Speakers

Azrul Reza Aziz

CEO

Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)

A passionate and versatile leader, Azrul Reza is a mechanical-automotive engineer with an unwavering passion for engineering and the automotive industry. His career has taken him on a fascinating journey, from finance and banking to strategic planning and executive management. He began his journey as a consultant for Public Mutual before transitioning to corporate and investment banking roles with Bank Islam and Kuwait Finance House. Demonstrating exceptional aptitude for strategic planning, Azrul took on the challenge of transforming a family enterprise with diverse interests, ultimately being promoted to Chief Strategy Officer.

In his subsequent positions as COO of a private investment firm and GCEO of a GLC, Azrul cemented his reputation as a change-maker and business builder. He currently serves as CEO of MARii, a government agency propelling the automotive industry and its ecosystem in Malaysia—a secto contributing 4% to the nation’s GDP and employing approximately 700,000 individuals. Passionate about private equity, venture capital, family office management, and foundation/trust structures, Azrul is driven to make a lasting impact on national interests. He aspires to pursue a PhD or DBA, focusing on researching family enterprises or foundation/trust structures in Malaysia, leveraging his extensive experience to contribute meaningfully to these fields.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Azrul has a colorful and fulfilling lifestyle driven by his diverse interests. When he’s not immersed in the world of finance and engineering, you can find him indulging in his hobbies, which include exploring the great outdoors & travel. In both his professional endeavors and personal pursuits, Azrul Reza exemplifies the true essence of a visionary leader—bold, diverse, and ever-committed to making a positive impact on society and the world at large.

Dennis Chuah

Founder & CEO, Eclimo Sdn Bhd

Chairman, Electric Vehicle Association Malaysia

Chairman, Kiwanis Club Penang Central

Founder, ETI Corporations Berhad

Founder, Zapstat Sdn Bhd

DENNIS CHUAH has more than 30 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience in the high tech manufacturing, electrical & engineering, lithium battery technology and electric vehicle industry. Dennis enterprising past started when he was in secondary
school in the 1980s where he scavenged at metal junkyards in search of discarded metal that he could use to construct his own version of a racing bicycle and subsequently selling it to friends.

In 1996, Dennis founded Zapstat Sdn. Bhd. a pioneer manufacturer of electronic antistatic packaging materials, developing flexible aluminum foils for making Lithium polymer cells. The revolutionary foils were used by Dyna Plastic Sdn. Bhd. to produce their Lithium polymer cells. Being in the fore front of lithium battery technology, Dennis set up ETI Corporation Berhad ( ETICB ) in 2003 to focus on Battery Management and energy storage systems.ETICB obtained MSC status in R&D and manufacturing of Battery Management and energy storage systems and obtained MSC status in R&D and manufacturing of battery Management and storage and Dennis then lead ETICB listing on MESDAQ Market of Bursa Malaysia.In 2008, ETICB’s market capital value hit RM600M and Dennis made the “Forbes Asia’s 4th and 5th Annual Best Under a Billion” list.

Dennis then set out on a new mission to build electric vehicles through ECLIMO Sdn. Bhd. which he co – founded in 2008. ECLIMO obtained pioneer status from MIDA in manufacturing electric motorcycles with the ES11 Electric Scooter as its flagship product, approved by SIRIM, JPJ and EC homologation. ECLIMO is currently the only 100% Malaysian owned Electric Vehicle Manufacturers with registered patents in their battery storage. Dennis spends most of his free time with charity organizations such as KIWANIS Central Penang and also a major donor to Bodhi Hearts Sanctuary and is instrumental in building hospitals for the marginalized community in Nepal.

Akshay Prasad

Senior Engagement Manager

Arthur D. Little SEA

Akshay Prasad is a Senior Manager with Arthur D. Little South East Asia with over eight years of consulting experience advising firms in South East Asia, Asia-Pacific, the USA, and the European Union.

