Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum - Kuala Lumpur - June 25, 2024
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Overview 2024 Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum - Kuala Lumpur
Embark on a journey into the core of innovation and resilience within the insurance industry at the Asian Bankling & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum 2024, where banking and insurance professionals from across the continent come together. This forum is meticulously designed to delve deep into the ever-evolving landscapes of risk management, regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and customer engagement strategies. It serves as the pivotal hub for igniting a transformative wave in the dynamic Asian insurance industry.
The forum embarks on an enlightening tour across Asia's leading cities, initiating a sequence of high-impact gatherings starting with the historic inaugural event in the vibrant metropolis of Ho Chi Minh on March 12. It then moves to the commercial epicenter of Bangkok on April 23, advances to Jakarta's booming insurance market on May 14, transitions to the finance-savvy Kuala Lumpur on June 25, and concludes amidst the burgeoning insurance sector of Manila on October 1.
The 2024 Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum invites you to embrace a world where tradition meets innovation, empowering you to redefine the boundaries of what's possible in the insurance sector.
Secure your spot now and become an active participant in shaping the future, not merely observing it.
Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur
Why the Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum 2024 is indispensable for professionals:
NETWORK
Engage with peers, thought leaders, and innovators. Expand your professional circle with executives and decision-makers through our tailored networking sessions.
INSIGHT
Gain direct insights from industry forerunners and dissect groundbreaking case studies. Be at the forefront of understanding how regional trends and global shifts are influencing the insurance landscape in Asia.
INNOVATE
Explore the latest in insurtech, cyber insurance, and customer service excellence. Discover tools and tactics to drive product innovation, streamline operations, and enhance customer satisfaction.
GROW
Propel your career and your company forward with the knowledge and connections gained. Whether it’s tapping into emerging markets or leveraging digital transformation, walk away with strategies that foster substantial growth.
SPEAKERS
Mohd Prasad Hanif
Secretary General
Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM)
Secretary General
Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM)
MOHD PRASAD HANIF is an Author, Key Note Speaker, Trainer & Coach who specializes in Leadership and Business Transformation. He is honored to be recognized as one of 100 Most Inspirational LinkedIn Icons in Malaysia.
Accredited as being among the top speakers in Malaysia, he is featured regularly at business conventions, world-class forums, business shows and industry publications, as well as being a decorated business coach to many entrepreneurs, organizations and government agencies.
Mohd Prasad is also a certified Master NLP Practitioner and Professional Business Coach. He is a Keynote Speaker in the areas of Leadership, Integrity and Technology. He has coached over 500 entrepreneurs across his career.
He is also a business owner and sits on the board of a few companies. He is currently on the Council of the Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM) and acts as the Secretary General of the association. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Darul Haq Global Ventures Sdn Bhd.
He has managed large scale engineering projects worth RM65 million to large scale human capital development program with budget over RM100 million. He has extensive experience in business growth and entrepreneur development.
In the arena of sustainable development, Mohd Prasad Bin Hanif has organized and spoken on Sustainable Development issues locally and internationally on Technology, Development Finance and Poverty Eradication. He has spoken on the topic of Anti-Corruption and Finance in Singapore, Thailand and many other countries.
He is also a certified Trainer and Speaker by the ASEM SMEs Eco Innovation Center (ASEIC) and has coached the entrepreneurs competing in ECOTHON 2021. He is also a consultant for graduate entrepreneurship for the Ministry of Higher Education.
He is loves swimming, cooking and weight lifting.
Emmanuel Coucke
Partner
Bain & Company
Partner
Bain & Company
Emmanuel Coucke leads Bain's Results Delivery® practice in Southeast Asia and has over 15 years of experience driving transformational change across multiple industries in both developed and emerging markets, including North America, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, India, China, Latin America and central Asia.
He holds deep expertise in telecommunications, media and technology (TMT), combining previous industry experience at Vodafone with advising clients in TMT on transformations, digital, growth strategies, performance improvement and customer experience. He also advises clients in Energy & Natural Resources and Oil & Gas on topics related to strategy-led transformation, digital and performance improvement.
Emmanuel holds an MBA from London Business School, as well as a two Masters degrees in Engineering and Computer Science.
Khairul Rifaie
Group CFO
CIMB
Group CFO
CIMB
Khairul assumed his current role in January 2019 and oversees all aspects of financial performance which includes financial planning and budgeting, statutory and regulatory reporting, tax, capital management and finance operations. Prior to assuming this role, he held the position of CFO, Malaysia and Regional Head, Financial Control.
Khairul started his career with KPMG, London focusing on the financial services industry.
In 2006, he joined Goldman Sachs, London as an equity analyst covering the European Insurance Sector. He then joined UBS, Malaysia in 2009 to cover the Malaysian Banking Sector and later on also covered the Singapore Banking sector.
He holds a First Class Honours degree in Accounting and Finance from University of Warwick and an MSc in Finance from Imperial College. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a member of Chartered Banker Institute (MCBI) and a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA).
Ling Kay Yeow
Partner
Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd
Partner
Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd
Professional background
• Kay Yeow has over 25+ years of experience in Information Technology and Banking Consulting.
• His wide experience across ASEAN covers Risk, Business and Technology. He has delivered Target Operating Model Design, Climate Risk Transformation, Digital Transformation & Innovation and Enterprise Architecture & IT Strategy.
Selected professional experience
• Partner leading the Climate Risk and Operational Risk projects in Malaysia, covering Regional Banks and Digital Banks.
• Overseeing Partner for 3 Malaysian banks in their Climate Risk journey.
• Experienced in ASEAN, providing input in the initiation of Climate Risk in the banking environment.
• Engagement partner for implementation support to comply with BNM’s CRMSA for a large standalone Malaysian Islamic Bank and a large Malaysian financial institution.
• Lead Partner for an Operation and System transformation, focusing on the Treasury and Core system design for an ASEAN Central Bank.
• Involved in the IT modernisation of Malaysia leading bank in 4 key areas such as change management, leadership alignment and transformation of the digital business.
• Advisor and Engagement Partner for a Shariah compliant core banking replacement project involving 45 branch deployments, retail and corporate business, back-office systems and internal and external communication.
• Lead Partner for a Project Management Office for a large local bank to coordinate over 200 resources in the design, planning and execution of the group-wide compliance to new reporting standards, covering 4 operating countries and 7 business ines.
• Engagement Partner in a process improvement strategy and design for a government owned Credit Corporation. Scope included all key processes in a Malaysian Regulated Financial Services provider.
• Partner for Malaysia leading bank’s Asset Management engagement for implementation of Bloomberg as a core trading system.
Alex Tay
Banking Industry Expert
Banking Industry Expert
Nirav Solanki
Region Head - Sales, APAC
EbixCash Financial Technology Pvt. Ltd.
Region Head - Sales, APAC
EbixCash Financial Technology Pvt. Ltd.
Nirav is Regional Head of Sales, APAC at EbixCash Financial Technologies. Nirav has over 16 years of experience working in APAC region with banks and non-bank finance companies to help them transform their lending journey. With Ebix, Nirav is helping Banks and Non-Bank finance companies choose the right products to manage and improve their end-to-end lending process.
Randy Dhana
Account Executive, Intelligent Automation and AI Specialist
Tungsten Automation
Account Executive, Intelligent Automation and AI Specialist
Tungsten Automation
Randy Dhana is a seasoned account executive at Tungsten, specializing in intelligent automation and AI solutions tailored for the banking and insurance industries. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by CXOs in these sectors, Randy excels in delivering innovative technologies that enhance operational efficiency and drive strategic growth.
Boon Lee Thor
Country Chief Risk Officer
OCBC Bank (Malaysia)
Country Chief Risk Officer
OCBC Bank (Malaysia)
Mr. Thor Boon Lee was appointed Country Chief Risk Officer in 2017, and oversees the full spectrum of risk, including credit, technology and information security, liquidity, and market and operational risk management.
Before OCBC Bank, he worked at MUFG Bank where his last appointment was as Chief Risk Officer for Malaysia. There he provided leadership and set directions for the enterprise-wide risk matters in market, credit and operational risk, and business continuity management. In his 25 years of financial services risk management experience, he has worked as a banking risk management practitioner and financial risk management consultant within the ASEAN region.
He holds a First Class Honours in Management Science from University of Warwick, UK, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Greg Crowl
Vice President, Sales Engineering – APJ
Tungsten Automation
Vice President, Sales Engineering – APJ
Tungsten Automation
Chris Eng
Chief Strategy Officer
Etiqa Insurance & Takaful
Chief Strategy Officer
Etiqa Insurance & Takaful
Chris Eng is the Chief Strategy Officer at Etiqa Insurance and Takaful where he is responsible for the development and execution of strategic initiatives and marketing plans to support Etiqa's long-term growth. Under him, Etiqa strengthened its position in the Philippines and started operations in Cambodia. It also rolled out Robotic Process Automation, continued its Digitalisation agenda and embarked on its Sustainability journey. All of this contributed to Etiqa growing to be the 5th largest ASEAN owned insurer with record toplines achieved in 6 out of the last 7 years. Etiqa has also clinched the Number 1 Insurance/Takaful brand position in Malaysia for the past 3 years and won numerous awards for its festive ad series. Prior to his current role, he was Head of Research/Products and Alternative Investments where he set up the Equities and Fixed Income Research teams in Etiqa while personally specializing in broad macro-economic trends that could affect investment markets. He has over 25 years of experience in identifying market trends and business improvement opportunities having previously worked as a research analyst, an engineer and a management consultant around the region. He is a Chevening Scholar with a MPhil in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and has won numerous awards for equity research in the past.
Mok Wan Kong
Partner – RMP & EIP, Head of Insurance
KPMG in Malaysia
Partner – RMP & EIP, Head of Insurance
KPMG in Malaysia
As KPMG’s Head of Insurance in Malaysia, Mok focuses on creating value for insurance sector clients in new and different ways as they transition through the inevitable changes taking place in the industry. Mok draws on over 29 years of experience in professional practice as an audit partner for a wide range of public listed and multinational companies, specializing in insurance companies (life and general) and mutual funds. He also has extensive experience in due diligence reviews, share valuation engagements, review of financial modeling, reporting accountants and review of profit forecasts. Mok led the firm’s IFRS/MFRS 17 accounting change service in Malaysia. Mok also serves as KPMG’s Risk Management Partner and Ethics and Independence Partner (RMP & EIP) in Malaysia, joining the firm’s Executive Committee (EXCO) leadership in January 2024. He is an elected Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and serves as the Chairman in MIA’s Public Practice Committee as well as being a Member in the Examination and Practice Review Committees.
Accreditation
- Member, Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) • Fellow, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA)
Professional involvement
- Council Member, Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)
- Chairman, Public Practice Committee, MIA
- Member, Examination Committee, MIA
- Member, Practice Review Committee, MIA
Prashant Lulla
Head of Customer Experience APAC
Zurich Insurance
Head of Customer Experience APAC
Zurich Insurance
Prashant is an award-winning Operations Leader recognized for the ability to design, lead, and implement successful programs across Operations in Financial Services. He is a certified Master Black Belt with expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Metric Management, Data Analytics, and Project Management with a track record for driving Continuous Improvement and leading Successful Change Initiatives with Financial Benefits to the business. A motivating leader known for hiring and developing talent, improving employee engagement, and mobilizing teams behind the vision. Outstanding communication and relationship building skills working effectively across multicultural teams, senior leadership, and industry experts. He is driven by passion and commitment to achieve measurable and sustainable results.
WORK EXPERIENCE AT A GLANCE
- ZURICH INSURANCE
- HEAD OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE APAC – APRIL 2022 TILL DATE
- COO ZURICH MALAYSIA - FEB 2019 TILL APRIL 2022
- OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE APAC SEPT 2013 TILL JAN 2019
- AI COO GI SINGAPORE – APR 2015 – SEPT 2015
BA CONTINUUM INDIA
- VICE PRESIDENT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE GDCE: INDIA PHILIPPINES AND COSTA RICA MAY 2010 - SEPT 2013
HUTCHINSON 3 GLOBAL SERVICES
- GENERAL MANAGER – (CC FOR 3 TELECOM IRELAND MAY 2009 – MAY 2010)
GE MONEY
- OPERATION LEADER –JUL 2008 TO MAY 2009 (LARGEST CAPTIVE OFF SHORE SITE GE MONEY AMERICA ACROSS INDIA AND PHILLIPINES)
- QUALITY LEADER – GE MONEY CANADA APR 2007 TO JUN 2008
- WORK FORCE LEADER – GE MONEY SERVICING FEB 2005 TO JUN 2007
- CERTIFIED BLACK BELT – GECIS (GENPACT) MAR 2003 TO FEB 2005
- CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER – GECIS (GENPACT) OCT 2001 – MAR 2003
- (WITH JCPENNEY - SINGLE LARGEST AND MOST PROFITABLE PORTFOLIO IN GE MONEY AMERICA)
ITC HOTELS
- REVENUE /RESERVATION MANAGER –WINDSOR MANOR SHERATION APR 98 – OCT 2001
- ASST MGR SALES – ITC HOTELS MAY 1997 – APRIL 98
Stephanie Caunter
Head of Customer Strategy & Marketing
AIA
Head of Customer Strategy & Marketing
AIA
Isaac Tan
Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Isaac is a Partner based in BCG’s Kuala Lumpur office. He has 12+ years of experience working with clients in financial services, insurance, and principal investor & private equity (PIPE) sectors, across Southeast Asia. Isaac’s expertise is in retail banking, wealth management, customer journey, agile at scale and digital attacker bank model. Isaac holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Accounting from University of Malaya. He is fluent in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.
Rangam Bir
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
AmMetLife Insurance Berhad
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
AmMetLife Insurance Berhad
Rangam Bir is a visionary business leader, who has led several international financial services firms in a career spanning over 27 years across Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. Rangam is highly passionate about Culture, Communication, Community and Collaboration to drive innovation and change. He has established a successful track record of building winning businesses in fast growing emerging markets by leading large teams in multicultural and international business environments.
In 2023, Rangam was appointed as the CEO of AmMetLife Insurance Berhad (AmMetLife), a joint venture between MetLife and AmBank Group. Before joining AmMetLife, Rangam held various chief executive roles in Malaysia, where he demonstrated exceptional ability to navigate complex business landscapes and drive sustainable growth. First as Chief Executive Officer for Allianz, before transitioning to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer for Gibraltar. Through his transformational leadership, he has led his companies to recognition in digital advancements and employer branding.
Beyond his professional roles, Rangam has been active in the development of the Life Insurance industry in Malaysia as Vice President of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia. He is a Fellow of the Malaysian Insurance Institute, a Member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia, and a Global Associate Member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. He currently serves as an independent director for the Malaysian Insurance Institute.
Rangam holds a Master of Management Studies in finance and is an electronics engineer by training.
Kelferd Hor, CITP, CP
VP, Investors Digital Experience
RHB Banking Group
VP, Investors Digital Experience
RHB Banking Group
Kelferd Hor is the Vice President of Investors Digital Experience at RHB Banking Group, where he is responsible for the development and delivery of Conversational Banking (Live Chat, Chatbot & AI) and Digital Wealth Management.
He has a strong background in technology startups, having worked with leading platforms such as Lazada, Ensogo, and Migme. He holds the prestigious Chartered IT Professional (CITP) designation from United Kingdom (UK) and a Certified Professional (CP) credential recognized by the Australian government.
He has a Professional Master in Business Administration (PMBA) in Entrepreneurship from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) with an Academic Excellence Award and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA).
Caroline Chong
Head of Data
GXBank
Head of Data
GXBank
Zalman Zainal
Chief Marketing and Communication Officer
Hong Leong Bank
Chief Marketing and Communication Officer
Hong Leong Bank
Zalman Zainal, serving as HLB’s Chief Marketing and Communication Officer since 2018, plays a pivotal role in effectively communicating the Bank’s brand promise "Built Around You" through Marketing, Analytics, PR, and CSR efforts. With over two decades of experience in branding and marketing, initially in the telco industry, Zalman has a successful track record in strategic marketing to achieve commercial and business objectives. In today's landscape of brand homogeneity, Zalman advocates for marketing and branding efforts to embody the value and sustainability agenda of a business, achieving brand authenticity and fulfilling social and environmental obligations alongside business objectives.
Yew Choong Chew, PhD.
Chief Data Officer
AmBank
Chief Data Officer
AmBank
I attained the Master's degree and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Information Science and Control Engineering from Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan. I love generating ideas, building practically useful products and knowledge sharing. I am an enthusiast of new technologies, especially those related to information retrieval, machine learning, and data science.
I have more than 20 years of working experience in software development, large-scale transformations, data analytics and data management, across multiple industry segments – Banking, Telecommunications, Software Services, Education, Research & Development, Publication, Advertisement, Market Expansion Services.
I have been technical leader of a wide range of high-impact projects, resulting in 4 patents, with another 3 pending. I am a co-founder of DIBots IT Solutions Sdn. Bhd., co-founder of Malaysian National Computer Confederation AI Special Interest Group (MNCC-AI SIG) and is appointed as external supervisor for some local universities.
Luke Soon
Partner, Asia Pacific Digital Assets and Support Services
PwC Singapore
Partner, Asia Pacific Digital Assets and Support Services
PwC Singapore
Fridolin Blumer
CEO & Founder
XiXun Asia Pte. Ltd.
CEO & Founder
XiXun Asia Pte. Ltd.
Fridolin runs XiXun Asia, a boutique management consulting firm in Singapore. He delivered large scale front to back business and IT platform changes as a Program Director and Operating Model Designer. He has more than 35 years’ banking experience in Europe and Asia in both the run and change the bank dimensions. He has successfully led or advised teams on more than 10 core banking transformation projects including Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Canada, Maybank and Deutsche Bank PWM. He designed the IT Blueprint for an online fashion retailer, advised a German telco on their digital transformation journey and project lead Crealogix’ suite of products to Bangkok Bank. Most recently he assessed the target operating model and competitive advantage proposition of a Malaysian tier 1 bank’s wealth management to design their digital blueprint and roadmap.
AGENDA
*Subject to change
8:30 - 9:00 AM REGISTRATION
9:05 - 9:10 AM Welcome Remarks
- Tim Charlton, Publisher, Asian Banking & Finance
9:10 - 9:25 AM Opening Speaker: Mitigating Banking and Financial Risks in Geopolitics of Today
- Mohd Prasad Hanif, Secretary General, Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM)
9:25 - 9:45 AM Keynote Speaker: GenAI opportunity in Financial Services
- Emmanuel Coucke, Partner, Bain & Company
9:45 - 10:05 AM Speaker Session 3: Robotic Process Automation (RPA):
Enhancing Efficiency in Banking Operations
- Khairul Rifaie, Group CFO, CIMB
10:05 -10:35 AM Panel Session 1: Sustainable finance in banking
Moderator:
- Ling Kay Yeow, Partner, Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd
Panelist:
- Alex Tay, Banking Industry Expert
- Nirav Solanki, Region Head - Sales, APAC, EbixCash Financial Technology Pvt. Ltd.
- Randy Dhana, Account Executive, Intelligent Automation and AI Specialist, Tungsten Automation
- Boon Lee Thor, Country Chief Risk Officer, OCBC Bank (Malaysia)
10:35 -11:15 AM NETWORKING BREAK
11:15 - 11:30 AM Speaking Session 4: Enabling Business-Critical Digital Workflow through Finance Transformation
- Greg Crowl, Vice President, Sales Engineering – APJ, Tungsten Automation
11:30 - 11:50 AM Speaking Session 5: Taking your ESG commitment to the Next level
- Chris Eng, Chief Strategy Officer, Etiqa Insurance & Takaful
11:50 - 12:20 PM Panel Session 2 : Customer Experience: Driving Growth through Customer Engagement and Satisfaction
Moderator:
- Mok Wan Kong, Partner – RMP & EIP, Head of Insurance, KPMG in Malaysia
Panelists:
- Prashant Lulla, Head of Customer Experience APAC, Zurich Insurance
- Stephanie Caunter, Head of Customer Strategy & Marketing, AIA
12:20 - 1:30 PM MIDDAY BREAK
1:30 - 1:50 PM Speaking Session 6: Future of Finance: Strategic Imperatives for Banks
- Isaac Tan, Partner, Boston Consulting Group
1:50 - 2:20 PM Panel Session 3 : Banking Analytics: Leveraging AI for Competitive Advantage
Moderator:
- Kelferd Hor, CITP, CP, VP, Investors Digital Experience , RHB Banking Group
Panelists:
- Caroline Chong, Head of Data, GXBank
- Zalman Zainal, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, Hong Leong Bank
- Yew Choong Chew, PhD., Chief Data Officer, AmBank
2:20 - 2:50 PM NETWORKING BREAK
2:50 - 3:10 PM Speaking Session 7: Genesis: Human Experience in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
- Luke Soon, Partner, Asia Pacific Digital Assets and Support Services, PwC Singapore
3:10 - 3:30 Transformation: Opportunities for customer excellence in affluent banking
- Fridolin Blumer, CEO & Founder, XiXun Asia
3:30 - 3:50 Speaker 9: Transforming Customer Experiences as a Digital Native business
- Rangam Bir, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, AmMetLife Insurance Berhad
4:00 PM END OF PROGRAM
For inquiries, reach us at
For more details, contact:
Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Events Team
+65 31581386
SPEAKERS
Mohd Prasad Hanif
Secretary General
Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM)
Secretary General
Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM)
MOHD PRASAD HANIF is an Author, Key Note Speaker, Trainer & Coach who specializes in Leadership and Business Transformation. He is honored to be recognized as one of 100 Most Inspirational LinkedIn Icons in Malaysia.
Accredited as being among the top speakers in Malaysia, he is featured regularly at business conventions, world-class forums, business shows and industry publications, as well as being a decorated business coach to many entrepreneurs, organizations and government agencies.
Mohd Prasad is also a certified Master NLP Practitioner and Professional Business Coach. He is a Keynote Speaker in the areas of Leadership, Integrity and Technology. He has coached over 500 entrepreneurs across his career.
He is also a business owner and sits on the board of a few companies. He is currently on the Council of the Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia (ADFIM) and acts as the Secretary General of the association. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Darul Haq Global Ventures Sdn Bhd.
He has managed large scale engineering projects worth RM65 million to large scale human capital development program with budget over RM100 million. He has extensive experience in business growth and entrepreneur development.
In the arena of sustainable development, Mohd Prasad Bin Hanif has organized and spoken on Sustainable Development issues locally and internationally on Technology, Development Finance and Poverty Eradication. He has spoken on the topic of Anti-Corruption and Finance in Singapore, Thailand and many other countries.
He is also a certified Trainer and Speaker by the ASEM SMEs Eco Innovation Center (ASEIC) and has coached the entrepreneurs competing in ECOTHON 2021. He is also a consultant for graduate entrepreneurship for the Ministry of Higher Education.
He is loves swimming, cooking and weight lifting.
Emmanuel Coucke
Partner
Bain & Company
Partner
Bain & Company
Emmanuel Coucke leads Bain's Results Delivery® practice in Southeast Asia and has over 15 years of experience driving transformational change across multiple industries in both developed and emerging markets, including North America, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, India, China, Latin America and central Asia.
He holds deep expertise in telecommunications, media and technology (TMT), combining previous industry experience at Vodafone with advising clients in TMT on transformations, digital, growth strategies, performance improvement and customer experience. He also advises clients in Energy & Natural Resources and Oil & Gas on topics related to strategy-led transformation, digital and performance improvement.
Emmanuel holds an MBA from London Business School, as well as a two Masters degrees in Engineering and Computer Science.
Khairul Rifaie
Group CFO
CIMB
Group CFO
CIMB
Khairul assumed his current role in January 2019 and oversees all aspects of financial performance which includes financial planning and budgeting, statutory and regulatory reporting, tax, capital management and finance operations. Prior to assuming this role, he held the position of CFO, Malaysia and Regional Head, Financial Control.
Khairul started his career with KPMG, London focusing on the financial services industry.
In 2006, he joined Goldman Sachs, London as an equity analyst covering the European Insurance Sector. He then joined UBS, Malaysia in 2009 to cover the Malaysian Banking Sector and later on also covered the Singapore Banking sector.
He holds a First Class Honours degree in Accounting and Finance from University of Warwick and an MSc in Finance from Imperial College. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a member of Chartered Banker Institute (MCBI) and a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA).
Ling Kay Yeow
Partner
Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd
Partner
Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd
Professional background
• Kay Yeow has over 25+ years of experience in Information Technology and Banking Consulting.
• His wide experience across ASEAN covers Risk, Business and Technology. He has delivered Target Operating Model Design, Climate Risk Transformation, Digital Transformation & Innovation and Enterprise Architecture & IT Strategy.
Selected professional experience
• Partner leading the Climate Risk and Operational Risk projects in Malaysia, covering Regional Banks and Digital Banks.
• Overseeing Partner for 3 Malaysian banks in their Climate Risk journey.
• Experienced in ASEAN, providing input in the initiation of Climate Risk in the banking environment.
• Engagement partner for implementation support to comply with BNM’s CRMSA for a large standalone Malaysian Islamic Bank and a large Malaysian financial institution.
• Lead Partner for an Operation and System transformation, focusing on the Treasury and Core system design for an ASEAN Central Bank.
• Involved in the IT modernisation of Malaysia leading bank in 4 key areas such as change management, leadership alignment and transformation of the digital business.
• Advisor and Engagement Partner for a Shariah compliant core banking replacement project involving 45 branch deployments, retail and corporate business, back-office systems and internal and external communication.
• Lead Partner for a Project Management Office for a large local bank to coordinate over 200 resources in the design, planning and execution of the group-wide compliance to new reporting standards, covering 4 operating countries and 7 business ines.
• Engagement Partner in a process improvement strategy and design for a government owned Credit Corporation. Scope included all key processes in a Malaysian Regulated Financial Services provider.
• Partner for Malaysia leading bank’s Asset Management engagement for implementation of Bloomberg as a core trading system.
Alex Tay
Banking Industry Expert
Banking Industry Expert
Nirav Solanki
Region Head - Sales, APAC
EbixCash Financial Technology Pvt. Ltd.
Region Head - Sales, APAC
EbixCash Financial Technology Pvt. Ltd.
Nirav is Regional Head of Sales, APAC at EbixCash Financial Technologies. Nirav has over 16 years of experience working in APAC region with banks and non-bank finance companies to help them transform their lending journey. With Ebix, Nirav is helping Banks and Non-Bank finance companies choose the right products to manage and improve their end-to-end lending process.
Randy Dhana
Account Executive, Intelligent Automation and AI Specialist
Tungsten Automation
Account Executive, Intelligent Automation and AI Specialist
Tungsten Automation
Randy Dhana is a seasoned account executive at Tungsten, specializing in intelligent automation and AI solutions tailored for the banking and insurance industries. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by CXOs in these sectors, Randy excels in delivering innovative technologies that enhance operational efficiency and drive strategic growth.
Boon Lee Thor
Country Chief Risk Officer
OCBC Bank (Malaysia)
Country Chief Risk Officer
OCBC Bank (Malaysia)
Mr. Thor Boon Lee was appointed Country Chief Risk Officer in 2017, and oversees the full spectrum of risk, including credit, technology and information security, liquidity, and market and operational risk management.
Before OCBC Bank, he worked at MUFG Bank where his last appointment was as Chief Risk Officer for Malaysia. There he provided leadership and set directions for the enterprise-wide risk matters in market, credit and operational risk, and business continuity management. In his 25 years of financial services risk management experience, he has worked as a banking risk management practitioner and financial risk management consultant within the ASEAN region.
He holds a First Class Honours in Management Science from University of Warwick, UK, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Greg Crowl
Vice President, Sales Engineering – APJ
Tungsten Automation
Vice President, Sales Engineering – APJ
Tungsten Automation
Chris Eng
Chief Strategy Officer
Etiqa Insurance & Takaful
Chief Strategy Officer
Etiqa Insurance & Takaful
Chris Eng is the Chief Strategy Officer at Etiqa Insurance and Takaful where he is responsible for the development and execution of strategic initiatives and marketing plans to support Etiqa's long-term growth. Under him, Etiqa strengthened its position in the Philippines and started operations in Cambodia. It also rolled out Robotic Process Automation, continued its Digitalisation agenda and embarked on its Sustainability journey. All of this contributed to Etiqa growing to be the 5th largest ASEAN owned insurer with record toplines achieved in 6 out of the last 7 years. Etiqa has also clinched the Number 1 Insurance/Takaful brand position in Malaysia for the past 3 years and won numerous awards for its festive ad series. Prior to his current role, he was Head of Research/Products and Alternative Investments where he set up the Equities and Fixed Income Research teams in Etiqa while personally specializing in broad macro-economic trends that could affect investment markets. He has over 25 years of experience in identifying market trends and business improvement opportunities having previously worked as a research analyst, an engineer and a management consultant around the region. He is a Chevening Scholar with a MPhil in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and has won numerous awards for equity research in the past.
Mok Wan Kong
Partner – RMP & EIP, Head of Insurance
KPMG in Malaysia
Partner – RMP & EIP, Head of Insurance
KPMG in Malaysia
As KPMG’s Head of Insurance in Malaysia, Mok focuses on creating value for insurance sector clients in new and different ways as they transition through the inevitable changes taking place in the industry. Mok draws on over 29 years of experience in professional practice as an audit partner for a wide range of public listed and multinational companies, specializing in insurance companies (life and general) and mutual funds. He also has extensive experience in due diligence reviews, share valuation engagements, review of financial modeling, reporting accountants and review of profit forecasts. Mok led the firm’s IFRS/MFRS 17 accounting change service in Malaysia. Mok also serves as KPMG’s Risk Management Partner and Ethics and Independence Partner (RMP & EIP) in Malaysia, joining the firm’s Executive Committee (EXCO) leadership in January 2024. He is an elected Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and serves as the Chairman in MIA’s Public Practice Committee as well as being a Member in the Examination and Practice Review Committees.
Accreditation
- Member, Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) • Fellow, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA)
Professional involvement
- Council Member, Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)
- Chairman, Public Practice Committee, MIA
- Member, Examination Committee, MIA
- Member, Practice Review Committee, MIA
Prashant Lulla
Head of Customer Experience APAC
Zurich Insurance
Head of Customer Experience APAC
Zurich Insurance
Prashant is an award-winning Operations Leader recognized for the ability to design, lead, and implement successful programs across Operations in Financial Services. He is a certified Master Black Belt with expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Metric Management, Data Analytics, and Project Management with a track record for driving Continuous Improvement and leading Successful Change Initiatives with Financial Benefits to the business. A motivating leader known for hiring and developing talent, improving employee engagement, and mobilizing teams behind the vision. Outstanding communication and relationship building skills working effectively across multicultural teams, senior leadership, and industry experts. He is driven by passion and commitment to achieve measurable and sustainable results.
WORK EXPERIENCE AT A GLANCE
- ZURICH INSURANCE
- HEAD OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE APAC – APRIL 2022 TILL DATE
- COO ZURICH MALAYSIA - FEB 2019 TILL APRIL 2022
- OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE APAC SEPT 2013 TILL JAN 2019
- AI COO GI SINGAPORE – APR 2015 – SEPT 2015
BA CONTINUUM INDIA
- VICE PRESIDENT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE GDCE: INDIA PHILIPPINES AND COSTA RICA MAY 2010 - SEPT 2013
HUTCHINSON 3 GLOBAL SERVICES
- GENERAL MANAGER – (CC FOR 3 TELECOM IRELAND MAY 2009 – MAY 2010)
GE MONEY
- OPERATION LEADER –JUL 2008 TO MAY 2009 (LARGEST CAPTIVE OFF SHORE SITE GE MONEY AMERICA ACROSS INDIA AND PHILLIPINES)
- QUALITY LEADER – GE MONEY CANADA APR 2007 TO JUN 2008
- WORK FORCE LEADER – GE MONEY SERVICING FEB 2005 TO JUN 2007
- CERTIFIED BLACK BELT – GECIS (GENPACT) MAR 2003 TO FEB 2005
- CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER – GECIS (GENPACT) OCT 2001 – MAR 2003
- (WITH JCPENNEY - SINGLE LARGEST AND MOST PROFITABLE PORTFOLIO IN GE MONEY AMERICA)
ITC HOTELS
- REVENUE /RESERVATION MANAGER –WINDSOR MANOR SHERATION APR 98 – OCT 2001
- ASST MGR SALES – ITC HOTELS MAY 1997 – APRIL 98
Stephanie Caunter
Head of Customer Strategy & Marketing
AIA
Head of Customer Strategy & Marketing
AIA
Isaac Tan
Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Isaac is a Partner based in BCG’s Kuala Lumpur office. He has 12+ years of experience working with clients in financial services, insurance, and principal investor & private equity (PIPE) sectors, across Southeast Asia. Isaac’s expertise is in retail banking, wealth management, customer journey, agile at scale and digital attacker bank model. Isaac holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Accounting from University of Malaya. He is fluent in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.
Rangam Bir
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
AmMetLife Insurance Berhad
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
AmMetLife Insurance Berhad
Rangam Bir is a visionary business leader, who has led several international financial services firms in a career spanning over 27 years across Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. Rangam is highly passionate about Culture, Communication, Community and Collaboration to drive innovation and change. He has established a successful track record of building winning businesses in fast growing emerging markets by leading large teams in multicultural and international business environments.
In 2023, Rangam was appointed as the CEO of AmMetLife Insurance Berhad (AmMetLife), a joint venture between MetLife and AmBank Group. Before joining AmMetLife, Rangam held various chief executive roles in Malaysia, where he demonstrated exceptional ability to navigate complex business landscapes and drive sustainable growth. First as Chief Executive Officer for Allianz, before transitioning to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer for Gibraltar. Through his transformational leadership, he has led his companies to recognition in digital advancements and employer branding.
Beyond his professional roles, Rangam has been active in the development of the Life Insurance industry in Malaysia as Vice President of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia. He is a Fellow of the Malaysian Insurance Institute, a Member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia, and a Global Associate Member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. He currently serves as an independent director for the Malaysian Insurance Institute.
Rangam holds a Master of Management Studies in finance and is an electronics engineer by training.
Kelferd Hor, CITP, CP
VP, Investors Digital Experience
RHB Banking Group
VP, Investors Digital Experience
RHB Banking Group
Kelferd Hor is the Vice President of Investors Digital Experience at RHB Banking Group, where he is responsible for the development and delivery of Conversational Banking (Live Chat, Chatbot & AI) and Digital Wealth Management.
He has a strong background in technology startups, having worked with leading platforms such as Lazada, Ensogo, and Migme. He holds the prestigious Chartered IT Professional (CITP) designation from United Kingdom (UK) and a Certified Professional (CP) credential recognized by the Australian government.
He has a Professional Master in Business Administration (PMBA) in Entrepreneurship from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) with an Academic Excellence Award and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA).
Caroline Chong
Head of Data
GXBank
Head of Data
GXBank
Zalman Zainal
Chief Marketing and Communication Officer
Hong Leong Bank
Chief Marketing and Communication Officer
Hong Leong Bank
Zalman Zainal, serving as HLB’s Chief Marketing and Communication Officer since 2018, plays a pivotal role in effectively communicating the Bank’s brand promise "Built Around You" through Marketing, Analytics, PR, and CSR efforts. With over two decades of experience in branding and marketing, initially in the telco industry, Zalman has a successful track record in strategic marketing to achieve commercial and business objectives. In today's landscape of brand homogeneity, Zalman advocates for marketing and branding efforts to embody the value and sustainability agenda of a business, achieving brand authenticity and fulfilling social and environmental obligations alongside business objectives.
Yew Choong Chew, PhD.
Chief Data Officer
AmBank
Chief Data Officer
AmBank
I attained the Master's degree and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Information Science and Control Engineering from Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan. I love generating ideas, building practically useful products and knowledge sharing. I am an enthusiast of new technologies, especially those related to information retrieval, machine learning, and data science.
I have more than 20 years of working experience in software development, large-scale transformations, data analytics and data management, across multiple industry segments – Banking, Telecommunications, Software Services, Education, Research & Development, Publication, Advertisement, Market Expansion Services.
I have been technical leader of a wide range of high-impact projects, resulting in 4 patents, with another 3 pending. I am a co-founder of DIBots IT Solutions Sdn. Bhd., co-founder of Malaysian National Computer Confederation AI Special Interest Group (MNCC-AI SIG) and is appointed as external supervisor for some local universities.
Luke Soon
Partner, Asia Pacific Digital Assets and Support Services
PwC Singapore
Partner, Asia Pacific Digital Assets and Support Services
PwC Singapore
Fridolin Blumer
CEO & Founder
XiXun Asia Pte. Ltd.
CEO & Founder
XiXun Asia Pte. Ltd.
Fridolin runs XiXun Asia, a boutique management consulting firm in Singapore. He delivered large scale front to back business and IT platform changes as a Program Director and Operating Model Designer. He has more than 35 years’ banking experience in Europe and Asia in both the run and change the bank dimensions. He has successfully led or advised teams on more than 10 core banking transformation projects including Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Canada, Maybank and Deutsche Bank PWM. He designed the IT Blueprint for an online fashion retailer, advised a German telco on their digital transformation journey and project lead Crealogix’ suite of products to Bangkok Bank. Most recently he assessed the target operating model and competitive advantage proposition of a Malaysian tier 1 bank’s wealth management to design their digital blueprint and roadmap.
Awards Highlights
Recent News
See you in 2025!
Asahi Life's core profit jumps 67.7% in H1 2024
Recent News
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Make sure you don’t miss the Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum - Kuala Lumpur
Join us on 25 June 2024, as Kuala Lumpur takes centre stage in the dynamic journey of the Asian Banking & Finance and Insurance Asia Forum - Kuala Lumpur.
The insurance sector in Asia today is experiencing a dynamic evolution...