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Secretary General
YBhg. Mr. Fabian Bigar was appointed as Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital on 24 June 2024. In this pivotal role, YBhg. Tuan Fabian Bigar is responsible for steering the formulation and the execution of Malaysia’s digital strategies and initiatives, overseeing the national digital transformation endeavours and liaising with a diverse array of stakeholders to propel the enhancement of the government’s digital offerings and infrastructure.
Prior to this appointment, YBhg. Mr. Fabian Bigar served as Chief Executive Officer of MyDIGITAL Corporation [previously known as Strategic Change Management Office (SCMO)], Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department effective 19 April 2021. In this role, his mandate is to drive change management, ensure the successful delivery of the National Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy (N4IRP) and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MDEB). Under the leadership of YBhg. Mr Fabian Bigar, MyDigital Corporation has served as the main secretariat of the National Digital Economy and 4IR Council (MED4IRN). Additionally, he headed the Malaysia Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (MYCentre4IR), a collaborative initiative between the Malaysian government and the World Economic Forum.
YBhg. Mr. Fabian Bigar’s career includes notable positions such as Undersecretary for Policy and International Relations at the Ministry of Health, Director of the Civil Service Delivery Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department, and Director of the National Key Economic Area (Healthcare), as well as the Director for National Key Results Area (Low Income Households) in the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) under the Prime Minister’s Department. During his tenure at PEMANDU, he was also temporarily assigned to the Presidential Delivery Bureau in the Republic of Tanzania from August to December 2014.
YBhg. Mr. Fabian Bigar holds a Bachelor of Science from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA and a Master’s in Public Policy from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo.
Hailing from Kuching, Sarawak, he completed his early education at St Joseph’s School, Kuching, and Kolej Tun Datu Tuanku Hj. Bujang, Miri.
Secretary General
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Corporate Innovation Coach, Ekipa Consultancy
Jakkris specializes in the Innovation Processes across the combined landscape of Business and Technology. He is experienced in working with multinational and local corporations including ExxonMobil, Roche, and Pruksa Holdings as well as StartUps through collaborations across multiple roles through innovation, including hackathons as the organizer, mentor, judge, and advisor. He was also successful in creating and leading an internal “corporate startup team”, combining multiple innovation and agile frameworks, creating a new culture and mindset needed for the team to succeed.
With more than 15 years of corporate career, including Lead Innovation Practitioner at ExxonMobil, Roche, Pruksa Holdings and Bangkok Glass, he also held leadership positions at Wind Training, a health-tech startup based in Bangkok.
He is currently a Corporate Innovation Coach with Ekipa Consultancy. Given his very diverse experience across multiple industries, as well as significant time living in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore, and the United States, he is a strong advocate for inclusive innovation where every role, culture, thoughts, and ideas matter.
He has also been actively engaged as a mentor within Rise Corporate Innovation Powerhouse, offering his expertise to support their Rise University program, which principally encompasses internal corporate hackathons and extensive capability-building initiatives over the course of several weeks or months.
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Founder, Innobrix
With over 25 years of experience driving innovation and building innovation organisations with firms like Procter & Gamble, Cisco and Avery Dennison, Martin comes with world leading hands-on knowledge and experience turning innovation concepts and ideas into real business outcomes. Martin is also an experienced entrepreneur.
In 2012, he began his own innovation practice, working closely with firms like Cisco, TE Connectivity, Unilever and others. Contracted with Cisco Services as their Senior Innovation Architect, Martin developed and deployed a ground-breaking innovation program which was awarded the HBR/McKinsey M-Prize for “Innovating Innovation”, dramatically changing the way Cisco’s Services businesses create, manage and implement their innovative ideas. Martin plays many roles in the innovation ecosystem in Asia, and is currently the Director of Innovation at Hult International Business School in Shanghai and the Senior Principle for IXL-Center in Asia Pacific.
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Chief Executive Officer, Mekong Partners
Mickaël Driol is the Chief Executive Officer of Mekong Partners and Co-Chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce’s Sourcing Committee. He is a cross-border investment and industrial strategy advisor with 17 years of leadership experience across China, Europe, Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
His work focuses on FDI, industrial expansion, innovation ecosystems, supply-chain transformation and EU-ASEAN business cooperation. Through Mekong Partners, he advises Fortune 500 companies, international investors, manufacturers and policy stakeholders, while his engagement with government institutions and international media helps support Vietnam’s domestic business capabilities, industrial competitiveness and global economic integration.
