AGENDA

Dipa Kaur

Gillian Meller

YBhg. Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia

Justin J Anthony

Kerrie Waring

The Securities Commission is reviewing Malaysia’s corporate governance framework to strengthen practices and drive sustainable value creation. At the same time, major markets are updating their Corporate Governance Codes to address priorities including sustainability governance, digital transformation and stakeholder engagement, while reinforcing the strategic role of Company Secretaries. This session will compare Malaysia’s reforms with global trends and explore their implications for future-ready governance, with insights from regulators, policymakers and market practitioners for companies, investors and capital market participants.

Azrina Azmel, General Manager, Corporate Governance, Securities Commission Malaysia

Mohamad Azhar Hamidi, Head of Corporate Surveillance & Governance, Bursa Malaysia Berhad, Malaysia

Mark Babington, Executive Director of Regulatory Standards, Financial Reporting Council, United Kingdom

Stephen Sadie, CEO, CGI Southern Africa

Geopolitical risks pose considerable challenges to an organisation's resilience and ability to sustain long-term value creation. Wars, cyber-attacks, climate change impacts, trade tensions and more disrupt supply chains, energy and commodity prices, access to critical resources and overall business continuity. How do companies navigate these increasingly complex headwinds and reduce systemic risk exposure while enhancing organisational growth and sustainability? To what extent is uncertainty factored into risk management frameworks and mitigation strategies? What reporting frameworks are most used by companies to communicate their approaches to managing uncertainty, risk, and resilience?

YBhg. Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, Chairman of IOI Corporation Berhad, Malaysia

Gillian Meller, Legal and Governance Director, MTR Corporation, Hong Kong

Kiyotaka Sasaki, President, Core Corporate Governance Research Institute, Japan

Celine See, Country Head VISTRA Malaysia

This session provides participants with a practical demonstration of how boards respond to unexpected threats such as a cyber breach, whistleblower allegation, or activist shareholder pressure. Through a simulated board meeting scenario, participants will observe or join in the decision-making process to navigate regulatory obligations, stakeholder expectations, and reputational risks under time pressure. The session highlights the critical role of the company secretary in facilitating proper governance oversight, and coordinating legal, governance, and communication strategies during a crisis. Participants will gain practical insights into real-time boardroom dynamics, crisis management, and the importance of structured governance responses in protecting organisational integrity and stakeholder confidence.

YBhg. Dato’ Abdul Aziz Bin Abu Bakar, Chairman, Affin Bank Berhad, Malaysia

Christopher de Cruz, Global Head of Content, Innovation & Crisis Communications, Sandpiper Communications, Malaysia

Arivindran Saidoo, Partner – Technology, Risk and Cyber Security Advisory, KPMG Malaysia

The session addresses a common governance challenge; ineffective board papers that fail to support strategic decision-making. The session will explore how high-performing boards receive and evaluate information, and how governance professionals, particularly company secretaries, can transform management reports into concise, decision-focused board packs. Participants will learn practical approaches to structuring board papers to facilitate strategic discussions, avoiding information overload, and presenting key insights clearly for directors, especially independent directors. The session will also highlight the use of dashboards and digital board portals to improve clarity, accessibility, and the overall effectiveness of board information.

Wan Marzimin Wan Muhammad, General Counsel and Company Secretary, Maybank, Malaysia

Norliza Rasool Khan, Founder, Liza Khan Chambers, Malaysia

Tharindu Wickramasekera, Senior Vice President, Innovation & Customer Success, BoardPAC, Sri Lanka

Mohamad Affendi Yusoff, Director, Secretarial, Khazanah Nasional Berhad

This session explores how artificial intelligence is transforming governance practices and the work of governance professionals. The session will demonstrate practical ways AI tools can support tasks such as preparing board papers and minutes, conducting governance research, and improving efficiency in board support functions. At the same time, it will address key considerations in managing confidentiality, legal risks, and ethical use of AI in governance processes. Participants will also gain insights into appropriate risk controls, confidentiality safeguards, and the role of boards in overseeing the responsible AI adoption, supported by governance policy perspectives, including insights from the OECD.

