CHRO Series MALAYSIA

Navigating the Future of HR:

Leading with Purpose, Powering the Skills Economy

23 – 25 June 2026

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara

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#CHROSeriesMalaysia

The 2026 Event covers:
Leading with Purpose, Powering the Skills Economy and the Rise of the Value Architect

The CHRO Malaysia 2026 conference is the nation's premier forum for senior HR and C-suite leaders, designed to navigate the transformative shifts impacting the workforce.

This year's theme, "Leading with Purpose, Powering the Skills Economy," focuses on equipping Chief Human Resources Officers to be Value Architects who drive organizational growth by mastering data, embracing ethical AI, and strategically deploying a skills-based talent model. The event addresses the critical intersection of business strategy, regulatory compliance (like PDPA and new social schemes), and cutting-edge HR technology.

Key themes for 2026 include:

✔ Skills Economy Transformation
✔ Strategic & Technical Foresight
✔ Culture, Compliance, and Value
✔ Next-Gen Leadership

This year, the event structure has been updated to:

✔ Workshop 1: June 23 2026
✔ Main Conference: June 24, 2026
✔ Workshop 2: June 25, 2026

Join 150+ CHROs for high-level networking, best practice sharing, and insights from top HR thought leaders to drive business success.


CHRO Malaysia

CHRO AGENDA
AGENDA SUBJECTED TO CHANGES

Malaysia

Venue (TBA)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

24th June 2026

CHRO Series is the most influential and highly anticipated yearly in-person event designed for CHROs and HR leaders across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Hong Kong. Tailored to help HR leaders explore and successfully tackle the realities of the digital age and a new world of work, the event provides an unparalleled platform for learning and networking with hundreds of top CHROs in the region.

The CHRO MALAYSIA 2026 conference is the nation’s premier forum for senior HR and C-suite leaders, designed to navigate the transformative shifts impacting the workforce. This year’s theme, "Leading with Purpose, Powering the Skills Economy," focuses on equipping Chief Human Resources Officers to be Value Architects who drive organizational growth by mastering data, embracing ethical AI, and strategically deploying a skills-based talent model. The event addresses the critical intersection of business strategy, regulatory compliance (like PDPA and new social schemes), and cutting-edge HR technology.
Key Themes:
  • Skills Economy Transformation
  • Strategic & Technical Foresight
  • MCulture, Compliance, and Value
  • Next-Gen Leadership
Conference - Day 1

Date: 24th June 2026
8.00am
Registration & Networking
8.45am
Organiser’s Welcome Address
8.50am
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
9.00am
OPENING KEYNOTE
The CHRO as a Value Architect in Malaysia's Skills-Based Economy
  • Shift from 'Jobs' to 'Skills': Focus on adopting a skills-based approach to workforce planning, moving away from rigid job descriptions.
  • Driving Internal Mobility: Utilizing skills data to map employee capabilities to new internal roles and career pathways, enhancing talent fluidity.
  • National Talent Alignment: Supporting national priorities like TVET and upskilling (as highlighted in Budget 2026) by building a future-ready, highvalue skills pipeline.
9.30am
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP DIALOUGE
Navigating Global Complexity - Geopolitics, ESG, and the CHRO’s Mandate
  • Integrate geopolitical risk into talent attraction and retention.
  • Align people strategy with ESG and sustainability goals.
  • Elevate the CHRO's role in enterprise-wide risk management.
10.15am
Fireside Chat: Building a Data-Driven People Function for Predictable Business Outcomes
  • Leverage People Analytics and predictive AI for insights.
  • Measure the ROI of HR programs (L&D, well-being, etc.).
  • Utilize data to improve retention, performance, and strategic decisions.
10.45am
Morning Tea Break
11.15am
Fireside Chat
The Total Well-being Strategy—From Mental Health to Financial Resilience
  • Implement a holistic strategy covering physical and mental health.
  • Address technostress and psychological safety in the digital age.
  • Introduce programs for employee financial wellness (e.g., Budget 2026 implications).
11.45am
Panel Discussion: AI Governance and Ethical Deployment in HR
  • Establish human-centric guardrails for AI use in HR processes.
  • Mitigate bias and discrimination in AI-driven talent decisions.
  • Ensure compliance with digital ethics standards and data privacy laws.
12.15pm
Future Proofing: The New People Strategy for Gig and Hybrid Workforces
  • Seamlessly manage a blend of full-time, remote, and gig workers.
  • Restructure compensation and benefits for contingent labor.
  • Adapt to the evolving Gig Workers Bill and social protection expansions.
12.45pm
Lunch & Networking
02.00pm
INTERACTIVE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION GROUPS [60 MINS]

Ask the experts and have your say! Structured to maximise interaction and in-depth focus on a topical subject matter, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a roundtable of their choice, which has close relevance to their area of expertise and/or scope of responsibility. We will conclude with a 15mins sharing session, where each Roundtable Leader will present key highlights and takeaways from the group discussion.


