Malaysia’s Top Startup Investors & Corporate Innovation Event

DisruptInvest Summit

Kuala Lumpur

23 MAY 2024 9AM - 5PM
NETWORKING PARTY 5.30PM ONWARDS
Level 3, Etiqa Twins, Kuala Lumpur

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Agenda

Organiser

Tech Ecosystem
Partner

Strategic Partner

days

hours

minutes

seconds

Partners

Network with Our Key Speakers & Moderators

YB Gobind Singh Deo

Minister of Digital Malaysia

GOBIND SINGH DEO was appointed as the Minister of the newly-established Ministry of Digital in December 2023.

He has served as Minister of Communications and Multimedia from May 2018 until February 2020. In that time, he pushed for reforms in various sectors such as making broadband more affordable and accessible, media freedom, transitioning national broadcaster Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) into the digital era, and enhancing the country’s digital connectivity through 5G.

Chua Kee Lock

CEO, Vertex Holdings

Mr. Chua Kee Lock is the CEO of Vertex Holdings and concurrently Managing Partner of Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, as well as Chairman of Vertex Growth Fund.
Before this, he held senior positions in Biosensors International Group, Ltd.; Walden International; NatSteel Ltd.; and Intraco Ltd. He co-founded MediaRing, a provider of voice-over-internet, which was later listed on Singapore’s stock exchange. Mr. Chua was appointed by the Singapore Government as a Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Panama in 2020. He currently serves on the boards of several companies, including Yongmao and Credit Bureau Asia, which are publicly listed.

Teoh Jiun Ee

CARSOME Co-founder & CARSOME Academy CEO

Teoh Jiun Ee, co-founder of CARSOME and former COO, now leads CARSOME Academy as its CEO, driven by a commitment to nation-building and developing Southeast Asia’s automotive workforce. Under his leadership, the Academy became the first in Malaysia and Indonesia to introduce TVET inspection skills training, aimed at fostering highly skilled nations and building higher-income economies. CARSOME Academy has trained over 1,500 students and 6,500 corporate employees regionally. Leveraging his experience, Teoh has facilitated strategic collaborations with major local institutions, including Sunway University, Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera, and Indonesia’s Program Kartu Prakerja.

Azran Osman-Rani

CEO of Naluri

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

Dato’ Sri Idris Jala

Chairman of PEMANDU Associates

Dato’ Sri Idris Jala is a world-renowned transformation guru who drives government and private sector performance through his Big-Fast-Results Methodology. He is currently the Chairman of PEMANDU Associates. In 2014, Bloomberg placed him amongst the world's top 10 most influential policymakers. He also served as a Cabinet Minister under the Prime Minister’s Department between 2010 and 2017. Prior to PEMANDU, Dato’ Sri Idris was the CEO of Malaysia Airlines. 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.

Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed

Founder & Executive Chairman of MMOB

Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed has more than 18 years of experience in banking, including digital and traditional models, and is a recognised leader in banking and Islamic finance. He has held several senior management roles with international exposure in the UK, the Middle East and Asia. He has innovated financial services solutions and advised governments in Islamic finance regulations. He has been involved as an advisor and angel investor in the UK FinTech community for over seven years.

Georg Chmiel

Co-Founder & Chair of Juwai-IQI Holdings

Georg Chmiel has three decades of experience in rapidly growing, disruptive online businesses and has led more than 40 acquisitions, which have been taken over seven times. He has been instrumental in creating three unicorns so far during his career and is known to grow shareholder value significantly. For the last 12 years, he has been based in Malaysia and focused on the ASEAN & ANZ markets. He is a regular guest lecturer on disruptive technologies, AI and big data and entrepreneurship at the University of St. Gallen (USG/HSG), Singapore Management University (SMU), Asia Pacific University (APU), Technische Universität München (TUM) and speaker at many conferences and events as well author of business articles. He serves as mentor of emerging company directors across Malaysia, Australia and Myanmar.