Sean Tay, CEO, Matrix Connexion Sdn Bhd

Mohamad Ari Zulkarnain, Partner, Zaid Ibrahim & Co

YBhg. Datuk Raymond Davadass, Founder & Group CEO, Daythree Digital Berhad, Malaysia

In today’s increasingly complex business environment, the role of the Company Secretary is more critical than ever in supporting long-term organisational success and resilience. Beyond their statutory responsibilities, Company Secretaries serve as trusted advisers to both the Chair and CEO, balancing the need to provide independent, objective guidance while effectively supporting management. This session will explore the evolving responsibilities of Company Secretaries across different markets, the key competencies required to succeed in the role, and the critical reporting lines that shape their effectiveness in today’s governance landscape.

Samantha Tai Yit Chan, Chief Executive Officer, BoardRoom, Malaysia

Fernanda Marques Bayeux, Governance Officer, Alpargatas, Brazil

Victoria Penrice, Group Company Secretary, W.A.G Group, United Kingdom

Yoke Kay Kuan, Founder, Blue Carbuncle, Singapore

Independent Board Directors play a vital role in ensuring objectivity and oversight within a Board’s decision-making. They provide valuable managerial scrutiny and strategic advice, helping to balance power on the board and protect the interests of both shareholders and stakeholders. What qualities define a good Independent Director? How does this position differ across global markets? In what ways are conflicts addressed and disclosed? What is the optimal approach to assessing board quality and performance aligned with an organisation’s risk profile, culture, and long-term strategy?

YBhg. Datuk Suseela Menon, Vice President, CGI Global

Pauline Vamos, NED, Mercer Superannuation Australia Limited, Australia

Professor Mak Yuen Teen, Professor, National University of Singapore

Emi Onozuka, CEO of Eminent Group, Japan

This session will examine the role of the board in shaping and overseeing a corporate culture that aligns with the organisation’s purpose, values, and strategic objectives. The discussion will consider the links between corporate culture, risk management, and remuneration policy, as well as the implementation of Codes of Ethics to encourage lawful, responsible, and ethical conduct across the workforce. Independent and confidential whistleblowing mechanisms will be explored, along with critical issues such as anti-bribery and anti-corruption. The panel will also consider Board responsibilities regarding oversight, reporting breaches, and initiating corrective measures.

Professor Michael Adams, University of New England, Australia

Maheswari Kanniah, Fellow Chartered Secretary and Chartered Governance Professional (CGI UK & Malaysia), Malaysia

Marianne Harper Gow, Interim CEO, Baillie Gifford Asia, Singapore

Rangarajan Gangadharan, Solutions Specialist Director, Diligent Singapore

Shareholder activism is accelerating globally — including across Asia — and boards are facing increasing pressure to respond strategically, transparently and at speed. This session explores how companies can anticipate activist approaches, strengthen board preparedness, and develop effective response strategies that protect long term corporate value. This session will consider the importance of proactive investor relations and stakeholder communication during high pressure situations. The discussion will also highlight the critical advisory role of Company Secretaries in supporting the board, enhancing readiness, and guiding organisations through activist challenges with confidence and discipline.

Dr. Ismet Yusoff, CEO, Minority Shareholders Watch Group, Malaysia

Nana Li, Head of Sustainability, APAC Director, Impax Asset Management, Hong Kong

Dr. Helena Fung, Head of Research and Advocacy, Asian Corporate Governance Association, Hong Kong

In today’s increasingly scrutinised regulatory and enforcement environment, governance professionals must go beyond compliance to recognise, document and act on emerging risks. Corporate scandals involving fraud, corruption, money laundering, conflicts of interest and misconduct often reveal not a lack of policies, but failures to challenge questionable decisions, escalate concerns and maintain an adequate record of actions taken. This panel discussion examines the role of directors, company secretaries, compliance officers, legal advisers and other governance professionals as a critical line of defence against organisational misconduct. Through practical case studies and real-world scenarios, the panel will explore how to respond when commercial pressures, senior management influence or organisational culture discourage speaking up. Participants will gain practical insights into sound judgement, professional courage, effective escalation and creating a defensible governance record.