An alumnus of Yale School of Management and the London School of Economics, Akshay has advised firms on growth strategy, market entry, competitive benchmarking, and commercial due diligence with a specialization in New Mobility Services.

Within new mobility services, Akshay has extensive experience on projects in the EV sector, working for OEMs, Charging Infra, Battery Swapping, and nontraditional players on their EV strategy. His clientele includes OEMs, PE firms, new entrants and public sector.

His notable projects include advising a global OEM on its market entry strategy for its EV product in the Indian market, supporting an O&G firm to enter the LiB supply chain in Indonesia, and conducting commercial and technical due diligence of a battery swapping operator in the Indian market.

Akshay is passionate about electrification, carbon neutrality, shared services and its resulting impact across the value chain.

Mr Abang Mohammad Hudini

Head, Group CEO Office

Sarawak Energy

Abang Mohammad Hudini is the Executive Advisor and the Head of the Group CEO Office at Sarawak Energy. With 15 years of experience in the Energy Industry, Abang Mohammad Hudini has excelled in various roles, including Project Delivery, International Business, and Corporate affairs. Among the special projects under his portfolio is spearheading the proliferation of Green Mobility for Sarawak Energy and the entire State of Sarawak.

Dr. Alias Rameli

Director-General

Department of Town and Country Planning

PLANMalaysia

Dr. Alias Rameli is an esteemed Director-General at PLANMalaysia (Department of Town and Country Planning, Malaysia), within the Ministry of Local Government Development, since assuming this role on March 1, 2022. With an impressive career spanning over 31 years, Dr. Alias has been a leading figure in the fields of urban and regional planning, making significant contributions to various aspects of the
discipline.

His extensive expertise encompasses a diverse array of specialties, including Land Use Planning, Housing Development Planning, Land Development Processes, Property Market Analysis, Planning Laws, Sustainable Future Cities, Urban Redevelopment Programs, and Local Government Programmes.

Mohd Amar Bin Raja Ariffin

Head, Strategy Management,

Strategy Development,

Corporate Strategy,

PROTON

More than 15 years of exposure in various industries; ranging from oil & gas, manufacturing and automotive.

An avid of reader of diverse disciplines such as geopolitics, history and philosophy. Enjoys DIY repair of appliances and machines.

Current portfolio in corporate strategy focusing on NEV business model, market intelligence and ecosystem establishment.

Amit Das

Founder & CEO

Electric One

Amit Das is an Indian Entrepreneur with 16 Years of Experience across SAAS based products, Start-Ups, International Business and the Founder & CEO of Electric One. He brings in hardcore growth experience with strong success stories for Electric One. Travelled Across Germany, Japan and Middle East for Business and Work, Amit has learned about the best practices to Boost the EV space in India. He is the recipient of many awards, the Climate Change Makers (2022), the top 10 EV start-ups, and the Strategic Advisor- EV revolution in Manipur (2021) and more.

Having been in recruitment for over several years he has developed excellent knowledge in sales sector with a wide range of skills. From leadership to Recruiting and Management, his work has always been to exceed targets and develop business. His strength lie in building long lasting relationships with clients by being reliable, hardworking and very adaptable.

Prior to electric one he was the Co-Founder of INTOUC101. He worked as a General Manager at BRICS and also worked as a Head-Campus Solutions at Monster. Amit had worked as a Founding Curator at BJYM Campus Ambassador Program organised by Honourable Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh. He is a self-driven and motivated Entrepreneur with a proven track record of success and extra ordinary achievement in building company from a simple idea to multimillion-dollar business.

Keeping in mind the objective of taking Electric one reaching the zenith, Amit has taken some significant steps, one of which is launching Electric One Skill Next Program which aims to provide real time training to engineering & technical institutes across the country to help students get hands-on training & experience in modern automobile technology in the eco friendly Electric Vehicle space.

