Chris CHAN

Group Head of Corp Affairs and Learning, PSA International, Singapore
Chris Chan is the Head of Group Corporate Affairs and Group Learning, reporting directly to the Group Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Senior Management Council of PSA International.

For Corporate Affairs, Chris leads global efforts in the areas of Branding, Corporate Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Media Relations. A strong believer in walking the talk, he personally and actively leads in internal training workshops for topics as diverse as Media Handling and Corporate Communications, Organisational Development (OD), leadership building and culture. He is also Chairman of the Howe Yoon Choong PSA Endowment Fund, which provides bond-free scholarships to Singaporean students who have contributed actively to the community.

Under Culture and Learning, Chris leads the strategic planning and development in the areas of organisation development and capability building, including inhouse signature programs. He is a member of PSA’s Global OD Council that drives initiatives to raise the effectiveness and cohesiveness of the workplace. He also sits on the PSA University Council that provides steer on initiatives to support workforce skills development and capability-building, with a focus on sustainable business practices.

Under the purview of global learning is his stewardship of PSA University, with flagships in Singapore and Antwerp. PSA University plays a pivotal role in equipping employees with skills needed to excel. It also identifies and develops critical skillsets for future-generation workforce and leaders of PSA globally.

In recognition for his contributions to global PSA above and beyond the call of duty, Chris was one of a select few conferred the PSA Global Champions Award in 2015.

Chris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Merits and a Master of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. He is married with two children.

Lesly GOH

Senior Technology Advisor; Former Group Chief Technology Officer, World Bank; Member, stars Asia Advisory Panel, Jakarta, Indonesia

Lesly Goh is a World Bank Senior Technology Advisor and former World Bank Group Chief Technology Officer. She is a Fellow at Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School and Senior Fellow at National University of Singapore (NUS) Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Lesly is a Professor of Practice at ZheJiang International Business School (ZIBS) and serves on the Advisory Board for Harvard College Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR).

At the nexus of technology and policy, Lesly brings an extensive international experience advising policymakers on the regulatory impact from digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Internet of Things and 5G, Cloud and Edge Computing. From her experience in public and private sectors, she develops strategic partnership to support the Sustainable Development Goals, leveraging data and technology innovations in emerging markets in FinTech, AgTech and Digital Government.

Lesly’s experience in the private sector covers a broad spectrum ranging from Capital Markets, Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, Asset Management, Development Banks and Financial Data Providers. Her personal mission is to empower women and girls to achieve the highest potential with Technology as the Equalizer.

GONG Xue

Assistant Professor, China Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Xue Gong is Assistant Professor and Deputy Coordinator of MSc IPE Programme at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her current research interests include International Political Economy, China’s economic diplomacy, Asian regionalism and governance. She has contributed to peer-reviewed journals such as the World Development, International Affairs, the Pacific Review, Contemporary Southeast Asia, Harvard Asia Quarterly, etc. She has two co-edited books on Belt and Road Initiative. She has also contributed to several book chapters on China’s economic statecraft and impacts on regional geoeconomics and politics.

Michael HILB

Chair Person, Board Foundation; stars Alumnus, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Michael Hilb is founder of DBP Group and a member of the boards of directors of Klingelnberg, Kuhn, and Sigvaris Group. He is a titular professor at the University of Fribourg and teaches strategy, entrepreneurship, and corporate governance at the University of St. Gallen, the University of Zurich, and Singapore Management University.

Michael is chair of the Board Foundation and vice-chair of the Foundation for Value Creation. He sits on the advisory boards of several organizations, including the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) and the European Confederation of Directors’ Associations (ecoDa).

Previously, Michael held senior leadership positions at Holcim, Roland Berger, and DKSH, where he led group strategy and built with his team a leading, profitable digital business across Asia. He studied business at the University of Michigan, the Stockholm School of Economics, and the University of St. Gallen, where he obtained an MSc and PhD. Michael was a visiting fellow at INSEAD and Harvard University

Frank HUANG

Head of HR Sika Asia Pacific Region; stars Alumnus, Singapore

Frank is appointed as Regional HR Head Asia Pacific Sika Group since March, 2019 and based in Singapore.  With his current role, Frank is in the leading role to foster strong Company Culture & Employee Engagement , Develop Leadership & Talent Pipeline  and Boost Digitalization  & DE&I for Sika APAC Region.

