Reimagine Asia 2026: People & Business

08:15 AM - 09:00 AM SGT

Registrations

09:00 AM - 09:05 AM SGT

Opening Remarks

Matthew Godfrey, Managing Director, Asia, The Conference Board

09:05 AM - 09:15 AM SGT

Conference Overview & Highlights from TCB

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Council Director of Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

09:15 AM - 09:40 AM SGT

Keynote #1: Reimagining the Business: Driving Growth Through Leadership, Culture, and Innovation in Uncertain Times

Growth is no longer simply about entering new markets or scaling faster. Organizations today must navigate geopolitical uncertainty, fragmented supply chains, uneven economic conditions, and accelerating AI disruption. How can companies continue to innovate and grow in this environment while effectively managing risk? How are leaders rethinking operating models, strategic priorities, and workforce strategies to remain competitive in an increasingly complex and technology-driven world?

Udai Kunzru, President, APAC, SharkNinja

09:45 AM - 10:10 AM SGT

Keynote #2: Reimagining the Organization: Redesigning Work and the Workforce for AI

Organizations are under pressure to deliver more—higher productivity, faster innovation, stronger employee engagement, and future-ready capabilities. Yet these objectives often compete for attention and investment. How can leaders build a new performance agenda that balances efficiency with long-term workforce effectiveness? What strategies are helping organizations create cultures that drive engagement, retention, productivity, and sustainable business performance?

Ng Tian Chong, CEO, Singtel Singapore

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM SGT

Networking Break

10:45 AM - 11:10 AM SGT

Keynote #3: Reimagining Productivity in the AI Era

AI is reshaping business models, redefining productivity, and challenging traditional sources of competitive advantage. How are organizations accelerating AI adoption and building AI fluency across their workforce? How are business and people strategies evolving in response to AI-driven disruption? What distinguishes companies that are successfully translating AI investments into measurable business outcomes?

Dr. May Yap, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, JABIL

11:10 AM - 11:15 AM SGT

Keynote wrap up

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Council Director of Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

11:15 AM - 11:55 AM SGT

Experiential Activity

Christopher Zintel, Director of Design & Delivery, Center for Creative Leadership, APAC

11:55 AM - 12:00 PM SGT

Overview of Breakout Sessions

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM SGT

Lunch

01:00 PM - 02:15 PM SGT

Productivity | 1A: Why People Stay: Cracking the Code on Engagement and Retention

Driving Employee Engagement and Retention, Compensation, incentives, and recognition remain among the most powerful tools available to leaders but are they delivering the productivity gains organizations expect? Drawing on our latest research, this session challenges conventional thinking about rewards and performance, exploring what truly motivates employees and what may no longer drive business impact. How are organizations designing reward strategies that strengthen accountability, engagement, retention, and performance in an increasingly demanding operating environment?

David Lim, Executive Vice President, People, PVH Asia Pacific

Rachna Sampayo , Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Oracle

Kuan-Thye Sean DBA, Director of Asia Total Rewards and Asia Strategic HR Leaders Councils and Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Nikki Davies, Consultant, Executive Coach, and Facilitator, DEI

01:00 PM - 02:15 PM SGT

Productivity | 1B: Closing the People Productivity Gap: How to Get Everyone Moving in the Same Direction

People strategies do not always land as intended. Our latest research reveals how employees across Asia are responding to the productivity initiatives organizations are implementing to drive business performance. Are companies overinvesting in some areas while overlooking opportunities in others? What initiatives are resonating with employees, and where are leaders falling short?

Anser Aly, Program Director, Asia HR Team Accelerator Program and Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Ashok Pillai, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board of Asia; Ex-Head of Performance and Reward at BP Plc & Founder of Riverstone HCA, The Conference Board

Edith Yeung, Head of Human Resources, Cigna Healthcare, Hong Kong

01:00 PM - 02:15 PM SGT

Productivity | 1C: Find the Game-Changers: Winning the Battle for Critical Talent

As skill requirements evolve and leadership pipelines come under increasing pressure, organizations are placing greater emphasis on attracting, developing, and retaining critical talent. How can companies better identify high-potential employees and build stronger leadership pipelines? What are the latest trends shaping talent acquisition, development, mobility, and retention in a rapidly changing business environment?

Chris Mead, Global Head, Talent Acquisition, Qnity Electronics

Priya Kameshwari, Global Head, Talent Acquisition & Deployment, Standard Chartered

Jeremy Eskenazi, Program Director, Talent Acquisition Business Council and Talent Acquisition Enterprise Council, The Conference Board

Ben Neumann, Partner and Southeast Asia Leader, Vialto Partners

02:15 PM - 02:30 PM SGT

Transition & Break

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02:30 PM - 03:45 PM SGT

Growth | 2A: From Ideas to Impact: How People Power Real Innovation

As organizations face rising uncertainty, outdated processes and siloed ways of working are limiting their ability to innovate and grow. How can leaders mobilize the full workforce to identify new sources of value and turn ideas into scalable business impact? What does it take to shift from a culture of compliance to one of curiosity, courage, experimentation, and continuous innovation?