Anthony O’Connell

Managing Director

Volvo Trucks Malaysia

Anthony O’Connell (Tony) joined Volvo Malaysia Sdn Bhd as Managing Director after being a part of the Volvo Group family in Australia and Sweden for more 20 years. He comes with a strong background in Sales and Aftersales Services and is always passionate about customer success.

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland Australia, he graduated from Australian Institute of Management and went on to complete his Master’s in Business Administration from University of Southern Queensland.

Tony began his career in the automotive sector in 1990. Hence forth, he has focused on building his foundation and experience in the trucking industry.

Tony started his career in the industry with SKF Group and Westco Truck Sales before joining Volvo’s private dealers in Australia for 5 years. This then led to a subsequent 15 year stint with Volvo Group Australia.

In 2005, Tony joined Volvo Trucks Australia as Project Manager before moving up the ranks to Vice President – Sales in 2012. Tony’s career in Volvo Trucks has been an exciting one and continues with him taking on a bigger role in Malaysia since 2021. He oversees the entire business operations of Volvo Trucks in Malaysia. With his rich experience in sales operations, he will continue to grow the Volvo brand and customer experience to a new height.

Bakri Alias

Senior General Manager

Value Chain Department

Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)

Bakri Alias is an accomplished executive with an extensive background in automotive and rigid plastic manufacturing, advanced technology and Value Chain Development. Currently, serving as Senior General Manager and Head of Value Chain Development (VCD) Division at the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii), he plays a pivotal role in driving Value Chain Development and EV
innovation efficiency within the automotive industry.

With over 20 years of work experienced in private sector and government agency, he has a deep understanding of automotive components manufacturing, Vehicle assembly and Quality management. He has demonstrated success in Managing overall Plant operation, Quality Management Division, Technical product development, global supplier/vendor relations and EV critical component validation including eBike, eBus and eLCV (electric Light Commercial Vehicle).

A highly motivated self-starter that has successfully lead multiple New Project Management. An experienced leader who can engage and build strong relationships within an organisation and external partners through collaborative communication.

Educationally, Bakri Alias earned a Bachelor of Science in Material Engineering from the University Science of Malaysia (USM). He is a certified assessor for the Industry4WRD Readiness Assessment program under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) with various experienced in Quality Management QMS System (QMS) viz ISO TS16949, VDA6.3 and 19KE.

Claire Featherstone

Head Of Corporate And Enterprise Practices

Maxis Berhad

Claire is responsible for the Enterprise Corporate and Enterprise Practices, servicing the Maxis corporate customers and the Enterprise Practices portfolio.

Claire has over 20 year’s experience in Telecommunications and started her career in British Telecommunications (BT) Plc, London. Whist still in BT, she was seconded to Malaysia to drive the newly launched Hotlink Prepaid product and marketing.

In 2002, she joined Maxis directly and has held various roles driving consumer product innovation & new telco ‘plus’ businesses (across various domains, e.g. Financial Services) and has championed multiple partnerships both with domestic & global players. Claire has been an integral part of the Maxis Senior Leadership Team throughout.

In 2016, she joined the Enterprise business leading the Business Solutions product portfolio with the objective to drive revenue growth from new areas such as IOT Connectivity & solutions, e-Commerce, P2P Messaging etc.

In 2019, as part of the Enterprise Division ambition to be the leading ICT Solutions Provider in Malaysia, Claire became the Head of Enterprise Practices and built the ICT solutions business end to end including sales & delivery and as result has driven strong multi-year revenue growth from these new solutions.

During this period, Maxis Business offering expanded into new areas of such as Cloud and forged partnerships with major global tech providers (e.g. AWS, Microsoft). Under Claire’s leadership, the ICT Solutions growth was expedited through the acquisition and integration of 4 companies into Maxis over a 2 year period in the domains of cloud, UC & Voice and Managed Network Services.

Claire has taken the helm of the Enterprise Division as acting CEBO from August 2022, and then took over as Head of Corporate and Enterprise Practices from August 2023 onwards.

