Semiconductor Business Connect

Prof Yeo Yee Chia is currently the Deputy Chief Executive (Innovation & Enterprise), A*STAR. He provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Innovation & Enterprise Group and National Platforms. He orchestrates A*STAR’s industry approach and priorities to ensure that A*STAR’s translational activities achieve significant national impact and outcomes.

Costa Rican. Juris Doctor from the Autonomous University of Central America, he holds a master’s degree in International Law and International Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid and a postgraduate degree in Administrative Law from the University of Salamanca. Mr. Tovar had professional updating courses from Harvard University and the London School of Economics and Political Science and is PhD Candidate in Political Science. Prior to his appointment as Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Tovar developed a career in the public sector in the following positions: Representative and Head of the Costa Rican Delegation to the OECD (2016-2021); Special Envoy to the OECD (2013-2015); Trade Attaché at the Embassy of Costa Rica to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Special Envoy at the Costa Rican Mission to the European Union (2008-2013); Trade Negotiator, responsible for dispute resolution and institutional matters, as well as coordinator of commercial relations with Canada and Chile at the Ministry of Foreign Trade (2005-2008).bMr. Tovar was also Delegate of Costa Rica to the World Customs Organization and to the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg. He speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian.

Jonathan Lim is a veteran ecosystem builder and venture leader with over two decades of experience shaping Singapore’s innovation and deep-tech landscape. He has held senior leadership roles at the Singapore Economic Development Board and Enterprise Singapore, where he played a pivotal role in developing Singapore into a global startup and innovation hub.​

He has supported the growth and internationalisation of more than 600 technology companies and led over 100 cross-border innovation partnerships across Asia and Europe. He was instrumental in architecting the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), a flagship platform connectingSingapore to over 40 countries globally. As Singapore’s founding representative to the EUREKANetwork, the world’s largest public R&D and innovation collaboration platform, Jonathan has played a pivotal role in global tech collaboration.​

​He has also been a key figure in establishing the Singapore Institute of Technology, the nation’s fifth public university. He has over 15 years of experience in advancing the educationsector and has successfully attracted top foreign universities to establish campuses in Singapore.​

Jonathan currently serves on the Board of Zicom Group Limited and is the Managing Partner atAsia Venture Partners. With deep experience at the intersection of venture building, policy, and global partnerships, Jonathan brings a unique perspective on scaling deep tech ecosystems andenabling innovation across Asia.​

Glenda Tan serves as a Vice President at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), bringing over 15 years of experience in driving economic growth and industry transformation. Within the New Ventures division, she drives corporate innovation through venturing; the goal is to inject the agility, speed and innovation of startups into large corporates, as a means to address disruption and build a stronger future.

Rohit Girdhar is the Vice President & Head of Strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions of Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. Infineon Technologies is a semiconductor and solutions provider with revenues of approximately 16 Bn USD and 58,000 employees worldwide.

Rohit has lived and worked in the US, France, India and Singapore. He started his professional career at Teradyne Inc. San Jose in 1998 as an engineer/project manager. In 2005 he joined Infineon Technologies in Singapore. In his current role, he is part of the regional leadership team and works on corporate assignments for Infineon’s entities in the Asia Pacific, e.g. in India, ASEAN, Korea and Australia/New Zealand. Besides strategy development, Rohit is also responsible for engagements with ecosystem partners in Asia Pacific. From 2017, he is on the Board of Directors of Infineon Technologies India.

