Current Speakers APAC

Thought leader with a proven track record in leading large scale transformation programs, new product launches, platform buildout and digitization. High passion individual who creates result driven culture through stakeholder buy in and people engagement.

Key Highlights:

– Digital Transformation: Led complex transformations and transitioning existing manual to digital operations.
– Leadership: Ran large scale multi-cultural diverse operations team handling multiple products.
– Greenfield Processes: Built green field end-to-end digital client journey.
– Regulatory Compliance: Client journey, process, systems and delivery lead for multiple regulatory programmes.
– Process Standardization: Written global process standards which have been implemented across 30 markets.
– Risk Management: Conceptualized and implemented automated client life cycle solutions ranging across account opening, transaction processing, and settlement to corporate action.
– Integration: Instrumental in planning and execution of banks operation and technology integration with the bought identity.

Core Competencies:

– Applying design-thinking methodology translating into best-in-class client centric deliverables.
– Implementing ingenious strategic initiatives for surmounting business challenges.
– Providing analytical and innovative guidance from conceptualization to implementation as part of constant improvement.
– Deep understanding of client journeys, business models and new age banking operations.
– Experienced in drawing-up organizational structures, business alignment, credit, risk management, governance, client due diligence, underwriting, coaching team members and use of new age technology.

Passionate about technology driven businesses and applications in areas of social sharing, cloud services, web and mobile. Experienced in managing corporate scale projects to improve end user experience, drive business growth and profits. Rich know-how and knowledge of business frameworks, software and technology.

Winner of the Group Operations & Technology Global Innovation Competition for the most innovative idea on Gamification

Board Member of HKUST – DDP Program, Industrial Advisory Board (http://www.ust.hk/) and Singapore International Chamber of Commerce Digitisation Committee

World-class University in Hong Kong and Asia|HKUST
http://www.ust.hk

Coming Soon…

Mr. Nguyen Huu Quang, CEO of Digital Bank Cake, has 20 years of experience in the field of fintech, banking and finance and has a deep understanding of financial technology models, digital banking and financial services. Previously, he served as CEO of fintech company Trusting Social Vietnam, Deputy CEO of MSB and Business Development Director of Visa Inc. in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Rakesh Pandey is the Head of Payments, Wealth, and Personal Banking at HSBC, where he leads the development and implementation of innovative payment solutions and strategies. With extensive experience in banking and financial services, Rakesh drives growth and transformation in HSBC’s payments and personal banking sectors, focusing on enhancing customer experiences and leveraging cutting-edge technologies. His leadership and expertise in the field make him a key figure in shaping the future of payments and wealth management.

In his role with Maybank, Fong Tuan leads people strategy, practices and policies to accelerate a transformative, purpose-driven workforce. He is a Chartered Fellow of
CIPD, UK and a qualified professional engineer, holding a first class honours degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, an MBA in Organizational Behaviour and a
CFA. He is currently a Doctoral candidate researching on the reliability of quantitative correlation between psychometric traits with success profiles.

He started his career with Tenaga Nasional, Malaysia’s power utility company, where he was a scholar, subsequently leading and holding senior HR leadership roles for global MNCs and blue-chip corporations: Coca Cola, OCBC, Watson Wyatt, British American Tobacco, Maybank Group, B. Braun, Samsung and most recently, he
headed HR for one of Malaysia’s largest and most diverse consumer group – Berjaya Corporation. Fong Tuan has been personally recognized regionally including HR
Icon 2023 -100 Top HR Leaders in South East Asia, 40 Most Influential HR Leaders in Southeast Asia 2022 and HRM Asia Watchlist 2018

Nikolay Novozhilov is the Head of Data Science and Advanced Analytics at Bank of Singapore, Asia Global Private Bank, a subsidiary of OCBC. His team is building AI applications and analytics solutions to create business value from data.

He was previously Head of Digital Products at NTUC Link and a Chief Data Scientist at Wego. Nikolay holds an MBA degree from INSEAD.

Prashant Shrivastava is a seasoned expert in strategic alliances and fintech, currently leading Group Channels and Digitalisation at UOB. With extensive experience in driving digital transformation and fostering innovation, Prashant plays a pivotal role in shaping UOB’s fintech strategy and enhancing digital channels. His expertise lies in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to streamline operations and create impactful partnerships in the financial sector.

Akash is a seasoned technology leader and a technology evangelist for the future of banking. With close to 20 years of experience, he currently serves as the Managing Director at OCBC Group Technology and Operations. His strategic leadership spans managing regional development teams, overseeing digital transformations, and managing multi-million dollar IT projects with emerging technologies. Guiding a high-performing team of over 300+ developers, Akash’s proficiency extends across technical, functional, and operational areas, including delivery, integration, API, and web services implementation. His visionary leadership has been crucial in transforming the IT landscape and delivering Core Digital Platforms for OCBC.