With over 25 years experience in Human Resources Management, Talent Development and People & Culture Transformation, Frank started with HR leading positions in his early career stages as various roles such as HR Director China,  HR Head North Asia and HR VP APAC Region. So far, he has been provided his service in Automotive, Semiconductor, Chemical & HR Service industries.

Frank once won the Top 10 HR in China East Region due to his excellent contribution and strategic influence on China HR communities. He is expertise in Designing Organization Structure & Building up HR Systems for new set ups and acquisitions.

Marcus LAM

Executive Chairman, PwC Singapore; stars Alumnus; Member, stars Asia Advisory Panel, Singapore

Grounded by purpose and values, Marcus LAM is a 26-year veteran at PwC Singapore and served as Assurance Leader for the past four years. During his tenure, the firm focused on building trust and transparency in the audit profession through focusing on audit quality and technological enablement. He has also been on PwC Singapore’s leadership team since 2016.

Outside of PwC, Marcus is active in contributing to the development of the accounting profession. He is a council member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants and is a board member of the Accounting Standard Council Singapore. Passionate about education and giving back to the community, he also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Singapore Polytechnic Board of Governors, the Chairman of the Edusave Advisory Council under the Ministry of Education, and the Vice President of the Parkinson Society of Singapore.

Marcus holds a Bachelors degree in Accountancy (First Class Honours) from Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst, a practicing member of ISCA and a member of the ASEAN Chartered Professional Accountant (ASEAN CPA).

Howie LAU

Managing Partner, Corporate Development and Partnerships, NCS Group, Singapore

Howie brings with him years of deep experience and thought leadership in the Info-Communications and Technology (ICT) sector. Prior to joining NCS, he was the Assistant Chief Executive, Media & Innovation Group at Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which has oversight of developing the technology, telecommunications and media business in Singapore as well as technology capability development.

Prior to IMDA, Howie was the Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Consumer Business at StarHub, and Vice President of Corporate Development at Lenovo. He has more than 25 years of experience in corporate development, business leadership and marketing in Lenovo and IBM across Asia Pacific, China, India and Latin America.

Howie serves on several advisory committees and boards, including the Governing Council of the Singapore Institute of Directors and board of Science Centre Singapore. He was recognised as IT Leader of the Year 2020 by Singapore Computer Society and received the Philip Kotler Marketing Excellence award in 2018.

Mark DITTLI

Co-Founder and Financial Journalist, The Market, Zurich, Switzerland

Mark Dittli is a journalist and author in Zurich, specializing in financial markets and global economics. He is Co-Founder and Financial Journalist of The Market, a new financial media platform that was launched in April 2019. The Market publishes in-depth analytical and background articles as well as interviews on companies, global industry trends and macroeconomic issues. From 2012 to 2017, Mark was the editor-in-chief of Finanz und Wirtschaft, Switzerland’s leading financial newspaper. Prior to that, he was the editor of the international section of Finanz und Wirtschaft and has spent five years as the U.S. correspondent of the paper in New York, covering economic and monetary policy as well as company issues. Mark has studied business economics in Zurich, journalism in New York and is a CFA charterholder. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in history at the University of Zurich. Mark is married, has two children and lives in Zurich.

Menghui LI

Head Overseas, Baheal Pharma Group; stars Alumnus, Beijing, China

  • 2022 - today: MBA, National School of Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
  • 2020 - 2023: Innovation Project Manager, Global Business, Lepu Medical
  • 2017 - 2017: Ignite Program, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University

Chwee Foon LIM

Chwee Foon LIM, CEO, Asia Pacific, Ekso Bionics; Global Board Member, Insead; stars Alumna, Singapore

Chwee Foon Lim has more than 30 years of international experience, in the Energy, Life Science and Healthcare sectors, having lived and worked across major geographies as Asia & China, Europe and the Americas.

