From June 2nd through the 5th, Singapore will play host to the largest event in Asia focused on mobile technology and communications, CommunicAsia2015. In its 26th year, the event will feature speakers from the Singaporean government as well as companies like Amazon, Cisco, Google, and LinkedIn. There will be presentations, panel discussions, and training sessions covering topics like "What Role Do We Play in the Age of 'The Internet of Everything'," "Changing Roles of Today’s CIO/CTOs and CMOs," and "Social Media and Mobile Marketing = Are They Double-Edged Swords?" I will have the opportunity of participating twice, first as I present on mobile marketing and then as I interview Sunita Kaur, Managing Director for Spotify in Asia who will talk about Spotify as a case study for a mobile first strategy.
While you and I would like to meet all the speakers and presenters at CommunicAsia 2015, here are 20 of the top influencers I hope to meet in person, and whom you should be following online if your interests draw you to mobile technology in Asia. In no particular order:
Dmitri Chen, COO and VP Specialty Sales, APJ, EMC
A leader, visionary, and IT expert, Dmitri Chen IT builds teams for services firms in Asia and North America and helps companies grow. Dimitri Chen is Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Specialty Sales for Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) at EMC Corporation in Singapore. In his role at one of the world’s leading IT and cloud computing B2B companies, Mr. Chen assists in the creation & execution of go-to-market strategies for the $23.3 billion a year company.
Steve Leonard, Executive Deputy Chairman, IDA
As a board member in, investor, and adviser to disruptive info-tech startups, Steve Leonard is a leading expert on building revenue across software, hardware, integration, consulting, and outsourcing businesses. Mr. Leonard is the Executive Deputy Chairman for IDA, a 2,000 person statutory board within the Singapore government. His primary focus is the growth of Singapore as an innovative tech-product start-up hub in Asia.
Hari V Krishnan, Managing Director, Asia Pacific and Japan, LinkedIn
As Managing Director at LinkedIn, Hari V. Krishnan leads LinkedIn's teams in the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Krishnan is a seasoned general manager and passionate people leader. A popular keynote speaker and worldwide thought leader, Mr. Krishnan is inspired by the LinkedIn vision to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
Kevin Ackhurst, Director, Google for Work APAC
With experience at Microsoft and Google Australia, Kevin Ackhurst stands out among tech leaders as an innovative leader in the Information Technology and Services industry. As Managing Director at Google for Work - APAC | Digital | Collaboration | Innovation in Sydney, Australia, Mr. Ackhurst assists companies throughout the region utilize Google’s products to maximize productivity and connectedness.
Olivier Legrand, Senior Director – Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn
Heading an executive team in Asia as Senior Director of Marketing Solutions at LinkedIn, Olivier Legrand helps brands build relationships with the world’s professionals. With over 15 years of experience in the online marketing space, Mr. Legrand is passionate about all things digital, from personal technology to social media. He is a sought after speaker and thought leader.
Markku Lepistö, Senior Principal Technology Evangelist, Amazon Web Services
Markku Lepistö delivers insight and technical expertise as Senior Principal Technology Evangelist at Amazon Web Services. Mr. Lepistö is a thought leader and a sought-after expert within the mobile communications industry. With past positions including Head of Technical Support at Nokia Siemens Networks, Mr. Lepistö possesses a rare combination of technology knowledge and natural management skills.
Doug Madory, Director of Internet Analysis, Dyn Research
Doug Madory is the Director of Internet Analysis at Dyn Research (formerly Renesys) in Boston, and has been interviewed as an Internet situational expert for the Washington Post, NPR, CBS News, NBC News, and Bloomberg Business. He covers national Internet outage situations and, as stated in the Washington Post, Mr. Madory has “the rare ability to see in real time where a nation is situated in the global digital fabric.”
Andrew Milroy, Vice President – ICT Research, Frost and Sullivan
Andrew Milroy is a Singapore-based ICT Practice Senior Vice President with recent appearances on BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg and Channel News Asia. He has led research and consulting projects in cloud computing, 'The Internet of Things', and digital marketing. Mr. Milroy now leads Frost & Sullivan's ICT research practice in Asia Pacific.
Rob van den Dam, Global Telecommunications Industry Leader, IBM
With 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Rob van den Dam is a strategic thought leader in telecommunications; he is a frequent contributor to over a dozen industry publications (including Wireless Asia, TelecomAsia, Mobile Europe, Admap, the Annual Review of Communications, Journal of Telecommunications Management, and European Communications) and is based out of the Netherlands. Rob van den Dam is a contributor to IBM’s telecom strategy as Global Telecom Leader at the IBM Institute for Business Value and is a sought-after speaker at major industry conferences.
Mazlan Abbas, Chief Executive Officer, Redtone IoT
With a PhD in Telecommunications and over 30 years of experience in R&D, product development, technology management, executive leadership, and network operations, Mazlan Abbas is an influencer you don’t want to miss. His telecommunications and research expertise extends to finding new ways of innovating businesses by using sensors data to connect, aggregate, and decipher transforming insights. Based out of Malaysia, Mr. Abbas is a popular speaker at global conferences and events, including WiFi World Summit, Wireless Broadband Emerging Market, and U-World.