Under his leadership, the team has achieved many significant milestones, such as launching the first API Platform for OCBC Bank in Southeast Asia and introducing the bank’s first Microservices via a Cloud Native Container Platform. Despite being in the technology sector, Akash’s immense knowledge of banking operations and business, accumulated over the years, adds a unique depth to his profile. This blend of technical acumen, banking expertise, and robust leadership skills has positioned him as a significant and distinctive figure in the banking and technology sector.

Karim is a renowned figure in the blockchain and fintech landscape, currently serving under FinTech and blockchain advisory for KPMG – Singapore. With roots in banking and derivatives, he transitioned into the fintech sector in 2015. Over eight years, Karim demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation and growth, setting up and managing ventures across Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and the UK.

Recognized as one of the top 100 Fintech influencers globally by Onalytica, Karim’s influence reaches far beyond his professional endeavors. He regularly shares his expertise in interviews on BTCN.tv and at various events across South-East Asia and Europe. His production, “Broken Chains”, a documentary addressing race, inequality, and their economic impacts, underscores his advocacy for social justice. Fluent in English, French, and German, Karim’s voice resonates in the global fintech community.

Rex Lam bridges the gap between startup culture and corporate innovation. He began his career in marketing agencies, then pivoted to broader innovation roles in startups, eventually finding a unique intersection point driving innovation and growth for large corporations. Currently, he leads the product proposition and ecosystem for Asia at Manulife, focusing on creating personalized, data-enabled customer propositions of insurance within an ecosystem of value-added services, powered by health and technology partners.

His leadership experience encompasses product, marketing, and technology, with a global track record in new market expansion, product launches, growth marketing, emerging technologies, platforms, and digital transformation. He has demonstrated an impressive capacity for end-to-end management across these domains.

Innovation is more about people than technology. To highlight the human aspect of innovation, he has published thought leadership pieces under the theme “Triumph Beyond Trials”, sharing past failures to foster collective success.

Varun leads Innovation and Ecosystem at homegrown financial services company, Singlife. He collaborates closely with both internal and external stakeholders to adopt transformative ideas as well as develop partnerships with key industry players.

Prior to joining Singlife, Varun was responsible for FinTech business development in 130 emerging markets across the globe. He has been involved in various technology companies throughout his career and he is co-founder of the Singapore FinTech Association and ASEAN FinTech Network.

Varun is actively involved in the fintech scene, the Founder of “The Fintech Nation”, a project that seeks to support the FinTech ecosystem in Singapore, and other investment vehicles and funds, focused on early and growth stage investments in emerging markets.

He holds a Master of Business Administration in Strategy and Organisation from National University of Singapore and a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science Engineering from India.

Mr. Vuthy Horng is a seasoned professional, currently serving as CEO of Etiqa Life Insurance (Cambodia) Plc. With over two decades of experience, he has held pivotal leadership roles at prominent organizations such as Prudential (Cambodia) Life Assurance and Manulife, boasting a proven track record of delivering growth through data-driven decision making and disciplined budget management. His dedication to community development is evident through board positions at Westline Education Group Co., Ltd. and Ly Hour Micro Finance Institute.
Mr. Vuthy fosters a human-centered approach, building strong teams and mentoring high-potential individuals, while effectively communicating complex concepts to demonstrate how individual contributions impact the overall customer experience. His passion in data insights lies in utilizing data-driven metrics to quantify tangible effects of initiatives on customers, staff, and the broader community. Additionally, his expertise in partnership distribution, and his ability to connect with people at all levels allow him to influence behaviors and achieve desired outcomes.
Known for his commitment to excellence and innovation, Mr. Vuthy continues to drive positive change in both corporate and social realms.

As a change influencer and creative thinker, I love deconstructing complex problems, navigating complex organizational landscapes and delivering impactful results. With over a decade of experience across Investment banking (ex Goldman Sachs, India) and Insurance (Prudential Group, Singapore), I enjoy working with products, people and products that help people. My colleagues describe me as a go-getter with a bias for action, who is constantly looking for efficient ways to get things done. I am immensely fortunate for the opportunities to lead regulatory projects, enterprise-wide transformation and change strategy across 30+ global markets to empower financial institutions to achieve their full potential. Outside of work, I am a fitness and nutrition enthusiast advocating for holistic well-being.

Gokhan Dindar is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in driving business transformation through scalable solutions. As the Managing Director of Asia at SAP Fioneer, he leads his team in delivering specialized industry expertise and tailored solutions to banks and insurers across the region. Gokhan’s leadership ensures that SAP Fioneer meets the unique needs of its clients, fostering growth and excellence in Asia’s financial services sector.