Conference Overview

A customer experience evangelist by soul and profession for the last 14 years in multiple markets. I am currently occupied with using insight and technology in an inclusive way to make customers loyal. I am interested in creating happy customers, and while, I have tried to be inclusive.

My key focus is to bring simplicity to what we do for customers every day. I mostly take up complex problems that require strategic (=long term) drive and consulting experiences for new & existing products/services such as public portfolio simplification, service design, journey fixing and touchpoint revamp/transformation to scale up the user experience, revenue, brand health, and loyalty. I have rolled out and managed customer experience programs of high-volume customer base, including extensive regional customer service operations , CX governance, fintech experience, experience analytics, product, network, digital, retail, SaaS management and overall CX performance management, which impact the value chain in terms of revenue, uptake, NPS, and CSAT scale up.

Ramu is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Tonik, the Philippines’ first purely digital neobank overseeing the Digital Banking IT Organization (Engineering, Technology, Security and Operations Units). He brings over 18 years of expertise in information technology, enterprise architecture, product development, IT Operations, innovation and security from the banking and telco industries.

Prior to joining Tonik, he served as IT Director for Capgemini Singapore (SG) where he spearheaded a Digital Transformation program for the leading telco, Celcom in Malaysia. Further, Ramu worked as a Chief Architect (Deputy Director) for Tagit Singapore where he architected and implemented over two dozen retail and business banking solutions for some of the biggest names in banking such as DBS (SG and HK), UOB Retail and Business Banking and Maybank in Singapore, BSN and RHB in Malaysia, Citi and Axis Bank in India, and EON (Union Bank PH), Philippine National Bank (PNB) and Chinabank in the Philippines to name a few.

A global citizen, Ramu is fluent in English, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi and currently resides in Singapore with his wife and two sons. He holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from Bharathiar University (India), and is currently pursuing an MBA at Murdoch University (Australia) and a PG Diploma in Innovation and Design Thinking at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Mr. Vong has gained proven extensive experience in driving business and technological innovation and leading the establishment of innovation and technology development with leading financial institutions and telecommunication companies in numerous technical and senior leadership roles.

Mr. Vong has worked with various local and regional banks at Sathapana Bank, PhillipBank, Maybank Cambodia, Cambodian Public Bank, and co-founder setting up two commercial banks system infrastructure in Cambodia, with expertise in many key areas such as managing complex application and project portfolios, covering all aspects of IT, Cybersecurity, Digital Technology Strategy development & implementation, System Resiliency, Business Process, Corporate Governance, Enterprise Architecture and Build Digital Bank Channels.

Kerim Alain Bertrand is the Chief Sales Officer in SmartMessage directing the Global Sales and Marketing teams. Prior to joining SmartMessage, Kerim worked for over twenty years for various technology companies, from fin-tech to mar-tech to prop-tech and now back to mar-tech again. He has worked at Doğuş Group, one of the largest Holding companies in Turkey as COO and CEO of two new technology investments, and has lead the Turkish operations of two prominent constituents of the FTSE-250 index, Euromoney Plc, and UBM Plc. Kerim holds a Master’s degree in International Economics from the University Pantheon-Assas, Paris-France.

Lee Ann is the Regional Manager of SmartMessage responsible for the Southeast Asia region. Prior joining SmartMessage he worked for a number of technology companies like, HPE, ExaGrid, F5 Networks, Dimension Data and leading the sales team in a number of significant transformation projects for FSI and TELCO in the region. Lee Ann holds a first class Hons in Information Technology and Business computing from University of Wales.

Gopal works as Director – Financial Services with Deloitte based in Malaysia. He holds a decade plus of diversified consulting experience of working with global fortune Banking, Financial Services, Insurance and Technology companies based in USA, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific. Gopal brings a unique expertise of Digital banking, FinTech, cards & payments, digital channels, mortgages, digital wallets, insurance and capital markets. Before joining Deloitte in June 2020, he worked as the ‘ASEAN FinTech Leader’ with EY managing the Fintech business for the region.

Some of his latest & past Fintech & digital engagements includes – Digital Banking, Market entry strategy for European FinTech to ASEAN, Multiple FinTech Fund-raising & Valuation projects, Banking and FinTech Collaboration, Digital channel strategy & implementation, cashless economy strategy, banking ‘super-app’ strategy, Neo-banking license application, launching country specific FinTech reports, risk transformation, product innovation, RegTech & InsurTech etc. Conducted multiple sharing & training sessions on latest FinTech innovations & digital subjects with few regulators in the region.