She is currently CEO, Asia Pacific for Ekso Bionics Inc, a world leading US robotics company, where she leads successful market entry and industry transformation with novel robotics technology. Previously, Chwee Foon served as Head of Healthcare for Asia Pacific at Linde Group, where she led an integrated healthcare business with product and services spanning multiple segments including pharmaceuticals (gases), medical devices and clinical services at home. During her tenure, from 2008-2017, the business transformed and grew significantly through emerging market expansion, M&A and technological innovation. She built successfully from greenfield a leading national Healthcare business in China that covered over 10 provinces.

Chwee Foon currently serves as a Board member of INSEAD in France, the world’s leading business school. She is a member of Audit, Finance and Risk Committee (AFRC).

Chwee Foon holds an MBA (Dean’s List) from INSEAD and a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy (First Class Hons) from the National University of Singapore. She is a passionate champion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Chwee Foon teaches multiple INSEAD Executive MBA courses in innovation, sustainability and digital transformation, and is a regular speaker at various leadership and Health-tech forums including INSEAD Directors’ Forum, INSEAD Global Leaders’ AI Series, Future of Healthcare Asia, Asia Healthcare Week, Geron-tech and Innovation Summit (GIES) Hong Kong and APAC MedTech.

LIM Siong Guan

Former Group President, GIC; Former Head of Civil Service of Singapore; Member, stars International Board, Singapore

Siong Guan Lim was Group President of GIC from 2007 until the end of 2016, after which he was Advisor to GIC's Group Executive Committee until March 2019. The GIC manages the financial reserves of the Singapore Government. He was Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board from October 2006 to June 2009. The Board is the Singapore government’s lead agency for planning and executing strategies to enhance Singapore’s position as a global business centre. Much of its work is attracting international corporations to set up manufacturing and services activities in Singapore as critical links in the global supply chain.

Siong Guan was Professor in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore from 2005–2023, instructing on leadership and change management, as well as a Senior Fellow of the Civil Service College from 2006–2023.

He was the Head of the Singapore Civil Service from September 1999 to March 2005. Siong Guan was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense (1981-1994), the Prime Minister’s Office (1994-1998), the Ministry of Education (1997-1999) and the Ministry of Finance (1999-2006). In every appointment he introduced innovative policies and practices which enhanced the drive, capacity, capability and performance of the organization. Siong Guan has chaired the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (2004-2006), the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (2004-2006) and the Central Provident Fund Board (1986-1994), and was a board member of many companies including Temasek, the other sovereign wealth fund manager of Singapore.

Tom LUDESCHER

Entrepreneur, CEO, Co-Founder, Chairman, Tech Investor & Advisor; Co-President stars Singapore Alumni Chapter and Member stars Asia Advisory Panel, Singapore

Dr. Tom Ludescher is an experienced CEO and board member of regulated financial services companies. He holds a Ph.D. in financial market regulations and has been working in the intersection of finance, insurance, and technology for over 25 years, helping businesses to grow by making them bankable and insurable.

His Ph.D. and profound background in financial market regulations add to his profile as a builder and enabler, making tech start-ups fit for working with regulated partners and investors.

Tom’s pro-bono activities include serving as the Chairman of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Singapore, Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Ambassador ASEAN of the International Insurance Society, and Co-Chair of the stars Stein am Rhein symposium Singapore alumni chapter, adding to his strong network to MNCs in Singapore, Europe, and the APAC region.

For the past 15 years, Tom has been an active angel investor and adviser in tech start-up companies with a focus on sustainability and financial inclusion, including ESG, insurtech, fintech, and novel food technologies. With this first-hand experience as a tech investor and co-founder, Tom gained a deep understanding of both sides of a successful tech start-up partnership. He knows the needs and challenges of successfully building a tech business, particularly in highly regulated industries such as financing, insurance, or food manufacturing.