ROUNDTABLE A

Gen Z and the Future of Work: Adapting Culture and Communication
ROUNDTABLE B

Scaling AI Fluency: Practical L&D Strategies for the Digital Workforce
ROUNDTABLE C

Green Jobs & Green Skills: HR’s Role in Achieving National Energy Transition
ROUNDTABLE D

The Skills Architecture: Translating Job Roles into Dynamic Capability Maps
ROUNDTABLE E

Aligning Talent Strategy with ESG Metrics
ROUNDTABLE F

Managing the Multigenerational Workforce: Bridging the Digital and Experience Divide
03.00pm
Panel Discussion: Building a Culture of High Accountability and Radical Candor
  • Design a performance system that drives genuine ownership.
  • Equip managers with tools for providing candid, constructive feedback.
  • Establish mutual accountability between leaders and employees.
03.30pm
Afternoon Tea Break
04.00pm
Fireside Chat: Upskilling Malaysia's Workforce for AI and Digital Fluency
  • Make strategic investment in AI-related training and literacy.
  • Build internal learning ecosystems for rapid capability scaling.
  • Leverage government incentives for digital skills development.
04.30pm
CLOSING PANEL DISCUSSION
The CHRO Manifesto for 2026 – People, Purpose, and Profit
  • People: Articulating a human-centric strategy that prioritizes employee well-being, skills mastery, and equitable growth.
  • Purpose: Defining the CHRO's role in linking talent strategy to organizational mission, ethical governance, and societal impact.
  • Profit: Outlining the future manifesto for HR to drive measurable business value, sustained profitability, and strategic agility.
05.15pm
Closing Remarks & End of Conference
Workshop 1: The Agentic Organization: AI Masterclass for CHRO’s

Date: 23rd June 2026
Time: 9.00am-5pm
Facilitator: Amit Kurhekar

WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES

Participants attending the masterclass are designed to walk away with practical, actionable tools rather than just theory. These tools include their organization's tailored 90-day AI transformation roadmap. The resource kit provides essential frameworks for upskilling 1,000+ employees for successful human-AI collaboration, real-world ROI data from multiple global implementations, and a platform comparison guide to help evaluate vendors quickly. Finally, attendees receive a complete resource kit, including templates, checklists, and ethical AI guidelines, in addition to networking with over 50 CHROs facing similar challenges.
Workshop Deliverables:
  • Master AI Strategic Fundamentals: Decode the jargon of AI, GenAI, and Agentic AI to understand the strategic impact of autonomous agents on the HR system and position the CHRO as a transformation leader.
  • Define ROI for Leadership: Learn to perform a rigorous ROI analysis to determine the financial case for AI—focusing on the metrics (like predicting attrition 6 months out and cutting time-to-hire by 60%) that CFOs and CEOs actually care about.
  • Build an AI-Ready Workforce: Understand the critical skills gap and implement frameworks for technical, cognitive, and EQ upskilling necessary to redesign jobs for human-agent collaboration.
  • Develop an Actionable Roadmap: Immediately transition from strategy to execution by developing a tangible 90-day implementation roadmap to pilot a chosen AI agent in Q3 2026.
  • Establish Ethical Governance: Define the 5 strategic pillars every CHRO must get right, ensuring clear guidance on where automation helps versus where humans must lead to maintain ethical and trustworthy AI deployment.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

08.30am
Registration & Coffee
09.00am
Session 1: Transformational Multi Generational Leadership: Today's Leadership Engagement Blueprint
  • Deepdive into the state of our workplaces and world and the wider context we are working within.
  • Introduction to the Empathy Deficit and its impact on the bottom line
  • Examine the scale and impact of global loneliness on workplaces and the world.
  • Highlight the cost of disengaged employees ($8.2 billion annually) and the role of organizational empathy and leadership in countering this trend.
  • Connecting sustained multi-generational engagement to improved performance.
  • Dialogue and Audience Engagement
10.30am
Morning Tea Break
11.00am
Session 2: Listening Led Leadership and Its Impact
  • Introduction to Listening Led Leadership and its power
  • Why Listening will change your workplace.
  • Highlight the benefits of highly engaged teams (21% more profitable, 17% more productive).
  • A review of whether leaders have the tools they need to communicate effectively with four generations of employees, addressing their diverse needs and drivers for performance
  • Exploration of the reasons behind the need to belong and the consequences of lacking a sense of belonging.
  • Participation Exercises and Audience Engagement
12.30pm
Networking Luncheon
1.30pm
Session 3: The Open Room Listening Methodology
  • Participatory Session introducing critical Listening Tools and Expandable Gateway practises for HR leaders
  • Dialogue and Discussion surrounding Listening Led Leadership - troubleshooting, opportunity assessment
3.00pm
Afternoon Tea Break
3.30pm
Session 4: The Role of Neuroscience in Inclusion & Belonging
  • Explore the innate power of the brain, emphasizing empathy as a hardwired capability.
  • Learning how neuroscience can nurture trust, elevate belonging, and lead to health improvements.
  • Investigate the Parasympathetic Cogs and their activation to foster authentic connection and inclusive well-being.
  • Introduction to neurolinguistics in leadership.
  • Empathy Mapping Exercise for the HR Leader to leverage back in the workplace
5.00pm
Summary, Q&A and End of Workshop
Workshop 2: The Strategic HR Analyst: Turning HR Data into a Competitive Advantage

Date: 25th June 2026
Time: 9.00am-5pm
Facilitator: TBC

WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES

The workshop is structured to move participants from analytical theory to practical execution. Attendees will be equipped with the ability to review and analyze 20-25 actual global case studies presented through dashboards and visualizations across crucial HR functions like learning, recruitment, payroll spend, and DEI. The core deliverable is the opportunity for attendees to engage in a group exercise using actual company data to build basic charts, convert data into analytics, and derive actionable insights. This hands-on process is designed to build the critical thinking necessary to study, review, and analyze raw data to confidently drive data-driven decision-making
Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the Global Analytics Landscape: Cover global research on analytics, grasp the Why and What of Analytics, and analyse where the HR function stands on the analytics curve in detail.
  • Validate Solutions to Complex Challenges: Discuss how to effectively use analytics to validate hypotheses around solutions to complex business and HR challenges, covering levers like attraction, retention, reward, and DEI.
  • Master Data Storytelling through Visualization: Gain comfort looking at various charts and dashboards (from single to complex multi-disciplinary visuals) and learn the intent behind visualizations to pick meaningful insights from them.
  • Practice Raw Data Conversion: Build a deep understanding of data analysis by engaging in a group exercise that utilizes actual company data to create basic charts and analytics, and subsequently arrive at the meaning behind that data.
  • Drive Data-Driven Decision Making: Develop the critical thinking necessary to convert derived insights into decisions, thereby reinforcing how to effectively study, review, and analyze data for strategic HR purposes.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

