Artificial intelligence is no longer a layer on top of banking — it is becoming the operating logic of financial services. From agentic AI and large-language models to programmable money and tokenisation, technology is reshaping how products are built, decisions are made and value moves across platforms. Banks are shifting from static systems to intelligent, event-driven architectures that learn, adapt and operate in real time.
Financial Technology Innovation Conference examines how banks are re-architecting for this new reality. The conference explores agentic AI, data and identity frameworks, embedded and open platforms, programmable money and cyber-resilient infrastructure. The focus is on building intelligent systems that scale securely, preserve trust and enable innovation — defining what it takes to operate a modern, adaptive and trusted AI-enabled bank.
Quantum computing and the future of financial infrastructure
Asia-Pacific’s financial integration and real-time cross-border payments
Blockchain-based settlements and digital asset infrastructure
Next-gen digital banking and open finance
AI-driven fraud detection and cybersecurity resilience
Learn how to strategically implement AI in financial systems for enhanced efficiency and equity.
Understand the ethical considerations in AI usage, ensuring fair and compliant applications.
Develop skills to solve economic challenges using AI, transforming outdated systems into modern, efficient operations.
The conference will bring together top decision-makers, industry pioneers and policy leaders shaping the future of finance. The programme is designed for:
Chief executives and senior professionals from FIs, including banks, insurance companies, asset managers and securities houses.
Policy makers, regulators and central bank representatives shaping national and regional digital finance frameworks.
Leaders from digital-first FIs and fintech innovators working across payments, digital lending, AI, blockchain, cloud, data analytics, cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, operations, product design and customer experience.
Founders and executives from fintech start-ups and technology service providers driving the next wave of financial innovation.
Emmanuel Daniel, Chairman, TAB Global
by YB Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Finance, Malaysia
Patrick McHenry, U.S. Congressman (2005-2025)
Chair, House Financial Services Committee (2023-2025)
The architecture of finance is being reshaped by AI, real-time infrastructure and shifting geopolitical dynamics, raising fundamental questions about control, trust and resilience.
This dialogue brings together policymakers and industry leaders to explore how financial institutions can operate responsibly and competitively in a system being rebuilt in real time.
Banks are at an inflection point with agentic AI. The technology is ready to act autonomously — but the institutional, regulatory, and human trust frameworks must be secured. Essentially, the deployment velocity, the cost efficiencies, the growth potentials must be equally matched by accountability and trust which ultimately what makes a bank a bank (accountability, judgment, moral weight) as these cannot be delegated to an AI agent.
Agentic AI has left the lab. In 2026, multi-agent systems and open interoperability protocols such as Agent to Agent (A2A) are turning autonomous intelligence into a cross-industry operating reality, from retail commerce to complex enterprise workflows. Financial institutions are now at the forefront of the next leap: embedding these agents safely and responsibly inside regulated environments.
As banking advances toward an agentic model, the focus evolves from selecting diverse models for specific scenarios—governed by compliance, cost, and domain needs—to building the engineering capabilities required for a robust, autonomous foundation that can scale operations across the enterprise.
Intelligent and real-time data is enabling banks with instant insights, helping banks better understand their customers, make smarter decisions, and deliver hyper personalised services that truly meet people’s needs. This session uncovers how AI, advanced analytics, and integrated data systems can help banks work more efficiently, stay secure, and create inclusive, customer-friendly financial experiences.
As banks accelerate their shift toward an AI-driven operating model, outdated legacy cores and fragmented infrastructure are becoming major barriers. Fis across Asia are now rebuilding their technology foundations, moving to cloud-native architectures, modular cores, and scalable data platforms, to support the speed, intelligence, and resilience required for next-generation AI.
This session examines how modern infrastructure underpins cross-border scalability, real-time processing, and the deployment of AI at scale.
For over a decade, banks have explored blockchain mainly to improve settlement and reconciliation. Today, its role is shifting as tokenised deposits, stablecoins, and digital currencies begin to intersect with real payment flows, liquidity, and crossborder transactions, alongside programmable money enabling built-in automation.
This session looks at how institutions are moving beyond pilots into real use cases, managing the coexistence of different forms of money, and unlocking applications like conditional payments, while addressing challenges around regulation, interoperability, and balance sheet impact.
Across Asia, banks remain heavily reliant on legacy core systems that constrain agility and drive up costs. As full-scale replacement remains risky and resource-intensive, a new approach is emerging, using AI to modernise from within.
This presentation explores how banks are transforming their cores into intelligent, adaptive systems, breaking down data silos, improving efficiency, and enabling real-time decision-making, while balancing innovation with trust through strong governance, transparency, and resilience.
As open finance scales across borders, financial ecosystems are becoming increasingly interconnected. With agentic systems enabling autonomous transactions, security and resilience must be embedded from the outset.
This session examines how cross-border AML frameworks, identity governance, and AI-driven monitoring can be integrated into open financial ecosystems to ensure transparency, interoperability, and regulatory alignment.
Running AI in a lab is one thing. Running it across a bank is another entirely.
This session cuts through the hype to examine the real infrastructure decisions compute, data architecture, latency, and resilience that determine whether AI delivers at scale or stalls at the pilot stage.
This talk will challenge senior banking leaders to confront the forces reshaping finance in the next decade. From quantum breakthroughs to AI-driven risks, from machine customers to shifting sovereignties, the session will spotlight the transformations that will redefine trust, strategy, and governance. It will set the stage for how banks can lead into a future where speed, intelligence, and resilience decide who thrives.
Artificial intelligence is no longer constrained by capability. The challenge now is execution at scale while maintaining trust, control and resilience.
This closing discussion brings together technology and strategy perspectives to examine what it takes to build and run AI-driven financial systems in practice.
Web3 technologies, including DeFI and tokenised assets, are reshaping financial ecosystems by enabling more transparent, efficient, and scalable solutions across global markets.
This panel explores how these innovations can translate into real-world value and meaningful impact at scale.
This session explores how financial institutions are navigating the shift from legacy technology environments to AI-enabled enterprises. Drawing on conversations with more than 70 banks and insurers across APAC, Latin America, Middle East, and Europe, the speakers will examine the common challenges organizations face: aging core systems limiting growth, increasing pressure to modernize safely, and the difficulty of scaling AI without the right architectural foundations.
The discussion will highlight what is working in practice: from modular, API-driven platforms and real-time data strategies to emerging Agentic AI capabilities, and why successful transformation is increasingly being driven by business outcomes rather than IT alone. Attendees will gain practical insights into how leading institutions are modernizing incrementally to enable faster innovation, real-time decision-making, and AI-driven growth.
As commerce continues to evolve, true value is no longer defined by the transaction alone. In this session, Varun Mahindru will share how Visa is working with ecosystem partners to create value beyond the point of payment — from building a future-ready technology stack and modernising the payments experience, to deepening customer engagement and securing transactions through Visa's enterprise-wide risk approach.
Together, these foundational pillars are critical to unlocking new opportunities, enabling smarter commerce, and ensuring that the future of payments is not only seamless but secure, resilient, and built to last.
Invisible payments don’t just happen at the front end. Behind every seamless transaction sits a complex, evolving stack, real-time rails, tokenisation layers, identity verification, AI-driven fraud detection, cloud-native processing, and crossborder interoperability frameworks.
As payments move beyond cards and QR codes toward embedded, real-time and content-aware experiences, FIs must rethink the infrastructure powering them. This session goes inside the next-generation payments stack to exploring how architecture and regulation align to enable frictionless commerce at scale.
In an era where digital transformation is no longer a differentiator but a necessity, the focus has shifted from 'why AI' to 'how AI.'
This session explores the practical implementation of Artificial Intelligence within core banking operations. We will delve into how bank is moving beyond experimental AI projects to seamlessly integrate intelligent, data-driven solutions into everyday banking.
AI, automation, and digital innovation are transforming the banking industry, creating new opportunities and challenges for financial institutions. This panel looks at the strategic, technological, and cultural shifts banks must adopt to remain competitive, with a strong focus on workforce transformation in the era of AI.
As digital finance becomes increasingly AI-driven, success requires more than efficiency, it calls for explainable AI, strong governance, and alignment with regulatory expectations.
This session explores how FIs can balance innovation with oversight, creating transparent, accountable, and human-centric AI systems that inspire confidence.
Hyper-personalised financial experiences are increasingly driven by contextual and agentic AI, enabling institutions to deliver real-time, tailored interactions across the entire customer journey. This panel explores how AI can continuously learn and adopt to customer behaviour, preferences, and life events, while balancing personalisation with consent and privacy.
Drawing from decades of hands-on leadership, the conversation will explore how cybersecurity leaders navigate complex threats, drive organisational change, and embed resilience across the business. From shaping strategy to responding to evolving risks, both speakers will reflect on the pivotal moments that have defined their journeys.
During this engaging and interactive session, they will share practical insights and candid perspectives on:
This session is designed for CISOs, cybersecurity practitioners, and emerging leaders looking for grounded, experience-led insights from two of the industry’s most respected voices.
The rapid expansion of digital services and real-time financial systems is not only accelerating innovation but also reshaping how fraud is created and executed. Increasingly, attacks are no longer limited to transactions, but originate at the identity layer, deepfake manipulation, and coordinate social engineering across platforms and markets.
This session explores how FIs are responding across the full fraud lifecycle, from strengthening identity and onboarding controls to advancing real-time detection and cross-sector collaboration. As threats become more interconnected, the challenge is not just identifying fraud but understanding where it begins and how it spreads across the ecosystem.
Instead of asking customers and businesses to go to the bank, banks are increasingly becoming infrastructure providers within the apps and platforms people already use. From contextual credit and insurance to real-time risk scoring and dynamic pricing, financial services are delivered seamlessly where they’re needed most.
This session looks at how banks can power these experiences while creating value for platform partners and maintaining customer relationships.
YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, Malaysia, will close the Summit by widening the discussion from the AI bank to the AI-native economy. His keynote will explore how finance, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, governance, talent and regional connectivity must come together to build trusted, inclusive and competitive digital economies.
The session will position banks not only as adopters of AI, but as key enablers of the next digital era.
The opening session of The Asian Banker Summit 2026 brought together Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Finance YB Liew Chin Tong, Maybank Group CEO Dato' Sri Khairussaleh Ramli, former U.S. Congressman Patrick McHenry, and Hong Leong Bank Group CEO Kevin Lam.
The session's strongest takeaway, voiced by multiple speakers: middle economies — less burdened by superpower politics, more pragmatic in regulation — may be ahead of where they give themselves credit for.
With 27 years of experience in financial services, Nasir Zubairi is a seasoned Fintech leader who established and leads The Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT) Foundation. This not-for-profit organization serves as Luxembourg's national platform for financial services digitalisation.
Nasir's career began in the front offices of major financial institutions such as ICAP, HSBC, and EBS, culminating in his role as Director of High Frequency Trading (HFT) at RBS London. In 2011, Nasir made a strategic shift to Fintech, where he has been spearheading the creation and expansion of ventures in banking, lending, and payments.
Having worked across eight countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Nasir brings a broad international perspective. Since moving to Luxembourg in 2016, he has taken on council roles at the British Chamber of Commerce and the British-Luxembourg Society, and has served as a Non-Executive Board Director at SEB S.A, the Scandinavian bank, and at the International School of Luxembourg (ISL). In 2022, Nasir was honoured with the "Officier de l'Ordre Mérite du Grand Duché de Luxembourg" for his economic contributions to the Grand Duchy.
Nasir, an alumnus of the London School of Economics and a Sloan Fellow from the London Business School, is dedicated to fostering global financial growth and innovation. His insights have been highly valued as part of Christine Lagarde’s advisory council for finance and technology at the IMF, and on the Blockchain expert policy advisory board at the OECD.
Helen Child is the Founder and CEO of Open Banking Excellence (OBE), the world’s leading community of Open Banking and Open Finance pioneers. A visionary in financial innovation, Helen connects changemakers globally to foster collaboration and maximise the impact of Open Banking and Open Finance. With a legacy of innovation rooted in her family’s 400-year history in banking, Helen’s journey includes founding the UK’s first e-Money Licence Issuer to be awarded licences by Mastercard and Visa. She has played a pivotal role in the development of the UK’s Open Banking ecosystem and has become a global ambassador for the movement, advising governments and regulators in emerging markets like Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
A passionate advocate for financial inclusion and gender equality, Helen continues her family’s tradition of breaking barriers and driving change. She is also a founding member of Lancaster University’s InfoLab and remains a trusted advisor in shaping financial ecosystems worldwide. Helen’s work inspires innovation and promotes collaboration across the financial services industry.
Ronit runs the Future of Finance team in Citi Global Insights, Citi’s thought leadership unit. The team is focused on the intersection of the future of money, finance and emerging tech. It provides analysis and advice to Citi’s clients and the bank’s leadership. Prior to his current role, Ronit was Citi’s Global head of Banks and FinTech Research. Alongside his Citi role, Ronit is an Advisory Board member of the Financial Technology Centre at Imperial College Business School in London and at several technology firms and early-stage VC investors based in the U.K., Asia, Middle East & Africa. Before joining Citi in 1997, Ronit worked in the policy world, including as a Research Assistant for a former UK Prime Minister. Ronit's new book “Future Money” was published in 2024.
Maja Pantic is a globally recognised expert in generative AI and affective computing. As Chief AI Research Officer, Natwest Banking Group, she leads groundbreaking advancements in AI technologies, shaping the future of human-machine interactions. Alongside her industry leadership, she is a Professor of Affective and Behavioural Computing at Imperial College London, where she has been at the forefront of research on emotion recognition and AI-driven behavioural insights for over a decade. Previously, she held key roles at Samsung’s AI Centre and as AI Scientific Research Lead at Facebook, where she advanced AI applications in diverse fields. With a PhD in Computer Science and a distinguished academic and professional career, Maja’s contributions have been pivotal in bridging cutting-edge AI research with practical applications. Her work continues to inspire innovation in the intersection of technology and human behaviour.
Sam Tanskul is the Managing Director of Krungsri Finnovate Co., Ltd., the innovation investment arm of Krungsri, focusing on advancing technological investments in Thailand and across ASEAN. With over 15 years of experience in the financial sector, Sam brings significant expertise in product management and innovation, having worked with industry leaders like UOB, GE Capital, and Krungsri Consumer. Since 2014, Sam has been instrumental in shaping Thailand’s startup ecosystem. He played a pivotal role in launching the ‘Krungsri Uni Startup,’ a platform empowering young innovators to develop financial mobile applications, and ‘Krungsri Rise,’ Thailand’s first fintech corporate accelerator. Currently, Krungsri Finnovate under his leadership emphasizes three key areas: accelerator and academic collaboration, startup project management, and corporate venture capital. Sam is also an active board member of the Thai Fintech Association.
John Kane is the Chief Innovation Officer at Tyme, where he has been instrumental in driving cutting-edge innovation and strategic growth across digital banking solutions since 2019. Based in Singapore, John spearheads initiatives that enhance financial inclusion and digital transformation, shaping Tyme's footprint in emerging markets. With a career spanning over two decades, John has held senior leadership roles at Commonwealth Bank, Tyme Digital, and Standard Bank, where he played a pivotal role in operational excellence and customer-centric innovation. He is recognised for his expertise in retail banking, business analysis, and digital transformation. His insights and leadership continue to inspire innovation in financial services, making him a sought-after thought leader in the industry.
Naveen Mallela is the global co-head of Kinexys, a blockchain infrastructure platform that aims to revolutionize the way money, assets, and financial information are transferred. It offers a range of solutions to automate complex financial operations and unlock the potential of tokenization. He is one of the founding members of Onyx and a builder of cornerstone products such as JPM Coin, Programmable Payments. A keen enthusiast of all things digital currency, Naveen has authored white papers on CBDCs, shared ledgers and deposit tokens, and has been part of multiple industry initiatives shaping the landscape of digital money. Prior to founding Onyx, Naveen held several roles at J.P. Morgan, including APAC Head of Digital, Payments.