Muthir KHARUSI

Chief, Executive Strategy and Transformation, OQ; stars Alumnus, Muscat, Oman

  • 2020 - today: Chief, Executive Strategy and Transformation, OQ, Muscat, Oman
  • 2018 - 2020: President, Rajasthan Oil, New Delhi, India
  • 2017 - 2018: Shell Deputy Projects Director Manjoon Dubai, UAE
  • 2014 - 2016: Shell Manager Technical Service Majnoon Dubai, UAE

Stefan RAEBSAMEN

Board Member; Member, stars Foundation Board, Zurich, Switzerland

  • Professional Career
    • Independent Board Director (since 1.7.2024)
      • Georg Fischer AG – Chair of the Audit Committee / Member of the Nomination & Sustainability Committee
      • TAKKT AG - Member of the Supervisory Board / Member of the Audit Committee
      • Family Office – Independent Director
    • PricewaterhouseCoopers AG (PwC) 1.1.1994 – 30.6.2024
      Relevant roles:

      • Since 2002, Partner (Lead Audit Partner / Global Client Partner)
      • Up to 2012, Industry Leader for the Market Segment Industrial Products (Industrial Manufacturing, Chemicals, Transportation & Logistics and Business & Professional Services)
      • From 2013 - 2015, Regional Leader; leading the PwC Assurance practice in Zurich & Eastern Switzerland / Ticino with 6 offices and > 350 employees
      • From 2015 – 2018, Markets Leader Switzerland in Assurance and Member of the Executive Team (“Geschäftsleitung”)
      • From 2019 – 2022, Chairman PwC Switzerland
      • From 2023 - 2024, co-responsibility for ESG reporting / assurance in PwC Switzerland
    • Industry experience
      • 30 years of relevant experience in Trade, Industry & Services
      • Ambition for deep understanding of clients’ business, strategy, operating model and management teams to ensure optimal support and delivery capabilities (“listen / understand / execute”)

    Other Activities / Experience

    • International assignments (London, Madagascar, Montreal). Madagascar was a co-sponsored assignment with the United Nations to look into the topic of better access to safe drinking water (UN SDG)
    • Extensive client related business travels and building-up a relevant personal network in Europe, the US and China
    • Former Governance leader PwC Switzerland; initiating and leading the PwC Audit Committee Forum (flagship client event of Assurance in Switzerland); board assessment projects
    • Activities in professional organisations (recent and past): Avenir Suisse, IMD, Liechtenstein dialogue for development, Liechtenstein Finance Forum, Rive reine, Swiss Global Entreprise, Swissmem, the stars – leaders of the next generation, Zurich Commercial Chamber (Zürcher Handelskammer), Zurich Economic Society (Zürcher Volkswirtschaftliche Gesellschaft)
    • Worked with Korn Ferry International as management consultant after completion of university

Toni SCHOENENBERGER

Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, stars Foundation, Weinfelden, Switzerland

  • 2014 – present: Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of the stars Foundation Board, Weinfelden, Switzerland
  • 2008 – 2014: Chairman and Co-Founder of the stars Foundation Board, Weinfelden, Switzerland
  • 1994 – 2016: Member of the Board of UBS Wolfsberg and Congress Hotel Seepark AG
  • 1994 – 2014: CEO, UBS Wolfsberg. Emphasis on Business Development, i.e. initiating, supervising, and conducting UBS Briefings, UBS Health Forum, UBS Arts Forum, UBS Study Trips, UBS Think Tanks, Wolfsberg Podium (www.wolfsberg.com)
  • 1981 – 1994: Various responsibilities for UBS Management and Executive Development, Member and Chairman of the Board of UBS Art Collection
  • Concurrently: Member of the Board of various companies and foundations in Switzerland

Raja MOHAN

Senior Fellow, Asia Society Policy Institute, Asia Society; Visiting Research Professor, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore; Founding Director of Carnegie India, Delhi, India

Raja MOHAN is a senior fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute in Delhi. He is a visiting professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore and was previously the Director of ISAS. He writes a column on international affairs for the Foreign Policy journal in Washington and the Indian Express in Delhi. He was the founding director of Carnegie India in Delhi, the sixth international center of Carnegie Endowment for Peace. He was associated with several Indian think tanks, including the Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses. He was a Professor of South Asian Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. He served on India’s National Security Advisory Board.