Claire holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from King’s College, University of London and postgraduate diploma from Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK.

Faizal Mohd Yusof

Senior Director

Industrial Development Division

MITI

The Industrial Development Division is responsible to formulate, review policies and strategies for development of the manufacturing sector such as, automotive, chemical and petroleum products , pharmaceutical and medical devices, electrical, electronics and ICT, lifestyle and new emerging industries.

Ferdinand I. Raquelsantos

President

Philippine Parts Maker Association (PPMA)

Specialization is in Manufacturing Engineering and has been active in Production Processes. The past 33 years has been devoted to the Automotive Industry, from Car Radio Speakers, Air conditioning, Seatbelts and electric-Vehicle Assembly.

Other businesses involves on Systems design and Installation of Electric Solar Panels for roof top installations, Motorcycle Dealerships, and Distributorship of Dong Feng vehicles in the Philippines.

Currently is the President of Philippine Parts Maker Association (PPMA), whose objective is to promote local Parts manufacturing thru the localization activities of Car Assemblers and market our products to foreign countries.

Have been involved in the different Government projects under the Motor Vehicle Development Program and has been a delegate to several International APEC Forums. Likewise in the areas of Electric Vehicles, where he is the President of Philippine Electric Vehicle Inc., assembler of electric-Jeep and is the Chairman Emeritus of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines.

Hazmi Yusof

Senior Vice President

Emerging Markets

Frost & Sullivan

Functional Expertise

Hazmi has more than 20 years experience in go-to-market and business strategies. His key focus is to build and drive the right eco-system that would enable growth in a particular industry or market.
Hazmi believes in embracing digitally driven business models to drive sustainable growth, with a strong sense of ownership and responsibility to the environment.

Industry Expertise

Experience base covering broad range of sectors, leveraging long-standing working relationships with leading industry participants’ Senior Executives in:
– Smart Cities & Smart Mobility
– Transportation and Logistics
– Business Model Transformation
– Digital Transformation

What I bring to the Team

Hands on experience in Smart City planning and implementation in Johor, Selangor and Portugal
Executive committee member of MY-ICSC (Malaysia chapter of International Council of Sustainable Cities, chaired Ministry of Housing And Local Government)
Smart and Sustainable City centric technologies and business models
Go-to-market and eco-system enablement

Career Highlights

Oversee the Smart Selangor blueprint, implementation plan, vendor procurement and impact assessment of Smart Initiatives in Selangor Darul Ehsan 2016-2018
Project Lead for Smart City Madeira Regional Government, Portugal
Project Lead for Smart and Sustainable Building Standards Guideline for Smart Cities .
Project Lead for Market Entry of Malaysian Smart City related solutions into Indonesia, Philipines & Vietnam

Dr. Horizon Walker Gitano-Briggs

CTO

Focus Applied Technologies

Dr. Horizon Gitano has worked as an engineer, research scientist and professor of engineering in many countries on subjects relating to transportation, energy efficiency and emissions, working closely with national governments, UNDP, UNEP, UNFCCC and the GIZ, and has been the CTO of Focus Applied Technologies since 2008.

After completing his masters at the University of California at San Diego, Horizon hitchhiked around Central America for a year, working on farms and national park as he traveled. From 1992 to 2001 he worked at Seagate R&D centers in the US and their factories around the world including Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and China. In 2001 he returned to Colorado State University to complete his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He was a lecturer at Colorado State University 2002-2004 and from 2006 to 2012 was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University Science Malaysia. In 2008 he founded Focus Applied Technologies as a technology company producing dynamometers and engine and vehicle test, measurement and control systems. Horizon runs Focus full time, frequently lectures at numerous universities and industries, performs research for various governmental bodies including the UNFCCC, UNEP, UNDP, GIZ (Germany, analyzing transportation systems and government policy), SIRIM (Malaysia’s Standards organization, chairman of committee developing national vehicle standards), MIROS (Malaysian Institute of Road Safety) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF, performing city wide green house gas emissions analysis) and is a visiting professor at the University of Kuala Lumpur – Malaysian Spanish Institute, University Malaysia Pahang in Malaysia, and Del La Salle University in Manila.

