Renee Tan is the Founder and Managing Director of Hashtaqs®, which helps businesses to scale up and internationalise through brand transformation, omni-channel marketing and ecosystem development. She has more than 13 years of corporate experience in sales, marketing and ecosystem development for the MICE sector in various industries such as Life Sciences, Healthcare, Supply Chain & Logistics, Mining, Power Electricity, Private Banking, Hedge Funds, and recently been actively building the community in the technology, innovation, and sustainability arena.

She’s also the Founder of HER® Entrepreneur, an inclusive and diverse regional community and omni-channel media platform which inspires, educates, empowers and also connects the ecosystem of entrepreneurs, leaders, government and investors across Asia through online content, monthly LearnXNetwork sessions and the yearly summit that was held in Singapore and Malaysia. Her yearly conference gathers C-suites and Founders to discuss, connect and forge potential partnerships.

She’s the Chief Producer for the HASH Asia Summit which was recently held that gathers business owners, industry leaders, government and investors across Asia to discuss about innovation, technology and sustainability.

She’s also the Partner for Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII), a think thank that advocates Sustainable AI for Humanity, which is a strategic international partner to the World AI Conference (WAIC), that hosts the largest AI conference globally. AIII’s role is to build the ecosystem of the AI industry globally and venture build AI startups.

She was a recipient of the Brands For Good Award in 2019 and was featured in The Business Times. She’s also the recipient of the SME Excellence Business Award 2022/2023 and the Aspiring Woman Entrepreneurs 2022/2023.

She had been invited to speak in several SME events and events for the MICE industry across the region. Her business and herself was featured in several media platforms such as 938FM, Astro Radio, e27, The Economist, CNA, News5, Marketing in Asia, The Business Times, etc.

She is a Singapore certified management consultant by the certifying body, TUV SUD, an ACTA certified trainer, and a degree graduate who holds a Double Major in Psychology and Marketing from the Singapore Management University. She recently holds an advanced certificate in Venture Capital.

Yvonne Keil is Senior Director of GF Operations Malaysia & India, leading all Manufacturing Hubs of Globalfoundries, the world’s largest US based semiconductor foundry with manufacturing sites in Singapore, Europe and US. She is located in Penang.

With her roots in Europe Yvonne joined the advisory board of SEMI Europe and the board of the German high-tech-cluster Silicon Saxony beginning 2021.
Yvonne brings over 20 years of semiconductor experience in Manufacturing, Automation, Global Supply Chain and Procurement.

The graduate engineer studied electrical engineering at the TU Dresden and the KTH Stockholm with a focus on automation technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence. She has worked at AMD since 2005 and joined GlobalFoundries 2012.

Dr. Yongji Fu is the Vice President and Head of R&D at B. Braun Medical Group, where he leads innovation and product development for the infusion therapy and diabetes care portfolios. Before joining B. Braun, Dr. Fu held various technical leadership positions at Hillrom (Baxter), Becton Dickinson, Siemens, and Sharp. His expertise encompasses medical sensing technologies, machine learning and deep learning algorithms, physiological modeling, and wireless body area networks.

Dr. Fu also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Malaya. He holds over 30 pending and issued patents, has authored more than 20 scientific papers, and has been invited as a speaker and organizer at numerous international conferences in the medical technology domain. Dr. Fu earned his Ph.D. from the Biomedical Photonics Lab at Oregon Health and Science University in the United States, and his M.S. and B.S. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Tsinghua University in China.

A seasoned global IT leader that is passionate in bring significant business outcome with technology adoption and transformation. A change management specialist that delivers game changing strategy with multiple levels of management stakeholders and organizations across countries and culture. Led in the implementation and deployment of technology in support of Data Engineering and Analytics, Enterprise Resource Planning, various regional Go-to-Market models, both Regional and Global Supply Chain, Global IT Operations and High-Tech Manufacturing support Unix, Personal Systems, Print and Integrated Circuits manufacturing. Experience in large Merger and Acquisition; including HP-Compaq merger and Samsung Printer integration. Also helped enable Data driven manufacturing and operations for discrete factories globally.

Chee Chun Yee is a seasoned technical leader with over 28 years of experience in semiconductor industry.