Prashant Kumar

Founder of ENTROPIA

Prashant Kumar, a leading marketing futurist in the Asia-Pacific region, currently heads Gen AI for Growth Markets at Accenture. He founded ENTROPIA, later acquired by Accenture, and achieved remarkable growth as President of IPG Mediabrands Asia. Recognized on prestigious juries and a sought-after speaker, Prashant is a marketing mentor, charter member of TiE Singapore, and author of the bestselling "Made in Future." An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, MICA Ahmedabad, and Harvard Business School, he is not only a marketing visionary but also a budding aviator and a devoted father of two.

Ramachandran Muniandy

CEO & Co-founder of Asia Mobiliti

Ramachandran Muniandy is the CEO and Co-founder of Asia Mobiliti, an award-winning startup in Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and digital city solutions. Recognized as a Digerati50 2020/2021 by Digital News Asia, he serves on the Talent Expert Network Panel of MDEC and is a Subject Matter Expert for Industrial Skills Framework (AI) at HRD Corp. Ram is also the Tech Advisory Panel Member of Sri KDU International School (Klang), a Mentor in the Malaysian chapter of the Founder Institute, and a member of various industry panels and committees, including the Entrepreneurship World Cup, Malaysia Finals 2024.

Ben Lim

Founder & CEO, NEXEA

Ben Lim founded NEXEA in 2015, and today it invests & supports Startups with over RM1 billion in revenues in total. NEXEA connects Startups with 50+ Angel Investors, 20+ Corporate Partners, and all relevant Government agencies.

Karamjit Singh

CEO, Digital News Asia

Karamjit Singh is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Digital News Asia. Karamjit founded Digital News Asia with a vision that media should play its role as the Fourth Estate and on the belief that timely, insightful and analytical coverage can help the tech ecosystem in South-East Asia, especially Malaysia, grow and develop.

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Network with Our Special Guests

Michael Fong

Head of Digital, Partnerships & Innovation, Allianz

Michael Fong is the Head of Digital Partnership & Innovation in Allianz Malaysia since January 2017. He has extensive managerial experience in Allianz's departments such as COO's office, branch operations and actuarial.

Peter Wee

MBAN President

Peter Wee is a mentor at NEXEA, an early Startup Accelerator, Angel Network and Venture Capital. NEXEA has invested in more than 35 Startups across Southeast Asia and is known for creating value in their investments. NEXEA is backed by experienced entrepreneurs who have done their M&As and IPOs or are CEOs of publicly listed companies. Peter has successfully mentored companies at NEXEA. He is also an advisor to a large regional F&B player and a Council Member of MBAN (the Malaysian Business Angel Network).

Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi

Senior Advisor, ZICO

Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi is a mentor at NEXEA, a Southeast Asian startup accelerator and venture capital firm that has invested in over 35 startups. Sharil has a diverse background in both public and private sectors and is an authority on internet governance and telecommunications. He was responsible for modernizing the Malaysian telecommunications industry and has led various strategic projects and corporate transactions. He is also an experienced mentor, working with startups and scale-ups across the world.

Shi Ying Lau

CEO & Managing Partner,
Adaptive Capital Partners

Shi Ying is the Managing Partner at Adaptive Capital Partners, a Singapore-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology startups with a focus on Healthtech. Shi Ying brings over 15 years of experience in management consulting and tech, having worked on projects in various industries and locations. Before joining Adaptive, she was the former Head of GrabCar for Malaysia, where she helped the company become a market leader in private car ride-hailing services within two years. The firm's first fund is Evergreen and anchored by a prominent businessman in the region.

Sai Kit

founding managing partner of Artem Ventures

Sai Kit is a seasoned venture capitalist and the founding managing partner of Artem Ventures, a venture capital management registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia. He has extensive experience in corporate venturing, having established and led the CVC arm of a public company listed in Singapore. He has made 18 investments across different stages and sectors in Southeast Asia, with three exits, two of which happened in 2022. Artem Ventures is now the fund manager of a partnership fund with FWD. Sai Kit also serves as the Chairman of MVCA.