Ravindra Kumar is the Head of Fintech & Emerging Technologies at OCBC. He is responsible for driving adoption of emerging technologies and ecosystem partnerships to uplift technology architecture, drive innovation and build future-ready workforce. With over two decades of experience, he has been involved in range of digital transformation efforts across business lines, including retail banking, wealth, risk management and technology. Ravi holds MBA from University of Oxford, UK and Bachelor of Computer Science from University of Pune, India.
Axel Winter is a global technology and transformation leader with over 30 years of experience driving large-scale digital and AI-led change across banking, financial services, and platform businesses in Asia and Europe. At Standard Chartered, he led a US$1bn+ global technology and enterprise architecture agenda across more than 30 markets, shaping the bank’s digital, open banking, data, and AI strategy.
He is currently CEO of Xponential, building AI-powered SuperApp and SaaS platforms, and Chief Digital Officer at Siam Piwat Group, where he leads group-wide AI and digital transformation across customer experience, operations, and ecosystem platforms. Through Pivot Digital, Axel also advises boards and senior executives on practical AI adoption and enterprise transformation.
Axel brings an ecosystem and investment perspective as a Partner at Alpha Founders Capital, supporting fintech and AI ventures globally. His career spans senior roles at Cisco, GE Capital, Deloitte, Accenture, and Central Retail, combining deep banking expertise with hands-on experience in scaling AI and digital platforms.
Steve Monaghan is a distinguished innovator and executive in financial services and technology. He is a General Partner at FinMirai and holds board positions at Rakbank and other firms. Steve has led innovation at major financial institutions like DBS Bank and AIA, overseeing significant investments in digital banking and AI. He founded innovation groups that drove advancements in payments, big data, and SME services, and managed over $220 million in tech-focused investments. With six patents to his name, including in mobile payments and digital banking, Steve's expertise spans corporate leadership, fintech, and digital transformation. He is a private investor in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, life sciences, healthtech, and fintech. His role on the investment committee at True Global Ventures further highlights his commitment to pioneering technologies like quantum computing and AI, making him an authoritative voice for the AI Masterclass.
David Gee is a distinguished former Global Head of Technology, Cyber, and Data Risk at Macquarie Group, celebrated for his transformative leadership across multiple industries and geographies. With over 25 years at the helm as CIO and CISO, including pivotal roles at HSBC Asia Pacific and MetLife, David has been instrumental in driving major digital transformations. He is notably recognized as the CIO of the Year 2014 for his strategic overhaul at Credit Union Australia, significantly enhancing their core and digital banking platforms. His latest book, The Aspiring CIO & CISO, published in July 2024, is a comprehensive guide for emerging leaders aiming to excel in top IT roles, offering strategies to develop leadership skills, build personal brands, and navigate executive challenges effectively.
Varun Mittal is a leading innovator in digital finance and insurance with over two decades of experience driving transformation across Southeast Asia. As Chief Innovation Officer at Singlife, he spearheads groundbreaking initiatives in AI integration, product innovation, and ecosystem partnerships. He has established Singlife’s Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence and developed innovative financial solutions for underserved segments, including gig workers and SMEs. Before Singlife, Varun played pivotal roles at EY as global emerging markets fintech leader and led regional payment solutions for Samsung and Singtel. 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. He is also the founder of Fintech Nation™, a platform supporting Singapore’s fintech community, and an accomplished author with publications highlighting Singapore’s evolution as a global fintech hub.
Frankie Shuai is the APAC Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at DWS, Deutsche Bank Asset Management, with over two decades of experience in Financial and IT industries. As a seasoned leader, he previously directed cyber and technology risk at UBS for Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, and has held positions at Citibank, Microsoft, and HP. Frankie is renowned for bridging the gap between cybersecurity and business agendas, evidenced by his frequent speaking engagements at industry events. His commitment to digital transformation and innovation is underscored by a patent for next-generation wireless networking filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where he serves as the sole inventor. In his current role at Deutsche Bank Asset Management, he leads regional Information Security, contributing significantly to the institution's cybersecurity resilience.
John Medina is the Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Bank of Communications. He has more than 25 years of experience driving innovation, change and transformation for financial services in different countries.
He was a pioneer in the process and technology management practice in the 1990s when he helped transform the Asia Pacific operations of one of the largest multinational banks. He subsequently established a private consulting firm in the United States, helping design new digital business initiatives for financial institutions and startups.
Prior to joining PBCOM, he was the Head of Global Operations, Technology and Credit for the Philippine National Bank. He was also the Integration Director who oversaw the merger of Philippine National Bank and Allied Banking Corporation in 2013. Medina also worked at Union Bank of the Philippines where he conceptualised and implemented digital banking products and services.
Sandeep Sethi is a seasoned financial services professional specialising in corporate banking and corporate treasury advisory in Asia-Pacific. He is a certified expert in Sustainable finance and a winner of sustainable finance leadership award and also holds a specialist certificate in Green Finance and Sustainability from Hong Kong Institute of Bankers. Sethi is a frequent speaker at business forums across APAC and co-chairs the GreenTech and ESG Committee in the Fintech Association of Hong Kong. He is CEO of Sustainable Solutions (SS) Consulting Limited, a consultancy specialising in sustainable solutions for financial services firms and corporate treasuries. As International Resource Director and Contributing Editor for The Asian Banker, he has written on a vast spectrum of topics including ESG, corporate treasury, fintech, banking, decentralised finance and digital assets. In the past, Sandeep has held leadership roles across corporate banking, cash management and transaction banking operations in a top global bank. Sandeep was recognised as the ‘Best Relationship Manager’ by The Asset Magazine in 2020.
John Wong oversees Hang Seng Bank’s wholesale banking cash management, encompassing sales, product management, digital banking channel development, and client implementation. With over 30 years of banking experience, primarily in transaction banking, John is recognized for his substantial contributions to business growth and transformation. Before his tenure at Hang Seng Bank starting in 2015, he spent 25 years at Standard Chartered in Hong Kong and China, spearheading significant change management initiatives. His leadership extends across the Asia Pacific, with professional stints in China, Hong Kong, and various APR countries, showcasing his ability to navigate multi-cultural environments effectively. In 2018, he was honored as Transaction Banker of the Year by The Asian Banker.
Shekhar Bhandari is President of Global Transaction Banking at Kotak Mahindra Bank and is responsible for Technology, Digital, P&L on Trade, Foreign Exchange, Investment and Supply Chain Finance, International Trade Finance, Domestic and cross border payments culminating into liquidity and working capital solutions for the entire bank. With over 25 years of experience, he has held diverse positions of increasing responsibility across the group. He is instrumental in making Kotak synonymous with innovative and customized solutions, the latest addition being Kotak FYN - a new enterprise portal that offers comprehensive digital banking and value-added services across all products, including trade, account services, payments and collections. Bhandari is passionate about technology, and endeavors to make Banking “Simple and Fast”. Under his stewardship, the bank has strengthened capabilities in Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Signatures, Open banking, machine learning, and data analytics.
Gregory Hendra Lembong, oversees the Transaction Banking Director, Finance & Corporate Planning Director, and manages the Operational – Services Strategy and Development Division along with Strategic Information Technology. Additionally, he supervises the progress of PT Central Capital Ventura and PT Bank Digital BCA, both subsidiaries operating in venture capital and digital banking respectively. Over the course of his career, he has gained substantial expertise across diverse domains, encompassing IT transformation strategy and implementation, transaction banking, global trade finance, corporate cash management, regional strategy, planning, and product management.
Tuan is an innovative and proven technology leader with P&L accountability and a wealth of experience spreading across the banking, fin-tech, insurance, high-tech, and energy sectors. He works across three continents: the US, Europe, and Asia. This diversified understanding has allowed him to be culturally sensitive, empathizing with different cultural expectations, and effectively leading transformation leveraging each of the regional strengths.
During his tenure as Chief Information Officer at Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) and as a Board Advisor to Vietnam's CIO community, he revolutionized the country's technology landscape. Techcombank became the first financial institution to fully embrace a "Cloud First" strategy, pioneering comprehensive cloud migration. Additionally, under his guidance, the bank led the charge in digital transformation, simplifying customer experiences across retail and commercial channels with a unified platform. He championed an agile work culture, breaking down traditional hierarchies and fostering innovation. Through his focus on engineering excellence, simplicity, and continuous learning, he drove a cultural shift, placing people at the forefront of Vietnam's banking sector evolution.
Kevin is the CEO (Hong Kong) of DigiFT, a global group, licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as a Real World Asset (RWA) issuer institution. Backed by well-established venture partners, DigiFT is authorised to provide financial services for primary market origination and distribution as well as secondary market trading of asset-backed tokens. Kevin brings a unique cross-over investment and technology pedigree. He is a recognized early adopter and investor of both Bitcoin and related DLT technology since 2016. As an advocate for professional standards across the digital asset landscape and an active thought leader providing education, he aims to market development and regulatory policy consultation.
Leveraging two decades of traditional finance experience, has previously co-founded and served as CIO of various digital asset active and passive fund strategies, helping to oversee treasury and asset management services for various investor types.
Further, he has held various professional investment positions with PIMCO, Fidelity International, and BNP Paribas in London and Hong Kong, and has an established institutional track record within global debt markets, including Liability Driven Investing (LDI), Global Bonds, EM Debt and Asia Credit and FX. Additionally, he is a mentor to the Cyberport Incubator Fund providing strategic and technology advisory to portfolio start-ups.
Anthony Lin, appointed head of transaction banking asia and global head of market management in March 2024, has had an extensive career in banking spanning over 25 years. Previously, Lin served as CEO of the Greater Bay Area at Standard Chartered from 2020, overseeing the bank's operations in the region. Before this, he was CEO of Standard Chartered (Taiwan) from March 2017. His earlier roles include president of Bank of America (China) where he was responsible for governance, strategy, and franchise development, and EVP at Deutsche Bank (China), heading corporate banking coverage and trade finance and cash management. Lin began his career at Standard Chartered in 1995 as a management trainee, ascending to managing director, head of transaction banking for China. His leadership excellence was recognized in 2012 when he was named “Leading Talent in Shanghai” by the Organisation Department of Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, and he received the "Elite Foreign Bank Trade Finance Manager Award" from the Credit Rating Centre, Ministry of Commerce.
Zhixian Li is the General Manager of Digital Payment Technology at Ant International. Li has been with Ant Group and Ant International for over 7 years and has been leading multiple mobile wallet investment & collaboration initiatives across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa regions. With Ant’s technology, Li and his team collaborated with Telecom and banking partners to develop their e-wallets and help grow into leading Super Apps in local markets. He has over 20 years of experience in card payment, mobile payment, and digital services with systematic business understanding and industry insights. Before joining Ant, Li worked with UnionPay International as General Manager of its Africa Branch.
Ma-an brings over two decades of extensive experience in cash management and transaction banking, having held diverse roles across product management, client service, implementation, and operations.
Currently, Ma-an serves as the head of the Domestic Payables Team within the HSBC Asia Pacific Global Payments Solutions (GPS) Product Team. In this capacity, she spearheads the development and execution of the electronic domestic payments strategy for the region. Over her tenure of more than five years in this role, Ma-an has significantly expanded HSBC's Real-Time Payments footprint across the Asia Pacific region, increasing its market presence from 4 to 15 markets. Her leadership has been pivotal in driving remarkable volume growth for the product. Additionally, she has been instrumental in modernizing the bank's payments infrastructure to accommodate emerging new economy entities.
Prior to her current position, Ma-an held roles in managing Receivables products, both regionally and globally. During this time, she played a central role in developing receivables product solutions and propositions that laid a solid foundation for the bank's current leading capabilities in this area.
Before joining HSBC, Ma-an gained valuable experience in the cash management field through her tenure at two prominent local banks in the Philippines: UnionBank of the Philippines and Bank of the Philippine Islands.
Divyesh is Group Chief Transformation Officer at Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart), based in Singapore. In this role, he will spearhead the acceleration of StanChart’s strategic execution, focusing on enhancing the bank’s capabilities and transforming it into a more client-centric digital institution. Before joining StanChart, Vithlani served as the Senior Managing Director and Southeast Asia Market Unit Lead at Accenture, where he dedicated over five years. His tenure at Accenture also included a pivotal role as the Managing Director of Financial Services, showcasing his expertise in the sector. Prior to his successful stint at Accenture, Vithlani accumulated extensive experience at SMARC Consulting and Credit Suisse, among other notable positions.
With over 25 years of experience in banking and financial markets, primarily in investment banking, Vithlani has a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record across Europe and the Asia Pacific region. His strategic vision and leadership are expected to significantly contribute to StanChart’s transformation into a leading digital banking institution.
Edwin is the Chief Operating Officer at Mox, overseeing Mox’s overall operations. As the first Mox-grown C-Suite executive, Edwin joined the bank as Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs in 2018 and was part of the founding team. In this capacity, he played a crucial role in the bank's launch, including setting up the joint venture partnerships and shaping the Strategy, Partnerships and Corporate Affairs function. Edwin is passionate about driving the growth of the banking industry in Asia and believes that virtual banks will be a game changer in Hong Kong.
Prior to joining Mox, Edwin was Managing Director, Regional Head of Investor Relations for Standard Chartered, overseeing external engagement with institutional investors, equity research analysts and rating agencies in Asia. Immediately prior to this role, Edwin was an equity research analyst at bank of America Merrill Lynch, covering Hong Kong and Chinese financials. He started his career with Standard Chartered in 2003 as a management trainee.
Angelia Chia specialises in trade and supply chain finance, covering everything from traditional trade products to open account transactions. With over 25 years of experience, she adeptly manages the origination to distribution of risks, advises on disputes, and understands the implications of jurisdictional differences on industry rules, such as UCP600 and URDG758, laws on the assignment of financial assets, negotiable instruments, and security enforcement.
Angelia's unique expertise is enriched by her previous in-house roles at Cargill, JPMorgan, and Standard Chartered, where she was the global head of legal for trade. This background enables her to offer comprehensive, end-to-end legal advice that navigates the complex interplay of laws, regulations, industry standards, and organizational operations.
Kelvin Teo is the co-founder and Group CEO of Funding Societies | Modalku. He has been a key member of the Singapore FinTech Association’s Digital Finance Subcomm since 2018 and recently named by the Association as among the Top 12 Fintech Leaders in Singapore in 2020. As one of the Top 200 FinTech Influencers in Asia, Teo has spoken at major conferences such as LendIt Shanghai, Boao Hainan and Money20/20. He has also been featured on Bloomberg, BBC and Business Times. Prior to this, Teo served as a consulting professional at KKR, McKinsey and Accenture.
Geetika Chopra is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience, primarily at Oracle, where she leads product management for insurance and banking applications that target accounting standards. She possesses extensive knowledge in risk management for banks and insurance companies, which she has leveraged to develop industry-leading solutions for financial disclosures and risk mitigation. In addition to products aligned with accounting standards, she has also pioneered a service focused on climate change analysis and reporting, complying with ISSB, ESRS, and SEC guidelines.
Ronald Young leads the origination and structuring of sustainable finance transactions and develops innovative impact finance solutions across North, Southeast, and South Asia. He has completed landmark green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked transactions across various sectors and asset classes, including several first-of-a-kind deals in the region. He is also involved in creating finance solutions that scale up new business models with positive environmental and social impacts.
Young is an active member of the sustainable finance community, contributing to market standards and taxonomies through participation in government and industry association working groups. He has over 17 years of experience in structured finance and principal investing in renewable energy, infrastructure, and natural resources across Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Previously, he was a senior member of Societe Generale’s Energy Finance and Advisory team.
