Keynote Speakers

Nor Azmi Alias, PhD

With more than 25 years in industry-based R&D roles in various positions, his current role focuses on open innovation and collaborative research & development (R&D) platform to promote innovation and growth in targeted clusters within Electrical and Electronic sector and enabling growth in relevant adjacent sectors leveraging the technology and expertise of E&E sector ecosystem partners.

Leads key programs namely Collaborative R&D Grant, The Great Lab Challenge and Industry-Relevant Talent Development program. Initiates Johor Program to establish a CREST-like STI ecosystem in the southern region.

Previously, more than 6 years in Motorola Solutions Penang Design Center in the senior leadership team initiating and driving strategic initiatives, in addition to leading mechanical design and advanced technology development team of more than 150 engineers and managers.

Initial 3 years in industry with Motorola Semiconductors since 1995 as materials engineers, followed by 7 years as R&D Manager at previously a UCB Chemicals Sdn Bhd, a Belgium MNC – established and led a research and development team in developing and commercializing specialty polymers for photoresist in PCB and color display fabrication.

Received his BSc, MSc and PhD in Chemical Engineering at University of Rhode Island, in the US (from 1987-1994) – specializing in the field of corrosion science and technology, specifically in the application of localized impedance spectroscopy methodology, photoelectron spectroscopy and phase transformation in characterizing degradation  and protection of alloys, tri-bological coatings and polymer matrix composites in
marine environment.

Dr. Mazlan Abas

Keynote title: Challenges in the New Era of IR 4.0

For the last 50 years only 19% of companies are in existence today. Many did not survive or unable to sustain due to many reasons. However, one of the key reasons are due to the fact that they are unable to compete or remained competitive whereas their competitors have transformed their business by leveraging new technologies and new business models.

Digitalisation and Internet has been very key in these transformation. New products and services have been created. Their operations are becoming more agile and productive. This is the outcome when companies embraced new changes openly. Their leaders are the risk takers and have excellent vision of the future.

Every 3 to 7 years companies need to transform themselves, reinvent their operations and business. They should look at the current and future trends of technologies and see whether they can leverage these powerful technologies and together surf the great waves of IR 4.0 disruption.

Dr. Mazlan is the co-founder and CEO of FAVORIOT Sdn Bhd. He is ranked among Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on the Internet of Things (February 2019) and Digital Disruption (October 2019) by Thinkers360, Top 50 Most Impactful Smart Cities Leaders by World CSR Congress 2017, ranked Top 10 in IoT Top 100 Influencers by Postscapes 2017 & 2018, ranked No. 20th Thought Leader in IOT by 2014 Onalytics Report – “The Internet of Things – Top 100 Thought Leaders” and UTM Alumni Industry Personality 2016. He is currently one of Global Vision Board Member (2017). Before FAVORIOT, he spent 2.5 years as CEO of REDtone IOT and 8 years in MIMOS Berhad as Senior Director Wireless Communications Cluster. He also spent 13 years in CELCOM (mobile operator), handling many senior management positions. Prior to Celcom, he spent 10 years as an Assoc. Professor at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He was the Adjunct Professor for UTM from 2008 to 2013, UTHM (2004-2005, 2013-2016), Universiti Teknologi Petronas (2018-2019) and Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) (2017-2018) and Universiti Malaysia (UniMY) (2017-2019). Currently, he is the Adjunct Professor for MJIIT, UTM (2020-2022). Dr.Mazlan is a frequent speaker at many major & established IOT, IR 4.0, Smart Cities and telco conferences locally and globally. He sits in Industry Advisory Panel (IAP) for several local universities. He graduated from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with a BEE (1984), University of Essex (UK) with MSc. in Telematics (1986) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with a Ph.D. in Telecommunications (1993). He also received an Honorary Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from UTHM (2017). He is also a TEDx Speaker.