His experience encompasses of 14 years in Assembly Technology Development focusing on NPI, Yield and Process Integration. Beyond that, he ventured into x86 platform architecture, where he spent 12 years on Hardware Architecture for mobile platform. He was instrumental in developing the Next Unit of Computing (NUC), a groundbreaking product that created a new niche in desktop computing. Holding 9 patents in PC design, packaging, and thermal solutions, Chee Chun is currently a Director of Product Development Engineering at AMD, where he leads post-silicon validation and product development for next-generation AMD EPYC server processors.

Graham, an Englishman who has called Malaysia home for over 25 years, was born in the Middle East, and raised in the United Kingdom.

His career spans senior Sourcing &  Procurement roles across Asia Pacific in multiple sectors, including Electrical & Electronics, Consultancy & Pharmaceutical, before taking the leap into Medical Technology.

Since joining B Braun in 2015, Graham has served as Vice President & Head of Procurement, for the Asia Pacific region. Leveraging his extensive experience, he has recently taken a new role as Vice President of Sustainability for B Braun in Asia Pacific. In this capacity, Graham is focused on driving stakeholder engagement, finalising the implementation of sustainability reporting and advancing the company’s ESG activities across the region.

Riady Gozali, a seasoned business executive and investor, brings 26 years of extensive global experience to his role as Managing Director at Golden Vision Capital. He has extensive investment experience, with interests in real estate development, technology, healthcare, consumer and advanced engineering.

Prior to GVCS, Riady had 17 years of operating experience with Giti Tire group, where he held leadership roles overseeing global investment, procurement, engineering, and technology, helping the group to become the leading tire manufacturer in China and Southeast Asia

He spearheaded Giti Tire’s first manufacturing operation in the United States, led numerous large-scale expansion projects in China and Indonesia and led the group to research and invest into innovative areas of digital transformation and smart manufacturing.

Riady’s early career was marked by impactful roles in government technology in Singapore and involvement with various start-ups across North America, Australia and Asia.

A lifelong learner, Riady holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Michigan, has completed postgraduate studies at Berkeley, and furthered his education with executive programs at Harvard, MIT, Tsinghua University, and the WMI.

With Mr. Gozali’s language fluency across English, Mandarin Chinese and Bahasa Indonesian, he continues to maintain strong connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond

This diverse background and experiences have enriched his business acumen, making him a versatile and informed leader in today’s dynamic global market.

As Chief People Officer in Ekuinas, Nina is responsible for the management and monitoring of the Human Capital, MIS & Administration functions for Ekuinas. She also provides leadership and direction for all the strategic human capital initiatives for all the Portfolio Companies under Ekuinas. She regularly engages with the CEO, Management Team of Ekuinas and its portfolio companies as well as the Heads of HR to identify, advise, and execute operational and strategic Human Capital and Leadership priorities.

Prior to joining Ekuinas, Nina was the HR Director for Dutch Lady Malaysia & Singapore. Before joining the world of corporate HR, Nina spent over 9 years in consulting with Accenture, Aon Hewitt and Towers Watson.

Nina has a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Organizational Studies and Psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Chun Sheng (CS) Tan is the Group Vice President & General Manager Muar at STMicroelectronics Malaysia, boasting over 33 years of leadership in the semiconductor, hard disk drive, and EMS industries. His distinguished career spans executive roles at ST Micro Malaysia, ON Semi Malaysia, Flextronics, Solectron, and Seagate, reflecting a deep expertise in business unit and program management.

A proud alumnus of USM, where he earned a First Class Honours Degree in Applied Physics (Faculty gold medal) and an MBA, he was honored with a Doctor of Engineering from UTEM, where he now serves as an Adjunct Professor. Additionally, Dr. Tan contributes as VP of MSIA and as a member of the Regional Advisory Board of SEMI SEA, marking him as a leading figure in his field.

Dr. Poh Leng Eu has been with Motorola/Freescale/NXP Semiconductors Malaysia for 25 years and has been very actively involved in the development and introduction of new technology and new product in internal and external factories.  She currently leads a team of engineers and site managers, who drive all NTI/NPI development of NXP products with various OSATs around the globe.

