The IOT event series draws on interviews with dozens of C-level executives in some of the world’s most powerful companies to deepen the understanding of the impact of digital transformation across 12 industries – including healthcare, hospitality, mining, and retail.
Each episode delivers practical insights from those on the front lines of major digital transformation, and explores how current and emerging technologies will transform leadership, business models, customer experience, revenue streams and power tomorrow’s industries and societies.
See past event highlights here.
Akon, a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling artist, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropistAkon isan American-Senegalese RnB singer and producer. Brought up in a family of musicians, he spent his early childhood in Senegal before leaving at the age of seven to live in the USA in Union City, New Jersey.Akon is one of the world’s most influential voices in music today, in addition to having two multi-platinum albums, 27 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and over 150 guest appearances with artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Eminem and Gwen Stefani. Akon is the first artist to accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice.Drawing upon his recognisable celebrity combined with pride of his heritage and passion for supporting Africa and youth, Akon formed in 2007 the Konfidence Foundation to improve the quality of life for people in Africa and the United States.In 2014, Akon co-founded with two partners, Malian entrepreneur Samba Bathily and Senegalese-US youth leader Thione Niang, Solektra International. Incorporated in New York and with offices in numerous African countries, Solektra International aims at providing clean, renewable and affordable solar solutions in rural and off-grid areas. The company has developed an innovative prefinancing model which has led to impactful results. Solektra International is now operational in 17 African countries with a wide offer of solar equipment including solar street lamps, micro-grids and domestic kits. Solektra also created the first Solar Academy in Africa and the first “made in Africa” solar street light assembly plant both based in Mali.The son of two Senegalese natives, Akon was born Aliaune Badara Thiam, in St. Louis and raised in Senegal, West Africa until age 7. His father, Mor Thiam, a well-respected Senegalese percussionist and jazz musician, and mother, Kiné, a renowned African singer, dancer and humanitarian, helped to foster a general love of the arts in Akon as well as a deep appreciation of his heritage and homeland. Their influences were truly ingrained within Akon and fuelled his desire to create a better future for Africa, beginning with empowering its youth.
Çağlayan Arkanis general manager of manufacturing industry, a Microsoft team that covers the automotive, high-tech, electronics, industrial equipment, aerospace, chemicals, and agrochemicals verticals on a global level. Arkan leads the development and execution of Microsoft’s global manufacturing strategy, including the prioritization of industry solutions and their alignment to Microsoft’s worldwide partner ecosystem and its digital platform. The team is chartered with transforming customer engagements globally, from technology to business value, as well as with delivering digital transformation. Previously, Arkan was the country manager for Microsoft Turkey, and –prior to Microsoft –worked at Siemens Business Services in several capacities, including country manager and international business development executive. Earlier in his career, Arkan served in various sales, sales leadership, and general management roles, including 10 years as an entrepreneur.
Sunita Bottse is the Managing Director of SUPERNAP (Thailand). She is an executive leader with P&L responsibility building and managing Tier IV data centers. She has successfully delivered a total of 270,000 square feet and 28 megawatts of distributed power across datacenters. She has also led all aspects from blueprint to go-live encompassing technical and commercial functions. She has achieved year-on-year business growth objectives within start-up and rapid-change environments.At SUPERNAP (Thailand) she is responsible for managing all business-related aspects, including setting the strategy and vision, and creating annual operations plans that support the strategic direction and drive sales to ensure the long-term financial viability of SUPERNAP Thailand. Prior to joining SUPERNAP (Thailand), Sunita was the Vice President of Ctex data center where she successfully managed overall data center operations and assisted in attaining Tier IV certification (both design and constructed facility), as well as ISO9001: 2008 for the facility. Furthermore, she was part of the project management office and oversaw the construction of the data center and its commissioning activities.In her spare time Sunita is actively involved with volunteer work, helping service clubs with achieving their social philanthropical goals and coaching young professionals. She firmly believes that creating a better corporate world starts with educating young people to be tomorrow’s leaders.
Mr Tong Hsien-Hui brings with him, in-depth knowledge and experience in the Business Development and Venture Capital spaces in Australia, Europe, Singapore and the US.As the Head, Venture Investing, Hsien-Hui oversees SGinnovate's investments efforts, which target high-potential, deep technology startups working on areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Vehicles, MedTech and Blockchain.Prior to joining SGInnovate, he was the Managing Partner, Asia Pacific for Wassax Ventures. He has also served as the CEO of the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) and Vice President at Staples. In the early 2000s, he co-founded a data mining company, which was sold to a global bank two years later.Hsien-Hui graduated in 1998 from NUS with a Bachelor of Engineering.
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