Gopal is an MBA graduate from the premier business schools of USA (HULT International Business School) with an electrical engineering background He is an active speaker in the region covering diversified forums and topics. Gopal has represented on multiple digital & FinTech forums (350+) and managing FinTech & RegTech alliances to the firm. Gopal is a mentor to few FinTech players, sit on the advisory panel for FinTech based curriculum for universities in Australia and a core committee member of few fintech associations.

Dewi Rengganis is an Industry Analyst with Frost & Sullivan’s ICT practice. Her current research focuses on Telecoms and Payments notably in the areas of Financial Technology Services, Mobile & Wireless Communication, Mobile Payments and Digital Wallets.

She has spent over a decade working in the Financial Technology and Telecommunications industry and has worked with leading organizations such as Indosat Ooredoo and XL Axiata to develop and execute their growth strategies. Projects she has worked on include those related to payment gateway API, Big Data and e-KYC process.

“A seasoned professional, Sonny’s background spread from Manufacturing, Consultancy and Banking industry. He has been assigned to various Pricing and Data analytics initiatives in Asia, Europe and North America. These include leading transformations to optimize existing or newly established departments.

Sonny has worked for large MNCs including Parker Hannifin and Luvata, following this he worked as a Management Consultant in the UK.

Sonny returned to Indonesia in June 2019 after spending 20 years living and working in the UK.
His current responsibility at Maybank includes initiating and establishing Data Management and Analytics Division”

Erika has been in the banking and finance industry for over a decade holding various  posts in both Manila and Hong Kong for Citibank, the French investment bank CA, and currently Union Bank of the Philippines as the Sales and Business Development Head of its Fintech Business Group.

She is a SEC certified Trader and prior to joining the Fintech team, has had vast experience in Finance specifically in the field of Debt and Capital Markets, FX Sales Trading, Derivative
Structuring and Corporate Banking and Investment Banking.

Erika might also be a familiar face as she was a News Anchor for Bloomberg Philippines and hosted the headlines for some of its daily business news programs.

She graduated with special mention from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Management and a minor in International Business. Erika also took further studies in Oxford University’s Saïd Business School under their Fintech Program.

Vann has more than a decade experience in IT leadership for multinational organizations. He consists of technology & cybersecurity knowledge and being with extensive experience in implementing a hundred of frameworks for insurance sectors.

Srihari is a senior banker with leadership experience across banking, financial services, insurance and fintech industry, with over 20 years of experience in building franchise in country management and regional head roles, with proven credentials in building and turning around the business with end to end (Strategy, Digital Transformation, Products, Sales Distribution, Marketing, Risk Management, Operations and Customer Experience) full P&L responsibilities across markets. During his 20 years successful career, He worked with Citibank, ABN AMRO, MindSearch International, UOB, CIMB Bank, Hong Leong Bank and GoCashless Digital Payments.

He is currently building and managing eRemit singapore, Fintech based out of singapore with focus on digital remittance and financial inclusion with capabilities of money transfer across 13 countries via mobile app. Prior to this, he was Managing Director with CIMB Bank and General Manager with Hong Leong Bank.

Ashutosh is an MBA from IIM Bangalore and a CCXP (Certified CX Professional) with a unique 360degree experience spanning S/W Development, Product Management, Delivery Management, Client Engagement, Sales, Marketing & CX Consulting functions. Over the last 16+ years he has consulted, managed & sold to clients across several markets (US & Caribbean, UK, EMEA, APAC) and Industries (BFSI, Retail & Ecommerce, Education, Healthcare, Media & Publishing, HiTech). This helps him bring in an Industry & Market POV to CX Thought leadership discussions.

Rahul comes with over 6 years of experience with an inclination towards tech and management. He has extensive hands-on experience at strategically identifying opportunities, developing laser focus, and providing successful and proven tactical business solutions. Rahul has worked with corporations in BFSIs, infrastructure, consumer products, and many more. He enables these corporations to grow their business and improve their marketing strategies with the latest artificial intelligence and machine learning-powered chat-based solutions.