KEYNOTE AND PLENARY SPEAKERS

Datuk Seri Garry Chua has very extensive and in-depth experiences generally in the building industry for the past 35 years (since 1978) and 20 years in the F&B sector too with prominent names like Chakri Palace and Raintree. His years of experiences encompass from Building refurbishments maintenance, Restorations to Development, and have developed ROTOL Group’s reputable and high standing to its present status thru Speed, Quality & Safety (ISO 9001-2015) which have been a hallmark for ROTOL Group’s success.

Support was given to many Charitable organization including Kiwanis Homes, Children Aids Home, Rumah Anak Yatim, Kidney Dialysis Centre and Places of Worship and etc. For his philanthropic works, he was awarded the special Kiwanis 100th Year Centenary Award.

Most outstanding project undertaken was the ‘rescue’ and restoration of “Menara Matrade” for the Government after the previous contractor unable handover even after 10 years and also being the first to have successful completed the restoration facade cleaning of KLCC, the tallest Twin Tower’s in the world with US Technology. ROTOL was also awarded the Malaysia Book of Records for the Restoration of Daya Bumi. Datuk Seri Garry Chua was also appointed as the Honorary President for the World Wushu Championship 2013 hosted in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia won 4 Golds, 5 Silver & 5 Bronze. He was instrumental in securing strong endorsement for the event from not only the Prime Minister’s Department but also the Sports and Tourism Ministries. Not only that, he was just appointed as Member of National Cost of Living by D.P.M on 27th September 2018.

Datuk Seri Garry Chua is currently on board the President Council MRCA Association and appointed as Honorary Advisor for WUSHU KL. With his vast experiences, association insights and extensive networks, have increased M.R.C.A memberships from 200 to exceeding 500 with more than 30,000 stores during his tenure as President. In view of his great contributions with his 6 points Action plan, he has been unprecedentedly re-elected for the a 2nd term in MRCA (2018-2020)

Madeline Tan is a visionary leader in sustainable business education, serving as a Senior Lecturer in Marketing & Enterprise and spearheading the HBS Sustainable and Social Enterprise initiatives at the University of Hertfordshire. As the UNPRME (UKI) Hertfordshire Lead and Lead University Advisor for Enactus Hertfordshire, she is leading the integration of sustainable development into the business curriculum. Her collaborative efforts with the University of Derby and Oxford Brookes on transformative projects such as "Inspiring a Sustainable Mindset in Enterprise Education" and the "Sustainability and Employability Study" highlight her commitment to driving systemic change. Her other collaborative work on the innovative "Love Student Leftovers" project with Oxford Brooke and Amity University, and her presentations at prestigious forums like the AdvanceHE Sustainability Symposium underscore her experience in embedding sustainability into education. Since 2009, Madeline has been a passionate advocate and mentor, using experiential learning to empower students to become agents of positive change through impactful social projects and initiatives.

Lany is the ASEAN Network Regional Program Manager and has been with GRI since 2018. In ASEAN region, GRI drives the promotion of sustainability reporting and adoption of the standard. Under the SECO-funded project, she has trained over 5000 MSMEs and collaborated with the ASEAN University Network for Business and Economics to mainstream sustainability reporting in business school courses. With DFAT Australia's support, she has created a learning program that empowers the Indonesia Publicly Listed Association Members to deliver their first mandated sustainability report. Supporting the UNDP Business and Human Rights Academy, a series of human rights due diligence training has been delivered to more than 100 companies in Indonesia. 

Zeenat Islam has been working at Yunus Centre, Dhaka since November 2018 focusing on creating,maintaining and strengthening academic partnerships and collaborations. Her focus area is the Yunus Social Business Centre(YSBC) Initiative which as of now covers 109 global academic institutions with many more in the pipeline.

Dr. Priya Sharma is a leading advocate for sustainability in business education, research, and engagement. As a Board Member of Global PRME (Principles of Responsible Management Education), a United Nations initiative and Chair of PRME Chapter ASEAN+, she spearheads global initiatives to revolutionize business education. Her mission is to develop leadership skills in responsible business leaders dedicated to sustainable development. Her collaborative efforts with multiple stakeholders are pivotal in advancing sustainability during this crucial decade of action. Central to her mission is forming partnerships to extend education and vital life skills to marginalized communities, with a particular focus on empowering refugee youth.

Dr Stephen T. Homer is a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Yunus Social Business Centre at Sunway University. They have been with the university since 2017, initially as a PhD student and later advancing to their current role in July 2021. As Director, Dr Stephen spearheads initiatives that integrate Entrepreneurship and the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME), driving strategic planning and overseeing the Centre's operations.

Their research expertise spans business management, CSR, and sustainable development. Notably, Dr Stephen investigates the challenges faced by higher education institutes in delivering sustainability in the curriculum and explores youth perspectives on future aspirations. Their work aims to address key issues in these fields and contribute to meaningful advancements in both academia and industry. In addition to their research, Dr Stephen is dedicated to enhancing the practical impact of their work through collaborations with international partners such as Lancaster University. They are also instrumental in the development and implementation of the Entrepreneurs in Residence scheme, which supports emerging entrepreneurs and fosters innovation.

Dr Stephen's commitment to advancing research and responsible management practices reflects their passion for creating sustainable solutions and contributing to the global academic community.

