Speakers

Allen is a sustainability professional with experience in sustainability certification, responsible sourcing and conservation. Starting as an FSC forest management auditor and sustainable palm oil assessor, he has also assisted in various conservation projects, including the development of national park management plans in Malaysia and capacity-building initiatives in the Mekong Region. He consulted MNCs on timber legality to comply with the European Union Timber Regulation and their own internal sustainability policy. In his current role, he engages forest management certification schemes, industry players, government agencies and other key stakeholders on collaborative projects that advance sustainable forestry and supply chains, which include timber, paper and rubber products.

Catherine Khor is currently the Project Director for Anderes Fourdy Events (AFE) with over four years of experience working with Anderes Fourdy Events. During this period she has planned and executed multiple large-scale international events across Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. She also represents the Asia Pacific region in the Future Leader Council of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Passionate about events, she aims to improve the quality of each event and thus the Business Event industry overall.

Lilian is the Business Development Manager for British Standards Institution (BSI), the world's most experienced standards body, internationally accredited certification body, and training provider specializing in Sustainability, Digital Trust, Organizational Resilience, and Supply Chain Resilience.

Lilian has over a decade of experience in the field of management system training and certification. She has worked with clients from various business sector and actively support clients and organizations in integrating management system and best practices into their business operations to drive continual improvement, sustainability, and long-term success.

Prior to BSI, Lilian was a management system consultant and trainer for a renowned ISO consultancy firm providing consultancy and training. She has also served quality assurance roles in multinational companies with hands-on experience in management system implementation.

Dato’ Sri Dr Haji Irmohizam Ibrahim has been the Group Managing Director of World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) since 2019. Driven by passion and dedication, he has marked his name as the first Malaysian to become the Board of Directors of World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) in 2023 and he is also the Chairman of Conferences & Exhibitions Member Advisory Council (MAC) WTCA.

In 2020, Dato’ Sri joined the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) as a member of the Board of Directors and is also currently the Board of Directors of the Malaysian Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). He is also an Adjunct Professor at two prestigious universities, namely School of Hospitality, Tourism & Events at Taylor’s University and Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School (AAGBS) Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). He recently became the youngest Pro-Chancellor 1 of Universiti Geomatika Malaysia (UGM).

His contributions in the Business Events (BE) industry are also significant as the Protem President of the Business Events Council Malaysia (BECM) and a Member of Advisory for the Malaysian Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (MACEOS). Being active in knowledge seeking and upskilling has served him well in many aspects, both professionally and personally.

Ernest Teoh was born totally blind and he is a final year student at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), majoring in English Language Studies. He had gone through challenges throughout his life, such as difficulty in navigating around public places and lack of understanding from the public about people with visually impairment. In year 2010, Ernest started to be enrolled into mainstream school with inclusive education program under Ministry of Education, Malaysia. He continued the inclusive education throughout his entire student life.

In 2016, he was the champion for National English Braille Reading competition. He represented Malaysia to Bangkok in January 2017 for the International English Braille Reading Competition and he won the first-runner-up. In 2018, he successfully obtained the United States government scholarship for 6 months student exchange programme in USA. He had a chance to study one full semester at a high school in Arkansas State and lived an American student life & culture from January to June 2018. In addition, he was also being sponsored by the China government under Belt & Road Project, to participate in a 2-weeks study visit to Changchun University, Northeast China in December 2019.

In October 2020, Ernest entered USM to further his bachelor’s degree studies and he will be graduating in March 2024. Ernest is also a violin performer in public as well as formal occasions.

Ts. Fong Yit Meng is a Sustainabilty Management Development Consultant and the Strategic Sustainability Partner to Green Project Management (GPM Global) conducts training activities, workshops and consultation for sustainability management development in Malaysia. He is also a Technology Architect, a leadership position that aligns technology to achieve business goals and optimize productivity of technology for businesses.

He is an IT graduate from Multimedia University (MMU) currently serving as the Director of several tech companies and Multinational Company (MNC). He is HRD Corp Accredited Trainer, Industry Advisor for Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Talent Expert Network Panel for Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Certified Information Technology Architect, and has Professional Certificate in Applied Sustainability Practice. He was awarded the Malaysia Prestigious Industry Award for Prestigious Leader in Smart Technology Industry Category in 2019.

Jaggarao Simancha, 55, is the CEO /Founder of ASC Agenda Suria Communication Sdn Bhd. Jaggarao has a Bachelors Degree in Finance & Accounting from the University of Wales, UK. Jaggarao also the Deputy President of Malaysia – South Asia Chamber of Commerce (MASACOM) since 2018.

