MSIA SME CONFERENCE 2024

INNOVATION : THE PATHWAY TO GROWTH

Tuesday, 5 march 2024, 8:30 am

EQ Kuala lumpur, Malaysia

Organized by Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association

Supported by The Government of Malaysia

Supported by Malaysia Productivity Corporation

Supported by Electrical & Electronics Productivity Nexus

Supported by The Electrical and Electronics Association of Malaysia

HIGHLIGHTS

View Gallery

IN THE NEWS

MSIA SME CONFERENCE 2024

INNOVATION : THE PATHWAY TO GROWTH

This conference aims to provide a platform for SME players in Malaysia to connect, learn, and grow. Given the importance of SMEs to Malaysia’s economy, 
 
SMEs need to innovate to navigate the evolving business landscape, capitalize on emerging opportunities, address market challenges, meet customer expectations, and achieve sustainable growth.
 
The E&E industry has been a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economic development, significantly contributing to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, investments, export earnings, and employment. Over the past 51 years, Malaysia has positioned itself as an important global E&E hub, attracting multinational companies (MNCs) and fostering the participation of Malaysian firms including SMEs in the global value chain.
 
MSIA is the collective voice of the semiconductor and electronics industry in Malaysia and we have more than 250 member companies across Malaysia including multinationals from US, Europe and North Asia.
 
REGISTER
2021-05-06-eq-blue-splash-1024x683
2019-12-10_eq_diamond_ballroom-1024x653
2023-03-07_eq_diamond-ballroom_2023-splash-1024x683
Days
Hours
Minutes

To the inaugural MSIA SME Conference 2024. 

EQ Kuala Lumpur

Tuesday, 5 March 2024

8:30am - 6:30pm

WHAT TO EXPECT

Strategies For SMEs To Compete Globally

Innovation is the pathway to growth for SMEs. Learn the strategies to move forward and be a global player.

How To Access Resources For Innovation

For SME to thrive in a competitive industry like E&E, SMEs need to keep apace with business and technology developments.  Learn and discover the necessary and critical resources every SME needs. 

Strategies To Be A Successful MNC Supplier

Learn what the strategies are for becoming a successful supplier to the MNCs from the MNCs themselves.

Unlocking Financial Stretegies for Business Growth

Access to funding is critical for business success especially in the E&E industry. Learn the financial strategies for business growth. 

International & Local Speakers​
0 +
Discussion Panels
0
Expected Attendees
0
MNCs and SMEs Expected Companies in attendance
0 +

MSIA INNOVATION NETWORKING SESSION

Network with Captains of Industry & C-Suite Executives

REGISTER

GUEST SPEAKERS

Who Should attend

Semiconductor companies including

  • MSIA Members
  • SME Companies
  • Startup Companies
  • Existing players in Malaysia (Multi-Nationals, Malaysian)
  • Hi-Tech Firms & Innovation Players
  • Potential investors into Malaysia
  • Service Providers (including Investment Analysts, Consultants, Banks)
  • Foreign Chambers of Commerce
  • Investment promotion Agencies
  • Other relevant industry associations
 
Members of the public are also welcome to join this forum.

Program

This section is currently being updated.

8:30am

Registration Starts

Ms. Nurul Nadia Zainal Adnan,
Assistant Manager, Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)

9:30am

Event Kick-off

Ms. Nurul Nadia Zainal Adnan,
Assistant Manager, Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)

9:35am

Welcoming Speech

Co-Chairman of Organizing Committee 
MSIA SME Conference Committee

9:45am

Opening Speech

Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai 
President, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA)

9:55am

Keynote Speech

YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang (confirmed)
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)

10:10am

Tea Break

10:30am

Panel Discussion 1

Rising to the Innovation Challenge: Strategies for SMEs to compete globally

Malaysia’s SMEs are faced with the challenge to be competitive at the global level. Innovation should be the pathway to growth for SMEs. How innovative and competitive are Malaysia’s SMEs relative to other countries? How can SME move forward and what are the innovation strategies

Moderator:
Solomon Lorthu
Vice President & Managing Director, Penang Operations & Country Manager of Motorola Solutions Malaysia

Panelists:
Johnson Chiang
Industrialization Director, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Ang Wee Seng
Executive Director, Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA)

Inv. Ts. Cheah Bok Eng
Organizing Chair of 2024 Malaysia Inventor and Innovator Convention (MyIIC), Exco Member of the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS)

Tatiana Didlier
Senior Economist Finance, Competitiveness & Innovation, World Bank

11:40am

Panel Discussion 2

The Success Equation: Access to Resources for Innovation

For SME to thrive in a competitive industry like E&E, SMEs need to keep apace with business and technology developments. SME needs to be supported with access to various resources. What are the critical and necessary resources that SMEs need? What and where are these resources?

