Unlocking the Next Wave of Banking

Foo Boon Ping

President and Managing Editor, The Asian Banker

Foo Boon Ping manages The Asian Banker’s publishing and research business in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. He regularly engages the financial services community on transformational issues shaping the industry; speaking at and chairing many of the Asian Banker’s as well as partners’ events. He has more than 25 years' experience in strategic brand management, corporate & marketing communication and research & consulting, covering: retail, corporate and transaction banking, financial markets, risk management, compliance and financial technology. He had previously served in senior management positions at UOB and DBS Bank. He was also formerly a senior consulting manager at Ernst and Young and started his career as a financial journalist.

Chris Kapfer

Head of Research, TAB Global

Christian Kapfer is research director, managing TABInsights, leading research and consulting engagement with top-tier financial institutions in benchmarking business and strategic capabilities across leadership, commercial, retail and transaction finance, financial markets, risk management, financial technology, and wealth management. Kapfer joined The Asian Banker in 2014 and was responsible for starting many of the company's research programmes, such as Excellence in Retail Financial Services, AB 500 Strongest Banks Ranking and Working Groups.

Axel Winter

Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Partner, & Advisor

Axel Winter is a highly experienced technology leader with strong hands-on experiences in the banking, retail and start-up worlds. He was previously Global Head of Enterprise Architecture & Technology Strategy for Standard Chartered Bank and had similar roles at GE Money and Cisco Systems. He has consulting experience at Accenture and Deloitte and has recently founded a corporate start-up partnering with Grab and JD.Com. He is currently the Chief Digital Officer for a luxury mall operator and advises start-ups in asset tokenization and eCommerce. His expertise in technology infrastructure for banks and large businesses makes him a valuable contributor.

Urs Bolt

Chairman, The Banking Academy

Christian Kapfer is research director, managing TABInsights, leading research and consulting engagement with top-tier financial institutions in benchmarking business and strategic capabilities across leadership, commercial, retail and transaction finance, financial markets, risk management, financial technology, and wealth management. Kapfer joined The Asian Banker in 2014 and was responsible for starting many of the company's research programmes, such as Excellence in Retail Financial Services, AB 500 Strongest Banks Ranking and Working Groups.

Dr Nongnuch Tantisantiwong

SVP, Head of Enterprise Risk and Infrastructure, Risk Management
CIMB Thai Bank

Dr Nongnuch Tantisantiwong is Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise Risk and Infrastructure at CIMB Thai Bank. She leads key areas including credit risk modelling, data governance, system implementation, climate risk management and monitoring of risk appetite. She brings over 20 years of experience in financial system development, modelling, portfolio analytics and risk management. Before joining CIMB Thai, she held senior roles at Krungthai Bank, including SVP of Corporate Strategy and Head of Credit Risk Modelling and Analytics.

Earlier in her career, she served as Head of Financial System Policy Development at Thailand’s Ministry of Finance. She also spent over a decade in the UK, where she was a university lecturer and Programme Director in Risk and Finance and collaborated with the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. She has published extensively on banking, investment, risk modelling, and sustainability and continues to contribute research to leading journals.

Dr Thadpong Pongthawornkamol

Managing Director, Kasikorn Business-Technology Group (KBTG)

Dr Thadpong Pongthawornkamol is Managing Director and Head of the Machine Learning team at Kasikorn Business-Technology Group (KBTG), where he leads the bank’s enterprise AI and data science transformation. He oversees a multidisciplinary team driving innovation across data science, machine learning, and AI to improve productivity, customer experience and operational efficiency for Kasikornbank and its broader ecosystem. In 2024 alone, his team delivered over 80 AI and analytics projects. Milestones include the launch of THaLLE, Thailand’s first open financial large language model — capable of passing CFA and SET IC exams — and AINU, the country’s only in-house facial verification solution certified to iBeta Level 2 global standards.

Dr Thadpong currently leads KBTG’s enterprise-wide Generative AI transformation under the “Human-First, AI-First” strategy. This includes the development of intelligent assistants for software engineering and IT operations and a proprietary multi-agent orchestration platform to streamline complex workflows. Prior to KBTG, he worked as a software engineer in the US at Bloomberg and Google, delivering scalable AI-driven solutions in both financial and technology environments. His expertise spans enterprise AI deployment, data analytics, and software engineering at scale.

Anshera Chumchaivate

Former Head of Data Intelligence and Customer Insights, Krungsri Consumer

Anshera Chumchaivate is a seasoned data and customer analytics leader with over 20 years of experience in consumer finance and insurance. Most recently, she served as Head of Data Intelligence and Customer Insights at Krungsri Consumer, where she led initiatives focused on journey management, AI-driven segmentation, and targeted engagement strategies. She spearheaded the development of personalised marketing and portfolio analysis frameworks aimed at enhancing customer lifetime value and increasing campaign precision. Under her leadership, the team delivered affinity-based campaigns and data modelling tools that significantly improved customer loyalty and brand engagement.