As Visa Direct's Head of Bank & Remitters Business Development, Eric drives sales growth by collaborating with Account Executives and regional teams to engage decision-makers and establish cross-border payment programs. His leadership also focuses on optimizing existing initiatives for maximum scalability. Previously, Eric served as Head of Transaction Banking for North Asia & Greater China at ANZ Bank in Hong Kong, amassing extensive expertise across the Asia region. His tenure included leading teams in digital banking innovation and implementing payment solutions for ANZ and ABN Amro clients. With over two decades in banking, Eric's leadership spans diverse markets, including Singapore, Sydney, and Taiwan, across international and pan-regional institutions like ANZ and ABN AMRO.
Jody Aldridge built a career focusing on at scale technology and is currently leading expansion as the growth director in APAC for Currencycloud, a foreign exchange and cross-border payments company recently acquired by Visa. Before moving to Singapore, Aldridge spent 7 years at Currencycloud in the UK supporting pioneering fintechs and banks around the world to launch innovative cross-border payment solutions to empower the global population. Prior to joining Currencycloud, he spent 9 years working within network security solutions, IT managed services and cloud computing infrastructure across both UK and global companies, helping organisations to scale their infrastructure needs.
Serena Mak currently provides strategic direction and guidance on sustainable finance transactions while also fostering a culture of sustainability within DBS Bank. Prior to joining DBS, Serena was the head of ESG Funding Asia for Home Credit, where she successfully contributed to the group’s sustainability-linked financing in Asia. She also held several positions at Goldman Sachs in Singapore and Hong Kong, with a focus on liquidity management across the APAC region.
Serena holds a Master of Science degree in Financial Analysis as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Global Business & Management of Organizations from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She is a Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA), CPA (Australia), and FRM. Serena also serves as Board Governor and Honorary Secretary at Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong) and is on the examiner team for the Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA) program by the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS).
Sunil Mascarenhas has been part of Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program since 2019. He oversees the Supply Chain Finance Program (SCFP), focusing on maximizing transaction volumes through global bank partnerships, delivering exceptional client service, and maintaining rigorous risk assessments. Mascarenhas is also dedicated to expanding supply chain finance in new developing markets, assisting local banks in launching these services to support SMEs. With a career in banking that began in 1998, Sunil has extensive experience across commercial banking, and risk management, previously working at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in various international roles.
Anand Ramachandran, as vice president, is the global head of banking solutions at Oracle Financial Services. With over 25 years of experience, he has worked closely with senior executives, including CXOs from 30 of the top 50 banks worldwide. His expertise lies in providing business solutions that help both global and regional banks as well as financial institutions innovate and enhance operational efficiency. He advises on adopting the right architectural frameworks and paths for progressive transformation, enabling banks to capture new opportunities, reduce costs, and expand market share. Anand has been instrumental within Oracle in championing the adoption of ISO 20022 within the Oracle technology stack.
Frankie Wai is the Business Solution Director of Temenos, defining the APAC region's solution strategy and advising on cutting-edge banking solutions. With a passion for innovation, Frankie has crafted the digital banking architecture for a virtual bank in Hong Kong and continues to drive solutions for digital bank licensees across the Asia Pacific region. As an active speaker, Frankie has shared his insights on transformative banking technologies at events such as The Asian Banker, Singapore Fintech Festival, and Temenos Regional Forums. Frankie's publications covered diversified topics, including virtual banking, open banking, composable banking services, innovation, and carbon trading.
Nelson Chan is the Head of Banking Go-To-Market for Asia-Pacific and Japan at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He brings 20 years of experience in banking, strategy consulting, and cybersecurity from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia to help customers accelerate their digital transformations and launch new ventures.
Before joining AWS, Nelson led digital transformation and strategic initiatives at Standard Chartered Bank, ANZ Bank, and BankWest in national, regional, and global roles for business strategy, product management, digital banking, and digital transformation. In banking, he has helped CXOs at the board level with their HR strategy, IT strategy, fintech landscape assessment, and approval to launch a new digital bank. Before his banking career, Nelson held technology-focused roles in strategy consulting and in the Australian Federal Government
Arvind Swami has been part of the FSI community, in various regional and global roles, for the past 22 years. He has worked for strategic platform vendors like Temenos, Oracle Financial Services, and SAP, where he was involved in large transformational programs globally.
Through multiple customer engagements, Arvind has seen that the financial institutions that have embraced Open Architecture and driven innovation through Open Source have been able to offer better customer engagement and experience. In his current role, Arvind leads the FSI vertical for Red Hat in the APAC region, working with Financial Institutions, to help them become more agile and respond to dynamic business needs, leveraging open-source technologies.
Jonathan is a seasoned business leader with over 15 years of experience in the information technology and financial service industry. He has worked in Visa for around 4 years and is based in Shanghai. Before Visa, Mr. Wang assumed various leadership roles at Amazon, PayPal and IBM, specializing in products, strategies and innovations.
As Head of Commercial & Money Movement Solutions for Visa Greater China, Jonathan Wang currently oversees Visa’s commercial cards and money movement business in the Greater China Region, including P&L management, sales, product & solution and go-to-market strategy.
Terence Tan leads the Growth and Sales Strategy team for Treasury Services Asia Pacific at BNY Mellon. In this role, he works closely with the relationship management and business development team in APAC to drive business growth and is responsible for sales practice management and overall sales strategy. Before this, he was a relationship manager covering a portfolio of clients in non-bank financial institutions and ASEAN banks.
Terence has over a decade of experience in Transaction Banking across global and regional banks. Prior to joining BNY Mellon, he was the Singapore product lead for its merchant acquiring solution within Treasury & Trade Solutions at Citibank. He was also a pioneering member of the Working Capital Advisory team at DBS Global Transaction Services where he successfully developed and launched its award-winning innovative working capital benchmarking sales tool and mobile application.
Sandeep is an experienced Corporate and Transaction Banking Professional with over 27 years of experience across multiple countries, with the majority of that time spent in Hong Kong as the Asia-Pacific Relationship Manager for Top Global corporates. He has held leadership positions, leading cross-country and cross-functional teams in Corporate banking, Cash Management, and transaction banking operations. In his previous banking role, Sethi served as the Managing Director, Regional Corporate Coverage and APAC Coverage Sector Head for Diversified Industrials and Chemicals at Deutsche Bank. Currently, he is focusing on financial services solutions consultancy and corporate treasury advisory with a specific focus on the APAC region, leveraging his comprehensive understanding of Asia's diverse jurisdictions. Sethi is a certified expert in Sustainable finance from the Frankfurt School of Management and has also completed courses in leadership and fintech from prestigious universities such as the National University of Singapore and the London Business School.
Lito Villanueva is the Philippines' foremost thought leader in digital transformation and inclusive digital finance at scale. As the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer of RCBC, he has led the bank's digital revolution, delivering groundbreaking innovations that have earned over 300 accolades in five years. Among these are Euromoney's Best Bank for Digital (2020-2024), Gartner's Eye for Innovation, YouTube's Challenger Award, and recognition as Sustainable Innovator of the Year at the Singapore Fintech Festival 2024-the sole Philippine winner. He also serves as the Chief Digital Transformation Advisor of the Yuchengco Group of Companies.
Villanueva's expertise and contributions have been widely recognized. He was recently named as Asia's Trailblazer of the Year 2025 by the Retail Banker International, Asia's Top Outstanding Netizen (Digital) Marketeer of the Year by the Asia Marketing Federation and CX Professional of the Year by The Digital Banker. He has also been celebrated as Philippines' Innovator of the Year for Banking in the Asian Management Excellence Awards, received the Outstanding Achievement for Marketing Management in the Agora Awards (dubbed the Oscars of Philippine marketing), and was twice a Circle of Excellence awardee at the Asia CEO Awards. Other accolades include PhilSec's Digital Leader of the Year 2023 and being hailed "Mr. FinTech of the Philippines" by NewsBiz Asia.
In addition to his professional roles, Villanueva is the founding chairman of Fintech Alliance.PH, founding chairman of the Alliance of Digital Finance and FinTech Associations, a permanent council member of the ASEAN FinTech Forum a trustee of the Philippine Blockchain Council, co-founder of Asia FinTech Alliance, and an advisory board member of the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform. He is also a founding member of the Philippine-Hungary Business Council. A published author, he wrote the award-winning Inclusive Digital Finance Report and pens a regular business column, Bytes, for the Philippine Star.
Belinda Han is the Managing Director and Head of Transaction Banking Asia-Pacific at MUFG Bank, where she leads strategy, sales, client delivery, and product development across 18 markets in ASEAN, East Asia, Oceania, and South Asia. With over 24 years of experience in transaction banking and trade finance, Belinda has held pivotal leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank and Deutsche Bank, driving growth and innovation in Greater China and North Asia. Her career began at HSBC China, where she gained extensive expertise in global and commercial banking across mainland China and Hong Kong. Belinda’s deep understanding of transaction banking and her leadership in shaping innovative financial solutions make her a respected figure in the industry.
Norbert Gehrke is the Founder and Representative Director of the Tokyo FinTech Association, a leading non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing Japan’s financial technology sector. With over 20 years of experience in global finance, Norbert has played a vital role in bridging traditional financial services with emerging fintech innovations.
He previously held senior roles at Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Barclays, where he specialised in investment banking, risk management, and digital transformation. His extensive experience equips him with a deep understanding of the evolving financial landscape and the impact of technology on the industry.
As a recognised thought leader, Norbert frequently speaks at international conferences, offering insights on fintech, blockchain, and digital assets. Under his leadership, the Tokyo FinTech Association has become a key platform for collaboration between startups, regulators, and established financial institutions.
Megat Mohamad Faisal Khir Johari serves as the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President at Bank Muamalat, leading the bank's digital transformation and technology strategy. With over 20 years of experience in IT leadership, he drives the adoption of advanced technologies to optimise operations and enhance customer experience.
A specialist in fintech, digital banking, and cybersecurity, Megat has been instrumental in modernising Bank Muamalat’s technology landscape, ensuring seamless integration of Shariah-compliant financial services.
He has held key roles in leading financial institutions and technology firms, managing large-scale IT projects and driving digital innovation. As a certified Professional Technologist (Ts.), Megat actively contributes to Malaysia’s digital banking advancements through industry forums and initiatives. His visionary leadership continues to position Bank Muamalat at the forefront of Islamic banking innovation, supporting financial inclusion and operational excellence.
Chia Geh Yeng is a versatile leader with extensive experience across 10 industries, including banking, insurance, fintech, FMCG, and consultancy. Over the course of his career, he has held various leadership roles, including managing P&L, driving transformation, and launching new entities from the ground up.
His expertise spans Consumer, Transaction, and Business Banking, Investment, Payment (Cards), Stockbroking, and more. Geh Yeng’s career has taken his around the world, with work experience in the USA, China, France, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, having held over 20 roles in diverse job families. Chia Geh Yeng was named a Global Talent by Citibank and awarded Excellent Employee in 2022 by a Chinese fintech company.
Rafiza Ghazali is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in strategy, finance, banking, and digital innovation. She currently serves as the Director of Digital Banking at KAF Investment Bank, where she oversees the development and operationalisation of the bank's retail/consumer digital banking platform. Her role involves driving fintech adoption, enhancing customer experience, and spearheading innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the financial services sector.
Previously, Rafiza was the Group CEO of Cradle Fund, where she played a pivotal role in transforming Malaysia's early-stage funding and venture capital landscape. Her extensive C-suite experience spans multiple sectors, including consumer products, energy, property, and media, where she has consistently driven growth, governance, and sustainability.
Passionate about financial inclusion and digital transformation, she is committed to fostering collaboration, diversity, and excellence within teams and the broader community.Her visionary leadership continues to shape the future of digital banking and innovation in Malaysia and beyond.
Founder and CEO, Kapital DX
Selvarany Rasiah is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kapital DX, bringing over 28 years of leadership experience from the Malaysian Stock Exchange, where she rose from Legal Officer to Chief Commercial Officer. Her expertise spans corporate strategy, governance, and digital transformation, with a strong focus on driving innovation and sustainability.
A seasoned leader with vast board-level experience, Selvarany has served as a Board Member of the Malaysian Investor Relations Association and the Compensation Development Fund. She has been a key contributor to Malaysia’s capital market development, representing the country in global forums on ESG and corporate governance, including the Asian OECD Roundtable.
A passionate advocate for ESG, she spearheaded Bursa Malaysia's first CSR Framework in 2006 and has since influenced sustainability policies for listed companies. Her contributions to corporate governance in Malaysia earned her national recognition and solidified her position as a leader in sustainability.
Neil Tan is a Hong Kong-based FinTech and Web 3.0 specialist with over 20 years of experience in corporate strategy, mergers & acquisitions, business development, and strategic partnerships. He has worked with some of the world's leading organisations, including HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Philips Electronics, and Siemens.
Currently, he serves as Managing Partner at Tsunami Advisors, an advisory firm dedicated to helping FinTech and Web3 companies expand and scale across the Asia-Pacific region. Previously, he was CEO of Neptune Digital, an award-winning blockchain start-up under the Cyberport Incubation Program. At HSBC, he led Business Development for Asia Pacific, driving initiatives in Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and Embedded Finance.
A prominent industry figure, he is Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Association of Hong Kong (AIHK) and a Member of the HKSAR Web3 Task Force, promoting the development of Web3 technologies and digital transformation in Hong Kong.
Rajat Malhotra is a distinguished technologist with more than 25 years of experience in the industry. As the Chief Technology Officer of GXS Bank, a digital bank in Singapore, Rajat is responsible for the Bankʼs technology strategy and implementation and oversees the technology deployment in Singapore. This includes build-from-scratch initiatives including new financial products and features.
Prior to joining GXS, Rajat held several leadership positions in technology, including Head of Engineering at Grab, CTO at Milvik, and Director of Engineering at Twitter. During his tenure at GFin, the fintech arm of Grab, Rajat led the engineering teams responsible for building the insurance, wealth management and payment infrastructures.
Rajat's contributions to the industry go beyond his role at GXS Bank as a member of the steering committee of the Asian Institute of Digital Finance. Tapping his entrepreneurial experience throughout his career, Rajat also actively mentors several start-ups.
With over 22 years of experience in transaction banking, treasury, and finance across Asia and the USA, Ankur Kanwar drives strategic growth and innovation in his dual leadership roles. As Head of Transaction Banking for Singapore and ASEAN, he oversees business growth and operational excellence in one of the region's most dynamic markets. In his global role as Head of Structured Solutions Development for Cash Management, he leads a team of experts in creating advanced cash management solutions for clients worldwide.
Ankur has helped large corporates optimise cash and treasury operations and spearheaded the adoption of transformative digital solutions to meet evolving industry needs. Before joining Standard Chartered, he held senior roles at JP Morgan Chase in Singapore and New York, leading transaction banking regulatory products and enhancing liquidity structures for corporate clients. His expertise in regulatory insights, treasury management, and balance sheet optimisation makes him a key influencer in transaction banking across ASEAN and beyond.
Claudia Kolonas is the co-founder of Pluang, a multi-asset investment platform making investing accessible to Indonesia’s millennial investors. With over a decade in financial services, she began her career at Celebes Capital before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she and Richard Chua launched Pluang to democratize investment opportunities. Coming from a finance-driven family, she made her first stock investment at 12, inspired by her father’s guidance and her mother’s entrepreneurial drive.
Under Claudia’s leadership, Pluang has introduced diverse investment products, including mutual funds, digital gold, crypto assets, and US Stock CFDs, previously available only to the upper-middle class. Between 2020 and 2021, Pluang saw exponential growth, with transacting users increasing 33-fold and monthly transactions 131 times. She remains committed to financial education and accessibility, ensuring that more Indonesians can build diversified portfolios and long-term wealth.
Ville Kulmala is a seasoned enterprise technology leader with a focus on data strategy and management. He currently serves as the President of DAMA Singapore, the local chapter of the Data Management Association, where he leads initiatives to advance data management practices in the region.