Jaggarao was instrumental to the concept and planning of successful events like Deepavali Carnival & The Global Indian Shopping Festival. Jaggarao was determined to ensure that these annual events organized by him continued to be more successful then its previous years and this was clearly and evidently achieved when the Global Indian Shopping Festival continued to break its record in terms of the number of visitors. In 2007 the Global Indian Shopping Festival achieved a phenomenal response of almost 300,000 visitors. He also inspired in making Deepavali Carnival as the largest and biggest Deepavali Consumer & Trade Expo in the world outside India since 2010 until now.

Being actively involved in the event management industry, in 2018 Jag was appointed as the Government Liaison Officer for MACEOS (Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers) an organisation dedicated to oversee and improve the on the MICE industry in Malaysia recognised by Malaysian Tourism Board. Subsequently in year 2022, he been appointed as Vice President for Advocacy during the AGM held in May 2022.

Agenda Suria Communication’s had won many awards and recognitions won by the efforts of Jaggarao for his company and himself. Among the awards are The award on the The Largest Outdoor Festive Carnival 2014 and Largest Deepavali Carnival by Malaysia Book of Records, MBEA Awards 2019 - Malaysian Business Events Award as Best Consumer Fair of 2018 for Deepavali Carnival. Additionally as Entrepreneur Icon Malaysia 2018 from Binaru University and KLSICCI Entrpreneur of the Year Award 2019.

Jane Gew is an associate professor at Sunway University School of Medical and Life Sciences. Dr Gew earned her PhD in Chemistry at University of Malaya, Malaysia. She is actively involved in research activities that are in-line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by using and developing new green and safe alternative processes and chemicals. She is also passionate and committed to understand and address plastic pollution issues to achieve a sustainable world through change in policy and social structure. One of the highlights of her research career was the discovery of microplastics in edible sea salt in 2019. The research findings were featured in The Star newspapers, The Petri Dish and various websites. She founded an NGO, named MyPlasticology, to empower local community to solve global plastic pollution challenges through community actions.

In her course of research and study, Dr Gew has received several awards namely “Outstanding Women in Science (Chemistry) by Venus International Women Awards, Chennai, Bentham Ambassador (since 2019 to date) and the “SSHN (High level Scientific Stay) Scholarship for Young Researcher” by France Embassy in Malaysia. In her line of research and study, Dr Gew has published research papers in prominent research journals and has demonstrated her commitment and dedication which are evident through her works with numerous research partners and grants.

Jason Yeh’s mission has always been to drive positive change in the meeting industry and to elevate Taiwan as a prime international meeting destination. CEO of GIS Group and 2nd Vice President of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Yeh is also Honorary President of the Taiwan Convention & Exhibition Association and ambassador of the Kaohsiung MICE Alliance. Jason founded GIS Group in 1991, and the company has since been recognized as providing the highest quality meeting services, including conference management, destination management (corporate events, incentive programs, team building, and cultural activities), audiovisual and congress technology, language services, and venue management. GIS Group’s professionalism is certified by a number of international affiliations (ICCA, SITE, IAPCO, and CRN). A champion of the local MICE industry, Jason is also a lecturer at the National Taiwan Normal University, and author of “The Driving Force Behind Destination Marketing”, in which he shares insider knowledge on destinations bidding for international meetings. In recognition of Yeh’s great work and active presence in the field, he has been called one of The 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry by Successful Meetings Magazine in 2017.

Julius Solaris is regarded as the most influential person in the event industry. He is the founder of Boldpush a management consultancy agency for the event industry.

He founded EventMB (exit to Skift in 2019) and Showthemes, exit in 2018. He has worked for high-profile technology companies (Swapcard and Hopin) and tech events.

Julius has been named one of the most influential individuals in the meetings industry by many magazines and media for the past 10 years. More recently he has been a Meetings Industry Influencer 2022 by Meetings and Conventions magazine.

Julius has conducted some of the most groundbreaking research for the event industry. Over 3,000 events reviewed and 15,000 event professionals interviewed.

Julius' analysis and reports have been downloaded by over 300,000 event professionals. 300,000 more read EventMB every month and over 50,000 event professionals attended Julius'events.

Julius has been keynote for events in 13 countries and for over 200,000 attendees.

Kanako Kinoe joined PACIFICO Yokohama in 2019 as an event coordinator in the Sales & Event Coordination Department. Over the next four years, she was in charge of numerous events, including association meetings, corporate meetings, and international conferences, overseeing the execution of over 80 domestic and international events with 20-30,000 attendees held in the venue. Notably, amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, she successfully managed the Oshiro (Japan Castle) Expo 2021, attracting a remarkable 13,000 participants while implementing meticulous risk management. In her current capacity within the corporate planning department, Kanako has played a pivotal role in coordinating various projects aimed at creating new values. This includes establishing partnerships with local governments and communities, facilitating human resource exchange, and implementing content marketing.