Steven OKUN

Founder and CEO, APAC Advisors; Chairman, Amchams of the Asia Pacific, Singapore

Steven is the Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors, is a leader on corporate public affairs, ESG, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement.

Since 2017, APAC Advisors provides a range of services with a focus on sustainability to clients in the financial services sector, predominantly private equity firms, including supporting their efforts from drafting ESG policies to implementing them in the due diligence and investment phase, as well as working with portfolio companies on their ESG efforts.

As KKR’s first Director of Asia Public Affairs from 2011-2017, he was one of the first people in the region working on ESG in the sector.

In addition to leading APAC Advisors, Steve serves as the Senior Advisor for Southeast Asia for the Global Private Capital Association, as well as a Senior Advisor for McLarty Associates, a global geostrategic consultancy.

He spent the first twelve years of his career in Washington, DC, including service in the Administration of President Bill Clinton. He has lived and worked in Asia since 2003.

Currently serving as Chair of the AmChams of Asia Pacific, he was also elected for three terms as Chair of AmCham Singapore. He served on the boards of the private equity councils of Australia and Singapore is now on the Australian Investment Council ESG Working Group.

An in-demand speaker for businesses and conferences, Steve frequently appears on CNBC and Channel NewsAsia and other global media, provides the weekly International News Review for MONEY FM (Singapore) and contributes commentary to The Straits Times, The Business Time and Asia Times.

He received his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

ONG Ye Kung

Ong Ye Kung is the Minister for Health. He was elected Member of Parliament for Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in September 2015, and was re-elected in July 2020 in Sembawang GRC.

He had held the positions of Minister for Transport, Minister for Education, Second Minister for Defence and board member of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He is also the Chairman of the Chinese Development Assistance Council.

Prior to joining politics, he held various positions in Government, including Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, and Deputy Chief Negotiator for the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. He served several years in the Labour Movement, as the Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress, and spent some time in the private sector, as the Director of Group Strategy at Keppel Corporation.

Mr Ong graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK) and the Institute of Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland. He is married with two children.

Charles Chao RONG PHUA

CEO and Strategist-General, Solaris Strategies Singapore; Co-President stars Singapore Alumni Chapter and Member stars Asia Advisory Panel, Singapore

Dr Charles Phua is amongst global top 100 professor-author grade management consultant (Certified Management Consultant-Academic Fellow, CMC-AF by International Council of Management Consulting Institutes, ICMCI) specialising in trisector strategy-innovation-entrepreneurship. He chairs Solaris Consortium of Management Consultancies, offering comprehensive advisory and coaching services in APAC and MENA with past experiences including having advised a head of state 4 times in 7 days and supported 5YP for 916B tech MNC. He sits on corporate (non-executive director) and nonprofit boards in UK, Swiss, Australia, South and Southeast Asia and Singapore, and is success coach/program leader for Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief Technology Officer programs at National University of Singapore (NUS) Business and Computing schools with Emeritus for senior executives above 40 in APAC and MENA.

A unique practitioner-academic in trisector strategy-innovation-entrepreneurship, Charles has developed a train-consult-coach model where he runs capstone with learners involving real problems from real clients (government, corporate, nonprofit) either from the University executive education or as strategist-coach-in-residence. After refining his model at four Singapore and one Swiss universities, Charles now runs trisector strategy-innovation capstone for mid careers above 35 for NUS School of Continual and Adult Learning (SCALE) and NUS Computing, and exported this model to various countries in MENA.

A lifelong learner, Charles’ first PhD was in public policy before venturing into corporate strategy and finishing up his EdD in teaching strategy. His other postgraduate/degrees (including in progress) include systems thinking, accounting, education, international relations, organisational psychology, law, HRM, marketing, strategy and innovation, ops management, economics/finance, supply chain management, digital business/leadership, sustainable development, real estate, construction management. He learnt the best of strategy-innovation-entrepreneurship-sustainability-marketing from 11 top business schools and fused into his consulting-coaching practice. A Fulbright fellow with resident fellowships at Brookings, Columbia and Johns Hopkins, he is the series editor for Routledge-Solaris series for strategy, wisdom and skills with 6 strategy books covering geopolitical, military, policy and corporate strategy domains. He is a one of the Junior Chamber International’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons for academic leadership, and recipient of Singapore Skillsfuture fellowship for lifelong learning.