In addition to his role at DAMA, Ville is an adjunct faculty member at the Asian Institute of Technology's School of Management. He brings extensive industry experience to his teaching, having held positions such as Head of APAC at Papyrus Software and senior consultant roles at Accenture Consulting and LogicaCMG Financial Services.
Throughout his career, Ville has been a strong advocate for ethical AI and data governance, emphasizing the importance of responsible practices in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
Listed among the top 100 FinTech influencers to follow. A digital financial services and legal/regulatory expert with more than 25 years of field experience in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. More than 15 years of experience managing complex international projects focused on digital financial services, payments, financial inclusion, agricultural finance, climate finance, financial literacy and consumer protection, with extensive experience working with banks, card companies, non-bank financial institutions and other e-payment providers. Served as senior regulatory advisor in digital finance, working with a network of more than 95 central banks to provide advice and guidance on regulatory and policy options to support the adoption and use of responsible broad-based digital financial services. Conceptualised and negotiated multiple public private partnerships to support financial inclusion. Recognized as a leading figure in the digital financial services industry having presented, moderated or chaired more than 100 international conferences ranging from the role of responsible digital financial services and financial inclusion, alternative data, digital credit, agent networks, e-money, mobile money services, payments, open finance, and consumer protection as well as the importance of an appropriate regulatory enabling environment for the adoption, usage and quality of responsible inclusive digital financial services.
John recently worked with the Alliance for Financial Inclusion to draft the Policy Development and Implementation Guidelines for Regulators on Inclusive Open Finance.
Brian Lo is a seasoned risk professional with nearly 30 years of experience across global financial institutions. Based in Hong Kong and Singapore, he has led teams in managing market and liquidity risk, counterparty risk, and asset and liability management. His expertise encompasses quantitative modelling, risk governance, stress testing, and regulatory compliance. Brian has also played a critical role in developing internal risk models, driving strategic initiatives, and advising on cutting-edge risk solutions, including AI and machine learning applications. Throughout his career, he has served on multiple risk committees, providing strategic insights to senior management and boards, and has been instrumental in implementing Basel reforms and risk management innovations. Brian’s approach integrates deep technical knowledge with practical leadership, making him a valuable contributor to banking risk management education and practice.
Allen Ng is Group Head and Principal Economist at the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO). He leads the Regional Surveillance group, which is responsible for the annual flagship ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook and related updates.
He was previously the Chief Economist of Securities Commission Malaysia (SCM), where he was also a member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions’ Committee on Emerging Risks and a board member of the Institute for Capital Market Research Malaysia. Prior to SCM, Allen was Director of Research at Khazanah Research Institute, and before that he spent more than a decade in the Central Bank of Malaysia.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the banking industrial, Joseph has in-depth product knowledge of Supply Chain Solutions for both Trade Finance and Cash Management. Before joining United Overseas Bank, he was the Regional Head of Trade and Supply Chain Solutioning of Asia Pacific of Bank of America Merrill Lynch after he run the Regional Corporate Trade Product Management team. Prior to that, he worked in Royal Bank of Scotland deputizing the Global Transaction Services Hong Kong country head in managing the Cash and Trade business, and in BNP Paribas and Citi.
Lum Piew is an Independent Non-Executive Director at Alliance Bank Malaysia, bringing extensive experience in banking, risk management, and corporate governance. With a strong background in financial services, regulatory compliance, and strategic leadership, Lum Piew has played a pivotal role in shaping the bank’s governance framework and operational resilience. His expertise spans across risk assessment, financial strategy, and digital transformation, ensuring the bank remains agile in an evolving financial landscape. As a thought leader in the industry, he actively contributes to discussions on cybersecurity, fintech innovation, and financial inclusion, helping to drive sustainable growth and customer-centric banking solutions.
Zheng Yudong is an experienced digital banking leader with a strong track record in financial technology, digital transformation, and banking innovation. As the former CEO of Maribank and Head of Digital Banking, SEA, he has played a key role in shaping next-generation banking solutions, digital payments, and fintech strategies across Southeast Asia. With expertise in building and scaling digital banks, customer experience optimisation, and regulatory compliance, Zheng Yudong is a visionary in driving financial inclusion and seamless digital banking ecosystems. His leadership continues to influence the evolution of banking technology and financial services in the region.
Jaspar Roos is a renowned authority in the field of design thinking, innovation & ai transformation and a seasoned entrepreneur. His work has been covered in magazines and newspapers like New York Times, the Economist and Forbes. Currently, he is cofounder of transformational change group Limpid & Co, with headquarters in Amsterdam, and offices in Dubai and Riyadh. Prior to this, Jaspar had been the Chief Inspiration Officer for ABN AMRO Bank, and after that successfully launched several other investment funds and accelerators, running the corporate and startup innovation efforts of those respective companies. During those years, Jaspar became one of the pioneers in (corporate) innovation culture and applying technology transformation in practice. He has extensive experience with the financial industry, working with some of the largest players in the world.
Neeti Aggarwal manages the financial technology and innovation research at The Asian Banker. With over two decades of experience, she specialises in banking, technology and fintech developments across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. She regularly engages the financial services community on critical transformational issues, speaking and moderating at many of The Asian Banker's as well as partner's events. She earlier worked for five years at The Economic Times; India's largest selling financial daily. She is CFA Charterholder from CFA Institute USA and an MBA (Finance) from India.
Nongnuch has 20 years of experience in modelling, data management, and portfolio analytics. She was Head of Financial System Policy Development at Thailand's Ministry of Finance before moving to the UK as a university lecturer and Program Director of MSc Risk and Finance.
After 12 years in the UK, she returned to Thailand to join Krungthai Bank as SVP Corporate Strategy and later became Head of Credit Risk Modelling & Analytics. She also served as a visiting academic for School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton (UK).
Currently, she is SVP Head of Enterprise Risk and Infrastructure at CIMB Thai Bank, overseeing credit risk modelling, data management, system implementation, climate risk management, and monitoring risk appetite.
Since 2007, Nongnuch has received multiple national and international research grants and published around 20 articles on Banking, Investment, Sustainability, Risk Modelling, and Machine Learning. Her recent paper, 'ESG Risk Exposures of Mutual Funds,' will be published in the Journal of Asset Management.
Arjun has over two decades of experience with Citi, ABN, and SCB, managing retail, business banking, and wealth products across financial crime, operations, technology, risk, governance, digital transformation, data standards, and client journey. As a thought leader, he has a proven track record of leading large-scale transformation programmes, driving new business growth, developing products and platforms, and advancing digitalisation initiatives. His core expertise includes managing large, multicultural operations teams of nearly 1,000 members, spearheading complex transformation projects to transition manual processes into digital operations, and designing greenfield, end-to-end digital client journeys.
Emmanuel Daniel is the founder of The Asian Banker. He is an award-winning writer and author with a background in management consulting. He previously served in several government advisory councils, interviewed some of the leading chairmen, chief executive officers, policy makers and entrepreneurs around the world and currently consults with banks on investor, media relations and strategy formulation. His recent book, The Great Transition - The personalization of Finance is Here, was published in September 2022
Gordian Gaeta has been an investment consultant for more than 25 years. He has advised and served many of the leading financial services organisations across Asia and close to half of the top 100 banks worldwide. He specialises in developing and implementing analytical solutions for complex strategic issues in financial services-related industries undergoing significant change or being exposed to intricate risk issues. He is currently the principal of Leopard Capital. As chairman, he convenes the advisory boards in their core function of validating the matrices used in the programmes ratings, rankings and awards to ensure that they are conducted in a professional, impartial and accountable manner.
He is responsible for the strategy, management and solution development of the products across the Asia Pacific region. Based in Singapore, Chandana has over 25 years of experience in the Banking & Finance industry. He is a Cash Management & Clearing Specialist and has worked in multiple regions and lines of business. Throughout his career, he has helmed various roles ranging from regional implementation to product management and product development of payments, collections and channel capabilities.
Rustarti Suri Pertiwi is a financial professional with over 15 years of experience in the banking industry with expertise in asset & liabilities management, financial management, and investor relations. Since May 2023, she has been serving as the Chief Financial Officer at PT Bank Raya Indonesia Tbk, where she oversees the organization's financial operations and corporate strategy to drive sustainable growth and profitability.
Prior to her current role, she was the Division Head of Investor Relations at PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. In this capacity, she led numerous initiatives to enhance shareholder value and effectively communicated the bank's strategic vision to the investor community. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Monash University, Australia, and also completed executive education in Leading Change and Organizational Renewal from Harvard Business School in 2023.
Shankar Radhakrishnan is a Managing Director and Head of Trade Product Sales, Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, he, along with his product sales and solutioning team are responsible for offering the entire breadth of the bank’s product suite across trade and supply chain finance to its client base across the Asia Pacific region.
Shankar joined the bank in 2016 prior to which he worked in Citibank, N.A for 15 years across various functions including treasury and trade product management, commercial banking and operations.
Joey Han is the Head of Client Solutions & Partnerships APAC, at Deutsche Bank overseeing the strategic management and commercial optimization of Deutsche Bank’s cash clearing networks. He is also responsible for the strategic positioning and structuring of cash clearing solutions for Institutional Cash clients in the Asia Pacific region.
With more than a decade of experience in the transaction banking industry since joining Deutsche Bank as a graduate trainee, Joey’s expertise has primarily been focused on the correspondent banking and cross border payment space, helping bank clients navigate through the complex landscape of global cash clearing.
Sebastien joined Deutsche Bank in 2010 and currently leads Institutional Cash & Trade for APAC, based in Singapore. He oversees cash and trade businesses for institutional clients across the region, supported by a team of 50. Previously, he headed Trade Finance Distribution for APAC and led the Distribution franchise for the Middle East & Africa. With experience spanning Europe, Russia & CIS, and MEA, he has managed syndications and trade finance across major markets. Before Deutsche Bank, he spent nine years at BNP Paribas, focusing on loan syndications in the oil, gas, and commodities sectors.
As a Group Chief Risk Officer of UnionBank of the Philippines, he is responsible for managing all types of risks for the main bank and its 8 bank and non-bank subsidiaries.
He has 29 years of experience in the banking industry, mostly spent at Citibank Indonesia, including a short stint at Citibank Australia before moving to Citibank Philippines in 2017 and then he transitioned to UnionBank in 2022 following the acquisition of Citibank Consumer, joining the team as Group CRO.
In addition, he served as Supervisory Board Chairman of Citibank's Indonesia Pension Fund (2012-2017), TransUnion Board of Directors representing Citibank Philippines (2017-2022) as well as Guest Auditor for various Citi markets globally, specializing in consumer credit risk and margin lending.
David Formula serves as the Senior Executive Vice President of Information & Technology at PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA), a role he has held since October 2022. With over two decades of experience in information technology within the banking and financial services sector, David has been instrumental in advancing BCA's IT infrastructure and digital initiatives. Prior to joining BCA, he held key positions including Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Prudential Indonesia and Director of Information Technology at Maybank. David's leadership has been pivotal in BCA achieving significant milestones, such as obtaining the ISO 27001:2022 certification for information security management, reflecting the bank's commitment to safeguarding customer data.
Kenneth Gay is the Chief FinTech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), a role he assumed on February 1, 2025. Prior to this, he served as the Executive Director of the Enterprise Knowledge Department at MAS, where he led data transformation initiatives by developing platforms and applications to enhance financial supervision and central banking operations. With over two decades of experience at MAS, Kenneth has held various leadership positions, including heading the Prudential Policy Department, where he was instrumental in formulating capital and liquidity standards and implementing Basel III. His expertise also encompasses international financial relations, financial stability surveillance, reserves management, and enforcement. Kenneth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Chicago.
Valerie Hawley is the Executive Director of the Sorbonne Centre for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) at Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, where she leads initiatives to enhance AI capabilities across the Middle East. With over 12 years of experience in disruptive innovation, Valerie has a robust background in advising companies on AI strategies and developing competencies in emerging technologies. Her previous roles include Head of Innovation at Daman, the National Health Insurance Company of Abu Dhabi, and leadership positions at HEC Paris, where she established digital innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Valerie's strategic consulting skills were honed at KPMG, managing cross-disciplinary teams in complex environments. She is also a General Partner at True Global Ventures, investing in Web3 startups leveraging blockchain and AI technologies.
Vincent Iswara is the CEO and Co-Founder of DANA Indonesia, a leading digital wallet service established in 2018. Under his leadership, DANA has become a significant player in Indonesia's digital payment landscape, offering services such as online and offline transactions, bill payments, and e-commerce integration. Before founding DANA, Vincent held key positions including Director and Country Head at Alipay, and Chairman at PointStar Pte Ltd. His extensive experience in the fintech sector has been instrumental in promoting financial inclusion and advancing cashless transactions across Indonesia.
Mohammad Jakirul Islam serves as the Executive Vice President and Head of SME Strategy, Innovation & New Business at BRAC Bank PLC. With over 18 years of experience in emerging markets, his expertise spans telecommunications, banking, and fintech sectors. In his current role, Jakirul focuses on developing and implementing strategies that promote financial inclusion and support the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh. Prior to this, he held the position of Head of Strategic Alliances, Digital Financial Services (DFS), and Agricultural Finance at BRAC, where he played a pivotal role in forming partnerships and advancing financial services for underserved communities. Jakirul's commitment to fostering innovation and new business opportunities has significantly contributed to the economic empowerment of SMEs in the region.
Cameron Goh is the CEO and Founder of FINETIKS, an AI-powered financial management platform aimed at enhancing financial literacy and habits. With over 25 years of experience in financial technology, Cameron has held leadership roles at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), where he contributed significantly to the development of the world's most successful Over-the-Counter (OTC) clearing house. His extensive expertise includes product innovation, program delivery, and risk management, collaborating with global banks, hedge funds, asset managers, and regulators. Cameron is passionate about leveraging technology to drive digital strategies and data analytics for business growth.
Abdy Dharma Salimin is the Director of Technology at PermataBank, where he leads the bank’s digital transformation and technological innovation strategies. With over two decades of experience in the financial services and IT sectors, he has been instrumental in driving initiatives that enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and digital banking capabilities. Prior to joining PermataBank, Abdy held senior leadership roles in prominent financial institutions, contributing to various large-scale tech implementations. His expertise spans IT governance, cybersecurity, digital platforms, and agile transformation, making him a key figure in shaping the future of banking in Indonesia.
Mark Walker is the CEO of Disrupt Media, a dynamic platform dedicated to spotlighting innovation, transformation, and bold leadership across the fintech and digital finance landscape. With a passion for challenging the status quo, Mark has positioned Disrupt Media at the forefront of thought leadership—amplifying voices that are reshaping the future of finance, technology, and business. Under his guidance, the platform has become a trusted source for cutting-edge insights, high-impact storytelling, and meaningful conversations that move industries forward.
Jemy K. Soegiarto is a financial professional with over 25 years of experience in the banking industry with expertise in risk management. Since March 2024, he has been serving as the Senior EVP, Head of Risk Analytics, Infrastructure and Sharia at PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk, overseeing wholesale credit portfolio monitoring, credit risk modelling, data management, system implementation, climate risk, and integrate/enterprise risk management.
Prior to his current role, he was the Executive Director, Head of Risk Management at PT Bank UOB Indonesia. In this capacity, he instrumented the implementation of risk management frameworks and governance to provide the Board and Senior Management an independent assessment of Bank’s risk profile. He is a Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) from GARP.
Francis Ongpin-Lock Chiu is an award-winning technology executive with over 25 years of experience driving digital transformation, innovation, and operational excellence in financial services. As First Vice President and Head of Consumer Banking Applications at BDO Unibank, he leads initiatives that enhance customer experience, optimize operations, and align technology strategies with business objectives.
