Webinar: Artificial Intelligence

Liu Feng-Yuan is the CEO and co-founder of BasisAI, a AI technology startup which in 2018 raised $6M from Sequoia India and Temasek in one of the largest seed rounds in Singapore. BasisAI manages end to end development of a scalable, responsible and governable AI systems for enterprises.

Previously, Feng-yuan was director of the data science division in Singapore GovTech’s Government Digital Services team. In this role he built a team of multi-disciplinary data scientists to drive the use of data-driven decision-making in public policy formulation and service delivery through quantitative methods, artificial intelligence, data visualisation and strategy consulting.

He has also worked in other leadership roles in the Singapore civil service, including at the Land Transport Authority, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Finance, as well as to head key projects for the Singapore government’s Smart Nation initiative.

Feng-yuan graduated with a first-class honours degree in the study of philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University on a President’s Scholarship (Singapore). He holds a masters degree in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Yeong Zee Kin is assistant chief executive (data innovation and protection group) of the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and deputy commissioner of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).

In his capacity as assistant chief executive, Zee Kin oversees IMDA’s artificial intelligence and data industry development strategy. This is one of four frontier technology areas IMDA has identified for its transformational potential for a digital economy. The other three are cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, and immersive media. In his role as an AI and data analytics champion, Zee Kin’s work includes developing forward-thinking governance on AI and data, driving a pipeline of AI talent, promoting industry adoption of AI and data analytics, as well as building specific AI and data science capabilities in Singapore.

As the deputy commissioner of PDPC, Zee Kin oversees the administering and enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (2012). His key responsibilities include managing the formulation and implementation of policies relating to the protection of personal data, as well as the issuing of enforcement directions for organisational actions. He also spearheads the public and sector-specific educational and outreach activities, to raise both awareness and compliance in organisations and individuals in personal data protection.

Zee Kin’s experience as a technology, media and telecommunications lawyer spans both public and private sector. Prior to taking up his current appointments, he was senior state counsel and director of technology law in the civil division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and held a concurrent appointment as senior director (special projects) in the legal services department of the Ministry of Communications and Information. During that time, he was also legal advisor to the Smart Nation Programme Office and the Cyber Security Agency.

Before that, he was senior assistant registrar and CIO cum CDO of the Supreme Court of Singapore. During his time in the Supreme Court, his administrative responsibilities included (at various times) the management of its registry, statistics unit and CISD. He managed the Supreme Court's shipping, intellectual property, information technology and employment lists and developed the specialised procedures for electronic discovery and managing IP cases in the Supreme Court IP Court Guide.

He commenced his career as a deputy public prosecutor and state counsel with the Attorney-General’s Chambers where he prosecuted white collar cases and cybercrimes. In between, he was also with Rajah & Tann’s intellectual property and technology (iTec) practice for a few years.

Dr Meri Rosich is chief data officer and head of data science for Visa Consulting & Analytics based in Singapore. She leads a team of high- performing data scientists, analysts and statisticians, driving a data-driven approach to Visa’s client consulting engagements.

Prior to Visa, Meri was CIO, business intelligence & digital transformation at Oak Lawn Marketing, NTT Docomo in Tokyo, Japan. Meri has worked with global teams based in New York, London, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, leading multi-disciplinary projects for American Express, Samsung and Bertelsmann. She is an executive MBA lecturer in ‘Leading Big Data Innovation Strategy’ for Globis University’s Graduate School of Management, and adjunct professor of ‘Global Management’ for Temple University Japan’s Executive MBA programme.

Meri's research is centered around four key areas: Industry 4.0 and how the growth of cloud big data solutions fuels innovation and reinvents industries, using machine learning & artificial intelligence; disruptive innovation and how successful organizations and governments are transforming for the future; how Smart Cities are using machine learning to solve problems that matter; and how new tech leaders transform and drive companies through culture change, enabling diversity and creating the future of work.