Rahul SHAH

Resident Director, ASEAN Region, Tata Sons, Singapore

Rahul Shah has recently taken up the role of Resident Director – ASEAN Region, Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd, based in Singapore.

Prior to taking up this role, Rahul was President & COO, Buildings and Infrastructure in Tata Projects Ltd. Among the notable projects executed under his leadership are the Parliament Building, the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link, the Noida Airport, Metro projects, Smart City projects, and Gigafactories.

He has held several business leadership positions in CXO roles in challenging and diverse assignments in Tata companies spanning the Construction, Infrastructure, Power, Renewable Energy, EPC, Telecommunications and Media sectors.

Rahul has experience of business development, policy advocacy, and stakeholder relations with Government and Private sectors, Joint Ventures, and industry bodies. He has held governance and oversight positions on listed and unlisted company Boards as a nominee Director.

Rahul joined the Tata Group through the Tata Administrative Service in 1990 after completing his MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, and has been with the Group for over 34 years.

Abdullahi SHERIFF

Managing Director, Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei, MSD, Singapore

Dr Abdullahi Sheriff is the Managing Director for Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei in MSD. He is responsible for driving the commercial success of MSD’s Human Health business in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. He is focused on strengthening critical capabilities and building an organization that is well-positioned to save and improve the lives of patients in the three markets.

Sheriff joined MSD in 2020 as Associate Vice President (AVP), Global Market Access, where he led the global Sustainable Access Solutions (SAS) team responsible for advancing innovative commercial solutions to expand access to MSD’s medicines and vaccines around the world. In that role, he oversaw MSD’s key strategic initiatives that improved access to MSD’s Oncology medicines and Vaccines across US, China, Europe, Canada, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He also established Global centers of excellence within MSD in value-based contracting, innovative financing, and customer partnerships.

Before joining MSD, Sheriff was with GE Healthcare where he started as Partner & Practice leader in GE Healthcare’s Consulting arm operating across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), before transitioning to Executive, Partnerships & Solutions for Europe. He led a team to shape strategic solutions and collaborations with key partners in Europe leveraging GE Healthcare’s technology portfolio to improve their operations and transform care pathways.

Sheriff spent many years in Consulting in the UK, working with multiple clients, particularly the UK NHS, and leading a range of strategic initiatives. His consultancy experience has developed him into a leader who seeks curiosity, creativity, and impact from his teams. Sheriff cares deeply about helping others find ways to flourish and takes great pride in celebrating people for who they are and who they want to be.

Sheriff holds an Engineering Doctorate and a Master of Science from Loughborough University in UK. He is married and has three children. Outside of work, he enjoys reading about history and spending quality time with his family.

Jackie SURTANI

Mr. Surtani leads efforts to deepen cooperation between ADB and the Government of Singapore and the financial sector, as well as explore opportunities for private and public sector projects across the region with a strong focus on climate action.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Surtani was director of infrastructure finance at ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department covering East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. His team successfully closed milestone projects including investments in broadband satellites regionwide, renewable power in Indonesia, cross-border renewables in Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Thailand, as well as investments in electric transport and charging infrastructure.

Mr. Surtani has over 30 years of experience in Asian infrastructure lending and advisory. He has strong sector and regional knowledge across the entire energy chain, as well as in infrastructure, and telecommunications. A citizen of the United Kingdom, he obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Finance and Economics from the University of East Anglia in 1988 with a First-Class Honors degree. He obtained his Master of Philosophy Degree in Management Studies from the University of Oxford in 1990.