08.30am
Registration & Coffee
09.00am
Opening & Context
  • Kick off by unpacking why artificial intelligence now tops the HR agenda and set the day’s goals
9.30am
Session 1: Understanding AI & Large Language Models
  • Discover what AI and LLMs are, explore practical tools you can already access, and pinpoint the HR domains where they add the greatest value
10.15am
Session 2: Maximising AI for Productivity
  • Explore useful AI helpers and learn when to rely on text assistants, image generators, and audio- or video-creation, simple automation to boost individual and team efficiency
10.30am
Morning Tea Break
10.45am
Session 3: AI-Powered HR Practices
  • See how AI addresses real HR pain-points—recruitment, engagement, coaching and performance management—and discuss how to tailor each use case to your own organisation
12.30pm
Networking Luncheon
02.00pm
Session 4: Ethics & Governance
  • Examine common pitfalls around bias, privacy and employee trust through a focused case study, then agree on practical guard-rails to keep deployments ethical
02.45pm
Session 5: Designing an AI-Ready HR Strategy
  • Explore the key decision factors, leadership buy-in steps and change-management principles that turn ideas into an actionable roadmap
3.30pm
Afternoon Tea Break
03.45pm
Session 6: Future-Proofing the HR Function
  • Explore the trends that matter—agentic AI, multimodal tools, internal skills marketplaces—and outline realistic up-skilling priorities and tool selections to keep your HR function ahead of the curve
04.30pm
Session 7: Closing & Commitments
  • Capture one practical takeaway to apply in the coming week
5.00pm
Summary, Q&A and End of Workshop

2025 CHRO SPEAKERS

Nicholas Thooi

Chief People Officer
BonusLink

Datuk Dr Nora A Manaf

Former Chief Human Capital, Maybank and Chairman and Board Member MGA
MBSB Group

Liaw Chan Kong

Principal Consultant
Arete Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Rayyan Irwan

Head of Strategic HR
Bank Muamalat

Sainursalwa Sani

Former CHRO
Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad

Monir Azzouzi

Group CHRO
Cyberjaya Education Group

Dinakaran B. Krishnan

SVP, HR
Credence (TM Digital Innovations)

Wilson Tan

Regional Account Director
Coursera

Mimi Nicklin

Bestselling Author, Empathy Advocate & CEO
Empathy Everywhere

Razman Bin Radzi

Chief Human Capital Officer
FGV Holdings Berhad

Lyn Hadjula-Legarde

People & Culture Director
Friesland Campina

Puan Siti Suryati

CHRO
HRD Corp

Raslan Rashid

Director, Strategic Human Capital Management
Khazanah Nasional Berhad

Amandeep Singh Kohli

Chief Business Officer – Asia Pacific
KNOLSKAPE

Freda Yong

Head of People Development & Learning (PDL) MY & SG
L’Oreal

Patrick Er

Chief People and Transformation Officer
Maxis

Alvin Chia

Head, Group Internal Communications & Impact Reporting
Maybank

Pooja Venkatram

Head HR
Mattel South Asia

Anamika Talwar

CEO & Board Chair
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Singapore and Malaysia

Rilla Amrullah

Director - Human Resources
Ninja Van Malaysia

Khim Tan

Director
Pinnacle Connexion Sdn Bhd

Natalia Navin

Group Chief People Officer
Pos Malaysia Berhad

Muhammad Afiq Rosman

Vice President, Group Strategy Office
TalentCorp

Mohd Shahiman Sulaiman

CEO - Turkish Aerospace Malaysia,
Board Member - SMD Semiconductor, UNIMY

Adi Afuan Zainudin

Group Chief People Officer
SIRIM Berhad

Haikal Akmar

Chief Human Resources Officer
UOA Group

Farehana Hanapiah

Board Member, PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd, Chairman
University Technology PETRONAS (UTP)

Andrew Chan

CHRO
Press Metal Group

Fong Tuan Chen

Chief People Officer
Valiram

Eddy Wong

CEO and MD
VSure Life

Jensen Leung

Regional Director – Asia
Workvivo by Zoom

Pei Woan Wong

Senior Director, Solution Consulting, Asia
Workday

ESG MASTERCLASS SPEAKERS

Joanne Flinn

Kris Wadia

Jonathan Cheung

CHRO MALAYSIA PARTNERS

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SUPPORTING PARTNERS

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ticket prices and information for CHRO Malaysia

CHRO Malaysia 10th July 20241-4 ticket(s) (SGD)5 tickets and above (per ticket) (SGD)
Early Bird (valid till 31st May 2024)S$299S$279
Advanced Saver (valid till 30th June 2024)S$399S$379
Regular Price (1st July to 10th July 2024)S$499S$439

 
1 to 4 delegates (SGD)
15 July 2025: Workshop 1 S$699 per delegate
16 July 2025: CHRO Conference S$499 per delegate
17 July 2025: Workshop 2 S$699 per delegate

 

 
1 to 4 delegates (SGD)
[Bundle A] 2-Day Event (CHRO Conference and Workshop 1) S$1,159 per delegate
[Bundle B] 2-Day Event (CHRO Conference and Workshop 2) S$1.159 per delegate
[Bundle C] 3-Day Event (CHRO Conference and Two Workshops) S$1,559 per delegate

Regular price from July 1, 2025 onwards.