Anna Mok, Partner, Deloitte

Dr. Angela Ryan , Chief Human Resources Officer, SGX Group

Takeshi Yoshida, Founder and Chief Coach, Agile Organization Development

John Metselaar, Council Director, The Conference Board

02:30 PM - 03:45 PM SGT

Growth | 2B: China at the Crossroads: Crisis, Comeback, or Reinvention?

China remains one of the world's most important economies and a critical market for many organizations across Asia. Yet the outlook is increasingly complex. What opportunities, risks, and strategic considerations are shaping business sentiment toward China? How should companies interpret evolving policy developments, economic trends, consumer behavior, and geopolitical dynamics as they evaluate their China strategy?

Priyanka Kishore, Founder, Director and Principal Economist, Asia Decoded

Max Zenglein, ESF Center Leader, The Conference Board

Sarah Tong, Senior Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore

02:30 PM - 03:45 PM SGT

Growth | 2C: No More Business as Usual: Transforming Organizations for Growth

Growth initiatives often fall short not because the strategy is wrong, but because the organization is not equipped to execute it. How are companies transforming structures, capabilities, cultures, and decision-making processes to unlock growth and maximize workforce potential? What does it take to move beyond transformation rhetoric and build organizations that can adapt faster, execute more effectively, and scale new opportunities?

Shailaja Sharma, Exec Director, Learning & Talent Management, SGX Group

Anu Sridhar, Personnel Director, Michelin

Marie Chavanon, Head of Digital Health & Partnering, Greater China, Sanofi

03:45 PM - 04:15 PM SGT

Networking Break

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04:15 PM - 05:30 PM SGT

Technology | 3A: Leadership: When AI is Changing Everything

AI has the potential to transform productivity, innovation, and decision-making—but its benefits will not be distributed evenly without deliberate leadership. What does effective AI leadership look like? How can organizations build trust, develop workforce capabilities, and ensure responsible adoption at scale? How should leaders balance innovation, inclusion, governance, and workforce participation in an era of rapid AI disruption?

Diana Khaitova, Head, Client Development, APAC, Center for Creative Leadership

Xiaowei Liu, Council Director of Asia Communications Leaders Council, The Conference Board

Emma Jones, VP, Human Resources Operations APEC, Marriott International

John Yang, Strategic HR, Ayala Corporation

04:15 PM - 05:30 PM SGT

Technology | 3B: Ready for AI? How to Future-Proof Your Workforce Now

AI readiness is no longer solely a technology issue—it is a leadership, workforce, and competitiveness imperative. How are organizations preparing employees to use AI confidently, responsibly, and productively? What practical approaches to upskilling, change management, job redesign, and leadership alignment are helping companies move from isolated AI experiments to enterprise-wide adoption?

Mukta Arya, ACC, Managing Director, Chief Human Resources Officer, APAC, Societe Generale

Yang-Sheng Wong, Head, Human Resources, Standard Chartered

Monica Chia, Vice President, Human Resources, East Asia Japan, Schneider Electric

Andrew Saidy, Head of Talent | Head of HR, APAC, Cigna International Health

04:15 PM - 05:30 PM SGT

Technology | 3C: AI in HR Is Here: Leading Innovation in China and APAC

The AI ecosystem across Asia—particularly in China—is advancing at remarkable speed and scale, offering important lessons for business leaders. What can organizations learn from leading approaches to AI development, deployment, and commercialization? Which lessons are transferable across markets, and which are unique to local conditions? How are AI-driven innovations reshaping competition, business models, and technology strategy across the region?

Janet Zhong, VP, Head of Human Resources, Tapestry, Asia Pacific

Divkiran Kathuria, Head of Talent Management and Inclusion, Cigna Healthcare

Jing Wang, Council Director, China HR Council & Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Gurpreet Grewal, Council Director, Asia Talent Advantage Council, The Conference Board

05:30 PM - 06:00 PM SGT

Experiential Activity

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06:00 PM - 06:10 PM SGT

Debrief, Wrap-Up, and Closing

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Council Director of Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

06:10 PM - 06:15 PM SGT

Future Agendas & Closing Remarks

Matthew Godfrey, Managing Director, Asia, The Conference Board

06:15 PM - 07:15 PM SGT

Networking Cocktail

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