She has published 69 technical papers and 4 journals externally and owns 23 filed and 11 issued patents. She is recognized as one of the Notable Inventors in NXP.

J-Wing Teh is a Director of Silicon Design Engineering at AMD, specialising in advanced semiconductor design. His role focuses on driving innovations in IP and SoC silicon design and verification, with a strong emphasis on optimising performance and efficiency in AMD’s products.

With significant experience in IC design, J-Wing Teh is highly regarded in the semiconductor industry for his contributions to advancing technology in high-performance computing and graphics. He plays a key role in the development of AMD’s products for future technologies. He is on the Industry Advisory Panel on universities and the Penang State Initiative of Penang Silicon Design.

A seasoned serial entrepreneur with 17 years of experience. As Country Head and Associate Partner for Antler Malaysia, Frank leads investment strategy and operations for the region. Founded a social networking service at 23 and established one of the largest Twitter directories in Korea. Also founder of LivingSocial and Althea in Malaysia. 

His entrepreneurial journey began when he co-founded a social networking service at the age of 23, for which he secured investment from the Japanese multinational investment holding company, SoftBank. Subsequently, Frank ventured into Silicon Valley to bring Twitter services to Korea. His venture led to the establishment of one of the largest Twitter directories in Korea, with over two million users at the time. Back in Malaysia, Frank acquired the leading e-commerce platform, everyday.com.my (later rebranded to LivingSocial Malaysia), and expanded the team from seven to more than 160 employees. Thereafter, Frank founded Althea, Korea’s premier beauty platform with digitally native vertical brands. Althea managed to raise funds from global institutional investors. 

Prior to his appointment with Antler, Kang was the Venture Partner of Vynn Capital and was an Angel Investor and Advisor.

Ts. Hj. Mohammad Hazani (Ts. Hazani) is currently the Group CEO of Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (“MTDC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah, the sovereign wealth fund of the Malaysian Government. Additionally, he also sits on the board of MTDC investment committee.

He has vast experiences in fund management, venture capital and technology transfer, having been involved in the industry for the last thirty years, both locally and internationally, including having worked for a US Venture Capital fund in the Silicon Valley.

He is also the former Chairman of the Malaysian Venture Capital Association (“MVCA”) and is a member of several Working Committees at the level of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).

Ts. Hazani holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University at Sacramento, USA.

Dato’ J. Palaniappan stands at the forefront of ASEAN’s workforce evolution, championing policies that shape the future of skills, education, and industry. As the Executive Chairman of the ASEAN Future Workforce Council (AFWC), he leads pioneering efforts in FutureSkills and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), ensuring the region remains competitive in an era of rapid digital and economic transformation.

A trusted policymaker and advisor, Dato’ Palaniappan plays a critical role in Malaysia’s skills landscape, holding prestigious positions as a Council Member of the National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) and the National Labor Advisory Council (NLAC), and serving on the Board of the Human Resources Development Corporation (HRDCorp). His influence extends across ASEAN as a Council Member of the ASEAN TVET Council (ATC) and a Joint Business Council Member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC), while also contributing to global skills advancement as a BILT Expert Group Member under UNESCO-UNEVOC.

Recognised for his transformational leadership in industry and employer advocacy, Dato’ Palaniappan is a Council Member of both the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) and the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), reinforcing his impact on Malaysia’s economic and labour policies. He is also an integral part of the High-Level TVET Committee under the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, where he drives national TVET strategies and workforce readiness initiatives.

With over 25 years of experience in senior corporate roles across regional and international organisations, Dato’ Palaniappan seamlessly integrates policy, industry, and academia. As the CEO of POLYCC, a Polytechnic Industry Advisory Council under Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education, he fosters synergy between higher education and industry needs. His leadership extends into the tech sector as Managing Director of Satake Technologies Sdn. Bhd., where he champions cutting-edge innovation and technology-driven solutions.

Academically accomplished, Dato’ Palaniappan holds a Master’s degree in Quality &Productivity Improvement and a double degree in Economics & Jurisprudence. His expertise is further shared through academia, where he serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), and Management & Science University (MSU), inspiring future generations of leaders. A driving force behind ASEAN’s workforce revolution, Dato’ J. Palaniappan continues to shape policies, build industry-academia partnerships, and advocate for sustainable skills development in the digital and green economy—paving the way for a future-ready workforce.