Paramjit Singh

Chief Investment Officer, MAVCAP

Paramjit Singh Gill has wide experience spanning over 13 years in Corporate Investment Banking, Private Equity and Venture Capital. He is currently the Chief Investment Officer (“CIO”) of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (“MAVCAP”) which is one of the largest Venture Capital setup in Malaysia. He began his career at Maybank Investment Bank Berhad where he worked on several initial public offerings (IPO’s) and merger & acquisition transactions in Malaysia. He subsequently joined OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad in 2011 as Relationship Manager in Public & Institutional / Corporate Banking Department.

Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke

Group CEO, Cradle

Norman is the Group CEO of Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle), a key agency in Malaysia's startup ecosystem under the Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI) Malaysia. He joined Cradle in 2020, initially as Head of Finance and Corporate Services. Norman started his career at KPMG and has held various strategic, financial, and management roles in local and multinational companies and government agencies. He holds degrees in Accounting from the University of Queensland, Australia, and Software Engineering from Multimedia University, Malaysia. His professional journey and educational background fuel his passion for technology and innovation, driving him to support Malaysian startups in becoming global tech leaders.

Mohd Noor Hisham Abdul Bari

Assistant Vice President, Cradle

Hisham has been with Cradle since 2015, and is a senior officer with over 8 years of experience in Corporate Administration, Business Development, Funding, Public Policy, Government Liaison and Strategic Partnership. During his time in Cradle, he has assumes a few roles in the company such as the Angel Tax Incentive Officer (ATIO) whom look into the high network individual investment and tax claim. He is currently the Assistant Vice President (and Head of MYStartup Malaysia) that looks into the Stakeholder Engagement, Government Liasson, Special Projects, Partnerships & Programme unt and continue to play an important role in helping building the capacity of the local technology base entrepreneurs and start-ups to achieve success.

Saifulbahri Hassan

Director of Private Equity, KWAP

Saifulbahri Hassan has over 23 years of experience in various technology-related sectors ranging from IT services to manufacturing. Saiful spent the last 18 years in Private Equity and Venture Capital investing in various stages of enterprise development and its funding needs. He is also active in the development of the domestic and international private investing eco-system from influencing policymaking to building linkages with international eco-systems.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri, USA and obtained his Master’s Degree in Management from the International Islamic University, Malaysia.

What to Expect?

Main Stage

Important insights from well-known entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, and other industry experts (VIP Speakers).

Networking Lounge

Meet new people at our exclusive networking space and develop new business partnerships and clients.

Networking Party

Come enjoy a fun-filled evening of drinks, fantastic music, and networking opportunities at our Networking Party.

Participating Investors

Past Partners Of Our Summits

About DisruptInvest Summit

"The DisruptInvest Summit aims to connect Corporates and Investors, as well as the Startup Ecosystem - Startup members, Government Agencies, Venture Capital & Media to support & grow the next tech giants”

What People Expect

"Best place for corporates and investors to collaborate with Malaysia's startup ecosystem"
- Focus Malaysia
"The largest gathering for the top tech entrepreneurs in Malaysia"
- Yahoo News Malaysia
"The startup ecosystem event of the year for corporates and investors"
- Vulcan Post Singapore
"Best way for corporates and investors to connect with the brightest entrepreneurs"
- Malay Mail
"An outstanding hub for entrepreneurs to meet with corporates and investors"
- Yahoo Finance

DisruptInvest Is The Largest Community For Startup Investors & Corporate Innovators in Malaysia

"DisruptInvest Summit is the best place for corporates and investors to collaborate with Malaysia's startup ecosystem, bringing entrepreneurs together to learn new ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration"

"DisruptInvest Summit brings together some of the top players in the startup world, including corporates and investors, providing valuable insights into the startup ecosystem's current state"

"Malaysia lacks a startup that has gone through major trials, like economic depression, and come out stronger, rising to be a unicorn. A startup like this is something other economies have and acts as a role model for other startups to follow"

DisruptInvest Current and Past Speakers

Noomi Fessler

CFO, Lapasar

Noomi Fessler is a partner at NEXEA, specializing in helping startups improve their business models and growth strategies. She has experience working with early stage startups and is committed to incorporating technology into their ventures. She has successfully worked with the startup Lapasar, which is an online business for purchasing supplies in bulk and continues to grow in the Malaysian market. Fessler's first-hand experience provides valuable insights to future startups.