CHRO Philippines 21 Feb 20241 ticket4-10 tickets (per ticket) (SGD)
Early Bird (1 Nov to 31 Dec 2023)S$299S$279
Advanced Saver (1 Jan to 31 Jan 2024)S$399S$379
Regular Price (1 Feb to 21 Feb 2024)S$499S$439

Register now

Reserve your
tickets now.

The CHRO series promises to be exciting this year.
But it'll be even better with you with us.

Nicholas Thooi

Chief People Officer – BonusLink

Datuk Dr Nora A Manaf

Former Chief Human Capital, Maybank and Chairman and Board Member MGA – MBSB Group

Liaw Chan Kong

Principal Consultant – Arete Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
Bio

CK Liaw is the Principal Consultant at Arete Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, bringing over 20 years of experience in the HR solutions industry. With deep expertise in support, implementation, and solution architecture, CK has successfully delivered projects across multiple HR platforms, including Prosoft and ClayHR. His work focuses on helping clients streamline HR processes, drive user adoption, and align technology with strategic business goals—ensuring each solution delivers lasting value and operational efficiency.

Rayyan Irwan

Head of Strategic HR – Bank Muamalat
Bio

As the Head of Strategic HR, He led a comprehensive human resources function designed to drive organizational success and employee engagement. In this role, he is responsible for shaping and implementing HR strategies that align with business objectives and foster a high-performance culture. He holds a master’s degree in business specialising in project management and is a certified HRDF trainer with Lean Six Sigma expertise. Rayyan’s core competencies include HR training, recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, project management, learner engagement, talent management, process improvements, digital learning, and F&B operations.

Sainursalwa Sani

Former CHRO – Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad
Bio

Sainursalwa is the former Chief Human Resource Officer of Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB); reporting to Group Chief Executive Officer and entrusted to oversee three (3) portfolios: Group HR, CSR and BPMB’s affiliate company focusing on education and awareness on environment and sustainability; known as Amanah Lestari Alam (ALAM).

In addition, Salwa had also been appointed as the Overseeing Director for Group BPMB’s Economics and Research Unit from April to December 2024. The bank aspires to establish its own economics research house and Salwa is entrusted to oversee it.

Monir Azzouzi

Group CHRO – Cyberjaya Education Group
Bio

With over 15 years of HR and business leadership across the technology, telecommunications and FMCG sectors in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Monir has a proven track record in orchestrating digital transformation while enriching people experiences. He co-steered Gotoko’s (JV between Unilever & Goto Group) journey from due diligence to a USD100M yearly revenue and a USD150M+ valuation within 2 years.

Recognised with prestigious HR awards, such as the Asian Human Capital Award by Temasek, the LinkedIn Rising star Award, Monir has been named in the HR Director Hot List 2023 and the top 100 most influential HR leaders in Southeast Asia (no. 1 in Indonesia). Monir is also the author of “ChatGPT-Powered HR” and is a sought-after speaker, coach, mentor and consultant in the fields of digital & AI transformation, people experience, talent management, and organisational development. Having held multiple board director roles in the tech & animation industry, providing strategic guidance and insights.

Dinakaran B. Krishnan

SVP, HR – Credence (TM Digital Innovations)
Bio

Dinakaran Krishnan brings with him over 24 years of experience in the field of Human Resources, with deep expertise in Workforce Transformation & Integration, HR Technology, Strategy, and Analytics.

He currently serves as the Head of HR at Telekom Malaysia Digital Innovations Sdn Bhd (Credence), a digital powerhouse with core capabilities in Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, SaaS, Application Management, and Cybersecurity.

Throughout his career, Dinakaran has held key HR and consulting roles at leading organizations such as DXC Technology, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HCL Axon, Arthur Andersen & Co, Ernst & Young Tax Consultants, and Deloitte Malaysia.

He holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Tasmania, Australia, and an MBA in Business from the University of Glasgow Caledonian.

Beyond the corporate world, Dinakaran is also a proud former national hockey player, having represented Malaysia in various international tournaments, exemplifying both leadership and discipline on and off the field.

Wilson Tan

Regional Account Director – Coursera
Bio

Wilson Tan is the Regional Account Director at Coursera, leading strategic partnerships across Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. He works closely with People Leaders to drive workforce transformation through a Skills-First approach. Prior to Coursera, he held roles at Gartner, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, and Thomson Reuters. His expertise spans across workforce transformation, business strategy, and innovation.

Mimi Nicklin

Bestselling Author, Empathy Advocate & CEO – Empathy Everywhere
Bio

With the goal of reconnecting 1 million people in empathy, everywhere, Mimi Nicklin is an internationally bestselling author and the multi- award winning Founder of the world’s widest-reaching empathy training & engagement platform. A top 5-rated podcast host of her show, ‘MiMi YouYou’, she is omnipresent in the media including recently appearing live on the BBC to 85 million people. Having recently appeared on stage with Bill Gates, she is an experienced executive coach, and the globe’s leading thought leader advocating for the movement to create more empathy in the world.

She trained over 18,500+ professionals in Fortune 500 organisations globally in Listening-Led Leadership and has recently been awarded Malaysian Female Leader 2024 and Top 45 Sri Lankan Leader 2024. Mimi specialises in Listening-Led, Empathetic Leadership, Multi-Generational Engagement, Psychological Safety and Inclusion & Wellbeing. She is as charismatic as she is passionate, and she is set on reconnecting our world, one organisation at a time!

Razman Bin Radzi

Chief Human Capital Officer – FGV Holdings Berhad
Bio

Razman has accumulated extensive experience of 33 years in the field of human resources. He has held senior-level positions at various multinational corporations and government-linked entities, including serving as the General Manager of Human Resource Development at Johor Corporation and the Senior General Manager of Group Talent Management at KPJ Healthcare. Additionally, Razman has worked at prominent companies, such as Goodyear, UEM Land Holdings and Kumpulan Guthrie.