As site IT director, Clement leads the IT organization supporting Manufacturing IT Applications (MES, tool/equipment automation), IT Infrastructure (servers, storage, network, database) and IT Field Services Support for Micron Penang as a high-volume manufacturing site.

He joined Micron back in 2019 as part of the startup team and led the IT organization to support Micron Penang factory startup which include the delivery of 2 new IT data centers, site network infrastructure, manufacturing execution systems (MES) and IT automation systems build.

Besides supporting Micron Penang factory IT automation systems, his team is also involved in deploying new IT capabilities to support Micron Penang Smart Manufacturing initiatives.

Clement is a Senior IT Leader with over 20 years of experience in IT industry with extensive experience in major multinational semiconductor companies such as Micron, Intel and Lumileds, supporting global stakeholders on mission critical manufacturing execution systems (MES), tools automation, decision support systems and factory engineering analysis applications.

His area of expertise is in the areas of factory automation system architecture and integration, IT service management, program management, leadership development and IT technical leadership development.

Vellu is the Country HR Director for Micron Malaysia. He brings with him close to 25 years of diverse experience in the semiconductor industry. After starting off as a software engineer and having a stint in logistics, Vellu found his passion in people and has had a wide range of experiences in various HR functions.  Over the years Vellu has built his expertise in helping organizations develop strong and sustainable HR strategies specifically focusing on strengthening leadership and developing and retaining talent. He is also an ICF accredited coaching and is passionate about helping individuals achieve their highest potential.

Maisy is the Managing Partner of Delight Capital, an investor in Southeast Asia tech startups. Before founding Delight Capital, she co-founded and led Add Partners, a significant European venture capital firm with notable exits from the €173M Add One fund include Apertio (acquired by Nokia Siemens), PolarLake (acquired by Bloomberg), Arieso (acquired by JDSU) and Sequans (IPO on NYSE).

Prior to that, she held a Senior Manager role at Vertex Management, where she managed the European office in London.

Dr. James Ong is an entrepreneur and community builder and has over 35 years of experience in Asia, US and Europe across multiple industry verticals. He is currently the founder and CEO of Origami that builds ventures with frontier technologies such as AI, Enterprise Software, Blockchain, Web3 and Metaverse.

James founded Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII), a think tank advocating Sustainable AI for Humanity. James started his career as an AI scientist at leading US MCC research lab on advanced AI Fifth Generation Computer research and was with Trilogy, an AI pioneer and enterprise software startup.

He is also adjunct professor and mentor-in-residence at SUTD and serves as mentor for NUS, NTU A*STAR and Lean Launchpad program. James received his PhD in Management Information System specializing on AI for Organizational Governance and Policy and Business Process Automation and MA & BA in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin.

William Zhong is the Founder & CEO of Irista.AI, a cutting‑edge AI startup democratising visual intelligence for businesses. With over two decades of experience in enterprise-level R&D and more than a decade in senior technical leadership, William has spearheaded the development of scalable, high-performance AI systems. An alumnus of the University of British Columbia, he has cultivated deep expertise in machine learning, computer vision, and system architecture—skills he’s applied to drive Irista.AI’s mission of delivering powerful visual AI capabilities across industries.

As a visionary leader and entrepreneur, William excels at translating complex technology into real-world solutions. Under his guidance, Irista.AI has launched innovative products that automate and optimise visual data workflows, helping clients increase efficiency and accuracy. Active in the broader AI community, he frequently speaks on topics ranging from AI strategy to ethical deployment of visual intelligence. William’s unique combination of technical brilliance, business acumen, and leadership positions him as an engaging speaker on the future of AI-driven visual insights.

Vigneesha Muniandy is a Senior Data Scientist at HP Inc., where she brings together her background in engineering and love for data to solve real-world challenges in manufacturing. She’s passionate about “connecting the dots”—finding patterns in complex systems and turning data into meaningful insights that improve quality, efficiency, and traceability on the factory floor.