Moderator: 
J Philip Vincent
Group Director, GSH Precision Technology

Panelists:
Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Bin Hassan
Deputy Secretary General (Technology Development), Ministry Of Science, Technology and Innovation

Rizatuddin Ramli
Director of Investment, Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA)

Noor Suziyanti Saad
Director of E&E Division, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

Azizi Mustafa
CEO, Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF)

12:50pm

Lunch

Ms. Nurul Nadia Zainal Adnan,
Assistant Manager, Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)

1:15pm - 1:45pm

Economic Outlook of Malaysia/Asia/Global

Lee Heng Guie
Executive Director, Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC)

2:00pm

Panel Discussion 3

The Winning Edge: Keys to Success as an MNC Supplier

SMEs play a crucial role in the global semiconductor supply chain ecosystem, offering specialized products, services, and expertise to MNCs and LLCs. What are the strategies to be a successful supplier to MNCs? What criteria are MNCs and LLCs looking for?

Moderator: 
CS Tan
Group Vice-President & General Manager, STMicroelectronics

Panelists:
Ng Suek Sern
Director, SIG Procurement, Micron Malaysia

Kok Tiong Ng
Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Infineon Kulim

Noorazidi Che Azib
Deputy Vice President, Inari Amertron Berhad

TT Tang
Sourcing Director, Plexus

3:15pm

Panel Discussion 4

Growth Catalysts: Unlocking Financing Strategies for Business Growth

Access to funding is critical for business success especially in the E&E industry. Whether as a startup or a SME that is seeking initial capital or an established SME aiming to scale operations, understanding and leveraging various financing strategies can serve as a catalyst for achieving business growth objectives. This panel discussion explores the financing strategies that SMEs can utilise to unlock opportunities, drive expansion, and maximize shareholder value from various different perspectives.

Moderator:
Aina Zahari
Director Corporate Strategy, Bursa Malaysia

Panelists:
Ts. Hj. Mohammad Hazani Hj. Hassan
Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC)

Chunghee Woo (CH Woo)
 Managing Director Partner, Intervest Korea

Tan Cheow Han
Hanaura Partners

Janet Lee
Head of Trade Sales, Transaction Banking, UOB Malaysia

Elain Lockman
CEO, Ata Plus

4:30pm

Panel Discussion 5

Beyond Borders : Nurturing SMEs into Global Champions

Malaysia aspires to have its home-grown Malaysian E&E global champions. How can Malaysia develop its own global E&E champions? Which areas does Malaysian companies excel in? What are the key strategies and best practices for Malaysian companies aiming to transcend borders, seize global opportunities, and achieve sustainable success on the international stage?

Moderator: 
Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai
President, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA)

Panelists:
Chu Jenn Weng
CEO, ViTrox Technologies

Zalela Jaafar
Director of Electrical & Electronics, Information & Communication Technology and Machinery & Equipment Section, MATRADE

Alex Yeow
Former Group CEO, The Star Group

Datuk Phang Ah Tong
Independent Non-Executive Director, Media Prima

5:45pm

MSIA SME INNOVATION NETWORKING SESSION

Ms. Nurul Nadia Zainal Adnan,
Assistant Manager, Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)

Event Brochure

To learn more about the conference, program and tickets, please download our Information Kit.

Download

Speakers, panelists and moderators

This section is currently being updated.

YB Tuan Chang Lih Kang

Minister
Ministry Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)

Dato' Seri Wong Siew Hai

President
Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association

Solomon Lorthu

Vice President & Managing Director
Penang Operations & Country Manager of
Motorola Solutions Malaysia

Johnson Chiang


Industrialization Director
Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Ang Wee Seng

Executive Director
Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA)

Inv. Ts. Cheah Bok Eng

Organizing Chair
2024 Malaysia Inventor and Innovator Convention (MyIIC), Exco Member of the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS)

Tatiana Didlier

Senior Economist Finance
Competitiveness & Innovation, World Bank

J Philip Vincent

Group Director
GSH Precision Technology

Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Bin Hassan

Deputy Secretary General
(Technology Development), Ministry Of Science, Technology and Innovation

Rizatuddin Ramli

Director of Investment
Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA)

Noor Suziyanti Saad

Director of E&E Division
Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

Azizi Mustafa

CEO
Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF)

Lee Heng Guie

Executive Director
Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC)