With expertise in digital banking transformation, risk management, and quality engineering, Francis has successfully led large-scale teams and strategic initiatives, including reducing system vulnerabilities, integrating core banking solutions for revenue growth, and managing multimillion-dollar portfolios. He has held global and regional leadership roles at Misys, Avaloq, Deutsche Bank, and ITRS, delivering measurable results in system resilience, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
Gloria Wan is the General Manager of Confirm (Global Account Validation) and Route Logic (FX Routing Intelligence) on the Kinexys Liink network, a peer-to-peer blockchain platform by J.P. Morgan enabling secure data exchange. She leads product development, client success, and commercial growth, working with financial institutions, fintechs, and corporates to reduce payment fraud and returns. Previously, she was a product manager in Securities Services, driving strategy and innovation for the Global Custody business, and worked closely with buyside investors while contributing to industry efforts around digital asset custody.
With over 25 years of international banking experience, he has led the expansion and digital transformation of transaction banking across the region. Prior to Mizuho, he held senior leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank and ABN AMRO, including Global Head of Working Capital and Regional Head of Transaction Banking for ASEAN & South Asia. Known for his expertise in digital ecosystems and innovation, Ashutosh has been recognized as Transaction Finance Leader of the Year at The Asian Banker Awards 2024. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Asia Council at BAFT and is a Board Member, with previous roles including Chair of the Global Trade Industry Council and advisor to the ICC Banking Commission.
Josua Pardede is currently the Chief Economist at Permata Bank since 2014. He is also currently Vice Chair of the Permanent Committee for Strategic Global Economic Studies at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry/KADIN and a member of the Focus Group on Macroeconomic and Financial Policy at the Association of Indonesian Economic Scholars/ISEI. As of 2020, he was also appointed as an economist on the Indonesian Banks Association/PERBANAS team. Previously, he had experiences in several companies as Senior Economist at Maybank Indonesia (2013-2014); Economist at BNI Sekuritas (2012-2013); Lecture Assistant at Faculty of Economics, Graduates Program in Economics (2011-2013); Wholesale Banking Credit Risk at PermataBank (2009-2012); and Lecture Assistant & Research Assistant at University of Indonesia (2005-2008).
Josua is also a frequent commentator on economic issues in the media and has been recognized for his accurate economic forecasts and insightful analysis of economic trends. Recently, he got the 40 Under 40 Award from Fortune Magazine and was named Best External Trainer from Bank Indonesia Institute. Josua was awarded as the best economic forecaster on Indonesia’s economic indicators by FocusEconomics: #1 Best Overall Forecaster, #1 GDP Forecaster, #1 Fiscal Balance Forecaster, #1 Current Account Forecaster, and #3 Exchange Rate Forecaster. In addition, he also ranks at the top of Bloomberg and Reuters economist polls on Indonesia’s macro indicators.
He earned two Master Degrees in Economics from University of Amsterdam and University of Indonesia. He also holds Bachelor Degree in Mathematics from University of Indonesia. In 2019, he took a short course at Paris School of Economics Summer School on the subject of Micro-econometrics & Policy Evaluation and in the same year, he also took a short course at University of Geneva Summer School on the subject of Policy Evaluation: Impact and Treatment Effect Estimation. In April 2024, he completed executive education at the Harvard Kennedy School on the topic of Leading Green Growth: Economic Strategies for a Low-Carbon World.
Jiten is a purpose-driven executive with over 30 years of leadership in global and regional markets, combining deep banking expertise with an entrepreneurial mindset. A former Operating Partner at SC Ventures and a long-time senior leader at Standard Chartered Bank, he has led transformative strategies across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Known for building inclusive financial ecosystems and driving innovation in transaction banking, Jiten now serves as a strategic advisor while continuing to shape the future of finance from his base in Singapore.
Shankar is a consummate professional with over three decades of experience in financial services across banks. Non-banks, FinTech's and now with BAFT (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade), Bankers Association for Finance and Trade a 103-year-old advocacy organization for Trade and Payments.
He has worked in Global and regional responsibilities including the US, Singapore, and India in various leadership roles in sales and product development. Currently based in Singapore, Shankar’s remit includes all of Asia Pacific where BAFT constituents are based.
Shinichiro is the Head of Transaction Banking Asia Pacific at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), overseeing cash and trade business growth across the region. With 29 years of experience in corporate finance and transaction banking across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, he previously served as APAC Head for Trade Finance and Global Head of Trade Innovation, leading SMBC’s digital trade initiatives and blockchain collaborations. He also spent a decade in SMBC London, managing key deals and government relationships.
David Becker is a thought leader in the financial services and technology software sectors, with over 25 years of experience in driving innovation and growth across the Asia Pacific region. With a proven track record in front-to-back office trading systems, data solutions, and cloud-based SaaS/BAAS offerings, David has a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of financial technology.
His extensive knowledge of Asian financial markets, combined with strong relationships with regulators and key banking stakeholders in major centers—including Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore/ASEAN and Australia—positions him as an authoritative voice on the intersection of finance and technology. David has successfully spearheaded initiatives that enhance profitability, boost revenue, and improve operational efficiency, making him a valued expert in achieving high-margin growth.
Currently, David serves as a Senior Regional Director at Mambu, following his tenure as Senior Advisor at Finastra and President of APAC at Temenos, where he led the company in providing advanced banking software solutions. His prior leadership roles as MD, APAC at Broadridge Financial Solutions and earlier as CEO, APAC at Thomson Reuters further underscore his expertise and commitment to advancing the financial services industry.
Juergen Rahmel is a Generative AI Lecturer at the University of Hong Kong and the Artificial Intelligence Lead at the Chief Digital Office of HSBC Hong Kong. He is an internationally experienced senior executive with a solid foundation in both technology and business. With specialist expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Information Security, Juergen has held key roles across transaction banking, wealth management, and digital transformation. He is a strategic thinker and transformation leader, known for driving innovation and value across global system landscapes. As a versatile people manager and lean thinker, he integrates customer focus with business goals, delivering impactful results in complex, multicultural environments.
Johnson Poh is a Principal Fellow at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), where he focuses on advancing research and education in data science, artificial intelligence, and digital innovation. With a strong foundation in applied analytics and AI strategy, Johnson brings deep industry and academic experience, having held leadership roles across financial institutions, consulting firms, and technology organizations. He is widely recognized for his ability to bridge complex technical concepts with real-world applications, particularly in driving digital transformation and AI adoption. Passionate about talent development and responsible innovation, Johnson actively contributes to shaping the future of tech-enabled societies through research, mentorship, and public discourse.
John Januszczak is the President and CEO of UBX, the fintech company originally established by UnionBank of the Philippines. Since assuming leadership in 2018, he has transformed UBX into a leading force in open and embedded finance across Southeast Asia. Under his guidance, UBX has processed billions in transactions, empowered more than 250,000 businesses, and forged strategic partnerships with global leaders such as SBI Holdings.
With a career spanning over three decades, John brings a wealth of experience in financial services, technology, and operations. Prior to UBX, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Manulife Philippines and held senior roles at Manulife Financial, MAXIMUS, and Meta Software Corporation. His expertise encompasses global business process management, product development, and digital transformation.
John is also a prominent advocate for financial inclusion and open finance. He chairs the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines' Special Committee on Open Finance and Financial Inclusion and has served on the boards of leading fintech and energy firms including PETNET, FinScore, Dragonpay and Solviva.
A native of Canada, John holds a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Toronto. His unique blend of scientific rigor and business acumen positions him at the forefront of fintech innovation in the region.
John is a sought-after speaker at major industry events such as InsureTech Connect Asia and the Future Bank Working Group, where he shares insights on digital transformation, embedded finance, and the evolving fintech landscape.
Bill Chua serves as Independent Director on the boards of Citibank Singapore, Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education, IES-INCA, United Hampshire US REIT Management, Sunseap Group, and Boardroom Executive Services. With 34 years of distinguished experience in the financial services sector, including leadership roles at UOB, Bill brings extensive expertise to his positions. He is recognized for his contributions to finance, education, and social sectors, having chaired operations sub-committees in banking and served on various advisory and investment committees. Bill was honored with the Public Service Star by the Singapore Government for his outstanding contributions to the nation. Former board appointments include Singapore Technologies Electronics, Jurong International, Clearing and Payments Services, DSO National Laboratories, Defence Science & Technology Agency, Singapore Technologies Kinetics, and CLS AG.
Mathew Welch has over 25 years of senior executive experience in Asia, having built businesses, led teams, and executed transactions across most major Asian countries. He is an experienced bank Board Director and has served on boards in Singapore, Vietnam, India, Mongolia and China. He currently serves on various boards, most notably SeABank, a leading, listed bank in Vietnam.
Over his long career in Asia, Mathew has worked at various financial institutions including HSBC, Merrill Lynch, Temasek, Standard Chartered Bank, and others. He was, for example, an MD at Temasek Holdings investing in Financial Institutions, and prior to that he was at Standard Chartered as Global Head of Banks, overseeing business with other banks globally and all financial institutions in Asia.
After his MBA, he served at McKinsey in HK and SE Asia, and was the first McKinsey consultant to be based in Singapore.
He is an active angel investor, currently working with Valloop, an innovative UK-based FinTech and with Sleek EV in Bangkok, inter alia.
Mathew is a Partner at Executive Search firm, Global Sage in Singapore covering Asia.
Doug is the Head of TB Product for MUFG in APAC. In this role he is responsible for the product development and product management of all Cash Management and Trade & Supply Chain Finance solutions in APAC. He is a seasoned Transaction Banker with 20+ years of working experience in Cash & Trade, covering both Sales & Product. He initially joined MUFG in Sydney in Jan 2017, as the Head of Sales for Trade & Supply Chain Finance business for Australia and New Zealand, before moving to Singapore to head up the Cash Product team for APAC, looking after Payments, Collections, Channels and Liquidity products.
Gary Ng is a Senior Economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis and a Research Fellow at Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) His research links the Asia Pacific macroeconomy with international trade and supply chain, industrial and government policies, technology and innovation, banking and finance. He has in-depth coverage of geopolitically influenced sectors, including semiconductors and electric vehicles, on macroeconomic, corporate, supply chain and investment levels.
He is also active in global media with presence including but not limited to Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, CGTN, CNBC, Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, Reuters, South China Morning Post and Wall Street Journal.
Dr. Pipatpong Poshyanonda has been President of Kasikornbank, Thailand's second-biggest bank by assets since 2020.
In this role, Dr. Pipatpong oversees two of bank’s four strategic priorities, including capital-lite fee income business (wealth and payment) and sales and service channels. In addition to his strategic priority responsibilities, Dr. Pipatpong also oversees Private Banking Group, Data and Analytic and Customer and Enterprise Service Fulfillment. As president, Dr. Pipatpong remains focused on ensuring all operations meet customer expectations, creating effective policies, and developing new banking services.
Under Dr. Pipatpong’s leadership, Kasikornbank has consistently retained and grown its market share in wealth management business ( #1 in mutual fund / #2 in bancassurance) and payment business (#1 in retail/business payment). Kasikornbank has also been recognized as number-one in Thailand in terms of customer satisfaction , brand loyalty (NPS) and mobile banking application.
In addition, Dr. Pipatpong is currently Chairman of Kasikorn Asset Management, Chairman of Kasikorn Securities, Director of National ITMX, Vice Chairman of Processing Center Co., Ltd. Prior to becoming president, Dr. Pipatpong has held numerous leadership roles in Customer and Enterprise Service Fulfillment and System Division of Kasikornbank and telecommunication companies.
Dr. Pipatpong earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering) from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, Master of Science (Computer Science) from University of Southwestern Louisiana, U.S and Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering Management) from University of MissouriRolla, U.S.
Chetan Talwar recently joined Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the Team Lead for Supply Chain Finance under the Trade and Supply Chain Division. His main responsibility is to manage relationships with global banks to maximize transaction volumes, provide excellent client service, and ensure constant vigilance in assessing and monitoring risk. Aside from that, Chetan is responsible in driving initiatives to deploy Supply Chain Finance to newer developing markets and help local banks in those developing markets to launch supply chain finance businesses with a view to making finance available to SMEs. Chetan has over 25 years of experience in transaction banking, covering trade and supply chain finance, cash management, and digital trade solutions.
Atul Bhuchar is the Head of Product for Global Transaction Banking at SMBC Asia Pacific, leading product strategy, development, and commercialization to help businesses and financial institutions optimize working capital and strengthen supply chains. With expertise across TradFi, CeFi, and DeFi, he drives digital transformation in the transaction banking space.
Previously, Atul was Head of Product at Partior, a blockchain-based market infrastructure firm backed by Temasek, DBS, J.P. Morgan, and Standard Chartered. He also held senior roles at DBS, including Group Head of Payments and Head of Cash Management in India, and began his career at Citibank, later working with HSBC.
Mr. Varun Sabhlok is an expert in relationship management, financial management and risk management in the financial services industries. Sabhlok’s experience has been honed over 11 years as South Asia Regional Audit Director with Citibank in its Global Consumer Banking division in Asia, Country Credit Director in Thailand and as Chief Financial Officer of the Singapore business.
Anne Suhandojo is the Country Head of Global Payments Solutions at PT Bank HSBC Indonesia. With more than 14 years experiences at HSBC, Anne has held a range of leadership roles within the Corporate Banking Division, including Head of Business Banking and Team Lead for the International Subsidiary Banking segment.
Prior to HSBC, Anne spent nine years at Citi Jakarta, primarily managing multinational clients under the Global Subsidiaries Group. She brings deep expertise in supporting both local and multinational clients in achieving their business goals and navigating cross-border operations.
Recently, Anne has successfully completed the Sustainability Leadership and Corporate Responsibility program at London Business School, further strengthening her focus on responsible business practices and long-term impact.
Rahmananda is a seasoned banking executive with over 15 years of experience in digital transformation, payment innovation, and embedded finance. At BNI, he leads wholesale digital initiatives that integrate banking services into diverse digital ecosystems to promote financial inclusion and sustainable growth.
Previously, he held leadership roles at HSBC, focusing on global payments and treasury modernization, and began his career at Commonwealth Bank and T N Information Systems in Bangkok, contributing to digital banking and tech integration. He is known for driving API-led innovation and forging partnerships that support the shift toward open banking and embedded financial services.
A recognized fintech ecosystem builder, Chia Hock Lai brings nearly two decades of financial and technology expertise from organizations like GovTech and NTUC Income. He co-founded and led the Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) and Blockchain Association Singapore (BAS) and currently holds key roles at the International Digital Economies Association (iDEA), Responsible Fintech Institute (RFI), Digital Assets Association (DAA), and Global Fintech Institute (GFI). An NUS and NTU alumnus, Hock Lai is an IBF Fellow and SkillsFuture Fellow, recognized for his contributions to digital transformation. He actively advises startups and industry committees.
Angela leads Asia Pacific public policy and strategic partnerships at TRM Labs, a blockchain intelligence firm supporting efforts to detect and investigate crypto-related financial crime. She previously spent over a decade at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), most recently as Deputy Director overseeing licensing for payment service providers. Angela played a key role in shaping Singapore’s payments regulatory framework and reviewed hundreds of digital asset license applications. Her prior roles at MAS spanned regulatory policy, business development, and consumer education.
Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice for Finance in Asia, Angela holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Asif Saleem is a Banker-Turned-Technologist serving as Lead Principal Architect for Financial Services, APAC at Google Cloud, based in Singapore. With over 23 years of experience across senior roles at Standard Chartered, IBM, Oracle, and Google Cloud, Asif brings a unique blend of deep industry insight and cutting-edge technological expertise.
At Standard Chartered, he spearheaded the launch of their state-of-the-art Mobile Banking solution across 33 consumer banking markets. This platform served over 7 million active mobile customers, handled 95% of payments, sales, and service transactions, and achieved a Net Promoter Score exceeding 70%. His team's accomplishments were recognized with numerous accolades, including Webby’s and Global Finance awards for five consecutive years.