Areas: Transportation Systems, Electric Vehicles, Mechanics, Dynamics, Mechatronics, Internal Combustion Engines, Fuel Injection Systems

John H. Kwon

General Counsel of Legal & Strategy

CATL

As General Counsel of Global Legal & Strategy of the largest manufacturer of EV batteries in the world, John Kwon is committed to implementing supply chain solutions to the manufacture and assembly of lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) and MNC cells for CATL. Previously, he oversaw global investments and acquisitions for the biggest logistics player in Asia, which culminated in the USD 2.3 Billion acquisition of Kerry Logistics in 2022 and its IPO on the HKSE in 2023.

Krisda Utamote

President

Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT)

Mr. Krisda Utamote is the President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT). EVAT is a non-profit association, aiming to promote and support knowledge exchange in electric vehicle technology and innovation. The association also provides consultation on regulations, standards and operation, regarding the development of electric vehicle technology in Thailand. There’re currently over 380 members who come from the private sector, state enterprises, and academic fields. The association constantly held a monthly meeting to exchange knowledge and distribute tasks in separated group works to support the electric vehicle industry for a sustainable growth.

In addition, Krisda has been working with BMW Group Thailand for over 21 years. He served in various functions in BMW Group Thailand, including dealer development, sales planning and brand management for MINI in Thailand. In his current position, he is responsible for managing corporate and product communications for BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad business units, as well as corporate affairs for BMW Thailand, BMW Manufacturing Thailand and BMW Financial Services Thailand.

Mr. Lee Hoo Kyung

Former Robert Bosch Korea AA OE Sales Manager

Established in 2018

Korea 1st EV Safety Trainer

DGUV 209-093 Level 1/2/3 certified

NFPA EV emergency response training certified

Thailand 1st EV safety training performed

EV Safety speaker in various global events

Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa

Executive Director

Philippine Board of Investments (BOI)

Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa is a career executive with 30 years of experience in the Board of Investments (BOI). She is currently the Executive Director of the Industry Development Services (IDS). She is tasked to handle industry-related matters and policies of the agency. She has handled various assignments in BOI, from industry development to international marketing and international negotiations. She also handles environmental policy matters, the agency’s Performance Governance Scorecard (PGS). Executive Director Dichosa is a graduate of B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the Mapua Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Laws from the Adamson University. She has recently received a certificate for completing the Strategic Business Economics Program of the University of Asia and the Pacific.

Ts Mohd Sharulnizam Bin Sarip

Chief Operating Officer

Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and Internet of Things Institute (MARii)

Technologist Mohd Sharulnizam Bin Sarip is working as a Chief Operating Officer at Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and Internet of Things Institute (MARii) with experience in Automotive Sector especially in the area of Vehicle Construction, Standards/Regulations, Testing, Road Vehicle Acts and Policy.

He acquired his Master degree of Engineering from University Putra Malaysia, Bachelor Degree in Electrical, Electronics and System Engineering from Saitama University Japan and Certificate of Excellence in Data Science and Analytics from University of California, Berkeley, United States of America.

In Malaysia, He is specializing in the area of Vehicle Construction, Standards/Regulations, Testing, Road Vehicle Acts and Policy especially Malaysia National Automotive Policy (NAP). He is also in charge for the development of Malaysia National Emission Testing Centre (NETC) and Centre of Excellence for Future Industry(CoEFI).

In ASEAN, he is acting as International Expert Liaison Officer to assist ASEAN secretariat for ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) from 2018-2023. He is currently assisting ASEAN Secretariat to manage few ASEAN-International Cooperation Partners which include ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-U.S, and ASEAN-Korea Cooperation.