Rohit holds a MS from Stanford University, an MBA from INSEAD, and a BE (honors) from BITS Pilani, India. He has received an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University and completed the Infineon General Management Program (IGMP) at INSEAD. Rohit is also an alumnus of the AsiaEurope Young leaders Program of the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Dr. Mo is a highly experienced technical and business veteran of the photonics and optoelectronics industries. Her expertise covers optical transmission system, advanced optical modulation format, tunable semiconductor lasers, DFB & FP lasers and PD/APD, optical transceiver modules and high-speed integrated packaging with Optical Interposer technology platform. Dr. Mo has more than 25 years of experience spanning several companies, including MACOM Technology Solutions as CTO in Asia and Shenzhen GM, Bookham/ Oclaro as Senior R&D Director, Huawei as Technical Expert, I2R in Singapore and Nexvave Photonics Technology Co., which she founded and served as Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Mo is now with POET Technologies as the Senior Vice President, General Manager of Asia and responsible for globe product development. Dr. Mo received her PhD degree in Optical Communications from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore. She is a Senior member of IEEE and has been a member of IEEE’s Technical Committees for several international conferences. She has over 14 patents and more than 50 papers published in tier one journals and conferences.

Salah Nasri is the CEO and Co-founder of the International Semiconductor Industry Group (ISIG), a global organization founded in 2010 that brings together senior leaders across the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.

Through its flagship platform, the International Semiconductor Executive Summits (ISES), ISIG convenes C-level executives from leading semiconductor companies, equipment manufacturers, materials suppliers, investors, and government institutions. The organization operates across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, serving as a trusted forum for strategic dialogue on the future of the semiconductor industry.

Salah is also the author of the bestselling book Game of Chips: How Semiconductors Became the High-Stakes Poker of Global Power, which explores the geopolitical, technological, and economic forces shaping the semiconductor industry and the strategic competition between nations for technological leadership.

He is the host of the Semiconductor Leadership Podcast, where he interviews C-level Executives, founders, and industry pioneers shaping the future of semiconductor manufacturing and global technology.

Under his leadership, ISIG has grown into one of the world’s most influential executive networks in the semiconductor sector, facilitating collaboration across critical areas including semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, MEMS technologies, automotive electronics, and advanced packaging.

Salah also advises governments and emerging semiconductor ecosystems on industry development strategies, supporting initiatives across regions including the Middle East, Europe, and Asia to strengthen semiconductor innovation, manufacturing capabilities, and startup ecosystems.

Earlier in his career, Salah held roles at Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Worldwide Business Research, and the International Business Development Group, where he focused on international business development and strategic partnerships.

Salah studied International Relations and Economics at Oxford University and Loughborough University, and in 2024 completed the Stanford Executive Program, becoming a Stanford University alumnus.

He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Atlant3D, a pioneer in atomic-layer advanced manufacturing technologies.

Dr. Yanliang Zhang, adjunct professor of National University of Singapore, is the Chief Scientist at Weston Robot, where he oversees the company’s productization strategy, driving the transformation of innovative ideas into market-ready robotic solutions. Dr. Zhang completed his Ph.D. in Robotics and his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in 2010 and 2006, respectively. He continued his research with at the University of Toronto in Canada from 2010 to 2011. His extensive industry experience includes leading the global product and industrial strategy for robotics at MathWorks in Boston between 2011 and 2015.

Mike Sweeney leads Talent Services in Southeast Asia at Accenture, where he advises clients on the Future of Work and Workforce transformation. With deep experience at the intersection of talent, business strategy, and innovation, he helps organizations rethink how work gets done, how people are supported, and how workforces can adapt to rapid change. Mike is known for bringing practical insight and a forward-looking perspective on building resilient, high-performing organizations.

Mr Terence Gan is the Executive Director of the Institute of Microelectronics, Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

Terence was previously from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), where he was the Senior Vice President and Head of the Semiconductor Industry Group and worked closely with top local and international semiconductor companies to facilitate their investments and transform their operations in Singapore. Prior to this role, he was the Senior Vice President for Europe, Director of EDB’s Electronics Cluster and a Centre Director (San Francisco).

He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

An Engineering professional, Derek has over 22 years of cross-industry experiences spanning medical device, aviation and semiconductor, where he brings leadership to manufacturing, production planning, new product introduction and operational training. An avid advocate of continuous learning and capability development, he currently leads the front-end manufacturing processes for Advanced Substrate Technologies Pte Ltd, the only FC-BGA substrate manufacturer in Singapore.