Dinesh Saparamadu, Chief Executive Officer, hSenid
A serial entrepreneur, Dinesh founded half a dozen successful companies in the past two decades and has 25 years of experience in the IT and related technology industries. Based out of Connecticut, USA, Mr. Saparamadu is an expert authority on cloud computing, entrepreneurship, business development, and mobile applications. Dinesh Saparamadu is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the hSenid Group of companies and is a sought after speaker at industry events.
Toby Ruckert, Chief Executive Officer, Unified Inbox
Based out of Singapore, Toby Ruckert is the Chief Executive Officer for Unified Inbox and is a highly sought-after speaker and tech entrepreneur. Mr. Ruckert specializes in creating vision within a company and guiding ventures that succeed globally; he is available on a consulting basis as a Strategic Business Coach and Mentor, focusing on startups and entrepreneurship. A concert pianist and native of Europe, Mr. Ruckert is an expert on intercultural competence, team building and general management in Europe and Asia Pacific.
Heru Sutadi, Executive Director, Indonesia ICT Institute
As a leader and experienced keynote speaker in the telecommunications industry, Heru Sutadi is an innovative leader and results-driven executive. He is the former Commissioner of the Indonesian Telecommunication Regulatory Authority and is now serving as the Executive Director of the Indonesia ICT Institute. Mr. Sutadi’s approaches to leading change, strategic orientation, leadership communication, and promoting teamwork have made a lasting positive impact on corporations around the world in an industry dominated by change and fast-paced technology.
Asif Khan, Founder and President, LBMA
Asif Khan makes waves in the global location based marketing industry as a veteran tech start-up, business development consultant, mentor, and marketing entrepreneur with more than 15 years experience. Mr. Khan is President of the Toronto-based Location Based Marketing Association @thelbma and co-host of This Week In Location Based Marketing podcast. Mr. Khan’s past clients include Limited Brands, IBM, Baxter Pharmaceuticals, Molson-Coors, Communispace, BestBuy, American Airlines, and ScotiaBank.
Don Anderson, Managing Director, We Are Social (Singapore)
A global media and communications specialist with nearly 20 years of experience, Don Anderson is the Managing Director at We Are Social (Singapore) and the Co-Founder of the Asia Content Marketing Association. An authority in traditional and interactive media, Mr. Anderson is a skilled communicator, researcher, copywriter, presenter, motivator and educator. His expertise on sales and marketing, business development, product development, and strategic planning has guided many companies to the top in their respective industries. In addition to furthering the mission of We Are Social, Mr. Anderson’s expertise has also been felt at past companies, including FleishmanHillard, ESPN STAR Sports, CNN (CNNGo), and Turner Broadcasting Ltd.
Christian Geissendoerfer, Chief Executive Officer, YOOSE
As founder and CEO of YOOSE, the leading experts in location-based advertising in Asia and Europe, Christian Geissendoerfer is a top authority on Location-Based Advertising, mobile advertising, and mobile apps in the region. Based out of Singapore, Geissendoerfer is an entrepreneur at heart who loves creating results-oriented business solutions to everyday problems, like how to influence consumers at key decision points, activate sales and build loyalty. Fluent in 4 languages, Geissendoerfer is a world traveler and is a highly sought after speaker at conferences worldwide. He is the President of the Location Based Marketing Association in Singapore and President of the Mobile Alliance.
Sunita Kaur, Managing Director, Asia, Spotify
A favorite speaker and thought leader, Sunita Kaur is an authority on media with 19 years of experience in the print and digital space. Her innovative, forward-thinking approach in media marketing has contributed to the success of Forbes, Time Warner, Facebook, Microsoft, and Singapore Press Holdings. As the Managing Director at Spotify, Ms Kaur creates and drives the strategic expansion of Spotify’s online music service into the company’s largest global market.
Latif Ladid, Founding Chair, 5G World Alliance
As the Founding Chair for the 5G World Alliance, Latif Ladid is one of the world’s foremost authorities on wireless networks, computer network architecture and engineering, TCP/IP, switches, security, cloud computing, and related topics. In addition to his work for the 5G World Alliance, Mr. Ladid is also the President of IPv6 Forum, a worldwide consortium of Internet vendors aiming to promote IPv6. A resident of Luxembourg, Mr. Ladid is a celebrated speaker who draws huge crowds at events all over the world.
Bill Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Group, SingTel Group
As CEO of Asia’s leading communications company SingTel Group, Bill Chang delivers results-oriented methodology and stellar management that gets companies ahead of the competition. Mr. Chang has over 20 years of experience, including management roles at companies like Cicso and Hewlett-Packard. With expertise in strategic partnerships, sales, mobile devices, and go-to-market strategies, Mr. Chang is a recognized leader in the telecommunications industry worldwide.
Peter Moore, Regional Managing Director, Amazon Web Services
With an impressive resume that includes 15 years as Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, Peter Moore is definitely someone who stays on top of tech trends. Mr. Moore has lived and worked in Australia, Singapore, and China and founded Inventus Pte Ltd to provide strategic insight to foreign companies planning to enter the Asian market. A top tier executive and sought after strategic business consultant in the office of Chief Technology Officer, Peter Moore is an authority on identifying and cultivating potential partners for companies entering Asia and other international markets. Mr. Moore is the Regional Managing Director at Amazon Web Services, Global Public Sector – APAC.
Check out the full list of speakers for CommunicAsia 2015. Will you be there? Who would you want to meet?
