Credit: Channel Asia / IDG
A power-packed line-up of CIOs and technology leaders will share executive career advice and guidance at the upcoming Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA), as Channel Asia sets a new industry benchmark for female achievement across Southeast Asia.
Housing a blend of iconic global and local brands, the channel will receive first-hand accounts of inspirational stories of individual growth and success from the top technology decision-makers at Coca-Cola, DHL, HGC Global Communications, Essilor Group and Ingram Micro.
Delivered via a series of 10-minute Power CIO Talk addresses, leading executives will outline standout career achievements and examples of how to overcome industry adversity, backed by authentic advice for both established and aspiring female leaders across ASEAN.
This is in addition to State of Gender Diversity in the Tech Channel, a new research initiative designed to examine D&I progress across the technology channel. This in-depth survey will focus on the three core pillars of D&I, spanning Tech Industry, Workplace and Personal Experience.
In an industry-first for the channel, research profiled female, male and other gender identities, welcoming submissions from CEO to graduate levels across all company sizes, industry segments and locations. Housing more than 500 responses, questions were designed to be fielded by participants across different age groups, cultural backgrounds and job functions -- spanning management, sales, operations, technical and marketing roles -- irrespective of industry tenure.
The aim is to independently and confidentially source a range of perspectives industry-wide, aligned to the collective goal of moving the conversation forward in relation to D&I within the channel.
The launch of State of Gender Diversity in the Tech Channel represents a landmark moment in the industry, with IDG -- as the world’s leading tech media, data and marketing services company -- becoming the first independent outlet to open such dedicated research in ASEAN.
Such exclusive customer and market research insights will be delivered during WIICTA, a virtual experience set for Thursday 5 August (2pm-4pm SGT), playing host to a talented group of female front runners who have become influential figures across the local industry. To register -- click here.
Power CIO Talk: Coca-Cola
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Winnie Rebancos spearheads the technology strategy of Coca-Cola in the Philippines, drawing on more than 20 years of industry experience and expertise.
Recognised as a Legend CIO by the CIO200 across Asia Pacific -- honoured in December 2020 by the Global CIO Forum -- Winnie is widely recognised for her key contributions to technology, culture and new ways of working, underpinned by deep knowledge of cloud, artificial intelligence, analytics, cyber security, e-commerce and customer experience solutions.
Aside from technology, Winnie is also a staunch supporter of women empowerment and leads the company’s advocacies on women and gender equality.
Power CIO Talk: DHL
Drawing on more than 30 years experience in IT, logistics and supply chain industries, Supriya Rao Patwardhan currently operates as Executive Vice President and Global Head of IT Services at DHL -- a position she assumed in 2020.
Since joining the organisation in 1994, Supriya has carried out a variety of roles within IT and the wider company, taking the lead in helping to bridge the technology-business divide. In her current role, Supriya oversees a team housing more than 5000 IT experts supporting all six divisions of Deutsche Post DHL across 220 countries and territories.
Supriya -- who was honoured during CIO50 ASEAN in 2020 -- has lived in India, Singapore, Malaysia and Germany, enjoying an international outlook that matches DHL’s global presence.
Power CIO Talk: HGC Global Communications
As Chief Digital Officer of HGC Global Communications, Jacqueline Teo is responsible for enhancing the technology and digital capabilities of customers and internal employees, spanning strategy, roadmap, architecture, delivery, support services and P&L accountabilities.
During the past 25 years, Jacqueline has led significant technology transformations across large and complex organisations, holding several C-level positions globally in the telecommunications, media and entertainment industries.
Jacqueline has been a key player in creating industry game-changers and shifting the paradigms for customers -- technological progress, ubiquitous access to technology and technology to improve daily lives are her passions.
Power CIO Talk: Essilor Group
Inducted into CIO50 ASEAN in both 2019 and 2020, Juliana Chua has worked with the industry's best names, from IBM, Nitto Denko and Spruson & Ferguson to A*Star, IPOS International and now Essilor Group.
Juliana has launched two technology start-ups globally and has a background in innovation (Stanford, US), international business management (INSEAD); IP law (NUS Law) and computer science (Loughborough, UK).
Beyond Singapore, Juliana has worked across markets in the US, China, Japan, India, UK, operating as an inventor of six patents / applications and designs for innovation in medical technologies. This is in addition to acquiring a diversified portfolio of experience serving various entities from start-ups, multinationals corporations to government agencies.
Power CIO Talk: Ingram Micro
As CIO and Executive Director of Asia Pacific at Ingram Micro, Singapore-based Michelle Wu is tasked with leading technical associates, driving business digital transformation and modernising infrastructure and operations, while deepening B2B engagements with vendors and e-commerce experience levels with customers regionally.
Drawing on an enviable CV spanning executive roles in America, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Michelle currently leads a team of more than 145 technical associates across the region, shaped by a strategic list of agenda items.
Prior to Ingram Micro, Michelle -- who was honoured during CIO50 ASEAN in 2020 -- spent almost 20 years in technical and management roles at General Electric, making a significant impact in helping businesses achieve growth objectives, productivity, performance improvements and operational efficiencies.
Celebrating female excellence across ASEAN
Channel Asia has celebrated gender diversity and recognised female excellence across the ASEAN tech sector since first launching WIICTA in 2019, acknowledging the achievements of a talented group of female front runners who have become influential figures across the local industry.
In 2021, a record-breaking 160 finalists (150 individuals and 10 companies) made the shortlist from a pool of more than 65 organisations and over 220 nominations. Within this standout group of finalists, female leaders are located across the entire region, spanning Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
All career stages are in the spotlight from graduate-level entrants to well-established CEOs, in addition to inspiring entrepreneurs, creative thinkers and technical experts, as well as talent rising through the ranks and consistent high-performing individuals. This is also supported by both individual and company champions of D&I initiatives.
Collectively, WIICTA in 2021 stands tall as the leading forum for setting the industry benchmark for female achievement across Southeast Asia.
Winners will be announced at a virtual celebration on Thursday 5 August (2pm-4pm SGT) with an expected audience of more than 400+ female leaders across Southeast Asia.
To register for WIICTA -- click here.