Mickaël previously held senior leadership roles at Big Four firms EY and PwC, Tencent and Tricor Group. He founded and successfully exited two technology ventures in China. He holds three specialized MBAs with Honors and completed postgraduate training in Technical Innovation at MIT.
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Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) cum Chief Financial Officer (CFO), National Citizen Commercial Joint Stock Bank (NCB)
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thuy holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from Paris Dauphine University and is qualified by both ACCA and CPA Australia. With more than 22 years of banking and finance experience, she has served as Managing Director at Holborn Capital Partners; Chief Financial Officer at OCB, Hong Leong Bank and Deutsche Bank Vietnam; Deputy Director at HSBC Vietnam; and Senior Audit Manager at Ernst & Young Vietnam. Her expertise includes capital raising, investment, tax management, business transformation, audit and control.
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Director & Global Chief Commercial and Technology Officer
Steven Yates is an executive director, AI strategist, and author of Coming of Age: Shared Intelligence. Steven has over 25 years' experience and helps business leaders understand the future of artificial intelligence. He has a very practical approach and has advised boards and executives across industries worldwide and teaches AI, data, and cybersecurity. He is Passionate about technology, adventure, and lifelong learning.
Steven is currently the Chief Commercial Officer (formally Chief Technology Officer) for a leading boutique digital transformation firm headquartered in Singapore, and offices in Hong Kong, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Dubai.
Steven is also an established board level facilitator and thought leader with partnerships and publications with the likes of Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM), Singapore Institute of Directors (SID), Asia Tech Singapore, South African Chamber of Commerce, Della Leaders Club and many others. Steven has conducted various AI, Data, Cybersecurity & Technology Risk programmes for companies from different industries. He has received positive feedback on his engagement and delivery style and most importantly, his ability to address participants’ concerns from a board director’s and C-Suite leadership lens.
Steven has held executive leadership delivery and coaching positions, and helped grow businesses across Africa, the UK, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
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CEO
Bobby is acknowledged as one of Top 20 Global Leaders for “Future of Work” and “Business Strategy” by Thinkers 360; one of the Top 25 “Globalization Powerhouse Leaders” by Globalization Today; and one of Top 50 Global Leaders for “Digital Disruption” by Thinkers 360.
He is the Founder of Regenerative Futures (formerly Matryzel Consulting), an independent advisory firm focused on global sourcing, M&A, carbon management & circular economy practices. It is acknowledged as one of the World’s “Best of the Best Outsourcing Advisory Firms”, and one of top 20 best outsourcing advisory firms for four years (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019). He brings with him over two decades of experience in consulting and management across Technology, Business Services and building global businesses. He advises federal governments across North & South America, Middle East/ North Africa, Asia-Pacific and Australia on ICT sector development with emphasis on policy transformation, and industry-government partnerships aimed at creating domestic resilience through increasing productive (and inclusive) faculties of technology entrepreneurs. Bobby also advises Fortune 500 customer organizations and emerging market entrepreneurs on strategy, growth, sourcing, expansions, mergers & acquisitions, and inter-party trust ecosystems.
He holds fiduciary responsibilities as a Board Member for IAOP (a New York hq’d Standards setting organization for the sourcing industry), and the Global Sourcing Council (a New York hq’d entity focused on the UN SDGs and sustainable sourcing). He is an Exco Member of Malaysia-Australia Business Council (a KL-hq’d entity focused on cross-border collaboration and enabling trade). Further, he is Co-Founder of a new-age blockchain based technology company called ThynkBlynk (a US hq’d IT firm focused on building heterogeneous inter-party trust).
Bobby is closely involved in developing and enhancing two global business standards for adoption and deployment by corporations worldwide: (a) Outsourcing Professional Standards (OPS) owned and evangelized by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (www.IAOP.org); and (b) Impact Sourcing Standards owned and evangelized by the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition (www.GISC.bsr.org).