K.Aveena Devi is a mixed media artist, author & motivational speaker who was born with a birth defect called spina bifida. Aveena's journey as a differently-abled person has always been challenging; from her complex medical condition to navigating day-to-day life.

The constant obstacles she faced with school life and the public's patronising behaviour & constant misperception about her only motivated her to provide more positive changes for the differently-abled community.

Due to this, she passionately advocates for inclusivity through speaking engagements, panel sessions and counselling. She is even a working model under a modelling agency that caters to the differently-abled, with the goal of breaking the stigma of beauty standards from the perspective of the media. She has been certified as a Neuro Linguistic Therapist and is working towards bringing all her skills together to build a more inclusive community.

Datin Lorela Chia is an entrepreneur with over two decades of expertise in multiple ventures in conferences, exhibitions, business events, B2B marketing and market expansion, and a strategic consultant on trade relations and cross-border projects with governments and organisations across the world.

Lorela is a distinguished thought leader at the forefront of sustainable supply chain innovation. As the President of the Malaysia Association of Sustainable Supply Chain & Innovation (MASSCI), she spearheads initiatives at the intersection of sustainability, technology adoption, and social impact, focusing on SMEs and inclusive diversity. Her leadership extends to fostering SME growth, coupled with her role as Vice President I of the Machinery & Engineering Industries Federation (MEIF), underscores her commitment to integrating sustainable practices within the business landscape. Lorela's unique perspective and experience enables her to drive meaningful change, blending technological innovation with social consciousness. Her efforts are pivotal in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable business landscape across diverse industry sectors in Malaysia and beyond.

After graduating from Waseda University (school of law) in March 1985, he worked for a Japanese private company for six years. In April 1991, he joined “PACIFICO Yokohama”, and he has 33 years’ career at the company and Event & Convention industry.

During his career, he was also dispatched to JAWOC (=Organizing Committee for FIFA World Cup 2002) for 2 and half years(2000-2002), and experienced in tournament management for FIFA World Cup. At PACIFICO Yokohama, he has experienced both “Marketing & Sales” and “Corporate management planning” for a long period.

In 2020, when “2nd ICCA Asia Pacific Summit” was held in PACIFICO Yokohama, he served as a Vice Chair of the local host committee. Currently he is at the position of “Executive Director” of PACIFICO Yokohama.

In addition, concerning the position in external organization, he is concurrently serving as a Director of JCMA (Japan Convention Management Association) and Chairperson of International exchange promotion committee, since 2019. As for his involvement with Penang, he participated in BE Penang (with 1st ICCA AP summit) in 2019. This is his second time participating in BE Penang.

Mint Leong is the President of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) and Managing Director of Sunflower Holidays Sdn Bhd. She has extensive experience in the tourism industry and tourism training field.

Leong is also an active advocate in the tourism industry, serving as a part-time lecturer. She is also the Deputy Director of Tourism and Culture for the Malaysia China Business Council, Secretary of World Research Travel Organization Malaysia Chapter and a member of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).

Leong is an expert in corporate incentive travel and has organized group trips from various countries, including ASEAN, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and other overseas nations. She is also a nature enthusiast and enjoys adventurous outdoor activities, rainforest exploration, canoeing, and sea turtle conservation.

Ying Ying believes individuals can do good and leaders can do good at scale.

She has over 25 years of industry experience, in sustainable development involving wastewater, solid waste and plastic management projects, and also solutions to mitigation physical risks such as geohazards, landslides, river and shoreline erosions to keep people and assets safe.

Her area of expertise also includes sustainability strategy and reporting, and greenhouse gas emission management and decarbonization plans.

She holds a Master Degree in Sustainable Development Management from Jeffrey Sachs Center, Sunway University and is a Chartered Accountant, a member of MIA and MICPA.

Educated in the financial and non-financial fields, she helps businesses supercharge ESG and shift to a low-carbon economy. She is a certified Carbon Management Professional by British Standards Institute and a certified GRI Sustainability Professional and areas covering UN SDG, TCFD, B+HR, ISO14064, ISO14067 and ISO20121.

She volunteers at ESG Malaysia to support the community and fellowship.

Dee Dee Quah is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Event Designer (CED), and Sustainable Event Professional Certificate (SEPC) with over 20 years of experience in organizing medical conferences. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at a leading university in Malaysia.

She is passionate about bringing surgeons, doctors, and other healthcare professionals together to share knowledge and best practices. Her team has organized over 70 medical conferences. She is the founder of Medical Conference Partners, a leading medical conference organizer based in Kuala Lumpur and serves the South East Asean region.