Dr. Geetha A Rubasundram, Treasurer, Transparency International Malaysia

Edward Chan, Country Manager, Ingenique (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

YBhg. Dato’ Mohamad Ezri bin Abdul Wahab, Managing Partner, EzriLaw Firm, Malaysia

Many founders spend decades building successful businesses, but few consider what happens when they are no longer around. Without proper succession and estate planning, family businesses may face disputes, leadership uncertainty, business disruption and the erosion of wealth across generations. This session explores practical approaches to preserving family wealth and ensuring business continuity, particularly where heirs have different expectations or are unwilling to take over the business. Leading practitioners will examine the role of wills, trusts, foundations, family constitutions and succession frameworks in managing ownership, leadership and family expectations. Participants will gain practical insights into selecting appropriate structures, avoiding common succession pitfalls, supporting founders through transition planning, and building resilient businesses and family legacies that endure beyond the founder’s involvement.

Farah Deba Mohamed Sofian, Senior Partner, Wong Lu Peen & Tunku Alina, Malaysia

Johari Low bin Abdullah, Chairman, Rockwills Corporation Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Doreen Fadli, Acting Director, Market & Tax Development, Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA), Malaysia

Global governance is being stress-tested by forces no boardroom framework was designed to handle. Rising global tensions, shifting monetary policy, accelerating regulatory change, and AI-driven disruption are converging into a perfect storm of systemic risk that is reshaping capital flows, workforce structures, and financial markets simultaneously. Persistent inflation, subsidy reforms, structural unemployment, and tightening cross-border regulatory requirements are forcing governments and businesses alike to navigate increasingly difficult trade-offs with shrinking room for error. For boards still treating macroeconomic, regulatory, and technological risk as peripheral concerns, the cost of that blind spot is rising fast. Directors, Company Secretaries, and Governance Professionals will find this session essential in sharpening their contributions to board deliberations, business strategy, and risk management.

Wan Suhaimie Wan Mohd Saidie, Head of Economic Research, Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, Malaysia

Sendi anak Tan, Research Head, Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund, Malaysia

Today, sustainability related disclosure is required by law or regulation in major markets around the world with many extending this to assurance. Sustainability reporting standards encourage companies to provide complete, consistent and comparable information about their sustainability-related risks and opportunities. But how is this impacting the role of modern-day boards? What are the company’s governance processes, controls and procedures to monitor, manage and oversee such risks and opportunities? How do Company Secretaries keep boards informed about sustainability matters to guide strategic decision-making and risk management. How does this translate into managerial oversight, pay and performance?

David Simmonds, Chief Strategy, Sustainability and Governance Officer, CLP Holdings Ltd, Hong Kong

Charles Brown, Group Company Secretary, Experian, Ireland

Taona Munzvandi, NED, Trust Insurance Brokers, Zimbabwe

Margie Ong, CEO, Thoughts In Gear, Malaysia

Moderator: Andrew S. Kalish, Chief Legal Officer, BAC Education Group, Malaysia

21st century boards must develop and oversee an organisation’s digital technology strategy to drive innovation, growth, and competitive advantage. This extends to management’s approach to ethical and responsible deployment and the relevance, risk, proportionality and impact of AI and digital usage on an entity’s culture, operations, and strategy. How do boards assess the performance of digital assets against measures such as return on investment, revenue, and productivity? How are workforce impacts managed including AI transition, health and safety, training, integrity? How are risks assessed and what is best practice around quality control and assurance in technology related design, internal controls, and verification?

Amar Chhajer, Country Head - UST Malaysia

Eugene Teo, Chief Security Advisor, Microsoft ASEAN, Singapore

Calvin Cheng, Founder & CEO, Wizpresso Ltd, Hong Kong

Katrina Horrobin, CEO, Governance Institute of Australia