Nizmar bin Mohd. Nazar

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO)

Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)

Nizmar bin Mohd. Nazar is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) at Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) with more than 15 years of experience in Information Technology, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) & Automotive industry. Strategizing from the NAP 2020 core value to transform the Malaysia Automotive Industry moving towards Connected Mobility Ecosystem by year 2030.

Involved in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for mobility as a service (MaaS) development under automated drive, telematics implementation, simulation & virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) integration for Next Generation Vehicle (NxGV) development.

Lead MARii as a focal point in technology coordination centre for the development of the Malaysian automotive (NxGV – Electric Vehicles (EV) & Autonomouse Vehicles (AV)), IoT & Robotics deployment in all matters related to automotive industry, IoT, Robotics & Industry 4.0 technology, including formulating of the national automotive policy (NAP) and Industry4WRD policy and its expansion technology programmes, managing talent I4.0 development programme, formulating and coordinating industry 4.0 and automotive related research.

Supporting the Government through NAP for the Infrastructure, Platfrom & Software as a Service (IaaS, PaaS & SaaS) development under Automotive Cloud Web Services development (MACWES) for services and new mobility functions enhancing the MaaS/AV & Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) making transport and travelling safer, green, more efficient & intelligence for NxGV ecosystems

Norhasliza Mohd Mokhtar

Senior Director of the Climate Action Group

Malaysian Green Technology & Climate Change Corporation (MGTC)

Norhasliza is the Senior Director of the Climate Action Group, Malaysian Green Technology & Climate Change Corporation (MGTC). With over two decades of service, her primary focus revolves around providing consultancy and advisory services—a pivotal position that entails close collaboration with states, local governments, and private sectors to devise strategies for driving environmental sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Malaysia. Norhasliza’s fingerprints are evident on a multitude of MGTC flagship projects. She has been a driving force in shaping the Green Technology Master Plan 2017-2030 a key document that outlines strategic plans for green technology development, Green Tax Incentives to encourage businesses to embrace green practices; MyHijau – Malaysia’s official green recognition scheme that guides purchaser towards certified green products and services; and Government Green Procurement (GGP) an effort to integrate green practices into government procurement process.

Norhasliza is also instrumental in the Low Carbon Cities and Mobility initiatives through the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021-2030 (LCMB) in steering urban areas toward a more sustainable and low-carbon future; and programmes to enhance energy efficiency such as Energy Management Gold Standard (EMGS) under ASEAN Energy Management Scheme (AEMAS), and Energy Audit Grant for the Industrial Sector. At the state level, Norhasliza has spearheaded transformative initiatives like the Kedah Green Agenda and the Selangor Green Action. She has also been a guiding force for organizations seeking to develop green roadmaps and action plans namely Study on GHG Baseline and Development of PLUS Green Roadmap, showcasing a commitment to reducing carbon footprints in transportation infrastructure. Throughout her career, Norhasliza is also an alumnus of the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP), a prestigious professional exchange program by the US Department of State. Norhasliza holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Riduan Abdul Rahman

Regional Director (Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan)

Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

Promote more economic activities between Malaysia and Japan, focusing on investments in high tech, high value added and knowledge-based industries.

The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) is the government’s principal agency for the promotion of the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia.

Incorporated as a statutory body under the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) Act, the establishment of MIDA in 1967 was hailed by the World Bank as “the necessary impetus for purposeful, positive and coordinated promotional action” for Malaysia’s industrial development. Today, MIDA’s is Malaysia’s cutting-edge, dynamic and pioneering force in opening pathways to new frontiers around the globe.

MIDA assists companies which intend to invest in the manufacturing and services sectors, as well as facilitates the implementation of their projects. The wide range of services provided by MIDA include providing information on the opportunities for investments, as well as facilitating companies which are looking for joint venture partners.