Alan Lim

Co-Founder, MBAN

Alan is a founding partner and Principle Advisor for NEXEA, where he is responsible for overseeing the development of strategic initiatives for startups under their investment. He is a member of the investment committee and an expert in advising and mentoring companies on strategic growth and regional expansion. Alan has a proven track record of successfully growing startups, having co-founded and served as CEO of MediaBanc Group, the largest media monitoring and insights company in Southeast Asia, and expanding other companies such as Commsight to multiple countries.

Justin Lim

Principle of Nexea

Starting his career at CIMB as a management trainee and then as an associate in credit risk, he has hands-on experience with the financial crisis of 2007 - 2008. The exposure built a strong appreciation of how complex systems work and where opportunities are in crises.

In 2011, Justin became an Associate Director in credit trading, managing a G7-denominated global trading book whilst building CIMB’s retail bond franchise. He was voted The Asset's Most Astute Investor for Asian G3 bonds (Malaysia) between 2016 - 2018 and led the business development for CIMB’s Indonesia retail bond franchise, introducing innovations in the distribution process.

Datuk William Ng

Chairman & Director, Audience Analytics Limited

Datuk William Ng, Chairman and Managing Director of Audience Analytics Limited, boasts 22+ years in business impact assessment, marketing, media, and exhibitions. With a rich background in FMCG, medical services, and exhibitions, he co-founded AIC Exhibitions, BMI Malaysia, BMI Intelligence, and Business Media International. Additionally, he acts as Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of the Group and a Non-Executive Director of Bain Equity, underlining his active involvement in industry associations and leadership positions.

Daeng Saifullah Termizi

Co-founder & COO, Kestrl

Daeng is the Co-founder & COO of Kestrl, an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their belief. He met his Co-founder whilst studying for their MBAs together at University of Cambridge. Kestrl is a part of the University of Cambridge Accelerator programme, Techstar London and recently Barclays Rise. Daeng has been responsible in establishing and growing the company tech team based in Malaysia serving global clients. After graduating with a First in Economics from the University of Exeter, Daeng moved back to Malaysia to pursue his interest in the Islamic Finance industry. This was where he developed a lifelong passion for using financial instruments to achieve a better economic outcome for society.

Dr Nafis Alam

Professor & Head of the School of Business at Monash University Malaysia

Dr. Alam is a Professor and Head of the School of Business at Monash University Malaysia. He has previously worked at Henley Business School Malaysia, the University of Reading Malaysia, and Nottingham University Business School Malaysia. He has held visiting positions in the UK and Indonesia. Prof. Alam is a recognized expert in FinTech, banking, and financial regulation, with over 50 peer-reviewed articles and co-authorship of nine books. He has lectured globally, including at Harvard Law School and the University of Cambridge. Follow him on Twitter @nafisalam.

Fabian Bigar

CEO, MyDIGITAL Corporation

Fabian Bigar became CEO of MyDIGITAL Corporation on April 19, 2021, overseeing the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MDEB) and the National Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy. He also leads the Malaysia Centre for 4IR in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. His past roles include Undersecretary for Policy at the Ministry of Health, Director at the Civil Service Delivery Unit, and Director at PEMANDU. He holds a BSc. from Case Western Reserve University and a Masters in Public Policy from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

Subash Palaniappan

CEO, Agile In Tandem

Subash Palaniappan is an independent consultant at NEXEA. Formerly an Executive Vice President at Maybank, he was pivotal in driving innovation through Agile, Design Thinking, and Lean Startup methods via the Agility@Work initiative. As head of Idea Design for Maybank Innovation, he led projects and forged over 20 startup partnerships through MaybankFintech and Hackathons. Subash is a certified Scrum Master with expertise in RPA, Data Analytics, and Psychology 101. Before Maybank, he founded a technology startup and a graphic design company and started his career as a consultant with Accenture, working with banks, telecoms, and governments in Malaysia, Singapore, and the UK. He holds a degree in Computer Science.