Passionate about Data, Digital, and AI, Asif now leverages his expertise at Google Cloud to help financial services clients across Japan and APAC innovate and transform their legacy businesses. He specializes in Data and AI, bringing his combined knowledge of Technology and Banking to architect new innovative solutions across various Banking Journeys. Asif is focused on driving significant business outcomes for his clients.
Stephen Tjokro is a Business Development Director, Global Fraud Solutions at GBG. He has a keen interest in fraud management, cybersecurity, digital risk protection and enterprise software. With deep expertise in fraud management, he helps businesses navigate fraud risk challenges in an evolving digital landscape. Beyond his professional expertise, Stephen prioritises fitness and stays informed on emerging technology advancements, ensuring he remains at the forefront of innovation.
Tiravat Assavapokee is currently the Executive Vice President and Head of Data Intelligent and IT Integration Division at KASIKORNBANK Public Company Limited, one of Thailand’s leading financial institutions. He is recognized as a pioneer in data science and AI transformation in the Thai banking sector, with more than two decades of international and domestic experience in data strategy, analytics, and operations research.
Prior to joining KASIKORNBANK, Dr. Assavapokee held several key leadership positions, including Executive Vice President for Data Innovation at Krung Thai Bank, and Executive Vice President for Business Intelligence at SCB. He also served in various leadership and senior analytics & data science roles at Capital One Bank ,Walmart and Manhattan Associates in the United States.
Dr. Assavapokee began his career in the U.S., where he also served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Houston. With over 21 years of studying and working in the United States and 8 years in Thailand, his career reflects a deep integration of global best practices with local business innovation.
He holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, another M.Sc. in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering from Oregon State University, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Thailand.
Dr. Assavapokee is passionate about building data-AI driven organizations, fostering data-AI talent, and advancing responsible AI adoption in financial services.
An accomplished Retail and Relationship Banker with over 20 years of experience at Barclays Bank in the City of London. Throughout his career, Steve has held several leadership and client-facing roles, consistently demonstrating a natural ability to deliver outstanding service on a human level. Transitioning into Business Banking, he led a national team that successfully delivered over £12bn in Pandemic loans. In 2022, Steve joined the London start-up Greengage as Head of Accounts, where he spearheaded the launch of e-money services and supported the team in delivering over $300m in crypto-backed lending.
Anika is a vastly experienced professional in the field of law and has sat on various key positions including as director, among others in Bank Niaga, Bank Danamon, and Bank BTPN. She also served as Special Expert Staff to the Chairman and Vice Chairman of IBRA.
Anika obtained her Bachelor of Law degree from Universitas Indonesia in 1990. She is also concurrently serving as Chair of Educational Assistance Fund Foundation of Universitas Indonesia, Director of PT Metamorfosis Ekosistem Indonesia, Secretary General of Indonesian Banks Association (Perbanas), and Deputy Chairman of Indonesian Bankers Association (IBI).
Rosie Rios served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States from 2009 to 2016, overseeing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the US Mint, including Fort Knox. She was the longest-serving Senate-confirmed official in the Treasury during one of the most turbulent economic periods in the US history. Her leadership during the 2008 global financial crisis and again during the COVID-19 economic recovery helped shape major fiscal policy initiatives, making her the only individual to serve on both transition teams under multiple US administrations. As Treasurer, she oversaw the production of US currency and coins, leading nearly 4,000 employees across eight national facilities and managing a $5 billion annual budget. She implemented strategic reforms that saved over $1 billion while meeting rising production demands. Her signature remains on over $1.5 trillion in US currency globally in circulation today.
A champion of financial inclusion and innovation, Rios led the US government’s early efforts on the “Future of Money” initiative, promoting interoperability between cash and digital payments, advancing financial access for underserved communities and laying the groundwork for initiatives like FedNow and climate risk disclosures. She has worked across both public and private sectors on real estate finance, urban revitalisation and fintech governance.
Rios currently chairs America250, the official Congressional Commission planning the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.
At The Asian Banker Summit 2025, Rios will share her perspectives on the future of the US dollar in a digitised financial system, the role of stablecoins and tokenised deposits in global trade and monetary policy and how digital finance can reshape cross-border connectivity and economic resilience in a fragmented world.
Delia Melissa is the Country Head of Global Trade Solutions (GTS) at HSBC Indonesia, leading HSBC’s Trade Finance Bank in Indonesia, driving innovation and growth in cross-border financial solutions.
With over 19 years of experience in Corporate and Institutional Banking, she brings deep expertise in strategic transaction banking, large corporate relationship management, and trade finance. She has held numerous leadership roles within HSBC, including Head of Lending and Transaction Management, Country Head of Mid-Market Enterprises, and SVP Corporate Banking. Her broad portfolio has covered state-owned enterprises, multinational clients, and mid-market businesses
Safari Kasiyanto is a seasoned digital finance expert and Director at Bank Indonesia, with over two decades of experience in shaping national payment system policies and regulatory frameworks. A passionate advocate for innovation in digital finance, he has played a pivotal role in developing, regulating, and overseeing payment systems in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic economies. From 2022 to 2024, he served as a Senior Financial Sector Expert at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), within the Monetary and Capital Markets Department. At the IMF, he contributed to key global initiatives, including the Article IV Consultation for Azerbaijan, a comprehensive financial sector stability review for Papua New Guinea, and strategic research in the areas of payments, digital currencies, and financial infrastructure. Notably, he co-authored the IMF Fintech Note "Positioning Central Bank Digital Currency in the Payments Landscape" (2024) Safari holds an LL.M. in Law and Technology and a Ph.D. in Law and Economics from Tilburg University, the Netherlands. He brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective that bridges legal, economic, and technological dimensions of digital finance. An engaging speaker and thought leader, he frequently addresses international forums on the future of payments, digital currencies, and regulatory innovation.
Raj Raman is the Market Manager for International Payments Product for Treasury Services in Asia Pacific (APAC). Raj drives the Technical Sales, Solutioning and Market Intelligence across Cross-Border Payments including USD Clearing, Multi-Currency and FX payments. Raj focuses on understanding the unique requirements of clients in the region to drive Product Adoption and Commercialization, while also promoting Thought Leadership and obtaining insights on market trends. Raj also keenly tracks market behavior around Pricing, Real-time Payments, New Payment Service Providers with the aim to enhance the overall end-to-end experience in the payment lifecycle. Raj brings over 20 years of experience in the cross-border payments space with various leadership roles across Technical Sales, Customer Experience, Complex Implementations, Analytics and Operations during his time previously at Wells Fargo and American Express Bank.
Amit Kumar is currently leading the cash management business at Kotak Mahindra Bank, overseeing its core verticals including product, liquidity, sales, and implementation. With 17 years at the bank, he has played a pivotal role in developing important product and technology stacks, driving significant advancements in these areas. Amit, a member of the wholesale leadership group at Kotak, is responsible for driving the liability strategy for enterprise customers, integrating the same with technology and product solutions. Under his leadership, the bank has been continuously awarded as the best cash management bank.
Yong Cheng is a highly accomplished lead IT solution architect with deep expertise in fintech and artificial intelligence. With a strong track record in designing and implementing advanced technology solutions, Yong Cheng specializes in building scalable, secure, and efficient architectures that power innovation and digital transformation. Their comprehensive knowledge of AI-driven systems, cloud computing, and enterprise IT strategy enables the delivery of robust solutions that enhance business performance and elevate the customer experience. A visionary leader and strategic problem solver, Yong Cheng is committed to bridging technology and business needs to deliver impactful, future-ready outcomessolutions
Dean Gillespie is a prominent figure in ethical and Islamic banking in Australia. As CEO of Islamic Money Australia, he led the country’s first Islamic banking initiative—raising AUD 19 million and securing regulatory approval from APRA. He also founded the Islamic Finance and Investments Association (IFIA), bringing together industry leaders to advance inclusive, Shariah-compliant financial solutions.
Widely recognised as an international expert in mortgages, Dean has advised leading UK banks and held senior roles at major institutions such as Commonwealth Bank, Bankwest, and Vietnam International Bank. With over two decades of experience, he has led large teams, managed multi-billion-dollar balance sheets, and driven digital innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Urs Bolt is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in financial services, specialising in digital banking and wealth management. He is a global influencer and thought leader in fintech, wealthtech, digital wealth management, and digital assets. Bolt has a proven track record in developing digital platforms and leading strategic initiatives, including creating a B2B social business platform for wealth managers, digital investment platforms, prime services for high-net-worth clients, post-trade services for FX/OTC products, and business transformation projects. He helps financial service providers and tech companies refine business strategies, develop solutions, and build partnerships.
Shinta W. Dhanuwardoyo is one of Indonesia’s most prominent tech entrepreneurs and digital pioneers, with a legacy spanning nearly three decades. As the Founder and CEO of Bubu.com, established in 1996, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s internet and startup ecosystem. Recognised by Globe Asia, Tatler Asia, and Forbes Indonesia, Shinta has built a career grounded in innovation, inclusivity, and purpose-driven impact. Today, Bubu.com operates as a digital venture builder, having launched Bubu Gaming and LabX—platforms that integrate culture, esports, and cutting-edge technology.
A vocal advocate of Web3, tokenisation, and decentralised innovation, Shinta brings a cultural lens to the evolving digital asset landscape. Through LabX, she has led initiatives that merge NFTs, youth culture, and creative industries—bridging technology and self-expression. As President Director of PT. TODAK Nusantara Group—a joint venture with Malaysia’s TODAK Group—she is spearheading regional efforts in blockchain, gaming, fintech, and Web3 adoption, working to build future-ready infrastructure and accessible digital economies across Southeast Asia.
Shinta is also a committed ecosystem builder and investor in the Web3 space. Through StartupIndonesia.co and the Angel EQ Network, she supports early-stage founders in tokenisation, creator economies, and decentralised finance. As a member of the Asian Development Bank’s Advisory Group on Digital Technology and KADIN’s Head of Research & Technology for the Digital Sector, she actively contributes to regulatory conversations and digital transformation strategies. Her session will explore how tokenisation is reshaping value creation, accessibility, and cultural relevance in the digital asset age.
Sundeep Rawal is a seasoned technology and payments leader with over 23 years of experience driving transformation across Asia’s financial services landscape. His career spans leadership roles across variety of executive positions with a focus on consultative collaborations with C-suite stakeholders and translating complex solutions into strategic investment cases. Sundeep’s deep domain knowledge spans retail payments—including credit, debit, and prepaid cards—EFT switching, Real Time Payments, SaaS, blockchain, and cloud-based solutions.
Utuh Wibowo is a seasoned professional with over 17 years of experience in AI, FinTech, banking, and telecommunications. As Chief AI Officer at Consultancy.id, he leads the development of AI strategies that transform operations, optimize customer experiences, and drive innovation across industries. With a strong track record in digital transformation, he has held executive roles such as Executive Chairman at Indojasa Global Solution and Managing Director at CreateAppsHere. His work in FinTech and banking includes leading AI-powered initiatives in risk management, credit processing, and customer analytics. In the telecommunications sector, he has delivered and managed technology integrations and infrastructure improvements. Known for aligning cutting-edge solutions with business goals, he brings deep expertise in AI solutions, cloud computing, enterprise architecture, and regulatory compliance. His approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, enabling sustainable digital growth and competitive advantage for organizations navigating complex technological landscapes.
Namit is a Seasoned Finance Professional with over 20 years of international experience in Corporate Finance, Accounts, Treasury, Digital Transformation, Working Capital management, Risk Mitigation and insurance, Legal, Administration and Compliances.
Namit is associated as a Corporate CFO with PT. Indorama Polychem Indonesia and leads the Country Portfolio for Corporate Banking, Treasury & Risk and Insurance for the Indorama Ventures PCL. (Indonesia Subsidiaries).
He also leads Digital Transformations and initiatives and most recently spearheaded a successful SAP implementation. He has extensive experience in Corporate Finance roles with Manufacturing industries in Polyester, Petrochemicals, Mining and Power plant operations with global outreach. He is a Chartered Accountant and a CPA and holds an EMBA from INSEAD.
Namit also serves as a Board member and Treasurer of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (Indonesia Chapter).
Yoanna Darwin is the Managing Director, Head of Treasury & Trade Solutions and Treasury Sales at Citi Indonesia. She leads integrated cash management and trade services for multinational, local corporations, financial institutions, and the public sector.
Since joining Citi in 2001, Yoanna has held key roles across product management, business development, and regional leadership for TTS Liquidity in ASEAN, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. She was previously Head of Market Management for TTS.
Yoanna also serves on the steering committee of Citi Indonesia Women’s Network and is an active speaker in industry forums on banking and women’s empowerment across Indonesia and ASEAN.
Manal Rifki is a leader in telecommunications, venture capital, and emerging technologies. She is the Director of Wholesale Roaming at Rakuten Mobile and a Venture Partner at IVC, a Web3 VC firm. Previously, she co-founded Klumi Ventures, the first fully licensed Web3 VC under ADGM, and was an Investment Principal at Tesla Capital, focusing on impact-driven technologies.
Yongsung Lee is the Head of Global Sales at Jitera, where he leads international business expansion and strategic partnerships. With over two decades of experience in technology sales and business development, Yongsung has held senior leadership roles in global sales, customer success, and business development, driving growth across Asia, the US, and Europe. He is known for his expertise in developing go-to-market strategies, leading cross-functional teams, and building strong client relationships. Yongsung holds an MBA and a Bachelor's degree, and he is fluent in Korean, Japanese, and English.
Cary Piantono is a Chief Risk Officer at DANA Indonesia, bringing over 21 years of leadership experience in risk management since joining the company in 2022.
He has held key roles at KEB Hana Bank Indonesia, Sampoerna Financial Group, Bank Danamon, Standard Chartered, and RBS Indonesia, safeguarding financial interests through strategic risk management. His expertise covers all eight BASEL risk categories, ensuring a strong financial framework.
Fluent in English and six Asian languages, Cary’s linguistic skills enhance his ability to navigate diverse financial markets across the Asia-Pacific region.
With over three years of tenure at DANA, he brings extensive experience in the financial services sector. Prior to joining DANA, he worked in Risk Analytics for secured and semi-secured lending products (Micro Banking) at Bank Danamon Indonesia. He also served as the Country Head of Strategic Business Information Management at Standard Chartered Bank and previously held the position of Head of Portfolio Management at Bank Danamon Indonesia.
Shaanti Shamdasani is a seasoned Public Policy professional, known for her in-depth expertise in economic, geopolitics & regulatory spheres in the Asia Pacific. She has also earned intense experience at C-suite level in the fields of healthcare, medical devices, biotech (10 years with Pfizer, 7 years with J&J) as well as Co-Chair of G20 for Global Health Security & Covid19 (GHSC) during Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, as well as Banking, Financial Integration Systems, Supply Chain, & research. During Indonesia’s ASEAN’s Chairmanship, Ms. Shamdasani was contracted as a professional to serve with the office of the President of Indonesia, H. E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on ASEAN matters as Advisor reporting directly to the President’s immediate team; working closely with various Ministers to drive a strategic debate on trade negotiations with India, China, Australia, and New Zealand. As Advisor to ASEAN Secretariat from 2008 to 2009, Ms. Shamdasani was focused on international trade, medical devices harmonization and political analysis. Her areas of expertise include industry 4.0, eCommerce, blockchain, logistics, trade negotiations and facilitations, policy making and free trade areas. She has been involved in various capacities at the I-EU CEPA, RCEP, AEC, ASEAN India, ASEAN China and other negotiations working closely with government agencies. Ms. Shamdasani is a regular speaker at local and international forums, she has appeared on stages and forums at United Nations (UN), Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN), Asia Pacific Economic Council (APEC), Ministry of Trade in Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar. She is part of the think tanks on trade issues developing policies with various governments in Southeast Asia. She has been instrumental in providing policy directions for digital 4.0 roadmap in Thailand, eCommerce draft law in Indonesia, digital healthcare ASEAN position paper, logistics and transport (including airport guidelines on 7 rights), as well as big data analytics. She has worked in India, US, China, Singapore and Indonesia and spent 15 years working with Fortune 500 MNC (Pfizer 9 years, Johnson & Johnson 5 years, Monsanto, and DHL) in a senior role as Regional Director for Southeast Asia overseeing Government Affairs, Public Policy and Industry Relations.