Starting her career in engineering, Vigneesha later transitioned into data science to deepen her impact through analytics and machine learning. Today, she works closely with cross-functional teams to translate raw signals from production tools into smarter decisions, helping shape the intelligent, connected factories of the future.

She holds a Master of Science in Data Science from Asia Pacific University (APU) and a Master of Engineering in Photonics from Multimedia University (MMU). Vigneesha enjoys solving messy problems, learning from the shopfloor, and building bridges between data and action in the journey toward Industry 5.0

An ASEAN-focused Business Adviser and Serial Entrepreneur, Mr. Stephen Lai is a former multinational executive who has spent over 30 years accumulating cross-cultural business experience and extensive global people networks while overseeing offices in Singapore (HQ), Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Saigon and Mumbai, and pioneering large scale commodity and investment conferences in ten major cities across Asia.

A business mentor and fund-raising adviser to tech start-up CEO’s in Silicon Valley, Singapore and Penang, Stephen also actively consults with Chinese Enterprises in the areas of international business and partnership development in ASEAN countries.

A former Adviser to BuonMaThuot Coffee Exchange Centre, Vietnam’s first commodity exchange, Stephen’s varied international career includes a stint as Chief Representative (ASEAN) for one of China’s largest fintech solution providers listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Regional Business Development roles with global financial information giant Reuters, Investment Technology Manager with Koeneman Capital Management – Asia’s first quant-based boutique investment firm founded by former Head of Equities at Government Investment Corporation (GIC) of Singapore- and Business Consultant to Singapore Government’s premier ICT R&D Centre, Kent Ridge Digital Lab (later renamed A*STAR).

Stephen is currently Chairman of Malaysia-China (Greater Bay Area) Science-Tech Innovation Alliance and Founder-President of Penang-Chengdu Friendship Association. During 2012-2014, he was tasked to promote internationalisation of China enterprises under the Belt and Road Initiative when he was appointed Executive Adviser to the Director of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shenzhen Municipal Committee, who was concurrently President of China (Shenzhen) International Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Stephen served as Deputy Director on the China (Shenzhen) Financial Expo and Conference Planning Committee chaired by Shenzhen Mayor for 5 years.

An Industrial Adviser and Adjunct Professor at DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia, Stephen is an Industrial Entrepreneurship Fellow at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He earned an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and double degrees in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

A former ASEAN Scholar in Singapore, Penang-born Stephen is a Certified Career Coach and enjoys training youths in the areas of Resilience, Leadership Development and Social Entrepreneurship. During 2018-2021, he served as Strategic Adviser to Penang State Minister for Trade, Industry and Entrepreneur Development in his home state in Malaysia.

Syed is a Sustainability and Engineering veteran with over 30 years of proven experience in leading the change within organizations to adopt technologies, innovation, business process improvement, and stakeholder engagement to future proof assets, and achieving triple-bottom-line goals – People, Planet, and Profit with Purpose. He has held several senior leadership positions at various organizations in Asia in leading diverse group of teams, and deliver multi-million-dollar projects across commercial, industrial, hospitality and corporate real estate assets.

He has managed multi-million sq. ft of facilities in Asia to lead teams in delivering Facilities Management, Engineering and Sustainability services to improve asset performance, risk mitigation, improve health & safety of environment, realize carbon reduction, cost savings, water conservation, waste minimization, and engaging stakeholders for common goal. He has raised multi million in funding to execute asset improvement and green initiatives which includes process improvement, digital transformation and adoption of low carbon technologies.

He has implemented several management systems such as ISO 9001, 18001, 45001,
55001 and 21021 to overcome operational challenges, improve quality, eliminate wastages/mundane functions, increase productivity and common data environment for system visibility. He has pivoted the execution of SDGs, ESG and ERM reporting adoption of standards/requirements like CDP, GRI, SBTi, GHG, AA1000, TCFD, ISO14064, SGX, HKEx and so on.

He has been pivotal in forming consortium to develop blue and green hydrogen projects in SEA of multi megawatt scale. Also providing advisory, consulting, engineering design and technology selection to facilitate the project intent.

He holds qualifications in Business Sustainability, Financial Management, Electrical & Electronics Engineering. He is the recipient of the CSR Award, ASHRAE Technology Award and published several papers on decarbonization and technologies. He is an alumnus of S P Jain Global Institute of Management and CISL, UK.