CS Tan

Group Vice-President & General Manager
STMicroelectronics

Ng Suek Sern

Director
SIG Procurement, Micron Malaysia

Kok Tiong Ng

Senior Vice President and Managing Director
Infineon Kulim

Noorazidi Che Azib

Deputy Vice President
Inari Amertron Berhad

TT Tang

Sourcing Director
Plexus

Aina Zahari

Director Corporate Strategy 
Bursa Malaysia

 

Ts. Hj. Mohammad Hazani Hj. Hassan

CEO
Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC)

Chunghee Woo

Managing Director Partner
Intervest Korea

Tan Cheow Han

Managing Director
Hanaura Partners

Janet Lee

Head of Trade Sales 
Transaction Banking, UOB Malaysia

Elain Lockman

CEO
Ata Plus

Chu Jenn Weng

CEO
ViTrox Technologies

Zalela Jaafar

Director of Electrical & Electronics
Information & Communication Technology and Machinery & Equipment Section (MATRADE)

Alex Yeow

Former Group CEO
The Star Group

Datuk Phang Ah Tong

Independent Non- Executive Chairman
JF Technology Bhd

ASK OUR Speakers a question

Have a question? Submit them now and our speakers will address them at the event.

DIAMOND SPONSOR

Play Video

Tickets & Registration

SME Members

MSIA SME Members
RM 550 per ticket
  • Registration is now closed
SME REGISTRATION

MNC Members

MSIA MNC / Large & Medium Members
RM 850 per ticket
  • Registration is now closed
MEDIUM/LARGE REGISTRATION

Non-Members

Non MSIA Member & Public
RM 1,150 per ticket
  • Registration is now closed
NON-MEMBER REGISTRATION

All tickets include access to all panel discussions throughout the day, including breakfast, lunch and the MSIA Innovation Networking session ((light refreshments & beverages served).

DIAMOND SPONSOR

Play Video

Want to Sponsor THE MSIA SME Conference 2024?

Showcase your brand, launch your latest products and win business at Malaysia’s premier SME platform for innovation.

LEARN MORE

Venue

EQ Kuala Lumpur

EQ, Equatorial Plaza

Jalan Sultan Ismail

50250 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Learn More

Sponsors

This section is for sponsors.

Sponsors

DIAMOND SPONSOR
DIAMOND SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS

Contact us

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA)

Malaysia Productivity Corporation Northern Region Office,
Beg Berkunci 206, Jalan Tun Hamdan Sheikh Tahir,
13200 Kepala Batas, Seberang Perai Utara, Penang.

© 2021 All rights reserved. Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association. Powered by Karma & FTF Creators Studio

RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY!
REGISTER

Yang Berbahagia
Dato Seri Wong Siew Hai

President, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association

Dato’ Seri Wong is a member of Pemudah, a public – private sector special task force to facilitate business and improve Malaysia’s global competitiveness.
 
Dato’ Seri Wong served with Intel for 27 years. His last position with Intel was Vice President of Technology and Manufacturing Group (TMG) and General Manager of Assembly and Test Manufacturing (ATM), responsible for all assembly test factories worldwide. 

Solomon Lorthu

Vice President & Managing Director Penang Operations & Country Manager of Motorola Solutions Malaysia

Since 1st January, 2018, Solomon has been responsible for the overall company’s operations at its Penang site that includes Supply Chain, R&D and Centralized Managed & Support Operations. Solomon continues to lead the R&D organization in Malaysia, one of the largest R&D setup for Motorola Solutions globally.

Solomon has over 25 years of experience with Motorola Solutions and has held various key leadership positions within the company during his tenure.

Prior to his current appointment, Solomon was responsible for leading the Devices Engineering department within the Penang Design Center. Under his stewardship, Solomon has led various teams to deliver numerous innovative products under different portfolios for worldwide customers, from platform based to fast derivatives. These products have won numerous design excellence awards internationally.

Johnson Chiang

Industrialization Director, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Mr. Chiang joined ITRI 2018, responsible for business development in the joint research program, technology licensing, patent business, and Design-On-Demand prototyping projects. Targeting prospects in semiconductor foundries, fabless design companies, OEM/ODM manufacturers, academic and research institutes, and new start-ups.

He holds an EE Master’s degree from the National Taiwan University. Before joining ITRI, he served in renowned companies like Texas Instruments for over 28 years, accumulating profound expertise in IC design, product innovation, and sales/marketing strategies. His innovative prowess is evident in the 77 patents he holds.