With over 25 years of experience in banking software technology, including more than 12 years in the APAC region, Zan is the Business Solutions Group – Technology Manager at Temenos, based in Singapore. He leads and supports Pre-Sales Technology engagements across the region, partnering with banks that either self-host their banking software—on-premise, in private, hybrid, or public cloud environments—or adopt SaaS cloud services.
Zan is a strong advocate for giving banks the flexibility to choose a deployment model that best aligns with their business and technology strategies to maximise value. In recent years, he has worked closely with banks replacing legacy core systems with SaaS-based Temenos solutions, as well as with existing customers modernising by migrating from self-hosted Temenos platforms to Temenos SaaS cloud service models.
Hendra Lembong has been appointed as President Director of Bank Central Asia (BCA), with the appointment approved at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on 12 March 2025 and effective as of June 2025. He currently serves as Deputy President Director, a position he has held since April 2022. He was previously appointed as Director at the 2021 AGMS for a five-year term.
Hendra brings over 25 years of banking experience across Indonesia and international markets, with deep expertise in digital transformation, transaction banking and strategic leadership. Prior to joining BCA, he served as Chief Transformation Officer at CIMB Niaga, where he led enterprise-wide transformation initiatives. He also held senior roles at CIMB Group Malaysia, including Chief Fintech Officer and CEO of Group Transaction Banking, as well as Chief of Transaction Banking at CIMB Niaga Indonesia. Earlier in his career, he was Regional Head of Transaction Services (cash, liquidity, FX) for Asia Pacific at J.P. Morgan in Singapore and Global COO and Head of Business Development at Deutsche Bank in London. He began his banking career at Citibank in 1994, holding various strategy and product management roles across Asia and Europe until 2009.
Wahyu Wrehasnaya is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Kata.ai, Indonesia’s leading conversational AI company. He has been instrumental in transforming the company from its early days as YesBoss, a consumer-focused virtual assistant, into a robust B2B platform that powers AI-driven customer engagement for some of the largest enterprises in Southeast Asia. With a background in international business economics from Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg in Germany, Wahyu brings both global perspective and operational expertise to the tech ecosystem. His early professional journey includes roles in media research at Nasdaq OMX and co-founding Rumah Diaspora, a platform aimed at connecting Indonesian communities abroad.
At Kata.ai, Wahyu oversees the company's operations and product scaling initiatives, including the development of Qios, an AI-powered chat commerce platform supporting Indonesia’s MSMEs. Passionate about digital transformation, he is a frequent speaker at industry events and an advocate for responsible AI adoption across emerging markets.
Neha Mehta is a sustainability and fintech expert with over 19 years of experience across Asia, Oceania, and Europe. She is the founder of FemTech Partners, where she advises governments and multilaterals on gender-smart finance, climate tech, and digital inclusion. Neha teaches FinTech and ESG at NTU Singapore and is the author of One Stop (Penguin). A Chevening Fellow and former Regional Lead for UNCDF Pacific, she was named one of Singapore’s 100 Women in Tech and a Global Future Fintech Leader.
With over 25 years of experience in strategy, finance, banking, and innovation, Rafiza Ghazali currently serves as the CEO of KAF Digital Bank, where she is responsible for the development and operationalisation of the retail/consumer digital bank. She brings deep expertise in corporate finance, Islamic finance, and fintech to her leadership role.
Previously, she was the Group CEO of Cradle Fund, where she played a key role in transforming Malaysia’s early-stage funding and venture capital ecosystem. Her extensive C-suite experience spans across various sectors including consumer products and services, energy, property, and media—where she has contributed to enhancing performance, governance, and sustainability. Rafiza is a Chartered Accountant with the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Oxford and a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics. She is passionate about creating meaningful impact through digital innovation in banking and advancing financial inclusion. She is also deeply committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, diversity, and excellence across her teams and stakeholders.
Tamás joined Loxon in 2001 following a successful career in banking and macroeconomic modelling. Drawing on his broad experience, he was entrusted with establishing the company’s business consulting team and leading numerous projects aimed at enhancing the IT support of lending and risk management processes at various financial institutions. These efforts included managing the implementation of the Loxon Collateral Management, Rating/Scoring, Retail and Corporate Lending systems, as well as Basel II preparation projects across the EMEA region. His contributions played a pivotal role in positioning Loxon as one of the market leaders in lending, collections, and risk management business solutions. Today, the company’s systems and implementation services are used by clients in more than 25 countries. Tamás currently serves as the Managing Partner (CEO) of Loxon.
Max Denega is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Chain, a quantum-secure blockchain infrastructure with AI-automated compliance for financial services. With a background spanning the British military, investment banking and blockchain, he is leading the creation and growth of the Quantum-Resistant Financial System (QRFS) — a new era of secure and compliant finance.
Raine Renaldi is a distinguished investor and digital economy leader with over 16 years of experience across finance, investment, and technology. As Chief of the Fintech, Economy, & Digital Asset Committee at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (KADIN), he has been instrumental in shaping Indonesia’s blockchain and crypto regulations since 2014—helping the nation rise to the top 3 in global crypto adoption, with Bali emerging as a major hub.
Raine is also a prominent voice in the tokenization movement, advocating the integration of real-world assets into blockchain systems to drive transparency, access, and innovation.
He serves as President of the Indonesian Bankers Club, leading over 44,000 members including top-level executives, and heads ID Opentech Group, a regional venture builder with 16 portfolio companies across Asia. As a senior mentor in one of Asia’s largest startup incubators, he supports more than 1,400 early-stage ventures.
Recognized as a “Digital Transformation Leader” award winner and dubbed the “CEO Nyentrik” (Unique CEO) by media, Raine is also a globally respected public speaker, known for his bold vision and leadership in creating secure, inclusive, and forward-looking digital ecosystems
Erdina Oudang is the Founder and Managing Partner of Solvchain Consulting, a boutique strategy firm specialising in emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI. She brings a value-creating perspective to the awareness, adoption, and transformation of emerging technologies in Indonesia, while ensuring regulatory alignment and promoting compliant best practices across diverse industries.
Erdina has an extensive network and experience working with the private sector, public sector, and government. She is an expert in crisis management, compliance alignment, and the legal-regulatory landscape of blockchain and crypto.
Her professional background is rooted in the financial sector. She worked in Singapore in Wealth Management with Standard Bank of South Africa and Barclays Bank, managing portfolios of ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients. Upon returning to Indonesia, she entered the crypto and blockchain industry during its nascent stage, leading policy and government relations for Zipmex Indonesia, a regional blockchain technology company.
Tee Teddy Setiawan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Infinite3, with over 22 years of solid experience spanning retail and digital banking, financing, electronic payments, and the card business. His expertise cuts across technology, operations, strategy, risk management, and user experience design.
A fintech pioneer, Teddy founded Cashlez in 2015—Indonesia’s first Square-inspired payment platform—backed by Mandiri Capital and Sumitomo Corporation. Under his leadership, Cashlez went public in May 2020 [CASH.JK] and achieved a successful exit in 2023. He later served as Managing Director of MNC Bank’s digital arm, MotionBanking, after passing OJK’s Fit and Proper test in 2021.
Known for his strategic mindset and data-driven leadership, Teddy is passionate about emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI in trading, and EV ecosystems, and actively advises on pre-IPO ventures across Southeast Asia.
Mr Chia is a highly seasoned banker with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is a Banking Consultant / Advisor since April 2016 on Strategy, Customer Segmentation, Risk Management, Wealth Management, SME Banking, Product Pricing, Governance, Distribution Network Optimisation, Organisation Restructuring / Transformation and Cost Re-Engineering, Training and Incentive Plans, Financial Planning / Budgeting / Forecasting and Digital Banking.
Most recently, Mr Chia was Banking Advisor / CEO Designate to a Consortium Group applying for Digital Bank licence in Singapore from February 2020 to December 2020.
Over the course of his career, Mr Chia has been with Fullerton Financial Holdings (FFH), during which he was Head of SME and Commercial Banking, overseeing portfolios across emerging markets including Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, and China.
Before joining FFH, Mr Chia served 23 years in Standard Chartered Bank. His last position held was Country Head, Consumer and SME Banking, China. Prior to China, he was the Regional Head, Consumer and SME Banking ASEAN.
Paul Lalovich is an industrial economist, tech entrepreneur, and Partner at Agile Dynamics. With a background in business transformation and organizational strategy, he has led projects for Aramco, ENEC, Mercer, and Oliver Wyman. Paul co-authored From Cubicle to Tribe and is pursuing a PhD focused on blockchain and business innovation. He leads Web3 initiatives like NextGen Chain and SyntheticEquity.io, positioning Agile Dynamics at the forefront of digital and organizational transformation.
Alvin is Head of Enterprise AI (Innovation Group) at UOB, leading the Bank’s AI center of excellence in responsibly developing AI solutions for critical business challenges. He drives the strategic adoption of Generative and Agentic AI, builds enterprise knowledge, fosters talent development, and oversees the enterprise data science platform, advancing innovation, operational excellence, and AI governance. His impact was recognized on H2O.ai’s 2025 AI 100 list of global AI leaders and innovators.
Previously, Alvin held leadership roles across UOB in Investment Management, Finance, Corporate Banking, and Data Management, managing hedge fund investments, financial strategy, balance sheet optimization, and serving as Head of Business Management in Group Corporate Banking.
A Monetary Authority of Singapore scholar, Alvin began his career as an economist at MAS, focusing on macroeconomic surveillance and financial stability, and later served as a diplomat and Adviser to the Executive Director at the IMF representing the Southeast Asia Voting Group. He also worked at Standard Chartered Bank as a Management Associate focusing on private equity valuation
David R. Hardoon, PhD is the Global Head of AI at Standard Chartered Bank, with over 23 years of experience in Data and Artificial Intelligence across senior management, research, government, academia, and advisory roles. He leads the bank’s global data and AI strategy, driving innovation and responsible AI adoption across its operations.
Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Dr. Hardoon was the first Chief Data Officer and Special Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), where he developed national AI strategies, advanced ethical AI principles, and promoted cross-border data initiatives. He has also served as Senior Advisor for Data and AI to the Aboitiz Group in the Philippines and as an external advisor to Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and Central Provident Fund Board (CPF). Dr. Hardoon holds a PhD in Computer Science (Machine Learning) from the University of Southampton and a First-Class Honours BSc in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from Royal Holloway, University of London.
Steven Beck is the Director of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Trade and Supply Chain Division. He built ADB’s trade and supply chain finance programs, which now support about 20,000 transactions annually worth over US $5 billion. Steven created the ICC–ADB Trade Finance Register, influencing global regulations and unlocking major financing capacity. He also launched ADB’s Trade Finance Gaps, Growth and Jobs study, the industry benchmark for measuring global trade finance gaps. During COVID-19, he led critical support for food, agriculture, medicines, and vaccine distribution. Steven also drives global trade digitalization through the Digital Standards Initiative and promotes sustainable, inclusive supply chains.
Rebekah Wong is Head of ASEAN Payments at J.P. Morgan, Singapore, responsible for driving strategy, product development, and innovative solutions across Treasury Services, Trade & Working Capital, and Merchant Services. In her role, she works closely with corporates and financial institutions to address their unique needs and foster business growth. Since joining J.P. Morgan’s Payments Product team in 2013, Rebekah has spearheaded initiatives in real-time payments, blockchain pilots, and AI-driven product enhancements. Prior to her current role, she held leadership positions in Business Management, where her strategic and operational insights contributed significantly to organizational growth.
A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Rebekah mentors emerging talent and actively supports initiatives that advance women in the workplace. She was also part of the founding team for J.P. Morgan Kinexys’ first blockchain pilot on Partior.
Randall E. Duran is a senior lecturer at Singapore Management University and holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). He was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Catena Technologies, a Singapore-based Fintech company that he founded, which was acquired by IHS Markit. Prior to that, Randall was one of the early employees at TIBCO. Besides having started and grown Fintech companies, Randall has also served as the Chief Information Officer of a US-based bank. Over three decades, he has worked with a wide range of financial institutions in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa, including retail banks, investment banks, and stock exchanges. Randall is the author of the textbook “Financial Services Technology: Processes, Architecture, and Solutions” and co-author of “Regulation of Fintech in Asia-Pacific”
Prof. Tek Yew Chia is a distinguished thought leader in financial services and digital innovation, with over 30 years of experience shaping strategy, technology, and regulation across Asia and the Middle East. He is currently an adjunct professor and Advisor at the National University of Singapore’s Asian Institute of Digital Finance, which was founded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the National Research Foundation, and NUS, where he contributes to advancing education, research, and innovation in digital finance.
Previously, Prof. Chia was Vice Chairman of Oliver Wyman Singapore, leading the firm’s Asia–Pacific insurance practice. His earlier career includes senior roles at KPMG, PwC Consulting, and Hewlett-Packard, spanning strategic transformation, risk management, and technology enablement.
Aside from his role in NUS-AIDF, he is also currently a senior advisor with the Boston Consulting Group as well as serving as an advisor to the Global FinTech Network (GFTN) and the ASEAN Bankers Association.
Fabian Khoshbakht is the Head of Global Payments & Trade, Asia Pacific at BNY. Client insight, innovation and business analytics are central to driving the BNY growth agenda across Global Payments & Trade. Fabian leads the sales, strategy, governance, for Global Payments & Trade for BNY across APAC to continue the aspirational growth agenda for BNY. He also drives the strategy and agenda for Global Payments & Trade emerging digital technologies and Fintech partnerships, consulting with clients helping them to keep pace with industry change and developing a deep set of analytics to support these efforts. In addition, strengthening our core services such as payments, liquidity and trade finance to enable client growth and engagement is critical for the business.
Fabian has over 25 years of experience in treasury services. Most recently, Fabian was the CFO and Treasurer for Caruso Real Estate. Prior to that Fabian started his career at ANZ in Australia before joining J.P. Morgan in Singapore and moving to the US where he has held roles in product, sales, and consulting.
Patrick McHenry is a leading authority on banking regulation, financial markets and technology-driven innovation. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 2005 to 2025, including as Chair of the House Financial Services Committee (2023–2025), where he oversaw the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury, Securities and Exchange Commission and other key financial regulators.
Widely recognised for his pragmatic and bipartisan approach, McHenry played a central role in shaping policy responses to market disruption, financial instability and technological change. He was a principal architect of landmark legislation, including the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act and the Clarity for Payment Stablecoins Act, aimed at providing regulatory clarity for digital assets, payments and blockchain-based financial systems while safeguarding market integrity.
During a critical period of political transition in 2023, McHenry served as Speaker Pro Tempore of the U.S. House of Representatives, reinforcing his reputation as a steady leader during times of uncertainty. His work has consistently focused on modernising financial regulation to keep pace with innovation in areas such as digital assets, payments infrastructure, data and emerging financial technologies.
Today, McHenry is a sought-after global voice on the future of banking and regulation, advising financial institutions and policymakers on how to balance innovation, resilience and trust in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled financial system. His keynote at The Asian Banker Summit 2026 will offer APAC leaders invaluable insights from the policymaker who helped shape the global digital finance playbook.