Academically, Razman holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the International Islamic University and a Diploma in Personnel Management from the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management. His professional achievements include serving as the Panel Member of the Industrial Court , and being a Thought Leader at the National Human Resource Centre under HRD Corp. He currently serves as the Deputy President of the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management. Razman is also certified as a Professional Coach and Mentor, as well as a Balanced Scorecard professional.

Additionally, last year, Razman was named as Asia’s 50 Top HR Leaders by SpeakIn and Asia Dialogues and one of 40 HR Icons of Malaysia by Economic Times HR World.

Lyn Hadjula-Legarde

People & Culture Director – Friesland Campina
Bio

With more than 25 years’ solid HR experience focused on People and Culture Strategy and Management in large multinational and local organizations, Lyn distinguished herself in the HR field. Inclusion and Diversity, Talent and Leadership Development and Strategic Rewards are passions and advocacies that she drives. She is currently the Country People and Culture Director for Dutch Lady Milk Industries – Malaysia Berhad, a company by Royal Friesland Campina. Lyn has led organizational transformation interventions in all of the companies that she worked with and led with innovative and agile HR solutions to drive business growth with reinforcing organization and culture-building.

Lyn was awarded the Top Most HR Leaders (ASIA) Award by the World HRD Congress last August 2022 and Top Most HR Leader (PH) Award by the same organization last June 2023. In October 2023, Lyn was recognized by the Rising Tigers Organization as one of their featured Women of Excellence as well as by the White Pages International as one of the Global 200 Power Leaders in HR for 2023. She is also recognized by The Bridge Club as part of the PH Top 100 Talent Leaders 2024. Last February, she is also recognized by the World HRD Congress Global HR Excellence Awards 2024 as Most Iconic Global HR Leader.

Puan Siti Suryati Kama Asnawi

CHRO – HRD Corp
Bio

Siti Suryati Kama Asnawi’s remarkable journey in human resources is driven by a powerful belief as she strongly advocates that people are the driving force of every successful organization. With over 17 years of experience in shaping human capital strategies across industries as diverse as consumer goods, retail, property, and government-linked sectors, Siti Suryati has proven that this belief is not just a philosophy but a blueprint for transformative success.

Her leadership philosophy is grounded in the idea that a thriving workplace balances both business success and employee well-being. Whether designing forward-thinking HR strategies or guiding companies through complex organizational change, she remains committed to creating environments where talent is empowered to grow.

A recognized thought leader and highly sought-after speaker, Siti Suryati is an inspiration to both established leaders and emerging talent. Her passion for HR transformation, leadership development, and the future of work continues to inspire organizations to embrace change, elevate performance, and build resilient cultures that fuel long-term, sustainable success.

Raslan Rashid

Director, Strategic Human Capital Management – Khazanah Nasional Berhad
Bio

Dr Raslan’s passion in talent development has been noteworthy not just within his organisation but also Malaysia’s youth and education ecosystem. He has extensive experience of 19 years working across government, private and non-for-profit organizations. In Khazanah, he oversees HR operations covering recruitment, engagement and rewards. Raslan has been instrumental in spearheading efforts to embed ESG and DEI elements within Khazanah’s talent development agenda with a deep focus on employee wellbeing across mental, physical and financial dimensions. His current work looks at enhancing Malaysia’s graduate industry readiness with an eye towards driving productivity through digital upskilling, capstone projects and coaching within the university setting. Raslan enjoys walking, travelling with his family and has an affinity for cars.

Amandeep Singh Kohli

Chief Business Officer – Asia Pacific – KNOLSKAPE
Bio

Aman has recently joined KNOLSKAPE as the Chief Business Officer to lead the Asia Pacific business. With a rich professional journey spanning over 16 years, he comes with a wealth of experience as a seasoned leader in the realms of EdTech, SaaS and all things tech-related.

Prior to joining KNOLSKAPE, Aman’s last stint was at Coursera as their Regional Sales Director, heading their corporate and government business. He has previously worked with high growth companies like iimjobs.com in India, leading their sales and customer success verticals while also spearheading multinational initiatives with global giants, such as 3M and Philips.

Freda Yong

Head of People Development & Learning (PDL) MY & SG – L’Oreal
Bio

Freda Yong is a seasoned HR leader with over 17 years of experience spanning consulting and in-house HR across diverse industries. Currently the Head of People, Development & Learning at L’Oréal Malaysia and Singapore, she spearheads strategic capability-building initiatives, including the market’s first Learning Week and a transformative Leadership Mastery Series for senior leaders.

Her career reflects a strong focus on organizational transformation, talent management, and culture-building, having held leadership roles at companies such as Qra Foods, Celcom Axiata, and AmGeneral Insurance. At Accenture, Freda led large-scale change and learning programs across Southeast Asia, supporting enterprise-wide transformation in sectors such as aviation and telecommunications.

Freda is known for her pragmatic leadership style, strong learning agility, and ability to galvanize teams around business goals. She brings a unique blend of strategic thinking and operational execution, always championing people development as a lever for business performance.

Patrick Er

Chief People and Transformation Officer – Maxis
Bio

Patrick has taken on the role of Chief People and Transformation Officer (CPTO) at Maxis, a leading Malaysian telco. He is responsible for steering Maxis’ human capital strategies and enhancing the company’s customer-centric approach. He also focuses on fostering a robust organisational culture, spearheading transformative initiatives, and exploring new business opportunities.