To further enhance MIDA’s role in assisting investors, senior representatives from key government agencies are stationed at MIDA’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to advise investors on government policies and procedures. These representatives include officials from the Department of Labour, Immigration Department, Royal Malaysian Customs, Department of Environment, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and Telekom Malaysia Berhad.

Rina Neoh

Co-Founder & Partner

Ficus Venture Capital

Rina Neoh has more than 25 years of experience in both the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds. Rina is Instrumental in introducing two IPOs in the Australian Stock Exchange and helped execute complex cross border mergers and acquisitions strategy within the Asia Pacific region. Rina Co-founded Mercatus Capital Pte Ltd, a homegrown incubator and venture accelerator based in Singapore since 2006. Through its angel networks, it provided seed financing to promising new ventures, with more than 100 startups seeded and incubated SEA. Rina co-founded Ficus Capital, Ficus Sea Fund (2021 ) and GreenTech Fund ( 2023 ) as a joint venture with MGTC ( Malaysia Greentech Corporation ).

Rina holds strategic management roles, directorships, and direct equities in RXR Cap, Ficus Capital ( World’s 1st Syariah Compliant VC ), Global Learning Solutions, Asian Institute of Digital Transformation ( AIDT ) MindChamps International PreSchools Master Franchisee, Turnkey Tech and Eclimo Sdn Bhd.

Rina also served as the Board Member of Matrade from 2018 -2023. Rina often provides keynotes for in the area of entrepreneurship, impact investing, venture capitalist, M&A, sustainability, ESG and women empowerment.

Shareen Dato’ Abdul Ghani

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Sorga Innovation

Over 17 years experience in Sustainability/ESG and talent development. I have designed and implemented four strategic initiatives at the
national level to address income inequality, education, employability and structural change in talent development and sustainable development.

Managing Director & Founder and Sorga Innovation, a boutique advisory firm specialising in Sustainable Development, ESG and human capital/talent strategies and solutions.

Shareen is Adjunct Professor at UNITAR International University.

ESG/Sustainability

Development of Sustainability/ESG strategies, governance, environmental and social frameworks
Development and execution of Sustainability roadmap and reporting framework aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs/Global Goals) and relevant global standards and benchmarks
Designing and implementing ESG programme with specialisation on environment and social impact development programmes
Provide subject matter expert (SME) guidance as a member on the Committee for Sustainability and Development at Bursa Malaysia (Malaysia’s stock exchange)
Member of International Advisory Panel, Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership, University of Cambridge
Member of Advisory Panel, ESG Association Malaysia

Seong Ik Hwang

Partner

Shin & Kim

Mr. Seong Ik Hwang is an attorney in various practice areas including Foreign Direct Investment, Environment, Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Governance and General Advice. Mr. Hwang’s practice focuses on M&As and Foreign Direct Investment as well as Environmental Compliance and Litigation (including chemical regulations) in Korea. Mr. Hwang is an automotive industry specialist focusing on Korean type approval of emission and noise, Korean self-certification of safety standards, regulatory compliance and permitting of car sharing, recently enacted Korean lemon law implementation and arbitration program, and fair trade issues related to vehicle sales and A/S including false representation and advertisements. Mr. Hwang advises clients on numerous aspects of Korean law relating to environment(including homologation certification), auto-safety(including self-certification), autonomous driving and liability, connected car, broadcasting and telecommunication(including location based service), construction, energy, pharmacy, multi-level marketing and fair trade laws.

Datuk Shahrol Halmi

President

Malaysia EV Owners Club

Datuk Shahrol Halmi is the President and Co-Founder of the Malaysian EV Owners Club (MyEVOC). MyEVOC was formed in May 2019 with the intent of creating awareness, dispelling myths around electric vehicles and most of all, represent the users view to both industry and regulatory bodies. Shahrol himself has been an EV driver since 2017. Shahrol was formerly the President and CEO of the Malaysian Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC), a government agency under the Prime Minister’s Department. He was also a Director in the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), looking after the Energy, Oil and Gas as well as Financial Services sectors for the Economic Transformation Program. Prior to his stint at a wealth management fund, Shahrol was a partner in Accenture, a Management Consulting firm in Kuala Lumpur. He graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Yap Keng Teck