He is an avid author of various knowledge papers in both print and electronic media across global publications. Further, he has authored a book titled “Humanomics – Making Sense of Socio-economic Impacts of Global Sourcing”, published by Penguin Random House. Bobby is also frequently quoted in global media – Economist, fDI, Outsourcing Gazette, CIO Asia, CIO Africa, ZD Net, ICT Media BV, Silicon India, The Outsource, Professional Outsourcing, Pulse, MABC Byline, APAC CIO et al. Bobby is a recipient of many awards: Top 20 Thought Leaders in Future of Work, Digital Disruption and Business Strategy (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2924 by Thinkers 360); Excellence in Leadership & Outsourcing (2016, 2015 and 2014, by Asia Outsourcing Congress, India); Golden Globe Tiger Awards for Leadership & Outsourcing (2015, by World CSR Day, APAC); Top 25 Globalization Powerhouse Leaders (2011, by Globalization Today, USA); Member of the Year (2012, by IAOP, USA).
Bobby holds a Diploma in Sustainable Development from Columbia University, USA; and two Masters Degrees (one each in Solid State Physics and Management) from Berhampur University, India. He is one of the world’s first Certified Outsourcing Professionals (COP), a certified Core Banking Professional (HSBC) and an ISO 9000 and CMMi Quality Systems Auditor. Bobby has lived and worked in India, UK, USA, Brazil, UAE and Malaysia. In his spare time, he actively pursues his passion – scuba diving. He has attained several diving related qualifications across the recreational and technical diving spectrum and is currently an open circuit trimix deep exploration diver. He splits his time between Newark, DE, USA and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with his wife and two sons.
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Business Development Director
Jay Te is the Business Development Director of Webby Group, a leading bespoke software development company that specializes in Custom Software Development, EV charging management solutions, AI-powered innovations, and smart farm technology.
Jay has consistently driven digital transformation initiatives across various sectors, helping businesses streamline operations, enhance user engagement, and improve overall efficiency. His expertise in full-stack development, combined with a strategic approach to problem-solving, has enabled Webby Group to deliver scalable, high-performance systems.
Webby Group leverages partnerships with Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, GCP, AWS and Microsoft Azure to provide AI solutions, cloud integration, and infrastructure optimization. Jay is deeply committed to fostering innovation and helping organizations unlock new opportunities through technology-driven solutions that are both reliable and forward-thinking.
For those who are involved directly or indirectly in innovation activities in their organisations:
CEO, CFO, COO, President, Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Information Officer, VP, MD, GM, Directors, Chiefs, Heads, Managers, Engineers, Analysts, Executives from departments of:
IIS 2026
IIS 2026
As industries move toward more augmented, human-centered ways of working, a critical question emerges: who gets to benefit? This keynote opens the summit by framing the inclusive dimension of innovation—democratizing access to augmentation technologies, opening opportunities for emerging economies and smaller enterprises, and cultivating the next generation of talent. It makes the case that an interconnected future must also be an equitable one, where progress lifts communities and nations together rather than leaving them behind.
IIS 2026
This session challenges the audience to look past efficiency as the primary measure of technological progress. Where the previous industrial era optimized for speed and cost through automation, IR 5.0 unlocks creativity, judgement, and human potential through augmentation. The session explores what this fundamental reframe means for leadership, investment, and competitive advantage over the coming decade and why the organizations that grasp it early will define the next generation of innovation.
IIS 2026
IIS 2026
When machines absorb repetitive and routine work, the real return is not measured in cost savings alone, it is the human capacity released for creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. This session showcases how forward-thinking organizations are already capturing this “creativity dividend”, turning augmentation into a genuine engine of growth. Through real-world examples, it reveals how empowering people, rather than simply replacing effort, becomes a source of lasting competitive strength.
IIS 2026
This panel brings together leaders from across the workforce, operations, and technology divide to examine how work is being redesigned around human-machine collaboration. Delegates will hear practical perspectives on reskilling at scale, building trust in AI adoption, and structuring roles so that technology handles the routine while people focus on what only humans can do. The discussion moves beyond theory to the realities of the factory floor and the office, offering a grounded view of the augmented workforce in action.
IIS 2026
IIS 2026
Disruption has become a constant, and resilience is now a defining feature of well-designed organisations. This session explores how augmented, human-in-the-loop systems create supply chains, operations, and enterprises that adapt and recover rather than falter under pressure. Particularly resonant for a region at the centre of global supply networks, the session offers a blueprint for embedding resilience into the very design of how organisations operate.
IIS 2026
This session reflects on how innovation can serve purpose as well as performance, reframing sustainability and social value not as obligations, but as core drivers of meaningful innovation in the IR 5.0 era. Personal and forward-looking in tone, it offers delegates a rare window into the thinking of a leader who is building technology-driven value with a long term vision.
IIS 2026
IIS 2026
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