Tyler Lim

Director (Transformation & Strategic Projects),
GovInsider

Tyler is the Director of Transformation and Strategic Projects at GovInsider, overseeing business functions, government relations, and digital transformation consulting. He collaborates with governments and tech companies to drive innovation and enhance citizen services. Previously, Tyler worked at the Smart Nation & Digital Government Office under Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office and the National Trades Union Congress. He also leads several Grassroots Organisations in Singapore, organizing programs for community welfare. Tyler holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Economics and Political Science from the National University of Singapore.

Lester Leong

Country Manager, Cloud Mile Inc.

With over 24 years in the IT industry, Lester is known as the “Face of Transformation,” assisting organizations across ASEAN with technology solutions. Before joining CloudMile, he was the General Manager of CyberSecurity and Modern DC at Ingram Micro, leading its transformation into a cloud-driven, cybersecurity leader. At CloudMile, he achieved milestones such as winning "The Best New GBS Provider of the Year" at the #GBSAsiaAwards 2021 and being named 2022 Google Cloud Partner All-star in Sales. Under his leadership, CloudMile Malaysia also won "The Best Cloud Service Provider" at the 2023 DSA Awards and was recognized as Google Cloud Social Impact Partner of the Year for APAC.

Ruslena Ramli

DIRECTOR, Digital Finance& Islamic Digital Economy

Ruslena Ramli is an Islamic Finance advocate with 20+ years of experience. Her banking repertoire include corporate strategy, advising on sukuk/bond issuances, as well as development of Islamic banking products. She is an avid speaker in local and international Islamic Finance and Islamic Fintech conferences.
She leads MDEC’s Digital Finance and Islamic Digital Economy national-level Promoted Sector initiative. Her expertise in Shariah-compliant structures and established relationships with Islamic finance communities locally and aboard are among her valuable attributes. Ruslena holds a BA (Honors) in Accounting and Finance from Middlesex University of London and a Master’s Degree in Islamic Finance from International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF).

Nadia Ismadi

Co-Founder & CEO, Pod

Nadia Ismadi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pod, a fintech company offering financial wellness solutions to gig workers and underserved communities across Southeast Asia. Pod's platform enables gig workers to save, access microfinancing, build credit, and access other financial services, aiming to enhance financial resilience through education and products. Nadia previously worked at Nomura Asset Management, focusing on business development and Shariah investment products in multiple regions. She also serves as a council member of the Malaysia Indonesia Business Council, fostering business collaboration between the two countries.

Francesca Chia

Co-Founder & CEO, GoGet

Francesca Chia is the Co-Founder and CEO of GoGet, a prominent workforce tech platform connecting businesses with reliable part-timers. With an Economics degree from Northwestern University, Francesca's social enterprise passion drove her to launch GoGet after her time at The Boston Consulting Group, where she specialized in Southeast Asia and Australia. Today, GoGet is Kuala Lumpur's top choice for part-time jobs, collaborating with MDEC and advocating for sustainable economic growth. Francesca is also a member of the National Employment Council, appointed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation.

Zuhry Rashid

Vice President, Technology Research & Advisory, MDV

Zuhry Rashid is the Vice President, Technology Research and Advisory Division of MDV, overseeing consulting and technical services.

Prior to this, he has held various roles within the financial services industry and multinationals such as Grant Thornton International, NEC Asia Pacific Group, Asian Finance Bank and a Fortune 500 company formerly known as Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

Wong Chiun Chiek

Director of Bursa Intelligence, Bursa Malaysia

Mr. Wong Chiun Chiek (CC) is the Director of Bursa Intelligence at Bursa Malaysia, overseeing the digital, data and connectivity solutions for the Group. As the Head of Bursa Intelligence, CC manages Information Services, Index & Sustainable Business, Enterprise Data Transformation covering data governance, acquisition, and analytics, as well as the overall technological architecture and go-to-market of new digital ventures. He is also involved in developing integration solutions within the B2B2C space. Prior to joining Bursa, CC was previously the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Strategy Officer cum Software Solutions and Cloud Dealmaker for IBM Malaysia, while serving as the Director of three business entities.