Ang Wee Seng

Executive Director, Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA)

Wee Seng has over two decades of experience in the semiconductor industry, encompassing fab start-up, technology development, manufacturing, and senior leadership roles. Wee Seng now leads the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Associaton (SSIA) in supportng the semiconductor industry by growing its talent pool, helping businesses grow, and advocatng for an environmentally sustainable business strategy for the industry. He concurrently sits on several advisory commitees, such as Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (SEEE), NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, Industrial Transformaton Asia-Pacific (ITAP), as well as ESG’s Smart Manufacturing Technical Commitee (SMTC) and Environment and Resources Standards Technical Commitee for Energy. Wee Seng also plays an actve role in supportng the community, and is a District Councillor for North East CDC.

Wee Seng holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Nanyang Technological University and a Masters (MSc) in Management of Technology from Natonal University of Singapore.

Inv. Ts. Cheah Bok Eng

Organizing Chair of 2024 Malaysia Inventor and Innovator Convention (MyIIC), Exco Member of the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS)

Inv. Ts. Cheah Bok Eng is a senior staff engineer from Intel Microelectronics. He is responsible for the platform electrical development works of memory IP designs for client and 5G networking applications. He has more than 40 technical publications and 190+ issued patents in the technical subject of signal integrity, advanced packaging, and system form-factor solutions. Bok Eng is a 5-time recipient of the prestigious Intel Top Inventor Awards. He was also recognized by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) in 2022 as the Inventor with the Most Worldwide Patent Grants. He is a senior member of IEEE (SMIEEE), an EXCO member of the Malaysia TRIZ Innovation Association (MyTRIZ) and the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS). He is also the author of a book titled “Innovation Unleashed… a 10-day journey with an inventor”. His unwavering dedication in promoting innovation has impacted more than 4,000 students and professionals at both national and international levels. 

Tatiana Didlier

Senior Economist Finance, Competitiveness & Innovation, World Bank

Tatiana Didier is a senior economist in the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice of the World Bank. Her work focuses on corporate finance and finan­cial sector development, with an emphasis on the challenges for firms in developing countries. She has played a leading role in a number of World Bank country and regional policy engagements related to corporate and MSME financing, competition and the growth of fintech in the financial sector, overall development of financial markets, and most recently, sustainable finance. 

She is also the leading author of several World Bank reports, including Emerging Issues in Financial Development: Lessons from Latin America, and two forthcoming World Bank Flagship Reports, “Unleashing Productivity through Firm Financing” and “Boosting SME Finance for Jobs and Growth: The Case for More Effective Support Policies.” 

She received two World Bank Financial and Private Sector Development Academy Awards for her research. She has published mul­tiple articles in top economic field journals. She holds a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

J Philip Vincent

Group Director, GSH Precision Technology

J Philip Vincent started his working career in auditing at SGV Kassim Chan & Co which is now called Deloittes and thereafter started his own manufacturing business in 1990 at Bayan Lepas jointly with his partners and led his company public listed in 1998, thereafter expanded to Thailand, Philippines, China & India to cater Precision Engineering, Equipment Design & Assembly & Automation for the global semiconductor MNCs.

He exited the listed company in 2003 to join GSH Precision Technology Sdn Bhd whereby currently taking the company towards IR4.0/IOT/MI, focussing on company’s growth and building up talent pool to enable to meet demanding challenges. He is also a great advocate for SME Eco System.

Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Bin Hassan

Deputy Secretary General (Technology Development), Ministry Of Science, Technology and Innovation

Datuk Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Hassan is currently the Deputy Secretary General (Technology Development) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. He oversees the development of science, technology and innovation ecosystem as the catalyst for the country’s socio-economic advancement.

His previous positions were in the areas of higher education, power sector and technological development including industrial related technologies, such as renewable energy, advanced materials and manufacturing, biotechnology (including vaccine development strategy) and nanotechnology. He had extensive engagements with the industry including the start- ups and SMEs, in particular to communicate government’s policies and programmes relating to STI. Datuk Dr. Azman holds a doctoral degree from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA in the field of renewable energy technology and is trained in conducting Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). He is also a registered Professional Technologist (Green Technology) with the Malaysian Board of Technologist.

Rizatuddin Ramli

Director of Investment, Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA)

Rizatuddin Ramli is the Director of Investment at the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA). The NCIA is a body corporate, incorporated under the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority Act 2008 (Act 687), responsible for strategic socio- economic development of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) – a government initiative to accelerate economic growth and elevate income levels in the north of Peninsular Malaysia encompassing the states of Kedah, Perak, Perlis and Pulau Pinang.

In his current role, Rizatuddin plays a vital role in attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) and domestic direct investments (DDI) as well as nurturing and growing these organizations in NCER.

