KUCHING: The inaugural Sarawak International Business Exhibition and Conference (SIBEC) 2018 promises a packed program at BCCK on October 12-13 2018 that will allow Sarawak businesses to connect with government agencies, international players, research institutions and experts in the field of digital technology.
The event will appeal to a broad range of businesspeople, from entrepreneurs and start-ups to established operators, giving them the benefit of an unparalleled networking opportunity, where they can meet with key industry players either as exhibitors or participants, and to listen to first-rate speakers on a range of topics guaranteed to inspire and prepare them for the next steps in digital transformation. The event has already confirmed a line-up of 18 speakers, drawn from government agencies, from business advisory and consultancy services and from private enterprise, all underpinning the first year’s theme of “Digital Technology Drives Business.”
Vittorio Furlan will represent Ernst & Young to discuss the role of artificial intelligence in industry 4.0. Vittorio is a highly experienced Advisory Director, Data & Analytics Consultant, and Program Manager, with nearly 20 years of digital & analytics experience with companies across Malaysia, Europe, UK, the Middle East and Oceania, ranging from a leading Malaysia Telecommunications operator to the Australian National Broadband network.
He is passionate about improving organisations through digital & analytics to help them become insight-driven. Dedicated to creating a better working world, Vittorio was involved in developing the first data monetisation organisations in the region, and he champions agile and design thinking as a way of working. Gilles Waeldin will share the French experience of Industry 4.0 applied through the lens of his long experience based in Malaysia. As Asia-Pacific Director for CETIM, Gilles provides companies in a range of technical and mechanical industries across the region with both equipment and expertise to improve competitiveness and establish a relationship between scientific research and industry.
Based in Kuala Lumpur, he has served the Malaysian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry for over a decade, currently as President, allowing him to share best practice, support members and discuss ideas with major regional CEOs and government officials.
Dr Ng Lean Teik a leader in his field of research focusing on the bio-functions of plants and fungal secondary metabolites, will share on his experience in smart agriculture in the context of small farm operations in Taiwan. Currently a professor in the Department of Agricultural Chemistry at the National Taiwan University, Prof Ng has published over 108 papers in peer-reviewed international journals. His work employs a multi-disciplinary approach to improve agricultural production, extending from chemistry to implementation of precision farming techniques in the rice industry in Taiwan.
With his SIBEC session titled Digital Transformation: A Possibility for Everyone, Praveen Rajan brings more than 15 years experience in the internet and mobile industries, joining Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd in 2007 and most recently being appointed as Chief Digital Officer on 1 June 2016. In his time at Digi, he has served as Head of Advanced Data Services, Head of Products – Internet & Services, and Head of Postpaid & Digital Services.
This comes after 4 years as Chief Technology Officer for the social networking start-up LifeLogger, which he co-founded. Hugh is an entrepreneur with 30 years success leading ventures and building innovation communities around start-ups and corporations. AS CEO of JFDI. Asia, the first business accelerator in SE Asia, he has co-founded, mentored or invested in more than 70 start-up companies and supported thousands more through outreach programs.
An exciting and motivational speaker, he is an Adjunct Associate Professor at National University of Singapore and also an author. The second book that Hugh co-edited, Facing Down Failure, captures eight Singapore start-up stories. An exciting and motivational speaker, Hugh will share his experience on pitching for angel financing, invaluable for budding Sarawak entrepreneurs. Yusno Yunos is bringing his experience as an innovator in software and online service provision to advise delegates on how to bring their business online.
His company, Y Us, was listed as one of Malaysia’s Top 10 most innovative ICT companies in 2014 by creating a comprehensive event ecosystem that involves event planners, participants and suppliers through Evenesis (www.evenesis.com), a complete cloud-based end-to-end event management system and Venueville (www.venue-ville.com), the ideal venue deal maker.
The company continues to win accolades for innovation in software and Evenesis itself has won multiple awards, including being nominated to the list of Asia’s Top 50 Apps. Harnek Singh is set to present his talk on Productivity and Technology at SIBEC 2018. As President of the Asian Productivity Quality Organisation, he is involved in raising standards across the region as an Assessor, a member of various Technical Committees and Chair of the Global Performance Excellence Awards.
After retiring from multi award winning ST Engineering Ltd in October 2016, where he was responsible for sustaining the relevancy of Business Excellence and various Management System Standards, Harnek has become a Singapore Business Excellence Initiative Lead Assessor, Chair of the National Quality & Core Processes Technical Committee and a member of Quality Systems Standards Committee and Singapore Standard’s Council. He also chairs both the Nanyang Institute of Management’s Academic and Examinations Boards.
Xavier Eric Manalastas has established himself as a leader in the field of Business Process Outsourcing in the Philippines through his role as President/CEO of Next BPO Solutions Inc, a customised outsourcing service provider.
Starting back in 1995 when he pioneered internet services in General Santos city, Eric is able to put his long experience in the field of information and communications technology to use in this emerging industry, winning multiple awards in Excellence and Leadership in Outsourcing along the way. His talk entitled Strengthening Sarawak’s IT Business Process Management Industry will be an enlightening one for many in the industry.
Foo Kok Hee is the Assistant General Manager for UnionPay International, one of the world’s largest payment service providers. With more than 20 years experience in the industry, he is currently responsible for regional innovative products, business development, operations and technical support and also manages strategic projects in the region, such as domestic payment switch and chip card technology licensing. He will speaking on Digital Payment Transformation at SIBEC 2018.
One of the aims of SIBEC 2018 is to forge links between different businesses, from Sarawak to an international stage, from industry players to digital service providers, from entrepreneurs to potential investors. Both the speakers and delegates will be bringing international experience to the Sarawak context, coming from countries like China, the Philippines, France, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and, of course, Malaysia.
At the end of each day of the conference, all the speakers will come together for an exciting panel session designed to combine their expertise with the high-level audience to create a workable way forward for Sarawak in its move towards Industrial Revolution 4.0.
SIBEC 2018 is an unmissable opportunity for all players in the Sarawak economy and represents a chance to bring Sarawak businesses into the future. This is a public/private partnership but unique in its ability to focus on the needs of industry, organised by the Sarawak Business Federation with the support of the state government. For registration and more information, click on www.sibec2018.org. Contact Joel at 082-237148, Carshena at 082-555189 or email admin@sbf.org.my or carshena@placeborneo.com for further enquiries. This event is managed by Place Borneo Sdn Bhd.