Logan TAN

CEO, Co-founder; stars Alumnus, Eezee, Singapore

  • 2018 - today: CEO, Co-Founder, Eezee, Singapore
  • 2014 - 2017: Head, Finance & Procurement, Hock, Singapore
  • 2011 - 2013: Corporate Banker, DBS, Singapore Hai Civil Engineering, Singapore

Yen Yen TAN

Member of Boards of Directors, Barry Callebaut, ams OSRAM, OCBC Bank, Jardine Cycle & Carriage; Member, stars Asia Advisory Panel, Singapore

Yen brings years of Asia and technology knowledge, vast experience in corporate governance and gender diversity to board discussions. She has held non-executive independent roles on public and private organisations in Singapore and Europe. She is currently a Director of OCBC Bank, Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd, ams-OSRAM AG# and Barry Callebaut AG# (# listed in SIX Swiss Exchange) and non listed board EdgeConneX Inc in USA.

Yen Yen is a veteran in the technology and telecommunications sectors. She has over three decades of experience in driving strategy and operational execution in multinational companies. Her last executive role was President (Asia Pacific) for Vodafone Group, Regional Vice President and Managing Director (Asia Pacific & South) for SAS Institute, Senior Vice President (Applications)

for Oracle Asia Pacific and Vice President and Managing Director for Hewlett-Packard Singapore (HP).

She is the Immediate-Past Chairperson of Singapore Science Centre in 2024. Having served for 12 years, she has been involved in shaping the Centre for further and in strengthening the Centre’s relationships with various stakeholders and partners. She is also in the Executive Committee of International Women’s Forum (IWF), a global forum for most accomplished women in the world.

For her contribution and distinguished services to Singapore, the President of Republic of Singapore appointed her as Justice of the Peace in 2018. She was also awarded The Public Service PBM (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat) Medal in 2020, in recognition for her commendable public service in Singapore and her achievement in her profession.

Yen Yen is an award-winning corporate leader; she has earned a reputation for her years of contribution to the technology industry.

  • Top 10 women in The Peak’s 2015 Power List
  • Outstanding Alumni award by NUS School of Computing (2014)
  • ‘IT Leader Award 2011’ by the Singapore Computer Society (SCS)
  • 7th International Management Action Award (IMAA) in 2010
  • ‘Most inspiring Women’ by Women’s Weekly 2009 Great Women of our Time Awards

Yen Yen has an Executive MBA degree with Helsinki School of Economics Executive Education and a degree in Computer Science from National University of Singapore.

Yinglan TAN

Founding Managing Partner and CEO, Insignia Ventures Partners; Member, stars International Board, Singapore

Yinglan TAN founded Insignia Ventures Partners in 2017. Insignia Ventures Partners is an early stage technology venture fund focusing on Southeast Asia. It manages more than US$350 million from sovereign wealth funds, foundations, university endowments and renowned family offices. Insignia Ventures Partners is the recipient of two back-to-back “VC Deal of Year” awards for Payfazz (2019) and Carro (2018) from the Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association and its portfolio includes many other technology leaders in Southeast Asia. Yinglan also serves on the Singapore Government’s Pro Enterprise Panel and he is a Member of the Board of Hwa Chong Institution and the stars International Board.

Maria Monica WIHARDJA

Research Interest
Digital Technology; Food Security; Sustainability; Poverty and Inequality; Jobs, Regional and Global Architecture; Disinformation and Electoral Propaganda

Profile
Monica is a visiting fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and a former World Bank Economist in the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice. She was the recipient of the Nikkei Asia Scholarship 2023. In 2017, she was seconded to the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Indonesia as a senior advisor to the Deputy Chief Staff in charge of strategic economic issues, where she oversaw the food policy reforms and stunting prevention agenda. She has a PhD in Regional Science from Cornell University, a MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University, and a BA in Applied Mathematics-Economics from Brown University.

Current Research
Indonesia National Panel Survey on Presidential Election 2024

WONG Su-Yen

Chair, James Cook University Singapore; Board Director - Yoma Strategic, Kemin Industries, Infocomm Media Development Authority; Member, stars Asia Advisory Panel, Singapore

Su-Yen is an experienced Board Chair and independent director who has served for over 15 years on the Boards of multiple listed, family-controlled, private equity-held, government-linked and not-for-profit organisations in Australia, Asia, and the United States. She is Chairperson of James Cook University Singapore, and immediate Past Chairperson of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Previously she was also Independent Chair of SGX Mainboard-listed Nera Telecommunications.