Rizatuddin has extensive experience in investment, technology, and economic development. He has held various leadership positions, demonstrating his diverse expertise. He previously served as the Partnerships and Development Finance Officer at the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office for Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. He also held CEO positions at BioXCell Malaysia (a biotechnology industrial park in Johor) and N2W Corporation (a digital business application disruptor software company of Johor Corp Bhd). Additionally, he was the founding Executive Vice President at Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), a government body focused on promoting innovation and technology adoption. He then held the position of Director of Industry Development at the Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC), a government agency promoting the development of the multimedia industry in Malaysia. He also gained valuable experience as a technical executive at leading technology companies such as Oracle Corp, Intel Corp and Dataprep Bhd.

Rizatuddin holds an undergraduate degree Computer Information System/Operations Management from Indiana University, a Master’s Finance degree from Taylor’s University and executive education from INSEAD University, France.

Noor Suziyanti Saad

Director of E&E Division, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

Noor Suziyanti Saad is the Director of Electrical & Electronics (E&E) Division in Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), a government principal agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) in promoting foreign & domestic direct investment in manufacturing and services sector.

She has 22 years of experience with MIDA serving in various divisions including industry division, international cooperation and strategic planning. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA.

Her responsibilities include planning and overseeing the development of strategic roadmap and ecosystem for E&E industry in Malaysia, facilitating planning and implementation of investment promotion strategies and initiatives to attract investment, and providing assistance to investors in this industry.

Azizi Mustafa

CEO, Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF)

Azizi is an engineer by qualification with over 30 years of experience in multiple industries and disciplines. He earned his degree in Electrical Engineering from Seattle University, USA and started his career with Petronas.
 
Azizi then ventured into the manufacturing industry as an engineer in various capacities with Advanced Micro Devices in Malaysia and Santa Clara, California, as well as Komag (USA), Sarawak.

Subsequent to the manufacturing industry, he advanced his career into the financial industry, specifically in the insurance and banking sector with stints in Malaysia National Insurance Bhd, Citibank Bhd, and Kuwait Finance House Malaysia, before holding his current position in MIDF.

Lee Heng Guie

Executive Director, Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC)

Lee Heng Guie had 30 years of professional experience as an economist, with almost 12 years in Bank Negara Malaysia and 18 years in financial services. Since July 2016, Mr Lee was appointed as the Executive Director of Socio- Economic Research Center (SERC), an independent research center of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM). He is currently an independent member of Investment Committee of Opus Asset Management Sdn Bhd and a member of the Economic Committee (EC) of Malaysia Competition Commission. He is also an Independent Director of Bank of China Malaysia since December 2021. He is an external advisor of Master of Intellectual Property programme at the Xiamen University Malaysia.

He also participates actively in providing economic commentaries to print and electronic media as well as participates in seminars/conferences as a resource person.

Mr. Lee holds a BA (Hons) majoring in Economics from University of Malaya, Malaysia and a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from Williams College, USA.
Mr. Lee is the recipient of many awards: He was voted “Best Economist” in The Edge Polls twice and ranked top 3 four times from 2000-2008; “Best Economist” by the Asset Magazine Hong Kong- Local Currency Bond Market of Malaysia in 2007. He also led CIMB Macroeconomic research to be ranked among top 3 for nine consecutive years (2005-13) in the Asiamoney Polls.

CS Tan

Group Vice-President & General Manager, STMicroelectronics

CS Tan is the Group Vice President & General Manager for STMicroelectronics Muar and has held this position since joining the Company in 2013.

In his tenure, the ST Muar back-end plant has grown to be ST’s largest in terms of space, with an expanded range of technologies including advanced packages. In 2019, the ST Muar back-end plant received the Industry Excellence Award from Malaysia’s Prime Minister and was also recognized as a Lean Gold plant by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation.

CS started his career with National Semiconductor Penang and has an illustrious career spanning 32 years covering industries such as Semiconductor, Hard Disk Storage, and Electronics Manufacturing Services. His most recent appointments include General Manager of large MNC factories such as Flextronics and ON Semiconductor. Throughout his career, CS led various important manufacturing initiatives such as Lean Manufacturing, Total Quality Management, Reliability Centered Maintenance and more recently Industry 4.0 (Connected Manufacturing). 

CS Tan was born in Penang, Malaysia in, and graduated with 1st Class Honours degree in Applied Physics from USM and subsequently obtained MBA with USM. He was also recently appointed as Adjunct Professor to the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in UTEM, Melaka and was recently awarded Honorary Doctor of Engineering by UTEM.