Dr Martin Samy was a Professor of CSR and Effectiveness Measurement at Leeds Beckett University. Prior to being an academic, Martin has had commercial experience as a financial manager of corporations in Singapore and Australia. He was an associate member of the Certified Practising Accountant, Australia, and member of the Australian College of Educators. He was   in establishing a Quality Effectiveness Instrument. He actively research and publish both nationally and internationally. His research interests are Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance research globally, where he has undertaken studies in Australia, UK, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. School Improvement and Effectiveness research in the UK schools, where he studied several schools in Leeds and currently offer a consultancy service to schools. He has published in international journals such as the Corporation Reputation Review, Journal of Global Responsibility, Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal and Journal of Accounting & Organisational Change. In 2013, he was awarded the prestigious Innovation and Initiative Excellence Award by Leeds Metropolitan University for his innovative and creative curriculum delivery for PhD studies in Nigeria, Mauritius and the UAE.

Professor Samy is currently the CEO of Samy Medical Group Pte Ltd, managing 3 primary care Clinics, a Mental Health Centre. Women’s Health Clinic and a Skin and Cosmetics Clinic. He is also a Visiting Professor of Universite Des Mascareignes in Mauritius where he undertakes group teaching on Research    Methods and Philosophy for PhD students. As a Visiting Professor for Kedge Business School, France, he teaches CSR, Innovation and Creativity for MSc students. He supervises 4 PhD students in Mauritius at UdM and the    UK with City University of Birmingham. He adopts comprehensively the virtues of Ethics and Moral philosophy in strategic and operational management of Samy Medical Group Pty Ltd.

Vimi Neeroo Lockmun-Bissessur is currently the Head of Quality Assurance at the Université des Mascareignes (UdM), Mauritius, which has a long-standing partnership with the Université de Limoges, France. As Head of Quality Assurance, Vimi is a member of the Senior Management Team and oversees the set-up of Quality Management Systems at the University. In addition to being Vice-Chair of the Corporate Quality and Standards Committee, and of the Anti-corruption committee, Vimi is also a member of the University Academic Council, the Faculty Boards of the three different Faculties and the Occupational Safety and Health Committee. 

Vimi is also actively engaged in a variety of international projects, spanning subjects like Quality Assurance and Sustainability. She is also a Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies (DIES) alumna (Germany), on the TrainIQA (Training in Internal Quality Assurance) project (Nov 2020 to Nov 2021). As a DIES alumna, she has successfully secured the grant for the DIES National Multiplication Training 2023-2024, , from Germany, in February 2023. The project, which centred around national training in Higher Education Institutions in Mauritius in February 2024 and July 2024, earned a National Bronze award from the Mauritius National Productivity and Quality Excellence Awards (NPQEA) 2024. Vimi has also been a mentor in SADC-Train IQA, over the period 2023-2024, as coordinated by University of Potsdam, Germany and jointly funded by DAAD and the HRK “DIES programme” with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany. She has mentored on subjects relating to Project Management, Quality Implementation using Case Studies, Reporting in Higher Education Institutions, as well as analysis and interpretation of data in qualitative methods and Sustainability in Higher Education institutions. 

Dr. Jeffrey is a Senior Lecturer and MBA Program Manager at the Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He brings over a decade of experience in social entrepreneurship and sustainable business performance to his academic role.

His expertise in corporate strategy, digital organization, and social entrepreneurship informs his teaching and research, which focus on the intersection of business success and responsible practices. His prior experience leading the corporate division at a prominent regional social enterprise further strengthens his understanding of the practical challenges and opportunities in aligning business goals with ESG considerations.

He is an active contributor to the academic community. He serves as an Exco Member of the School Board, Chairperson of Pitch@USM 2024, and Associate Editor for the Albukhary Social Business Journal. He also serves on the advisory board of the Sustainability Leadership and Impact Management (SLIM) Consortium at National Central University Taiwan. Additionally, he maintains affiliations with the Institute of Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA) and formerly, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His commitment to continuous learning and growth is evident in his participation in numerous business and academic conferences.

Dato’ Liaw is the President/Chief Executive Officer of Focus Point Holdings Berhad. He is a registered optician with the Malaysian Optical Council. He brings with him invaluable industrial experience having accumulated over 30 years of experience in the professional eye care industry. He has been instrumental in the growth and development of the Group and more importantly, has been the key driving force in the expansion of the chain of professional eye care centres. As the Group’s President/Chief Executive Officer, his overall management has contributed significantly to the success and growth. During the early years of the operations, he recognised the importance of brand building and development, ownership and management as the key components in differentiating the Group from the competitors. In addition, he was instrumental in building “Focus Point” brand as the chain of professional eye care centres which has become the largest in Malaysia today. His expertise and contributions also extend to strategy planning and business development where his sound management skills have contributed to the continuing success and growth of the Group. In 2002, he was awarded the Certificate of Merit for The Outstanding Young Malaysian Awards 2002 by the Junior Chamber, Malaysia. In 2009, he was a finalist for the Best Franchise Entrepreneur Award by the Malaysian Franchise Association. Subsequently, at the Malaysian Retailers-Chain Association (“MRCA”) – 8TV Entrepreneur Awards in 2009, Dato’ Liaw was given an award in recognition of his outstanding entrepreneurship. In 2012, Dato’ Liaw was elected as Deputy President of MRCA for 2012 to 2014. Further in 2014 itself, he was elected as President of MRCA for 2014 to 2016. Dato’ Liaw was awarded Industry Advisory Council and CEO Faculty, Polytechnic Education Department for 2015 to 2017 by Politeknik Malaysia. He also holds several directorships in the companies within the Group.