Fannie Soubiele

Head of Venture Capital Business Development, SEA, Google Cloud

Fannie spent more than a decade with the startup ecosystem across Asia including being a founder, running the first South-East Asia accelerator, investing as a VC and angel, and leading Startup teams in hyperscalers such as Amazon Web Services and Google. She currently leads the Venture Capital and Startups team for South-East Asia in Google Cloud Singapore, working with VC portfolio companies and helping them with business and technology relationships within Google.

Håkon Bruaset Kjøl

Senior Vice President, Head of Investment Management, Deputy Head of Asia, Telenor Asia

Mr. Håkon Bruaset Kjøl is a seasoned corporate and public affairs leader with extensive experience in telecommunications across Europe and Asia. He excels in navigating complex business environments, specializing in regulatory affairs, government relations, corporate communications, sustainability, ESG, and strategy development. Currently, as Telenor Asia’s Head of Investment Management, he oversees operations in Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, including key ownership roles in CelcomDigi Berhad and True Corporation. With over 24 years at Telenor Group, Håkon brings a wealth of international experience and serves on multiple boards, including Grameenphone Ltd. and CelcomDigi Berhad, as well as being a non-executive Director at Snøhetta AS.

Raja Hamzah

Co-Founder, RHL Ventures

Raja Hamzah is a Co-Founder at RHL Ventures, a prominent Southeast Asian private investment firm specializing in growth capital investments across Southeast Asia and the US. Before this, he served as a Director at Rasma Corporation, focusing on infrastructure projects, and as a Principal Investment Analyst at Guoco Management Company, dealing with diverse investment opportunities. Hamzah holds a first-class honours degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Warwick and has received recognition for his contributions to the business world. He is actively involved in mentoring entrepreneurs, serving on advisory boards for companies like Alami and Mamee Group, and contributing to multilateral associations such as MAJECA and Malaysia’s ASEAN Business Advisory Council.

Ir. Wan Murdani bin Wan Mohamad

Vice President of Digital Enablers Division, MDEC

With over 25 years of experience in corporate and economic development, began at Renong-UEM Group and later excelled at Time dotCom Berhad in network engineering, business development, and national strategic projects like KLIA and PUTRA LRT. Transitioning to MDEC, he led policy planning, industry development, and investment facilitation, now serving as VP of Digital Enablers Division, overseeing digital talent, entrepreneurship, funding, infrastructure, and regulatory facilitation. He chaired APT's Study Group and led a key EPP in Malaysia's ETP, boosting the data center industry significantly. He advises on digital economy matters and holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and an MBA.

Karen Lau

COO, Sunway Innovation Labs

With 360° experience in startup investment, venture building, and research commercialisation, Karen works closely with corporates, entrepreneurs, and the university community to turn ideas into commercially viable products and scale businesses for success. She is the Chief Operations Officer of Sunway Innovation Labs, the innovation arm of one of the largest conglomerates in Malaysia - Sunway Group.

Karen leads the key portfolios of Sunway iLabs, such as the growth lab for the Malaysia startups and the cross-border market access programme for the overseas startups. She also facilitates startup (Malaysia & regional) investment. Apart from her ventures role, she also leads the entrepreneurship arm of Sunway University, iLabs Foundry.

Audrey Raj

Broadcast Journalist

In a broadcast career spanning 19 years, Audrey Raj has interviewed thousands of distinguished guests; from premiers, politicians and CEOs, to world-class athletes, thought-leaders and celebrities. As a moderator, emcee and host, Audrey has partnered with prominent brands on stage and online like Volvo, Maxis, Adobe, Bursa Malaysia, CPA Australia, and The New Zealand Government.

She is currently the Director of Content & Strategy at a multinational martech consultancy, a creative content consultant for brands like AIA, Sunway & ThinkCity, and works with thought-leaders and founders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem as a communications consultant and coach.