Ng Suek Sern

Director, SIG Procurement, Micron Malaysia

Sern joined Micron’s procurement group in 2018 as a Senior Category Supplier Manager managing tester/tools/engineering boards/BIB outsource business from US to Malaysia. 100% of these items are for the inhouse Fab/Backend A&T consumption. The business revenue that Sern is managing is ranked world’s top 3, after the world leading test equipment manufacturers – Advantest and Teledyne,  
 
Sern has a wealth of experience in procurement, outsourcing and supply chain. Prior to joining Micron, Sern held several roles in well-established Semiconductor and SMT industries such as Intel, Altera and AMD. Sern holds a bachelor’s degree in USM, Penang and completed his master’s degree from Charles Sturt University, Australia.
 
Sern is committed to driving the global procurement strategy to achieve key procurement objectives such as pricing, assurance of supply and Opex/Capex saving. Experience in managing cross functional team 2 continents (Asia and US) with different culture and diversity to achieve key cooperate KPI & Goals. He is also passionate about driving high performance through coaching and development.

Kok Tiong Ng

Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Infineon Kulim

Mr. Ng Kok Tiong, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Infineon Technologies (Kulim) Sdn. Bhd, spearheading Infineon’s first and only wafer fabrication plant in Asia.

With over 35 years of experience in semiconductor industry, Mr. Ng has lead Infineon’s global Backend operations (Assembly & Test) where he was responsible for the Manufacturing sites in Singapore, Batam in Indonesia, Malacca in Malaysia and Wuxi in China with more than 15,000 employees. In addition, he was also responsible for the overall Cluster Quality, Test Innovation and Package Development functions within the global Backend.

Mr. Ng was appointed the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Infineon Kulim since July 2016, spearheading the site into a world-class wafer fab facility in Asia as well as the growth towards the world’s largest 200-millimeter Silicon Carbide Power Fab.

He graduated with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the National University of Singapore in 1989. He is married and has three daughters. Born in Malaysia, he speaks fluent English and Malay and conversational Mandarin and German.

Noorazidi Che Azib

Deputy Vice President, Inari Amertron Berhad

Noorazidi is currently attached to Inari Technology Sdn. Bhd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Inari Amertron Berhad) as Deputy Vice President for OTSP (Operation Technology and Strategic Programs) and EHS (Environment, Health and Safety).

Possessing a Mechanical Engineering degree from University Of Nevada, Reno, USA, Azidi started his career in the semiconductor related high-volume manufacturing, process engineering, automation system design, Industry 4.0 and environment sectors for the past 30 years with experience working with multinational companies like AMD, Hewlett Packard, Agilent and Avago. Beside transforming Inari into digitalization and cyber-physical-system adoption, Azidi has strong relationship with local academia (secondary and tertiary levels) for the work on developing new industrial-ready talents in the preparedness, exposure and pre-experience prior to joining the industry. Established strong collaborations with government agencies such as MPC, MIMOS, MIDA and MITI for the internal adoptions of advanced technology development and supporting local SME productivity and business developments.

TT Tang

Sourcing Director, Plexus

TT Tang – Plexus Sourcing Director. 20 years of working experience with Plexus, leading the mechanical sourcing regional team and providing localization solution. Direct involved in setting up China Sourcing Office (2008) and Thailand Sourcing Office (2023)

Develop local supply chain in supporting Semiconductor, Medical & Aerospace industry, including capital equipment & Single Used Device

Bachelor Degree in Applied Physics (University of Malaya), Certified Quality Engineer & LEAN Sigma certified

Aina Zahari

Director Corporate Strategy, Bursa Malaysia

Aina is Director of Corporate Strategy at Bursa Malaysia Berhad. Today, Bursa Malaysia operates and regulates a comprehensive range of investment, capital raising, and exchange-related facilities.

Aina works closely with the Bursa Malaysia leadership team to strengthen the Exchange’s competitiveness by widening offerings and developing ecosystems – all towards delivering sustainable performance, and fulfilling Bursa Malaysia’s mission of Creating Opportunities, Growing Value. As part of Bursa Malaysia’s aspiration to be a multi-asset exchange, several new platforms and services have been introduced by the Exchange over the last decade. This includes the LEAP Market, as well as the most recent BR Capital debt fundraising platform that facilitates both listed and unlisted small to mid-sized companies tap into a new pool of capital.

In the past 2 years, Aina is proud to have been part of the cross-functional team that developed the Bursa Carbon Exchange, as well as the PLC Transformation Programme. She currently leads several functions including Strategic Planning & Intelligence, Strategic Business & Industry Development, and Group Strategic Communications.

Prior to joining the Exchange, she had undertaken various roles spanning product development, innovation consulting, process engineering, and project management across diverse industries in Malaysia and the United States. Aina earned her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering (with minor in Economics, and Biomedical Engineering) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and her MBA from Temple University, in Philadelphia.