Currently, she is an Independent Director at Yoma Strategic Holdings, CSE Global, and First Resources. In addition, she serves on the global board of privately-held Kemin Industries, and is a Board Director of the Infocomm Media Development Authority, which is a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information.

She is an Adjunct Professor at the National University of Singapore Business School, a member of the Executive Education Faculty at Duke University, and a keynote speaker who engages audiences worldwide on leadership, transformation, and the future of work.

Previously Su-Yen was CEO of the Human Capital Leadership Institute, Chairman for Marsh & McLennan Companies (Singapore), and Senior Partner and Managing Director, Southeast Asia at Mercer. Earlier, she was Asia Managing Partner for the Communications, Information & Entertainment practice at Oliver Wyman.

She holds a B.A. (summa cum laude) in music and computer science from Linfield University, and an M.B.A. from the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina. She is a Senior Accredited Director of the Singapore Institute of Directors, and a member of the Young Presidents' Organization. She is an avid adventure traveller and has ventured to some of the most remote parts of the world, including Antarctica and Timbuktu.

Bryan YEO

Deputy Group Chief Investment Officer and Director, Integrated Strategies Group, GIC; stars Alumnus, Singapore

Bryan Yeo was appointed Deputy Group Chief Investment Officer and Director, Integrated Strategies Group in April 2024. In these roles, he supports the Group CIO with total portfolio strategy and heads a unit that looks at cross-asset class investment opportunities in public and private companies. He joined the GIC Fixed Income Department as a portfolio manager in 2003 and rose to senior roles including Head of Credit Markets, Head of Fixed Income (Americas) based in New York and Head of Credit Research and Strategy. He served as Chief Investment Officer for Public Equities from 2016 to 2024, overseeing capital allocation and portfolio construction for the equities portfolio across global developed and emerging markets.

Mr Yeo holds a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and a Master of Science in Financial Mathematics from the University of Chicago. He completed the Stanford Executive Program.

Rowena YEO

Rowena Yeo is the Global Chief Technology Officer & Senior Vice President Technology Services, Johnson & Johnson. She leads technology strategy, drives innovation, and heads the Technology Services team, supporting company growth and healthcare outcomes.

Rowena is part of the Global Technology Leadership team, bridging business needs with tech solutions. With Johnson & Johnson since 2016, Rowena has played vital roles in Pharmaceuticals Asia Pacific. She's a technology advocate, contributing to leadership teams and advancing digital platforms in Asia Pacific.

Before Johnson & Johnson, Rowena served as Global CIO at Cargill, Inc., with roles in the Agricultural Trading & Processing Enterprise and Asia Pacific Region. She has a strong background in building IT teams and strategies, fostering growth and managing transformations.

A native of Singapore, Rowena holds a Bachelor of Engineering Honors Degree from the National University of Singapore. She's committed to sustainable corporate practices and serves on the NCWIT board.

Wenxian YEO

Yeo Wenxian is the Head of DBS Treasures Singapore, responsible for overseeing both Onshore and Offshore businesses and clients.

Wenxian joined DBS in 2011 and is an experienced banker with expertise in consumer and corporate banking. During her tenure in DBS' Consumer Banking Group, Wenxian has served as the Head of Retail Customer Segment, Head of POSB, and Head of Distribution. In these roles, she prioritised delivering customer-centric solutions and spearheaded the branch transformation strategy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wenxian was also previously the Singapore Chief Operating Officer for DBS and a key member of the Strategic Advisory team within DBS’ Institutional Banking Group.

Wenxian commenced her career in 2000 with JPMorgan's investment banking division in New York, where she advised companies on mergers and acquisitions as well as capital raisings. She graduated from Brown University in the United States, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. Wenxian is married and a mother to three children; she enjoys walking and listening to podcasts.