Ravenna Chen is a global strategist and cross-border investment expert, driving innovation and sustainable growth across Southeast Asia and beyond. As CEO of Intrinsic SEA, she has guided 200+ companies in international market entry and expansion. A former Asia-Pacific leader at TusStar, the world’s largest tech incubator, Ravenna co-founded the China-Malaysia Science & Technology Innovation Summit and launched initiatives like Go ASEAN, Go China, and Go RCEP.

A frequent keynote speaker at the UN General Assembly, APEC CEO Summit, and ASEAN Expo, she is recognized by Forbes China as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites. Passionate about green design, climate action, and inclusive growth, Ravenna continues to connect business, technology, and social impact on the global stage.

Chong Seng Lim is the Director of Ecosystem Development at Digital Penang Sdn Bhd, where he leads impactful initiatives to foster Penang’s technology sector. Since October 2022, Cseng has driven significant growth by enhancing startup support, facilitating market access, and building strategic partnerships.

His leadership has resulted in Penang being recognized as an Outstanding Ecosystem for
Medium-Sized Cities by StartupBlink in 2023, and he has successfully expanded the local startup base and introduced pioneering programs like the Hardtech and Deeptech Hybrid Programme and Penang Digital Creative Week.

Cseng’s diverse career spans technology, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and beyond, including operational leadership roles in cryptocurrency, food and beverage, and brand development. His extensive experience in various industries and strategic roles highlights his commitment to innovation and ecosystem growth.

Through his work, Cseng continues to drive advancements in Penang’s tech community and support the broader startup landscape.

With over a decade of experience in the agriculture and sustainability sectors, Kennard brings extensive expertise in strategic innovation, venture design, and partnership development. His career spans banking, trade promotion, digitalisation, and innovation. He currently serves as Vice President at TRST01, a sustainability technology company that enables traceability, ESG reporting, and carbon management across supply chains, with a strong focus on the ASEAN region.

Dato’ Seri Dr. Abdul Halim Hussain is the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Foundpac Bhd and a Board Member of JKP Sdn Bhd, a Ministry of Finance subsidiary. He previously served as the Penang State EXCO for Trade, Industry and Entrepreneur Development (2018–2023), where he led record-breaking investment growth, drove digital transformation through the establishment of Digital Penang, and championed SME and entrepreneurship initiatives. With more than three decades of experience spanning government, corporate banking, and leadership in industry bodies, he continues to contribute as National Honorary Advisor to SAMENTA and Advisor to CREST’s SME Committee, shaping Malaysia’s industrial and entrepreneurial landscape.

See Toh Kean Yaw is the Founding Partner of Kairous Capital, with over 20 years of experience in accountancy and finance, and 10 years in the asset management industry. He holds a Master of Business Studies from the University of Portsmouth and is a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). His extensive career includes senior leadership roles in multiple listed companies including Ire-Tex Corporation Berhad, where he oversaw group-level corporate finance, investor relations, M&A strategy, and financial operations.

See Toh plays a pivotal role in driving investment performance through strategic portfolio governance, financial engineering, value creation and exit planning at Kairous. He specialises in guiding companies through critical growth phases, including pre-IPO preparation, mergers and acquisitions, and operational transformation. With a proven track record of successfully listing companies on stock exchanges in the UK, Hong Kong, and China, he brings invaluable insight into capital market readiness.

Dr. May Win Naing is the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Cluster at ASTAR’s Science and Engineering Research Council, where she leads technology roadmaps and strategic R&D initiatives, including the recently launched AI Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing (AIMfg). Since joining ASTAR in 2013, she has founded and led major programmes such as the BioManufacturing Programme, advancing technologies for regenerative medicine, cellular agriculture, and consumer industries, while also contributing to strategic planning and policy.

With experience spanning academia and industry in Singapore and the UK, she actively engages the global research community through advisory and editorial roles, and currently serves as Advisor to the food-tech start-up Fattastic. Dr. Naing holds a PhD from Nanyang Technological University and has been recognised with national awards, including the COVID-19 Resilience Medal, for her contributions to Singapore.

