (SITEC), Malaysia
David E. Pickeral
Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, Sheeva.ai (Formerly Parkofon) & Smart City Expert, Washington DC, United States of America
David E. Pickeral
Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, Sheeva.ai (Formerly Parkofon) & Smart City Expert, Washington DC, United States of America
Syaiful Azmen Nordin
Managing Director, Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd., Malaysia
Piarapakaran S.
President, Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER), Malaysia
Shamsul Izhan Abdul Majid
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer, PLUS Malaysia Berhad
Jeanne Holm
Chief Data Officer, City of Los Angeles, United States of America
Dr. Jonathan Reichental
Former Chief Information Officer of Palo Alto, California, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Human Future & Author of Smart Cities for Dummies, United States of America
Dr. Jonathan Reichental
Former Chief Information Officer of Palo Alto, California, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Human Future & Author of Smart Cities for Dummies, United States of America
Tom Schenk Jr.
Former Chief Data Officer, City of Chicago, United States of America
Dr. Daniele Gambero
Deputy President, Malaysia Proptech Association
Rachel Smith
Smart Cities Council A/NZ Built Environment Task Force Member, Smart Cities Council Australia & Director, Rachel Smith Pty Ltd, Australia
Rachel Smith
Smart Cities Council A/NZ Built Environment Task Force Member, Smart Cities Council Australia & Director, Rachel Smith Pty Ltd, Australia
Paul Comfort
Executive Director, the North American Transit Alliance & Vice President, Trapeze Group, United States of America
Paul Comfort
Executive Director, the North American Transit Alliance & Vice President, Trapeze Group, United States of America
Hasniza Mohamed
Director of Digital & Incubation, UEM Sunrise, Malaysia
Pascal Labouze
Executive Director Operational Systems, Transport for NSW, Australia
Supt. Raja Sakaran Subramaniam
Principal Assistant Director of Investigations and Legal of Traffic Investigations and Enforcement Department of Bukit Aman, Royal Malaysia Police
Supt. Raja Sakaran Subramaniam
Principal Assistant Director of Investigations and Legal of Traffic Investigations and Enforcement Department of Bukit Aman, Royal Malaysia Police
Zulkiflee Umar
Deputy Director, Energy Efficiency & Conservation Unit, Energy Commission, Malaysia
Syed Malek Faisal Syed Mohamad
New Energy’s Head of Business Development, Gas & New Energy, PETRONAS, Malaysia
Syed Malek Faisal Syed Mohamad
New Energy’s Head of Business Development, Gas & New Energy, PETRONAS, Malaysia
Dale Tan Lee Cheong
Business Development Manager, Hikvision (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
Ar. IDR. Haji Abdul Halim Suhor
Council Member, Malaysia Green Building Council (MGBC)
Nicholas Car
Former Senior Experimental Scientist, CSIRO, Australia
Praveen Lala
Director of Digital Services, GE Digital, Singapore
Abhishek Ranjan
Chief Technology Officer, CSC E-Governance Services India Limited, Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology, India
Abhishek Ranjan
Chief Technology Officer, CSC E-Governance Services India Limited, Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology, India
Dr. Avik Sarkar
Former Head – Data Analytics Cell @ NITI Aayog, Government of India, India
Karuna Gopal
Global Thought Leader, President of Foundation for Futuristic Cities, India
YBrs. Tn Hj Nor Sallehi Kassim
Head of Unit (Smart Cities), PLANMalaysia
Manojit Bose
Chief Knowledge Officer, Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited, India
Mahesh Moroney
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited, India
Mahesh Moroney
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited, India
Dato’ TPr. Mohd Anuar Maidin
Director General, PLANMalaysia
Dr. Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar
Chair Urban Resilience – 100 Resilient Cities, National Institute of Urban Affairs, India
Dr. Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar
Chair Urban Resilience – 100 Resilient Cities, National Institute of Urban Affairs, India
Cha Chungha
Co-Founder of Reimagining Cities, Korea
Dr. Liu Yang
Principal Engineer of Artificial Intelligence, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), HKSAR, China
Dr. Liu Yang
Principal Engineer of Artificial Intelligence, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), HKSAR, China
Ts Zulkifflee Mohamad
Program Director, Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia
Ts Zulkifflee Mohamad
Program Director, Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia
Fuad Shazly Salleh
Vice President, Planning & Compliance, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Malaysia
Fuad Shazly Salleh
Vice President, Planning & Compliance, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Malaysia
Juan Intan Kanggrawan
Head of Data Analytics, Jakarta Smart Cities, Indonesia
Jolene Wong
Enterprise Sales Segment Lead, Schneider Electric, Malaysia
Bobby Varanasi
Top 25 Globalization Powerhouse Leaders, Top 20 Global Thought Leaders, Chief Executive Officer, Regenerative Futures
Bobby Varanasi
Top 25 Globalization Powerhouse Leaders, Top 20 Global Thought Leaders, Chief Executive Officer, Regenerative Futures
Bobby is one of Top 20 Global Leaders for “Future of Work” and “Business Strategy” by Thinkers 360; one of the Top 25 “Globalization Powerhouse Leaders” by Globalization Today; and one of Top 50 Global Leaders for “Digital Disruption” by Thinkers 360. He is the founder and CEO of Regenerative Futures (formerly
Matryzel Consulting), an independent advisory firm focused on global sourcing, M&A, carbon management & circular economy practices.