Ts. Hj. Mohammad Hazani Hj. Hassan

CEO, Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC)

Ts. Hj. Mohammad Hazani is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (“MTDC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the sovereign wealth fund of the Malaysian Government.

Previously he was the Director of Technology Ventures Division, overseeing the management of various developmental and Venture Capital funds at MTDC. Prior to MTDC, he was a Principal in Kumpulan Modal Perdana Sdn. Bhd. (“KMP”) and was involved in the operations of various projects and Venture Capital funds undertaken by KMP, namely the Venture Capital fund in Malaysia, United States and China.

He also managed special projects, namely, the local microchip design initiative and business accelerator operation through Plug & Play Technology Management. During his tenure at KMP, he was seconded for 3 years working for a Venture Capital fund in the Silicon Valley. Preceding his role in KMP, he was Head of Engineering at OMRON Malaysia.

He has vast experiences in fund management, venture capital and technology transfer having been involved in the industry for the last thirty years, both locally and internationally.
Ts. Hj. Hazani is the past Chairman of the Malaysian Venture Capital Association (“MVCA”) and sits on the Board of a number of MTDC’s investee companies. Previously, he sat on Technopreneur Association of Malaysia (“TeAM”)‘s management committee.

He holds a Degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University at Sacramento, USA, and Diploma in Technology Management from Singapore Institute of Engineering Technologist. He has also received Coach Certification from University of Malaya.

Chunghee Woo (CH Woo)

Managing Director Partner, Intervest Korea

Chung Hee Woo, a co-founder of InterVest, is an expert in finance and investment. He started his business career as a fixed income trader and analyst in Hanwha Securities from 1989 t0 1997. With his 8 years’ expertise, he joined Prime Plus Capital as a managing director and successfully managed Seoul Restructuring Fund with Rothschild Inc., especially counseling M&A and restructuring. He co-founded InterVest and has been operating the firm. In 2002, he had the leading role of launching Han-Sing Hi-tech Fund I which brought the success of IRR 31% and continued the launches of Han-Sing II and III respectively in 2007 and 2011.  Hans-Sing Hi-tech Funds are the representative funds of InterVest which invited prominent domestic and Singapore based governments and private institutions as Limited Partners. He led the launch of Global Pharmaceutical Fund I of KRW 100 billion in 2013 with the significant support from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea Development Bank. The fund brought a great success not only in financial terms but also in policy attainment of the ministry and has become a model of government sponsored venture fund.
 
In 2017, he launched InterVest SEA Growth Fund I, the first Korea VC fund purely targeting SEA, with USD 101 million size. The Fund invited prominent SEA investors such as KWAP(Malaysian pension fund), Bangkok Bank(Thailand commercial bank) and Barito Pacific(Indonesia based Petro chemical company) with prominent Korea government institutions like KVIC. The SEA fund invested more than 11 SEA startups covering Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam along with 8 Korean startups who would like to expand their businesses into SEA. He has interests in semiconductor, advanced manufacturing and renewable energies in SEA, actively getting involved in investment activities. He graduated from Seoul National University with bachelor’s degree in Political Science and master in Public Administration.

Tan Cheow Han

Managing Director, Hanaura Partners

Tan Cheow Han, or Han in short, founded Hanaura Partners in 2021, a boutique consultancy firm specializing in corporate strategy. Han’s extensive experience in corporate finance and investment banking spans over 18 years across various financial institutions.

Passionate about supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs, Han sees Hanaura Partners as more than just a consultancy firm; he envisions it as a partner for long-term growth and value creation.

Since its establishment, the firm has played a vital role in assisting and guiding numerous SME clients through their next phase of corporate development, such as fundraising, IPOs, and mergers and acquisitions.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours in Finance from The University of Melbourne.

Janet Lee

Head of Trade Sales, Transaction Banking, UOB Malaysia

Elain Lockman

CEO, Ata Plus

Elain holds a BSc. in Actuarial Science and MSc. in Operational Research from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She began her career in PETRONAS and further at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Malaysia Debt Ventures, Digi Telecommunications and Packet One Networks until she co-founded Ata Plus in 2015.

She is currently a the Vice President for the Malaysian Business Angel Network (MBAN), the President of the Registered Digital Markets Association Malaysia (RDMA), Advisor to Women in Tech Malaysia Chapter, Independent Board Member of Reservoir Link Berhad (Main Board KLSE), Propel Global Berhad (Main Board KLSE) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. Elain is also on the Board of Trustees for Khazanah Foundation, Prosperity Development Foundation and KRU Foundation. She was conferred the Muslim World Rania Award 2024, BERG 2019 Women Icons Malaysia and also the 2020/2021 Batch of Digerati50 for her exceptional contributions to Malaysia’s Digital Economy.