Dee Dee is passionate about eco-advocacy and is always looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of her conferences. She is a sought-after speaker on the topic of organising conferences and sustainability in the events industry.

Richard Soo, the Chief Guru @ Creative Marketing for MEP Meeting & Exhibition Planners – has the creativity, the passion and the experience to create events that people reminisce about years after. Working with Richard, you will be swept away by his intense passion and love for what he does.

Starting this company 28 years ago with his older sibling, Karen after completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Law , Richard quickly discovered his niche in developing concepts and themes, producing events that are memorable and exceed expectations.

He taught himself graphic design that gave him control over the look and feel of the events under his care allowing him to sharpen his skills in event design, decor and planning.

Over the years, Richard has established connections with an extensive network of trusted professionals to customize the best team for each event - executing and designing corporate and special events that achieve business objectives and exceed expectations with precision and exactness.

His experience spans across multiple industries;

• FMCG – Nestle, P &G, Guinness, Amway
• IT - IBM, HP, Intel and Microsoft,
• Pharmaceuticals - Pfizer, Wyeth, AstraZeneca, Alcon
• Finance - Citibank, Standard Chartered, Southern Bank, CIMB
• Industrial – Grundfos, DOW, BASF
• Luxury Goods – Cartier, Bulgari, Van Cleef San Arpels
• International NGOs – WWF, WHO, UNICEF
• and many more.

During the pandemic, Richard capitalised on his free time afforded by the lockdown and complete halt of the MICE industry, creating alcohol-infused jams to sell online This took off very well and is now something he does on the side as borders reopen and business resumes. His wife of 21 years together with their 2 children continues to be his pillar of strength and drive to do better.

Richard’s motto in whatever he undertakes - Passion driving Perfection.

Sarah is a Fellow of the Certified Chartered Accountants and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA). After living in Dublin, Ireland for almost 8 years, she returned to Malaysia where she worked for four years at a government-linked company in KL. Following that, she and her best friend, Nik Suzy Hassan, co-founded Kloth in 2013. Kloth has since expanded to include brands such as Kloth Cares, Kloth Woman Up, Kloth Textile, Kloth Wear and Crush-It by Kloth Cares, all with the basic goal of accelerating the textiles, clothing and plastics circular economy in Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and beyond.

Takaya Akai joined PACIFICO Yokohama in 2010. Initially he was assigned to the General Affairs Section and assisted in the preparations for the organization of APEC, which took place in the same year. In 2013, he moved to the Sales Department where he was involved in the coordination of various events from live concerts, exhibitions to corporate events. Aside from the event coordination, he was also involved in preparatory work for the opening of the new venue, PACIFICO Yokohama North during this period. He further moved to the General Affairs Section in 2022, where he was engaged in development the company's digital strategy. Currently, he is in charge of planning human resources development strategies and reviewing the personnel system in the General Affairs Section.

Wai Kin Wong has robust background in her career journey particularly in the medical communication meeting segment and destination marketing / management With almost 20 years of experience in meeting industry in Asia Pacific Region, Wai Kin has based in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Taipei and Shanghai Having worked with most major pharmaceutical clients, medical associations both local and international she is also highly experienced in association management, working closely with key opinion leaders, government division and industry experts.

Wai Kin has extensive managerial experience in developing effective communication strategies in bidding, conference management and targeted education programme She is passionate in young professionals' development in meeting industry and associations.

Wai Kin Wong is currently the Regional Director Asia Pacific for the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

Professor Yang Zhenzhi is the executive chairman of World Research Travel Organization and the doctoral supervisor in Tourism Management, Cultureal Heritage and Tourism Development of Sichuan University. As the Director of the China Leisure and Tourism Research Center of Sichuan University, he is also one of the "Most Influential Scholars in Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences".

Professor Yang Zhenzhi has more than 20 years of experience in tourism planning and project demonstration. As a pioneer in the academic research and planning practice of "holistic tourism", Professor Yang Zhenzhi is awarded the "Outstanding Contributor of Leading the Innovation and Development of China's Global Tourism" by CCTV. In addition, he has also won dozens of honors such as "Outstanding Figure in Promoting Innovation and Development of China's Tourism Services", "Leading Figure in China's Marketing Planning for 30 Years" and "China's Top Ten Outstanding Planners".

Professor Yang Zhenzhi has also published more than 70 papers in authoritative journals such as Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research (SSCI), Tourism Economics (SSCI), International Transactions on Information & Systems (SCI), Tourism Journal and Ethnic Studies.

As a renowned scholar-entrepreneur in China, Professor Yang successfully led investments, development, and construction in the Wang Gang Ping International Ecotourism Resort in Shimian, Sichuan and the Shuiyin River Scenic Area in Tongzi, Guizhou.