Patrick brings nearly 30 years of experience from line business roles. Before his current appointment, he led Sales & Services at Maxis, spending four years as the Chief Sales & Services Officer (CSSO), where he managed retail, regional sales management, fibre build and operations, customer service, customer excellence programmes, credit and collections, and logistics.

Alvin Chia

Head, Group Internal Communications & Impact Reporting – Maybank
Bio

Alvin Chia is an internal communications specialist with professional experiences in the oil & gas, telecommunications, fintech, and financial services industries, across multinational and local settings. Throughout his career, he has been involved in various change and crisis management communications, including enterprise-wide culture and transformation initiatives, restructuring exercises, and the implementation of enterprise social networks.

Beyond work, he lends his expertise in support of local NGOs to gain access to funding, develop impactful initiatives for their beneficiaries, and seek opportunities for further collaboration and partnerships. He is also a father to two toddlers, and aspires to be a role model to them every day.

Alvin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics & Management from the University of Nottingham, Malaysia, and a Masters in Media & Communications from Deakin University, Australia.

Pooja Venkatram

Head HR – Mattel South Asia
Bio

Pooja currently serves as the Head of HR for Mattel South Asia, where she leads HR teams across India and SEA markets. With over 17 years of experience in the HR field, Pooja has worked with some of the world’s most prominent consumer organizations, including Mondelez, General Mills, and Godrej Consumer Products. She has developed a wide-ranging expertise in HR Business Partnering, Organization Design, Employee Engagement, HR Strategy, HR Transformation, and Change Management. Throughout her career, Pooja has consistently demonstrated her ability to lead transformative change in dynamic and disruptive markets, building future-ready, adaptive competencies that align with business growth objectives.

Currently on an international assignment with Mattel, Pooja is based in Kuala Lumpur. Pooja’s extensive experience spans several global regions, including India, Middle East, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and Indonesia. Her cross-cultural acumen, combined with her advocacy for Diversity and Inclusion, enables her to effectively drive both people and business outcomes, fostering environments where diverse teams can thrive and deliver exceptional results.

Anamika Talwar

CEO & Board Chair – Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Singapore and Malaysia
Bio

Anamika Talwar is an award-winning chief executive and board chair with 30 years of leadership experience overseeing country operations, building new businesses, and leading regional functions for Fortune 100 multinationals across the Americas, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Her deep expertise in growth strategy, business turnarounds, digital transformation, and operational optimization is complemented by her reputation for fostering high-performance cultures, managing risk, and cultivating partnerships that drive sustainable business impact.

In her current roles as CEO and board chair of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Singapore and Malaysia, Anamika has delivered record profits through credit risk mitigation, innovative product growth strategies, and the restructuring of regional operations. Anamika’s commitment to diversity and social impact is evident in her advisory work with Leap to Shine, empowering underserved children with digital education. An active member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM), Women Executives on Boards (WEOB), Women Corporate Directors (WCD), and the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID), Anamika brings invaluable expertise to boards seeking leaders skilled in market expansion, digital innovation, and transformational change.

Rilla Amrullah

Director – Human Resources – Ninja Van Malaysia
Bio

Rilla Amrullah’s 16-year career journey epitomises an unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and organisational success. Armed with a solid academic background in Human Development & Management, she embarked on her professional odyssey with one of Kuala Lumpur’s leading plantation companies, demonstrating a thirst for learning and collaboration while honing her skills in Performance Management, Total Rewards and HR Analytics. She then transitioned into the startup ecosystem, embracing the dynamic realms of SaaS, Game Development, and Web 3.0, thriving amidst rapid innovation and contributing significantly to strategic decision-making processes. With a versatile skill set cultivated across both corporate structures and startup dynamism, Rilla continues to carve her path as a pioneering figure in Human Resources leadership, guided by principles of humility and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.

Khim Tan

Director – Pinnacle Connexion Sdn Bhd – AECOM
Bio

Khim is a transformative Human Capital leader with over 30 years of experience in talent management, leadership development, organisational effectiveness, and rewards transformation across banking, insurance, stockbroking, professional services, consulting, IT, FMCG, and retail in 14 Asia-Pacific markets.

Her last corporate role was as Group Chief Human Resource Officer at Alliance Bank – where she co-led people strategies that contributed to a 60% NPAT growth in three years and achieved employee engagement scores exceeding both local and global financial services norms. Khim has held senior HR roles at AIA, British American Tobacco, PwC, Maybank, and TA Enterprise, working within multinationals, public-listed firms, and large local conglomerates.

She is recognised for building high-performing, award-winning teams, modernising rewards to fuel growth, and leading HR digitalisation, large-scale change, M&A integrations, and sustainability programmes — and has won Gold, Silver, and Bronze honours at the HR Excellence and Employee Experience Awards.

She holds an MBA from Victoria University, Melbourne, and is an ICF-certified executive coach, Gallup CliftonStrengths coach, and certified practitioner in Hogan and DiSC. Khim has mentored emerging professionals through FutureLab and AsiaHRM, and is a regular speaker at HR and business conferences across Malaysia and Singapore — including Marcus Evans, HRM Asia, People Matters, HROnline, The Star, MIA International Accountants Conference, and the Enterprise Risk Management Global Conference.

Currently pursuing a PhD focused on AI adoption, workforce productivity, and innovative behaviour, she is also exploring agentic AI and vibe coding.
Industry recognitions include:

  • Asia’s Top 50 HR Leaders – Speakin, 2024
  • Top 40 Most Influential HR Leaders in Malaysia – Economic Times HRWorld, 2024
  • 100 Most Influential HR Leaders in Southeast Asia – ET HRWorld, 2023
  • Top 40 Most Influential HR Leaders Across Southeast Asia – PeopleHum, 2022

With deep boardroom and practitioner insight, Khim empowers leaders and organisations to evolve with clarity, confidence, and human-centred impact in an AI-augmented future.

Natalia Navin

Group Chief People Officer – Pos Malaysia Berhad
Bio

Natalia brings a wealth of experience in human resources and organisational transformation, with a career spanning legal practice and strategic HR leadership across the Asia Pacific region. She began her professional journey as a legal practitioner specialising in industrial relations and employment law, before transitioning into key HR roles where she has successfully led transformation efforts, organisational turnarounds, and cultural change initiatives.

Her expertise lies in areas such as talent management and development, employee engagement, culture transformation, and workplace safety. Known for her ability to drive impactful change, Natalia has consistently made a significant positive difference in every organisation she has served.

She previously held the role of Chief Human Resources Officer at Maxis, and has also worked with leading organisations such as Zaid Ibrahim & Co, the United Nations, CIMB, and Hewlett Packard. With her extensive experience across both Malaysian and multinational contexts, Natalia offers valuable insights on leadership, people strategy, and building resilient organisations in an evolving business landscape.

Muhammad Afiq Rosman

Vice President, Group Strategy Office – TalentCorp
Bio

Muhammad Afiq DS Rosman is a strategic leader in Malaysia’s public sector, currently serving in the Group Strategy Office at Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp). He plays a pivotal role in shaping national talent development initiatives, focusing on critical areas such as digital transformation, AI, and the green economy. Afiq actively engages with youth through programs like Bitara Speak Up, guiding students on career pathways and essential skills. His collaborative efforts with government bodies, including MITI and MyDigital, underscore his commitment to aligning workforce strategies with Malaysia’s future economic goals. Passionate about empowering the next generation, Afiq is dedicated to fostering a resilient and future-ready workforce.

Mohd Shahiman Sulaiman

CEO | Board Member – Turkish Aerospace Malaysia
Bio

Mohd Shahiman Sulaiman is the CEO of Turkish Aerospace Malaysia, where he leads the strategic vision and execution of the company’s growth and operational plans. With a strong background in frontier technology development, Shahiman has extensive experience in establishing corporate governance, driving profitability, and expanding organisational capabilities. Before his current role, he held senior leadership positions at MIMOS Berhad, where he successfully led the commercialization of over 25 products and 60 IPs, and secured international R&D contracts. Shahiman is also a member of the Board of Governors at the University Malaysia of Computer Science & Engineering (UNIMY) and has played a pivotal role in influencing government policy for the IC design industry in Malaysia.

Adi Afuan Zainudin

Group Chief People Officer – SIRIM Berhad
Bio

Adi Afuan Zainudin is a strategic HR leader with over two decades of experience driving organizational change, developing leadership, and innovating for employees. As the Group Chief People Officer at SIRIM Berhad, he manages the human capital strategy for more than 2,200 employees and reports directly to the President and Group CEO.

At SIRIM, Adi helps align HR with the organization’s long-term goals. He leads structural changes, fosters a culture of accountability and innovation, and improves employee experience through digital HR transformation. He has introduced new approaches to succession planning, total rewards, and talent attraction while boosting the organization’s reputation as an employer of choice.

Throughout his career, Adi has held senior leadership roles in various industries, managing large-scale changes, workforce planning strategies, and employee programs across multiple subsidiaries and regions. He is known for turning strategy into action and serves as a trusted advisor to boards and executive teams by combining business knowledge with a people-first approach.

With a passion for building organizations ready for the future, Adi supports impactful, human-centered leadership that connects purpose, performance, and culture.

Haikal Akmar

Chief Human Resources Officer – UOA Group
Bio

Haikal is the Chief Human Resources Officer at UOA Group (United Overseas Australia), a leading award-winning property development and investment company headquartered in Malaysia, with a presence in Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, and Singapore. UOA Group is listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, Singapore Exchange, and Australian Securities Exchange. His experience spans public, privately-held, and foreign-owned businesses in industries such as hospitality, consulting, financial investment, property development, and retail.

Haikal has a strong interest in culture building, talent and performance management, and organizational transformation. His focus has been on reengineering jobs and developing leadership capabilities to meet evolving workforce needs. He is particularly passionate about fostering collaboration among diverse, multigenerational teams and creating environments where high-performance cultures can thrive.

Farehana Hanapiah

Board Member, PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd, Chairman – University Technology PETRONAS (UTP)
Bio

Farehana Hanapiah was the former Senior Vice President of Group Human Resource Management and a member of the Executive Leadership Team at PETRONAS, a position she has held for 4 years until her retirement in 2024. She is currently holding board memberships of several companies including a public listed company and a university. She is a Charted Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), a professional body for HR and Learning & Development. She also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2015.

Farehana has over 35 years of experience in the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industry, holding various positions in internal audit, corporate strategy, business planning, enterprise risk management, business evaluations and portfolio management, commercial & joint venture development before moving into human resource management.

She was a member of several international associations, including the Global HR Council of The Conference Board (TCB), and a commissioner for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Business Commission to Tackle Inequality 1.0 (BCTI 1.0). Farehana is also currently appointed as a member of Majlis Wanita dan Keluarga Negara (MWKN).

Andrew Chan

CHRO – Press Metal Group
Bio

Andrew Chan, Chief Human Resources Officer at Press Metal, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated aluminium producer and a leading Malaysian multinational. With over 30 years of strategic HR leadership, Andrew has held senior roles in Malaysian public-listed companies, Hong Kong-listed firms, and global MNCs, driving transformative HR strategies across diverse industries. His expertise encompasses human capital strategy, organizational transformation, leadership development, and culture building, consistently delivering business impact through innovative people strategies.

A recognized thought leader, Andrew has earned accolades such as Excellence in Talent Management & Succession Planning and Best Employer Brand Awards. His commitment to community impact is evident through his active roles on industrial advisory boards of universities and NGOs, where he shapes the future of HR and leadership development.

Holding an MBA and a Master’s in International Relations, Andrew combines academic rigor with practical execution, offering a dynamic perspective on HR’s role in driving agility, innovation, and scalability. His insights on transforming HR into a value-driven function, fostering cross-functional collaboration through Centres of Excellence (CoEs), and aligning HRBPs with organizational goals make him a compelling voice at the CHRO Series 2025.

Fong Tuan Chen

Chief People Officer – Valiram
Bio

In his role with Maybank, Fong Tuan leads people strategy, practices and policies to accelerate a transformative, purpose driven workforce He is a Chartered Fellow of CIPD, UK and a qualified professional engineer holding an honours degree in Electrical Electronic Engineering, an MBA in Organizational Behaviour and a CFA. He is currently a Doctoral candidate researching on the reliability of quantitative correlation between psychometric traits with success profiles.

He started his career with Tenaga Nasional, Malaysia’s power utility company, where he was a scholar subsequently leading and holding senior HR leadership roles for global MNCs and blue chip corporations Coca Cola, OCBC, Watson Wyatt, British American Tobacco, Maybank Group, B Braun, Samsung and most recently, he headed HR for one of Malaysia’s largest and most diverse consumer group Berjaya Corporation. Fong Tuan has been personally recognized regionally including HR Icon 2023 100 Top HR Leaders in South East Asia, 40 Most Influential HR Leaders in Southeast Asia 2022 and HRM Asia Watchlist 2018.

Eddy Wong

CEO and MD – VSure Life
Bio

Aspiring Tech & Biz Entrepreneur, Astute Corporate Executive and Angel Investor. Strong entrepreneurial character as Founding CEO/MD of a Msia based Fintech/Insurtech Digital Insurer – VSure.life “1st OnDemand Lifestyle Digital Insurer under the BNM Fintech Sandbox Framework and Executive Chairman/Director of Yishensu Group – an integrated Vegetarian & Plant-Based Foodtech, Catering and F&B Chain in Malaysia.

Eddy also sits on the Executive Board member of a few Consumer tech startups, Fintech Association of Malaysia- ex-Office Bearer & Committee member (2022/23), EIR – Global VP for a Global Professional Accounting Accreditation bodies and also Venture Partner/Mentor – NEXEA Venture Capital & Startup Accelerator (Malaysia). He also won industry recognitions and accolades ranging from;

  • Best Leader of the Year (2021) by GBS Asia Award (Malaysia)
  • Asean Fintech Leaders of the Year (2022) by SFA Singapore
  • Led VSure Group to win the Fastest Growing SME 100 Awards (2022)

Jensen Leung

Regional Director – Asia – Workvivo by Zoom
Bio

Jensen is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of Workvivo by Zoom across Malaysia. In this role, he spearheads the business strategy and execution, focused on employee engagement. Jensen is a seasoned executive with more than two decades of experience in revenue focused roles across sales, account management, partnerships and customer success within HR technology and experience management.

Prior to joining Workvivo by Zoom, Jensen served as a leader for Qualtrics, in multiple roles across CX and EX, and across multiple locations from Sydney, Australia to Hong Kong, China and Singapore.

Pei Woan Wong

Senior Director , Solution Consulting, Asia – Workday
Bio

Armed with a Computer Science degree, Pei Woan was passionate about coding and planning to settle in a programming role upon graduation. Her first job landed her in the HR world at a large conglomerate and since then, she has never looked back. For almost 20 years, Pei Woan built her career deep in the discipline of HR and Technology recommending and managing transformation projects across organisations.

Pei Woan currently manages a team of solution consultants at Workday for Asia. She constantly sets internal benchmarks in employee engagement that includes employee health, well-being and diversity. As part of her leadership portfolio, she also chairs the Field Innovation Champions team for Customer Experience across Asia Pacific.

Joanne Flinn

Chairwoman of the ESG Institute
Bio

Thought leader, award-winning author and respected international keynote speaker, Joanne Flinn has brought inspiration, insight, and action to audiences across countries and industries. Her deep experience enables her to share true insights about digital disruption, change and leadership. Her empathy and realism help people succeed in business and life. As the Chair of the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Institute, Joanne works with Chairman and CEOs of global entities to develop, scale and deploy sustainability strategies.

Kris Wadia

CEO of Humanized Leadership
Bio

Kris Wadia is the CEO of Humanized Leadership. He focuses on putting human beings, not processes or technology, at the core of any business that wishes to be successful. A former Partner at Accenture, with global experience across multiple industry verticals, his career journey has spanned over 70 countries. Most recently, Kris was a keynote speaker on ‘Habitual Hybrid Leadership’ for the UK’s Centre for Army Leadership, with a world-wide audience of over 6,000 attendees.

Jonathan Cheung

CEO of the ESG Institute and ASEAN Development Advisor Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)
Bio

Jonathan Cheung comes to the helm of the ESG Institute with over 37 years of leadership experience in 20 countries across the Asia Pacific region, North America, and Europe. His deep expertise in business, procurement and supply chain are uniquely situated to help organisations successfully tackle scope 3 emissions and improve value chains.

Jonathan brings invaluable expertise, collaborative muscle and big-picture vision to the ESG Institute through his external role as the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) ASEAN Development Advisor and his commercial acumen developed while the Executive Director/Regional Head of Citibank Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Services as well as his years at EDS, American Express, PwC Consulting, CAPCO, HP, and KPMG.

He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS); a licensed CIPS Procurement Excellence Programme assessor for Asia, and a Chartered IT Professional (CITP). He is also an Exco member of The Supply Chain Asia (SCA) Procurement Council.