Chu Jenn Weng

CEO, ViTrox

Mr Chu Jenn Weng, aged 54, is the President, CEO, and co-founder of ViTrox Corporation Berhad. He graduated with an Honour Bachelor’s degree from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) majoring in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 1993. He then received his Master of Science in Engineering from USM in 1998.

Mr Chu has over 28 years of experience in the machine vision industry and related fields. Before founding ViTrox in 2000, he worked as an instrumentation engineer at Hewlett Packard Malaysia for five years. While learning the fundamentals and techniques in this field, he traveled to countries like Singapore and the United States of America (USA) to study and assess the need for innovative and forward-thinking technologies. He believed that if a company started in a garage and could become a global tech giant, he could also succeed with sheer determination, perseverance, and willpower set into motion.

ViTrox was established with a seed capital of RM20,000 together with co-founders Mr. Siaw Kok Tong and Mr. Yeoh Shih Hoong. The trio has a lofty vision to go far: to build a great global high-tech vision inspection company in Malaysia by Malaysians

Zalela Jaafar

Director of Electrical & Electronics, Information & Communication Technology and Machinery & Equipment Section

Zalela is the Director of Electrical & Electronics, ICT and Machinery & Equipment Section. The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is the national trade promotion agency of Malaysia where she serves since 1999. She is responsible for planning, coordination and implementation of export promotion programmes for sectors under purview. Have vast experience and skills in international trade promotion, well versed and knowledgeable about Malaysia’s export of products and services and its key export markets.

She had served as Trade Commissioner in MATRADE Toronto, Assistant Trade Commissioner in MATRADE New York (2006-2011). Assumed the position of Director of Lifestyle & Life Sciences (2021); Deputy Director for eCommerce Ecosystem (2019) and Mid-Tier Ramp-Up (2017); Senior Manager for Organizational Planning & Transformation (2016) and Human Resource Management (2012). Prior to that she was assigned as Manager for Electrical & Electronics; Assistant Manager for North America & Caribbean and Corporate Affairs.

She graduated with Master of Business Administration (MBA with distinction) majoring in Corporate Governance from Putra Business School, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) sponsored by the Public Service Department (JPA). Obtained a Bachelor of Corporate Administration (with Honours) and Diploma in Public Administration from MARA University of Technology (UiTM). She completed the Senior Managers Program at Mt Eliza Executive Education, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, Australia in 2012. She is a graduate of The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland in 2020.

Alex Yeow

Former Group CEO, The Star Group

Mr. Yeow has significant professional and management experience across a wide spectrum of industries. His notable working experience covered senior management roles in multinational and conglomerates such as Malayan Cement Berhad, Hong Leong Group and Hap Seng
Consolidated Berhad.

Mr. Yeow was a consultant in McKinsey & Company which set the ground for his early involvement in the corporate world serving top management of various corporate clients as well as Government Link Companies in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Mr. Yeow has served as director in a few public listed companies including the roles as the Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Tropicana Corporation Berhad, Non-Executive Director of Hafary Holdings Limited, Managing Director and Executive Director of Guocoland (Malaysia) Berhad and Executive Director of Tower Real
Estate Investment Trust.

Datuk Phang Ah Tong

Independent Non- Executive Chairman,
JF Technology Bhd

Datuk Phang’s career in Malaysia’s civil service spans 36 years in promoting foreign and domestic investments. He assisted in developing the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia under the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (“MIDA”) where his last held position was the Deputy Chief Executive Officer before his retirement in 2017.

He began his career in 1981 as an Economist in MIDA where he served in various capacities including Assistant Trade Commissioner for MIDA London and Director of MIDA New York. Upon returning to the MIDA headquarters, Datuk Phang was appointed as the Director of Foreign Direct Investment (“FDI”), overseeing the promotion of global FDI into Malaysia. He was also involved in organising and participating in many Trade and Investment Missions overseas led by either the Prime Minister or Ministers of International Trade and Industry.

Datuk Phang is currently the Chairman of the Malaysia Automotive Institute, an agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. He is the Independent Non-Executive Chairman of JF Technology Berhad and Independent Non-Executive Director of Inari Amertron Berhad, Apex Healthcare Berhad and United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Berhad.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from the University of Malaya and has attended several notable Senior Management Programmes, namely the Harvard Business School and “Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires” (INSEAD).