Anshera is recognised for her ability to translate data into actionable insights, combining behavioural analytics and machine learning to create value-driven customer experiences. Her work has contributed to advancing data-centric thinking across business functions and elevating customer satisfaction as a strategic growth driver.

Chatchawat Asawarakwong

Vice Chairman & Group CISO, Kasikorn Business Technology Group (KBTG)

Chatchawat Asawarakwong is Group Chief Information Security Officer (Group CISO) at KASIKORNBANK and Vice Chairman of the Thailand Banking Sector CERT (TB-CERT). He brings over 20 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity management, with a deep focus on securing digital transformation in the banking sector. At KBTG, he oversees the bank’s enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, risk governance, and resilience initiatives, playing a key role in defending critical infrastructure against emerging threats. He also contributes to industry-wide collaboration and security policy development through his leadership role at TB-CERT.

Before joining KASIKORNBANK, Chatchawat served as Head of Information Security and Business Continuity Management at a regional bank in Thailand. His prior experience includes working as an IT security consultant with Big Four firms in both Thailand and the United States, advising major financial institutions on risk, compliance, and cyber defence. His extensive background combines hands-on technical expertise with strategic leadership across risk management, regulatory readiness, and security innovation in high-stakes financial environments.

Craig Turrell

Head of SAP Design & Application Architecture, Standard Chartered Bank

Craig Turrell is Head of SAP Design and Application Architecture at Standard Chartered Bank, where he leads strategic efforts to embed AI and data-driven capabilities across the organisation. Since joining the bank in 2016, Craig has spearheaded transformative initiatives, including automating 2,500-hour processes down to 10 minutes and enabling AI-powered tools that significantly enhance analyst productivity.

With over 25 years of experience in financial services and technology, Craig is recognised for driving digital transformation in complex, regulated environments. His expertise lies in scaling AI solutions responsibly, balancing innovation with governance and compliance. He is a strong advocate for applied AI and believes in blending human intelligence with machine learning to deliver real business value. His work focuses on making AI practical, explainable and trustworthy — particularly in high-stakes domains such as finance. Before joining Standard Chartered, Craig held leadership roles at Accenture, IBM, NAB and Standard Bank Group, where he developed and delivered enterprise-scale analytical platforms and digital transformation strategies.

Dr Theerachai Chanyaswad

Head of Data Analytics, LINE BK

Dr Theerachai Chanyaswad is Head of Data Analytics at LINE BK, Thailand’s first fully digital and social banking platform. He leads the bank’s data strategy, overseeing the design and implementation of data platforms, analytics infrastructure and predictive modelling capabilities. At LINE BK, Dr Theerachai plays a critical role in enabling data-driven decision-making across business units, supporting customer experience, credit risk and operational efficiency through advanced analytics. He also contributes to the organisation’s data governance, helping to shape policy and best practices for responsible data use and compliance.

With expertise in data privacy, machine learning, and AI, he ensures that the bank leverages cutting-edge technologies while maintaining strong safeguards around data integrity and consumer trust. Prior to joining LINE BK, Dr Theerachai completed his Ph.D. at Princeton University, specialising in data privacy and machine learning. His background blends academic depth with practical experience in applying analytical methods to solve complex problems in financial services.

Kris Lerdchanapornchai

Head of Product, LINE BK

Kris is Head of Product at LINE BK, where he helps redefine how people connect with their money in the digital age. Bringing curiosity, creativity, and a human touch to the world of finance, Kris thrives on solving real-life problems with simple, delightful solutions. With a background in building customer-centric products and leading diverse teams, he enjoys turning big ideas into meaningful experiences that make finance feel approachable — and even a little fun. Kris believes that financial services should empower people, not intimidate them, and is passionate about designing with empathy and impact.

Dr. Shuki Idan

Former CEO, SCB DataX

Dr Shuki Idan is the former founding CEO and Chief Scientist of SCB DataX, the data and AI subsidiary of SCBX, where he led the development of enterprise AI capabilities and innovation strategy across the fintech group. A pioneer in artificial intelligence and machine learning, he brings extensive leadership experience across technology, telecommunications and fintech. He has held senior roles at Agoda, SAP, Amdocs, and Radvision and has been instrumental in launching data-driven ventures and products that scale. He also served in the Israeli Defense Forces in a technology leadership capacity.