Founder & Managing Consultant

Bizsphere Brand & Marketing

Keng Teck is one the most respected branding expert and business leaders among the SME communities. Named as The Most Influential Global Marketing Leader by World Marketing Congress, he has helped many local emerging brands to record double digit growth and expand their wings in export markets. He has contributed much to the growth and advancement of SME communities while he was the National Vice President of SME Assoc of Malaysia as well as Technical Committee of Industry4wrd Readiness Assessment under MITI.

He is now very active in driving smart manufacturing via smart4wrd private and public partnership programme as well as The Malaysia Smart Manufacturing Awards 2023.

Dr. Yossapong Laoonual

Associate Professor

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)

Dr. Yossapong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Thailand. He also serves as the Head of the Mobility & Vehicle Technology Research Center at KMUTT and has recently fulfilled the role of Assistant to the President for Sustainability.

Dr. Yossapong, a key figure in the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT) from 2015 to 2020, served as its First President and founding member. Recognized for his significant role, he holds titles of Honorary Chairman and Advisor. He is also active in the Thailand Energy Storage Technology Association and had been on the National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee between 2020-2023.

12 – 14 November 2024Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

12 – 14 November 2025Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Mr Azrul Reza Aziz

Dato' Dennis Chuah

Mr Akshay Prasad

Mr Abang Mohammad Hudini

YBrs. TPr Dr. Alias bin Rameli

Mr Mohd Amar Bin Raja Ariffin

Mr Amit Das

Mr. Anthony O’Connell

Mr. Bakri Alias

Ms. Claire Featherstone

Mr. Faizal Mohd Yusof

Mr. Ferdinand Raquelsantos

Mr. Hazmi Yusof

Dr. Horizon Walker Gitano-Briggs

Mr John H. Kwon

Mr Krisda Utamote

Mr. Lee Hookyung

Ms Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa

Dr. Mohamad Firdaus Bin Rosle

Ts Mohd Sharulnizam Bin Sarip

Ts. Nizmar bin Mohd. Nazar

Ms. Norhasliza Mohd Mokhtar

Mr. Riduan Abdul Rahman

Ms. Rina Neoh

Ms. Shareen Dato’ Abdul Ghani

Mr. Seong Ik Hwang

Datuk Shahrol Halmi

Mr. Yap Keng Teck

Dr. Yossapong Laoonual

Ronaldo “Roni” DC. Buluran

Mr. Wilson Teoh

Charles Brewer

Mr. Edmund Araga

Copyright © 2025 Derrisen Sdn Bhd

Azrul Reza Aziz

CEO

Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)

Dennis Chuah

Founder & CEO, Eclimo Sdn Bhd

Chairman, Electric Vehicle Association Malaysia

Chairman, Kiwanis Club Penang Central

Founder, ETI Corporations Berhad

Founder, Zapstat Sdn Bhd

Akshay Prasad

Senior Engagement Manager

Arthur D. Little SEA

Mr Abang Mohammad Hudini

Head, Group CEO Office

Sarawak Energy

Dr. Alias Rameli

Director-General

Department of Town and Country Planning

PLANMalaysia

Mohd Amar Bin Raja Ariffin

Head, Strategy Management,

Strategy Development,

Corporate Strategy,

PROTON

Amit Das

Founder & CEO

Electric One

Anthony O’Connell

Managing Director

Volvo Trucks Malaysia

Bakri Alias

Senior General Manager

Value Chain Department

Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii)

Claire Featherstone

Head Of Corporate And Enterprise Practices

Maxis Berhad

Faizal Mohd Yusof

Senior Director

Industrial Development Division

MITI

Ferdinand I. Raquelsantos

President

12 – 14 November 2024
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

12 – 14 November 2025
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre