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PRAGYA ANURAKTI
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC SERVICE DELIVERY of Laserfiche International LimitedExperienced in all phases of software development, Pragya Anurakti is a technical expert with a history of successful presales and project deliveries. As Regional Director of Strategic Service Delivery, she leads the international implementation and delivery of Laserfiche solutions. Working with teams in HK and UK, Pragya has helped to establish the expertise of Laserfiche technologies, cultivating market awareness and brand value worldwide. She is a graduate of NIT Kurukshetra, with recognized successes working in India, US, HK and beyond contributing to her invaluable perspective as engineer passionate about the relationship between technology and customer experience
ADA AU
Industry Head, Large Customer Sales at Google (Hong Kong) LimitedAda is Industry Head for Large Customer Sales at Google Hong Kong, where she advises some of the world’s largest advertisers and agencies on Google’s range of products to connect with their audiences. Ada joined Google in 2016 and was previously Head of Global Customer Care for Greater China at Google for three years.
Prior to joining Google, Ada’s career has spanned luxury retail and investment banking. She also founded Hong Kong’s first subscription-based corporate floral company with clients that included luxury brands, five-star hotels, and large corporations.
Ada holds a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from Stanford University.
MELANIE BELL
Director, Modern Workplace, Greater China of AvanadeMelanie Bell leads the Modern Workplace Practice in Greater China at Avanade, a leading digital innovator and global professional services company providing technology consulting and advisory services to clients seeking to create compelling experiences for their customers and employees.
Melanie has nearly 20 years’ experience in information technology and telecommunications, having held senior executive and non-executive director roles in Australia and Asia. Melanie believes in the potential for technology to unlock the power of people, enabling collaboration and the promotion of diversity, in this age of digital disruption.
She is a passionate advocate for women in technology, including currently as a mentor to young, aspiring female leaders through her volunteer work at Hong Kong’s The Women’s Foundation, and previously at other organizations.
GEORGE CHEN
Head of Public Policy, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia at FacebookGeorge Chen is Head of Public Policy, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia of Facebook. George’s career spans international media, academia, and now public policy. George joined Facebook in January 2016 and became the company’s first hire as the Head of Public Policy for Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia. In this role, George works with the governments, legislators and other stakeholders on a wide range of policy issues from online safety to data privacy, and free expression to digital economy. Prior to Facebook, George worked in the media sector for about 15 years, including being managing editor of the South China Morning Post. He also held editor and project manager positions at Reuters and Dow Jones in Hong Kong and Shanghai. George has been a five-times judge (2014-2018) for journalism awards of the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA).
In 2014, George was named by Yale University a Yale World Fellow. He was also a 2015 fellow of the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. George earned his Master’s degree (distinction) for international and public affairs at the University of Hong Kong, with a concentration on the triangular US-China-Taiwan relations. He’s also a doctoral candidate for public administration at the HKU. An award-winning journalist, George has authored and edited three books: “The Next Big Thing – How China Challenges Silicon Valley And Changes Global Landscape” (2015), “This is Hong Kong I Know” (2014), and “Foreign Banks in China” (2011).
DIANA WU DAVID
Founder and CEO of Sarana LabsDiana Wu David is the author of Future Proof: Reinventing Work in the Age of Acceleration, a book about how to adopt more agile mindsets and practices to prepare yourself for success in a fast-changing world, across a 100-year life. Diana is an adjunct professor of leadership at Columbia Business School's EMBA Global Asia and for the Financial Times Non-Executive Director Diploma. A former Financial Times executive, Diana now works with CEOs and board directors to enhance their leadership agility, influence, collaboration and resilience. Her clients have included the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, the World Bank, Expedia, Asia Development Bank and Credit Suisse. She began her career and leadership education as an assistant to Dr. Henry Kissinger.
Read the first two chapters of Future Proof: Reinventing Work in the Age of Acceleration for free at www.dianawudavid.com/futureproof
AKIHIKO KATAYAMA
Vice President of Hong Kong at OmniscienceAki is Vice President of Hong Kong for Omniscience, cofounder of Sprint Milestone, and co-chair of the AI committee for Fintech Association of Hong Kong with over 25 years’ experience specifically in digital transformations, customer insights, risk management, and operational process improvement across Asia and Americas.
Omniscience is a fast-growing, venture-backed, early-stage AI startup in the heart of Silicon Valley Valley and has been named top 5 Global Fintech AI by CEFPRO 2019 and cited in a recent World Economic Forum publication. Sprint Milestone distributes and implements data solutions across South East Asia.
Prior to joining Omniscience, Aki led various technology teams at PWC, the digital practice at AlixPartners, co-founded an analytics consulting startup, and held various risk management positions at HSBC, GE, Citibank and FICO.
He has an MBA from Kellogg-HKUST and a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research from Columbia University.
DR. SEAN O. FERGUSON
ASSOCIATE DEAN at ASIA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IN COLLABORATION WITH MIT SLOANDr. Sean O. Ferguson is currently an Associate Dean at the Asia School of Business (ASB) in Malaysia. ASB is a partnership collaboration between the MIT Sloan School of Management and Bank Negara Malaysia (the Central Bank of Malaysia). Ferguson is responsible for growing the student body, accreditation, career development, and employer relations.
Ferguson received his doctorate in Global Education from the University of Southern California. His area of expertise focuses on employability and career management in Asia-Pacific. He also has an MBA from Rice University and a BS in Engineering from the University
REBECCA SHAM
MANAGING DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES QUALITY, TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE of FEDEX EXPRESS, ASIA PACIFICInfrastructure for FedEx Express, covering the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. She leads a team of close to 100 human resources professionals and oversees Shared Service Center, HR systems, automation, digital solutions, process improvement and workforce analytics.
Prior to this position, Rebecca held several leadership roles in the Company, including Sales Planning and HR Information System for the APAC region as well as Global Strategic Planning in FedEx HQ based in USA.
FedEx Express APAC serves more than 30 countries and territories and has approximately 29,000 team members across the region.
Rebecca holds two master’s degrees, one in Business Administration from the University of Memphis, USA and the other in Operational Research from the University of Southampton, England.
JENNIFER VAN DALE
Partner | Head of Asia Pacific Employment at Eversheds Sutherland“Jennifer Van Dale is a Partner at Eversheds Sutherland, where she heads the data privacy and employment teams. She serves as trusted counsel to multinational clients on many workforce and cybersecurity issues. Jennifer regularly conducts training and advises on termination, remuneration, workforce planning and equal opportunities issues. She focuses on the future of work, smart cities and is currently writing about the technological choices we make as individuals and as a community.
Jennifer is recognized as one of Hong Kong’s leading employment lawyers and is ranked in the top tier by Legal 500 Asia Pacific and Chambers Asia Pacific. Jennifer graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Chinese and from the University of Hong Kong with an LL.B (first class) and P.C.LL.”
RICHARD WILLDER
Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs at UberRichard is the Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs in Hong Kong, with responsibility for a number of key markets across North Asia. Prior to this, he represented Uber's global public policy team in Australia & New Zealand, one of Uber's most developed and successful markets. Before joining Uber, Richard worked as a policy, political and strategic adviser to the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, currently Treasurer of Australia, across a wide array of portfolio responsibilities.
KEVIN YAO
DIRECTOR, MARKETPLACE MANAGEMENT of NikeKevin Yao is the Director of Marketplace Management at Nike. As a Taiwanese immigrant raised in a military school in Georgia, Kevin learned early that to lead is to serve, and to succeed means to empower others. For the past decade, Kevin has lead multigenerational teams in the US, Greater China, and founded two start ups on his own. Kevin credits his growth to his his teams and mentors, who has been instrumental on his journey.
Kevin has two lovely daughters and is a STEM mentor for HKU, where he is working on his MBA. Kevin also just finished his first half-marathon this month.