Loo Jian Sern

General Manager, Digital & Innovation Office
Hong Leong Bank

Jian Sern has over 20 years of cross-industry experience in the customer experience (CX), innovation and digital transformation space. Since 2014, he has been playing a key role in spearheading the customer-centricity and innovation agenda in Hong Leong Bank (HLB). Together with his team, HLB has introduced several first-in-Malaysia and in the region innovations using frontier and emerging technologies.

Prior to Hong Leong Bank, Jian Sern was in a global consulting firm, focusing on Digital and CX transformation across Financial Services, Telecoms, Media & Entertainment, Oil & Gas and Utilities. He is a geek at heart, enjoys problem solving & innovating, and is passionate in helping build high performing, customer-loving organizations.

Brian Fernandez

Chief Customer Success Officer, Biztech

Brian has 25 years of experience in Executive Search, Radio, Sales, Marketing, Consulting, Business Development. His experience spans the technology, healthcare, automotive, multilevel marketing, insurance, and recruitment industries. He leads Talent Search International, a regional headhunting firm focusing primarily on senior-level positions. Brian is a headhunter for mainly senior and middle management roles in Aerospace, Technology, and Finance. He has blended his passions for headhunting and business by becoming a part-time business radio presenter. What that allows him to do is to give amazing insights in two ways. On Radio, he is able to give real-world business experience, and being a headhunter, he has his pulse on the ground! Brian has been a headhunter since 2001.

Kashminder Singh

CSO & Co-Founder, pitchIN

Kash is a co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of pitchIN, an experienced entrepreneur, and a co-founder of WatchTower and Friends, a startups accelerator. He has built multiple successful businesses and founded MOBILE WORLD, a leading tech publication that ran for 11 years. Kash also co-created GoMobile, a significant event that combined a large consumer expo, conference, and awards night. He is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and enjoys exploring innovative financing options for startups and small businesses.

Chris Birrell

Founder & Managing Partner,
Func Ventures

Chris Birrell is the Founder and Managing Partner at Func Ventures, which invests in early stage enterprise software companies across South-East Asia and Australia. With over 25 years of experience, he has worked as the head of APAC for four Silicon Valley tech companies and was involved in over 20 acquisitions. He is also a director of the Founders Institute Malaysia chapter and an active board member and strategic advisor to startups across the region. Chris has a degree in Computer Science from Curtin University and an MBA (with distinction) from the University of Nottingham.

Kugan Thirunavakarasu

Chief Innovation Officer, Celcom Digi

Kugan is a highly experienced professional in the Telecommunication industry with 25 years of experience. He is currently serving as the Chief Innovation Officer at CelcomDigi, where he is responsible for finding new growth opportunities. Before joining CelcomDigi, Kugan was the Chief Marketing Officer at Smartfren Indonesia. He started his career at Ericsson Sweden and has worked in various international markets. He later returned to Malaysia and worked at both DiGi and Maxis.

Aireen Omar

President (Investment & Ventures) of Capital A

Aireen Omar is the President (Investment & Ventures) of Capital A (formerly known as AirAsia Group). She has held various leadership roles in AirAsia, including President of AirAsia Digital and CEO of AirAsia Berhad. She played a significant role in transforming AirAsia into a global cloud and data-driven platform and helped grow the group's digital and fintech businesses. Aireen has received several accolades for her outstanding leadership skills, including the Outstanding CEO Achievement Award and APAC CEO of the Year 2017.

Gerardo Salandra

CEO, Respond.io

Gerardo Salandra is the CEO of Respond.io, a leading WhatsApp conversational commerce startup based in Malaysia. He is a prominent serial entrepreneur in the tech industry, recognized as a TEDx speaker and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Gerardo is also the Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Society of Hong Kong, further cementing his position as a highly regarded voice in the field.

Aaron Sarma

General Partner, ScaleUp Malaysia
Co-Founder, Remote Ventures

Aaron Sarma is an entrepreneur, investor, and speaker with experience in technology, digital media, and retail. He founded Touristly (later Vidi) in 2015, which sold to AirAsia in 2017, and served in various capacities at the group, including COO of AirAsia.com. Aaron is currently Co-Founder General Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia, an accelerator that invests in startups, and co-founded venture builder Remote Ventures in 2020. He is passionate about technology and speaks at events and publishes commentaries on Malaysia's digital development.