Dr Idan is a three-time winner of the ACM KDD Cup for Machine Learning and Knowledge Discovery and has published extensively on applied AI in business environments. His work spans intelligent systems, predictive modelling, and large-scale data science applications. In addition to his corporate leadership, he holds academic affiliations and has served as an expert evaluator for the European Research Agency. He has also contributed to ITU standards that underpin multimedia and internet technologies globally. He is widely recognised for bridging advanced AI research with commercial deployment, helping organisations unlock the value of data through strategic and scalable innovation.

Kobsak Duangdee

Secretary General, Thai Bankers’ Association

Kobsak Duangdee has served as Secretary General of the Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) since 2015, playing a central role in shaping policy direction, regulatory coordination and industry collaboration across Thailand’s banking sector. He brings over 30 years of experience in banking and finance, having held senior positions in both domestic and international institutions. He began his career at Siam Commercial Bank and later joined the Bank of Thailand before moving to Scotiabank, where he led the bank’s business operations across Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Kobsak also served on the boards of Thanachart Bank and Thanachart Securities, contributing to strategic development and regulatory alignment. In his regional and international engagements, Kobsak represents Thailand in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), and East Asia Business Advisory Council (EABC). He also leads the ASEAN-BAC Digital Trade Connect initiative, aimed at promoting digital integration and cross-border trade across ASEAN.

Aurora Unnanuntana

Senior Director
Technology Risk Supervision Department, Bank of Thailand

Aurora is the Senior Director of the Technology Risk Supervision Department at the Bank of Thailand. She worked in payment policy and supervision for 7 years and more than 15 years in Technology risk policy and supervision, setting IT and payment regulatory and supervisory frameworks, guidelines, best practices, and collaborating with the industry and other stakeholders to build a trusted and secured banking community for IT and Cyber defenses.

Aurora earned her Master of Business Administration in Finance from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Thammasat University.

Charamporn Jotikasthira

Executive Director
Bangkok Bank

Charamporn Jotikasthira is currently holding the position of Executive Director at Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited., Independent Director, Chairman, Risk Management Committee, and Member of Audit Committee at Minor International Public Company Limited., Independent Director, Chairman of Risk Management Committee, and Member of Audit Committee at Singha Estate Public Company Limited., and Independent Director and Chairman of Risk Management Committee at Osotspa Public Company Limited.

He has held former positions as the President & Chief Executive Officer at Thai Airways International Public Company Limited and The Stock Exchange of Thailand, Chief Information Officer at Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited., Chairman at Electronic Transactions Development Agency, Member the Financial Institutions Policy Committee (FIPC) at the Bank of Thailand., and a Director at Thai Institute of Directors Association.

He holds an MBA from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Aswin Phlaphongphanich

Co-Founder and CEO
DeeMoney

Aswin Phlaphongphanich is a fast-thinking, forward-acting entrepreneur known for building disruptive communication and financial platforms across Thailand. He founded SawasdeeShop in 1999, a licensed telecom service provider that quickly became Thailand’s most recognized tier-2 telecom operator, serving over two million customers. SawasdeeShop was also one of the first non-bank entities to be granted an international money transfer license by the Bank of Thailand.

Leveraging SawasdeeShop’s strong foothold in telecom and its extensive sales distribution network across expatriate and migrant worker markets, Aswin launched DeeMoney in 2017. Today, DeeMoney is the largest cross-border payments fintech in Thailand, serving a wide spectrum of users including individuals, businesses, and financial institutions. With a focus on efficiency, transparency, and affordability, DeeMoney offers inbound and outbound payment solutions that bridge traditional finance with emerging tech. Aswin remains deeply engaged in exploring how blockchain and digital assets can expand access and streamline cross-border transactions across the region.

Panittra Vejjajiva

Director, Head of Financial Institutions and ESG Solutions UOB Group

Panittra has over 17 years of experience in Banking and Investment Banking. She joined UOBT in 2017 to lead the Financial Institutions team in Thailand, covering Banks, Non-Banks, Global Property Funds & Financial Sponsors, where she was the driving force in building the bank’s franchise to this segment. In 2024, she has expanded her role as Head of ESG Solutions, where she will drive and support UOB’s Sustainability directives and solutions under the bank’s Sustainable Finance Framework to help clients achieve their sustainability targets

Dr Preesan Rakwatin

Executive Vice President Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa)

Dr. Preesan Rakwatin is the Executive Vice President of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), where he leads the Digital Transformation Promotion Unit. His work focuses on accelerating digital adoption among Thai businesses—especially SMEs—through funding programs, digital infrastructure development, and multi-sectoral collaboration. He is also a strong advocate for digital upskilling to enhance Thailand’s global competitiveness.

Previously, he led depa’s digital agriculture strategy and held research roles at GISTDA and JAXA, contributing to satellite-based agricultural monitoring systems. Dr. Preesan holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Tokyo, specializing in satellite image processing, and has authored numerous research publications in the fields of remote sensing and digital innovation.