Victor Fasahati began his entrepreneurial journey at just 11 years old, importing goods from China and Southern Europe. By his early 20s, he was already a top performer in international sales, becoming a Regional Vice President of a global American company at age 22.

With a degree in accounting, Victor went on to advise nearly 2,000 companies on international tax planning, corporate structuring, and compliance. He built and successfully exited an international law and accounting firm, serving clients in 10+ countries — earning a reputation not just for his legal and financial expertise, but for his rare ability to help growth companies commercialize and scale globally.

As a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, Victor has stepped into multiple industries, from startups to private equity. His alternative investments in the film industry include a cinema production that reached #1 on Netflix and sold to over 40 countries. He is currently completing his first book and producing his fifth movie, scheduled for release in 2026.

Victor is also an experienced keynote speaker, having delivered talks in 10+ countries on entrepreneurship, global structuring, and the future of business. He has been invited to serve on several boards and as chairman, where he brings his commercial, financial, and strategic insights. Today, he works closely with founders and investors in Europe — particularly in the Balkans — while actively expanding his footprint into the ASEAN region.

Master of Science in Control and Automation Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, with over 15 years of progressive experience delivering Building Automation, Integrated Building Management Systems (IBMS), energy management, sustainability solutions, and industrial automation projects from concept to commissioning. Recognized for strong technical leadership, effective client collaboration, and successful end-to-end project delivery, with a proven track record of managing large-scale, high-value automation initiatives and ensuring seamless integration of PLC, DDC, SCADA, and IoT-enabled platforms.

During his Master’s research at NTU, Shailesh focused on the design and development of a robotic arm for minimally invasive brain surgery. This innovation demonstrated how advanced robotics, control systems, and engineering principles can solve real-world challenges, improving precision, efficiency, and outcomes. Inspired by this philosophy, Shailesh co-founded Zealcorps to bring automation and intelligent control solutions out of the lab and into the real world—helping buildings, industries, and critical infrastructure operate smarter, consume less energy, and make a positive impact on society.

At Zealcorps, leadership is rooted in deep technical expertise, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability. The company delivers tailored solutions across building automation, energy management, sustainability consulting, and industrial automation to commercial, residential, and manufacturing clients—enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and meeting evolving environmental standards.

Managing Director Role at Zealcorps

As Managing Director, Shailesh provides strategic leadership and overall management of Zealcorps, ensuring sustainable growth, profitability, and operational excellence across all business verticals. He serves as the primary liaison between the Board of Directors, senior management, clients, and stakeholders, driving the company’s vision, mission, and long-term objectives.

Under his direction, Zealcorps:

Implements intelligent automation systems integrated with energy efficiency and sustainability goals. Delivers high-performance building and industrial systems that optimize energy use, improve operational reliability, and reduce environmental impact.

Combines technical rigor with client-centric delivery, ensuring projects meet operational targets while providing measurable ROI. Maintains a culture of innovation, merging advanced engineering principles with practical real-world applications.

As the Assistant Vice President, Azura is one of the key roles in TalentCorp Northern Region. She engages with various companies from three sectors; Electrical & Electronics (E&E), Healthcare and Manufacturing sector as well as regional role; responsible for talent needs for northern states – Penang, Kedah, Perlis and certain parts of Perak.

Prior to joining TalentCorp, Azura has worked in various HR spectrum with several companies in Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, Penang and in Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah for the past 20 years. She joined TalentCorp in 2019 and has since been involved in facilitating talent needs, mainly for companies in the northern region. Azura also supports E&E, Healthcare and Manufacturing companies all over Malaysia.

Azura completed her Masters degree in Management from USM and obtained her Bachelors Degree from The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States of America in Political Science and Sociology.

Deric Chew is the Human Resources Director at Lumileds, leading the HR function across Malaysia and South Asia while serving as Global Business Partner for Worldwide IT. With more than 25 years of international HR experience, he is known for transforming organizations, building future-ready talent pipelines, and driving cultural change that enables businesses to thrive.

Throughout his career at Dell, Intel, and Lumileds, Deric has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives—from launching innovative talent strategies and leadership labs with global universities, to shaping large-scale workforce transformations and employee engagement programs that consistently achieved top satisfaction scores.