As a distinguished member of the House of Lords, Lord Chris Holmes is a leading advocate for the transformative potential of technology, particularly in financial sectors like fintech and trade. His legislative work, focused on the regulation of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, makes him a key figure in shaping the future of digital finance and tech-based economic growth. Holmes has been instrumental in the passage of significant legislation, such as the Electronic Trade Documents Bill, showcasing his expertise in legal and regulatory frameworks that impact the financial sector.
Holmes' insights extend to financial inclusion, where he's been recognized for his efforts to ensure equitable access to financial services. His amendments to the Financial Services Act 2021, advocating for issues like cashback without purchase, highlight his commitment to practical financial solutions. This, combined with his role in advising fintech companies, positions him uniquely to address the evolving landscape of financial services.
In Parliament, Holmes has co-authored reports on crucial subjects like Democracy and Digital Technologies, and Artificial Intelligence, indicating his depth of understanding in how technology intersects with governance and societal structures. His involvement in the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee further reinforces his proficiency in navigating the complex interplay between technology, policy, and social impact.
Congressman Barney Frank is the former chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee between the turbulent global financial crisis years of 2007–2011. As one of the sponsors of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, also known as the Dodd-Frank legislation, his efforts at closing the gaps in financial oversight such as creating a financial stability council, finding ways to liquidate systemically important firms, and strengthening the financial system against further shocks, were crucial for the recovery of the US financial services industry. Congressman Frank is also credited with many grassroot initiatives, including creating a low-income housing tax credit in the 1980s. He is widely respected by chairmen and CEOs of banks in the US, regulators, and fellow lawmakers.
Sir Howard Davies is the chairman of NatWest Group, one of the largest players in the UK financial services industry. He was instrumental in restoring the bank to profitability, strengthening its capital position, and introducing new products and services.
Prior to this, he was the founding chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA). During his time at the FSA from 1997 to 2003, Davies led initiatives aimed at enhancing financial stability, consumer protection, and promoting a well-regulated financial sector in the UK.
Davies has been a member of the International Advisory Council of the China Banking Regulatory Commission since 2003 and chairman of the International Advisory Council of the China Securities Regulatory Commission since 2012. He chairs the Risk Committee at Prudential and serves as a member of the Regulatory and Compliance Advisory Board of Millennium Management, a hedge fund based in New York with more than $50 billion in assets under management.
At The Asian Banker Future of Finance Summit, Davies will share his insights on the future of finance in a digital world, the impact of geopolitical conflict and deglobalisation, as well as the threat posed by climate change to global economic growth and the world order.
Balaji Rajagopalan is the Chief Technology Officer of State Bank of India, where he is responsible for shaping the technology direction of one of the world’s largest and most complex banking institutions. An IT veteran with deep global experience, he has spent his career working closely with banks to ensure technology genuinely supports business priorities at scale.
Before joining SBI, Balaji led the Bank Technology Group at ICICI Bank, overseeing technology for treasury, capital markets, corporate functions, and intelligent automation. Earlier, he held senior roles at Intellect Design Arena and Infosys, working across product development and large transformation programmes for global financial institutions.
Balaji is known for his practical approach to IT strategy, core banking modernisation, digital transformation, and AI adoption, with a strong focus on governance and risk. He regularly works with senior leadership and boards, helping organisations make thoughtful technology decisions while building resilient, future-ready banking platforms.
Jackson Oh is the Chief Technology Officer at ANEXT Bank, where he leads the bank’s technology strategy, architecture, and engineering execution as ANEXT scales its digital banking platform for local SMEs and foreign business owners in Singapore. With close to two decades of experience across banking, fintech, and enterprise technology, Jackson brings a rare blend of deep financial services expertise and hands-on product and platform leadership. Prior to ANEXT Bank, he served as Chief Product Officer at Tribe Fintech and held senior technology and product leadership roles at 360F, SunGard (now part of FIS), AirWatch by VMware, Samsung Electronics, and Bank of America.
Jackson has led large-scale, cloud-native platforms across corporate banking, payments, capital markets, and SaaS environments. He is passionate about building resilient, scalable financial infrastructure, and enabling innovation while meeting the realities of regulatory and operational complexity.
Dr. Wong Huei Ching is the Executive Director of Digital Strategy and Innovation at the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). She currently oversees the development and innovation for digital markets, technology supervision as well as the SC’s technology capabilities.
Huei Ching joined the SC in 2017 and has been involved in strategic planning and market development, focusing on alternative fundraising, market vibrancy and industry digitalisation. She was instrumental in the development of the SC’s Capital Market Masterplan (2021-2025) and represented the SC as a board member of the Labuan Financial Services Authority (2020 to 2023).
Prior to joining the Commission, she was with a global management consulting firm and one of Malaysia’s largest banks. She has over 17 years of experience, largely in financial services.
Biswanath Banik is a seasoned data and analytics leader with 17 years of experience driving data-led and digital transformation across the BFSI sector. He operates at the intersection of data, strategy, product, and customer experience, with a strong focus on delivering sustainable and measurable business impact. Over the course of his career, he has shaped and executed large-scale data transformations for leading global organisations across APAC and the United States.
He currently serves as Chief Data Officer at Tonik Bank, the Philippines’ first digital bank, where he is leading the development of an AI-first strategy for the country’s digital finance ecosystem. Prior to this, he was Director of Data at Kredivo Group, a Southeast Asia–based fintech offering BNPL and retail lending solutions across Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. In this role, he led global teams of data scientists, MLOps engineers, and data product managers, delivering material business outcomes through data and advanced analytics.
Earlier in his career, Biswanath worked as a management consultant with Oliver Wyman in Singapore and PwC in the United States, leading large-scale data analytics engagements across financial services, health insurance, and retail. He is known for his ability to engage effectively with stakeholders from C-suite leaders to analysts, translating complex ideas into clear, actionable insights. He has been recognised as a Global Data Analytics Leader by Analytics India Magazine and actively contributes to the community through mentoring, writing, and speaking engagements.
Alan is the Head of the Financial Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence Office at the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He oversees strategies to advance the financial sector’s AI capabilities and equip professionals to adopt the technology with confidence. He leads the AI Pathfinder programme to accelerate peer learning across financial institutions and shorten the go-to-market cycle for innovative solutions. He also drives the development of practical, industry-wide approaches for AI governance, promoting responsible and trusted AI use across the sector.
Concurrently, Alan leads initiatives to strengthen Singapore’s financial infrastructure, including Project Guardian, which leverages asset tokenisation to unlock market efficiencies while ensuring strong risk controls. His work focuses on extending financial infrastructures to support 24/7 transaction settlement, deepening market liquidity, and enhancing cross-border connectivity with major financial centres.
Previously, he held various leadership roles in the private sector, including managing consulting and development teams across Asia Pacific. He was among the first members of IBM’s blockchain lab and garage practice, and is a co-author of patents in distributed systems.
Dr. Arup Raha is a senior economist with extensive experience across global financial institutions, multilateral organisations, and policy advisory roles. Most recently, he was Chief Economist for Asia-Pacific at Oxford Economics, where he led regional research and shaped the firm’s economic outlook for Asia, advising institutional investors, corporates, and governments on macroeconomic trends, financial flows, and policy risk.
Previously, Arup served as Chief Economist for Asia-Pacific at Citi, UBS, and HSBC, providing strategic insights on growth, monetary policy, capital flows, and geopolitical developments. Earlier in his career, he worked as an economist at the World Bank in Washington, DC, and began his professional journey in academia as an Assistant Professor of Economics in the United States.
He has recently returned to academia and is currently a Faculty member at the Indian School of Business (ISB) in India, where he teaches and contributes to executive education programmes.
Alan Ang is a blockchain and AI advisor with over 20 years of experience across operations, marketing, sales, and strategic partnerships. He works with enterprises, startups, and institutions on business strategy, go-to-market execution, and the practical adoption of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital assets.
He has hands-on experience with applied AI systems and data-driven platforms, including AI-enabled decisioning, analytics, and automation use cases. His work spans the design and application of intelligent systems within enterprise environments, digital platforms, and compliance-sensitive workflows, where accuracy, explainability, and operational reliability are critical.
Alan is known for helping organisations bridge Web2, AI, and Web3 by translating complex technologies into deployable, business-ready solutions. His advisory approach focuses on reducing friction, managing risk, and ensuring that advanced technologies can be adopted pragmatically without unnecessary technical or operational overhead.
Specialising in AI strategy, blockchain architecture, digital asset and NFT use cases, and ecosystem partnerships, Alan supports organisations in navigating the evolving digital landscape, building sustainable growth models, and deploying future-ready technology strategies.
Dr. Norhana Endut is the Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, overseeing the Economics, Monetary Policy, Data Management & Statistics, and International Departments. In this role, she plays a central part in shaping Malaysia’s monetary policy, macroeconomic analysis, and international financial engagement.
Prior to her appointment, Dr. Norhana held senior roles within the Economics and Monetary Policy Departments of Bank Negara Malaysia, contributing extensively to policy formulation and economic research. She holds a PhD in Economics and has published work on monetary policy transmission, bringing deep analytical and policy expertise to the central banking community.
Alicia García Herrero is the Chief Economist for APAC at Natixis, where she leads macroeconomic analysis across the region. She is also a Senior Fellow at Bruegel, a leading European economic think tank, and a Non-Resident Research Fellow at the East Asia Institute, National University of Singapore. In addition, Alicia serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). She is a member of the Advisory Committee for Economic Affairs of the Spanish Government and an advisor to the Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research (HKIMR).
Previously, Alicia held senior roles across global financial and policy institutions, including Chief Economist for Emerging Markets at BBVA, Head of the International Economy Division at the Bank of Spain, Member of the Council to the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, Head of Emerging Economies Research at Banco Santander, and Economist at the International Monetary Fund. She has also worked with the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) under its Asian Research Program.
William “Bill” Streitberg is the Chief Information and Technology Officer at Hong Leong Bank (HLB). He is a seasoned and innovative IT executive with over 20 years under his belt, specializing in information technology management, projects, operations, strategy and architecture. In his current role, he provides leadership for continual operational improvements, digital innovations as well as the development and execution of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment for HLB.
Prior to joining Hong Leong Bank, Bill spent 18 years in information technology roles in companies including IBM and CIMB Bank.
Julia Goh joined UOB Malaysia in 2015 with 12 years of research experience working in the stockbroking industry. In her current role, she is responsible for the UOB Global Economics and Markets Research team’s coverage of Malaysia and is frequently quoted in the local and foreign media on the country’s economic trends and developments and currency.
Prior to joining UOB Malaysia, Julia covered Malaysia and regional economies at an ASEAN investment bank and contributed to the research team being ranked among the top three in country research on Malaysia at the Asiamoney Brokers Poll for seven consecutive years. She also previously worked in the consultancy sector.
Sharon Toh is Head of ASEAN for Swift in Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. She leads the ASEAN relationship management team, supporting existing customers and expanding ASEAN businesses in this fast-growing region. With more than 22 years’ experience in financial services industry, Sharon has developed deep client relationships across the ASEAN region, with strong connections with banks, corporates, regulators and market infrastructures. Prior to joining Swift, Sharon was Sales Director, Indochina at Thomson Reuters, overseeing Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. Previously, she was Regional Head of ASEAN for the Client Specialist team, responsible for the region’s sales, marketing and client training. In addition to her successful sales career, Sharon has worked in various roles across content acquisition, marketing and client support at leading financial information providers, including Telerate (later acquired by Thomson Reuters) and Bridge Information Systems.
Nathalie Louat is IFC’s Global Director of Trade & Supply Chain Finance, leading programs that address the trade finance gap in emerging markets, with a focus on SMEs, women-owned businesses, and climate-smart transactions. She oversees initiatives that expand access to trade finance and strengthen supply chain resilience globally.
Previously, Nathalie held senior leadership roles at IFC, including Global Senior Manager for Innovation, Capital Markets, Insurance, and Distressed Assets, as well as Senior Manager for East Asia and the Pacific Portfolio Operations. She also worked in IFC Treasury’s Structured Finance Department. Before joining IFC, she was with Credit Lyonnais Investment Banking and the French Ministry of Finance.
A strong advocate for gender inclusion, Nathalie founded the Women in Trade Network in 2024 and has been recognised with the World Bank Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award.
Raad Khraishi, PhD, is Head of AI R&D for the central AI team at NatWest Group, where he leads the development of generative AI and advanced machine learning products and solutions across the bank. His work spans areas including financial crime, credit risk, marketing, pricing, and customer relationship management, with a focus on delivering robust, responsible, and commercially impactful capabilities. Raad is also an Industrial Professor at University College London’s Institute of Finance & Technology, where he teaches a short course on generative AI for banking and finance. His research interests include generative AI, LLM behaviour and evaluation, deep learning, reinforcement learning, and responsible AI.
David is a seasoned technology executive with significant experience and has over 25 years’ experience in CIO and CISO roles across different industries and countries. David has served as a CIO spans across multiple industries and geographies including – Metlife, Eli Lilly and Credit Union Australia. He was winner Australia CIO of the Year for driving CUA’s Transformation. Also, David was CISO for HSBC and Global Head Technology, Cyber and Data Risk Macquarie Group.
He is Board Advisor at Bain Advisory and Ambassador CI –ISAC Australia Critical Infrastructure. David also serves as Advisory Director to JS Careers and Emertel. David is past Chairman for the FS-ISAC Strategy Committee and awarded Global Leaders Award in 2023 for his industry contributions.
A regular conference keynote speaker and thought leader he writes for CIO, CSO, Computerworld and Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). His best-selling book - the Aspiring CIO & CISO was published in June 2024 and his second book A Day in the Life of a CISO launched in October 2025 and is already best seller in UK, Singapore, Japan and Australia.
With over 30 years of experience, Simon is a seasoned leader who has played a pivotal role in shaping the banking industry’s data transformation journey over the past two decades. He is widely recognized for his expertise in business strategy, data monetization, digital transformation, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data governance, as well as customer-centric marketing and CRM.
Simon combines strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills with solid communication and commercial acumen. He has a proven ability to translate complex business challenges into data-driven strategies, delivering measurable results across organizations. A respected and results-oriented leader, he works effectively with senior executives and cross-functional teams, consistently driving high performance and execution excellence.
His career spans global multinationals including Citi, IBM, and SAP, with experience across front- and middle-office roles. Simon has led initiatives in B2B and B2C marketing, business development, and P&L management across multiple industries. He has also spearheaded hubbing strategies and the centralization of capabilities through Centers of Excellence.
A visionary and entrepreneurial leader, Simon is known for his innovative thinking, change leadership, and coaching mindset. A multi-year Citi Global Progress Innovation finalist, he is regarded as an approachable mentor and creative problem solver.
Prof. Andy Chun is a renowned AI visionary with over 30 years of experience leading technological innovation across industries. Widely regarded as the “grandfather of AI” in Hong Kong, he pioneered some of the city’s earliest large-scale AI deployments, including Hong Kong’s first commercial AI system at Kai Tak Airport in the 1990s to optimise operational capacity. He also created the world’s first Java constraint programming engine, now part of IBM’s Decision Optimization suite, and developed AI systems adopted by MTR in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as by multiple government departments. His work focuses on practical AI applications that enhance operational efficiency, decision-making and public service delivery.
A strong advocate of responsible AI, Prof. Chun emphasises ethics, governance and trust in real-world AI deployment. He is currently Professor of Practice at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Department of Computing, concentrating on digital innovation and emerging technologies. Previously, he served as Regional Director of Technology Innovation at Prudential plc, where he championed AI adoption and strengthened digital ecosystem strategies to support customer health and wealth initiatives.
Earlier in his career, he was Associate Professor and CIO at City University of Hong Kong, leading major technology transformation initiatives. He founded the Hong Kong Computer Society’s AI Specialist Group and served as its first Convenor, and continues to advise HKSAR Government committees. He has been recognised as a Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leader, Hong Kong CIO of the Year, and one of the Top 5 CIOs in Greater China.