Kh Ang

Head, Innovation and Industry Development, Cyberview

Ang heads the Innovation and Industry Development Department under Technology Hub Development Division in Cyberview overseeing the Smart City initiatives and Cyberview Living Lab programmes covering the Talent, Accelerator, Pilot, and Enterprise pillars. Previously, he was a Regional Manager for Asia involved in business development focusing on attracting digital technology investment from Greater China. Ang has more than 10 years experience in industry talent development and talent analytics covering both scaleups & startups.

Anwar Jumabhoy

Speaker & Business Coach

Anwar Jumabhoy is a coach and speaker for entrepreneurs and executives, and has written articles for various publications. He started his career as a Naval Architect in the UK, but became interested in entrepreneurship after observing the management practices of a Singapore shipyard. The company's success was due to their core value of entrepreneurship and flexible structure. Anwar has a B.Sc. in Naval Architecture and an MBA from IMD, Lausanne.

William Lien

Co-Founder,
Chief Commercial Officer, MyStartr

William Lien is the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Mystartr Group Sdn Bhd, a leading ECF Platform and recognized Market Operator by the Security Commission of Malaysia. He holds a degree in Management Science from the University of Central Oklahoma and has over 20 years of Corporate Top Management experience. Prior to his current role, Mr. Lien was the Top executive of Acer and Harvey Norman Malaysia. He has also served as the Vice Chairman of Information Technology of ACCCIM and is a mentor and panel judge of various Accelerators and organizations. As an advocate of ECF, Mr. Lien actively promotes it to Startups and SMEs as a means of alternative capital resources.

Kenny Lim

CEO, Spritzer

Kenny took the position of Deputy General Manager and was responsible to assist the Managing Director and General Manager to plan and set up the company’s policy and objectives. At the same time, he was involved in strategic planning and Corporate Social Responsibility of the Company. In 2011, he had been promoted to be the Group General Manager.

Gopi

Senior Vice President, MDEC

Gopi Ganesalingam is a finance professional and an entrepreneur who has served in executive and board positions in the Asia Pacific region for the last 30 years.
Gopi is now the Vice President of Tech Ecosystem & Globalization (TEG) at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (MDEC), the government agency tasked with championing and leading Malaysia’s Digital Economy.

Emma Nawi

Innovation Lead,
Allianz General Insurance Company

Emma Nawi is the Innovation Lead in the Digital Innovation team at Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad. With 9 years of experience in the industry, her work revolves around designing and developing digital products and services for the new economy of digitally enabled insurance. She is also responsible for building community partnerships and digital investments, which enables Allianz to get up and personal with the start-ups who are driving Malaysia's digital economy.

Kevin Teoh

General Manager
Exitra & Exitra Solutions Sdn Bhd

Kevin Teoh has wide experience in taking companies to the next level using proven concepts and Technology. In the past, he paid his time in helping F&B companies; from innovating their store front customer experience and MNC apparel company; by innovating and technovating their Supply Chain network from supplier all the way to their general stores.

Joel Neoh

Founder, Fave

Joel Neoh is a Malaysian entrepreneur and the founder of Fave, a leading mobile app for cashless transactions and deals in Southeast Asia. Neoh has a background in e-commerce and digital marketing, having previously co-founded Groupon Malaysia and served as the CEO of Groupon Asia Pacific. Beyond his work with Fave, Neoh is also an active investor and mentor to other entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. He has been recognized for his contributions to the tech industry, including being named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2016.

Raymond Hor

Partner/Director, Kejora Capital

Raymond is serial entrepreneur with 3 successful IPOs. Currently, he is a partner at Kejora, a Southeast Asia focus VC, focusing on cross border ventures. He is also a director at Sunway CVC, a Corporate VC of Sunway Group. He was a director of an Australia listed company, iSentric Ltd, which operates mobile tech businesses in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. He advised the team on Corporate Ventures in Fintech. Over the last 12 years, he has invested in 30 startups as angel, accelerator and VC.

Shashie Kumar

Founder & CEO, ATX