A certified coach and organizational change practitioner, Deric is passionate about unlocking human potential and partnering with leaders to create workplaces where people and performance grow hand in hand. His blend of strategic insight and hands-on execution has made him a trusted advisor to executives navigating change and growth on a global stage.

Vikneswaran is the Manager of New Investment at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), where he oversees a multi-sector portfolio in Global Services and Emerging Technologies to drive Malaysia’s digital economy forward. His role focuses on attracting strategic digital investments, strengthening stakeholder engagement, and facilitating opportunity closure—contributing to high-value job creation and positioning Malaysia as a leading digital hub in the region.

With over 19 years of experience in service leadership, Vikneswaran brings deep expertise in customer experience analysis, outsourcing management, and operational transformation. His career has been dedicated to supporting the growth of digital investment-related businesses while embedding sustainable practices into the ecosystem.

At MDEC, Vikneswaran plays a pivotal role in advancing Malaysia’s competitiveness by collaborating with investors, industry leaders, and government stakeholders to deliver measurable results aligned with national priorities. Recognized for his strategic, diligent, and outcome-driven approach, he is committed to enabling digital innovation and fostering long-term growth for Malaysia’s digital economy.

Alan was with PricewaterhouseCoopers (also known as ‘PwC’) in both Malaysia and Australia from 1995 to 2015, providing audit and business advisory services to large corporations, predominantly public listed companies and multinational corporations.

During this period, he was involved in special assignments such as Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), financial due diligence, and grant submissions.

Prior to leaving PwC, Alan spent the last 8 years focused on US GAAP and GAAS reporting (including SOX 404), covering US and Japanese multinational corporations involved in computer technology, electronic consumer products, and solar panel manufacturing and EPC-related businesses. He was also actively involved in audits of shared service centers.

He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ). As an approved HRDF Certified Trainer, he has conducted various seminars and public workshops.

With over 25 years of experience in business advisory, accounting, and tax, Alan has enjoyed helping businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs in the digital space. Alan is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur who has played a key role in supporting the Penang State Government in developing the early-stage investing ecosystem. He is also a strong advocate for the growth of deep-tech and hard-tech startups.

As Chairman of the Penang Chapter of the Malaysian Business Angel Network (MBAN), he is looking to collaborate with those who are passionate about walking the digital transformation journey together.

Eddy is the Chief Technology Officer at IBM, where he also leads the Country Presales Engineering team. With 28+ years of IT and leadership experience, he is a hands-on solution architect specializing in AI agents, automation, generative AI, and advanced analytics. He helps organizations harness data to drive digital transformation, innovation, and improved customer experiences.

Previously, Eddy served as Analytics Practice Leader and Enterprise Architecture Leader, earning multiple awards for technical excellence and visionary leadership. His expertise spans financial services, telecommunications, and government, and he is recognized for applying design thinking to build industry-aligned solutions.

Hew Peng Koon (PK Hew) has over 25 years of experience in high-volume manufacturing, driving operations transformation through automation and advanced analytics. He has led major initiatives in engineering solutions, process streamlining, and performance improvements, and was instrumental in SanDisk Storage Malaysia and Shanghai earning recognition as the first WEF Advanced Industry 4.0 and Sustainability Lighthouses in Malaysia, Asia, and China.

He currently leads Global Flash Back End Automation & Analytics Development Engineering, shaping the next phase of automation and analytics strategy. PengKoon is also pioneering Malaysia’s first “university-within-a-factory” to advance industry-academia collaboration in future technologies. He holds a First-Class Honors Degree in Material Science and Engineering from the National University of Malaysia.

Ts. Dr. Shahrul Yazid Yahaya brings over 30 years of leadership in the electrical and electronics industry, with expertise spanning product and process engineering, hardware and software design, manufacturing, and R&D. He currently serves as Vice President of Market and Industry Development at CREST, driving industry–academia–government collaborations to strengthen Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem. Dr. Shahrul holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, an MBA from Universiti Utara Malaysia, and an EngD in Engineering Business Management from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He has also contributed as an advisor to multiple Malaysian universities on research, innovation, and industry engagement.