Meri is also a strategic advisor to CEOs, a board member and mentor of tech startups. She is the co-founder of Quality Time Lab, an award-winning mobile publisher. Passionate about inclusive leadership, she is a board member of the United Nations Association, ambassador for UN Women STEM program and co-founder of the Female Founders think-tank.

Meri holds an MA in arts and a PhD in technology innovation (Summa Cum Laude) from Universitat de Barcelona, an MBA from London Business School, a Ph.D. in VR Tech with European Mention Award and a certificate in systems dynamics from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Marcus Bartley Johns is regional director, government affairs and public policy for Asia at Microsoft.

Before joining Microsoft, Marcus was a senior private sector specialist (trade, digital economy) at the World Bank, where he worked on a range of World Bank public sector advisory and research projects across Asia, focusing on the digital economy and trade. He also contributed to the World Bank research agenda, especially on trade and poverty, and digital trade/e-commerce. Previously, he was previously the focal point for the World Bank Group's engagement in the WTO and other Geneva trade and economic institutions.

Before joining the World Bank Group, he worked as a WTO negotiator and on trade capacity-building programs for the Australian government, and spent three years working on regional economic integration programs in South-east Asia, based in Bangkok. He has also worked on foreign policy, trade and development issues for a member of Australia's national parliament.

Maya Hari is Vice President, APAC at Twitter. Maya’s focus at Twitter is to drive leadership and adoption of Twitter’s new technologies and products among brands, advertiser and agencies in high growth markets. She brings diverse business experience having led functions in sales, marketing & product management.

Prior to Twitter, Maya spent over 16 years in the digital media, mobile and eCommerce industries across the US and in Asia Pacific region for brands such Samsung, Google, Microsoft & Cisco. She was also responsible for launching and bringing internet and mobile offerings for top tier publication titles such as Vogue, GQ and Condé Nast Traveller in Asia.

Maya has an MBA from INSEAD and an MS in engineering from Utah State University.

Maya serves as a board advisor of startups in data science and commerce.

Charles is currently director of thought leadership research for Asia, where he covers a territory spanning from Australia to India. His team works with many Western multinationals from the Fortune 500 but increasingly with Asian multinationals, governments, SMEs and high-growth technology firms as well.

A native Australian, Charles is currently based in Singapore and has most recently managed the region's technology research practice. Leading a number of projects analysing the implication for business of new technology trends such as Industry 4.0, smart cities, big data, cloud computing, entrepreneurship and the internet of things, for Hitachi, Cisco, Telstra, Microsoft, Wipro, Akamai and the Singapore government. He is a frequent speaker at technology events, recently giving keynote presentations at events in Singapore, Australia, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.

Prior to joining the Economist Group, Charles ran an investor communications consultancy where he managed stakeholder research projects and developed an index which tracked the corporate governance practices of emerging markets companies. Prior to that he founded a firm which manages initial public offerings across Europe, North America and Asia.

Charles holds a masters in business administration, focusing on strategy and organisational change, from the University of Oxford.

Pamela Qiu is the Network Director of the South-east Asia chapter of The Economist Corporate Network. She advises multinational corporations on the latest economic, political and market developments affecting business in the Asia Pacific region. She regularly chairs Economist events and roundtables, and delivers custom briefings to senior business executives. She joined The Economist in June 2011.

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Pamela worked as a policy analyst and associate at the Singapore Ministry of Finance, where she worked on policies to tackle socio-economic problems such as inequality and unemployment. She also worked on policies that were featured in the Singapore Budget. From 2009 to 2011, she was a researcher for the Center for Public Economics at the Civil Service College, the Singapore government’s core institution for public policy and economics research. Her research areas included the role of government in markets, public private partnerships, privatisation, fiscal policy, and behavioural economics. From 2004 to 2006, Pamela also worked as a market analyst with Prudential Health Insurance, based in London.

Pamela holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in development studies, both from the London School of Economics.