Juliana oversees SGInnovate’s national Deep Tech Central strategy – connecting Deep Tech startups and talent with resources and opportunities to grow and scale. Her work focuses on three key strategies to support Singapore’s emerging tech ecosystem: expanding and sustaining talent pipelines, driving synergistic collaboration with partners, and developing a robust data architecture to strengthen talent and ecosystem readiness.

Together with SGInnovate’s partners, Juliana and her team design and implement programmes and initiatives that integrate development, training and career opportunities with community engagement. This approach enables the team to tailor talent development and cross-sector collaboration to the specific needs of different segments of the ecosystem.

Juliana also shapes the organisation’s product and data strategy, including SGInnovate’s Deep Tech Central platform, which serves as both a community gateway to opportunities, events and jobs, and a valuable source of insights and trends shaping ecosystem development across key technology domains.

Prior to joining SGInnovate, Juliana led teams across the Human Resource function in organisations such as SP Group, NTUC First Campus (NFC), the National Heritage Board, Central Provident Fund Board and the Ministry of Education. Her experience spans areas including talent attraction, benefits and rewards, learning and development and business partnering.

Juliana holds a Bachelor of Economics (1st Class Hons) from Murdoch University and a Masters in Strategic Human Resource Management from the University of New South Wales.

Allan Lagasca is Global leader of Smart Industrials Segment organisation and driving the strategy of the Robotics Segment Strategic Program in STMicroelectronics.

Allan joined STMicroelectronics in 2003 as a Senior Application Engineer in Taiwan and moving up the ladder as regional FAE manager in 2011 covering the Greater China, South Asia and India FAE team for IPD. In 2014, He moved to Shenzhen and became Application Director of the System Engineering and Strategic Programs. He holds the position of Application Director to date with the team increasing its presence in Industrial Automation and Robotics, Smart Home & Building Automation and expanding to Medical and Healthcare systems.

Allan started his career in Astec/Emerson with career experience of more than 25 years in Electronics and Semiconductor Industry. He has recently been named “The Person of the Year” 2024-25 in the Innovation Award category by CAIMRS (China Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing Research Summit).

Mike Feng is the Co-founder and Head of Solutions at Innowave Tech, where he leads the development and deployment of AI-driven solutions for manufacturing and industrial optimization. 

With over 14 years of entrepreneurial experience, Mike began his journey by building and running a software company from his college days, delivering custom applications to global clients. This foundation shaped his deep understanding of both technology and real-world business challenges. 

Beyond his role in product and solution development, Mike is an active speaker across industry, government, and regional innovation platforms. He has contributed to forums and panels focused on AI in manufacturing, smart factory transformation, and industrial digitalization, including engagements alongside organizations such as IMDA, Siemens, and regional tech communities. In these settings, he shares practical insights on applying AI to improve process consistency, address workforce challenges, and accelerate operational efficiency. 

Known for his grounded, problem-solving approach, Mike’s talks resonate with both technical and business audiences. He brings a practitioner’s perspective to the stage, translating complex technologies into clear, actionable strategies and offering a realistic view of how AI can deliver tangible outcomes in manufacturing environments.

David Jen is the Associate Vice President and Head of Advantech’s Intelligent System Group, where he leads initiatives at the forefront of industrial digital transformation and intelligent system innovation. In this role, he has been instrumental in strengthening Advantech’s position as a global leader in edge computing and edge AI, driving the adoption of decentralized intelligence and enabling real-time decision-making across diverse industries.

During his tenure at Advantech, David has spearheaded the development and global deployment of advanced industrial computing platforms and ruggedized solutions tailored for smart manufacturing, energy, and transportation sectors. He has played a key role in integrating artificial intelligence, machine vision, and real-time control technologies into next-generation industrial equipment, helping manufacturers and semiconductor companies achieve greater efficiency, intelligence, and sustainability.

A recognized thought leader, David is a frequent speaker at major industry events, including the Advantech World Partner Conference, where he shares insights on Taiwan’s technological strengths and the evolving landscape of AIoT-driven industrial automation.

20+ years of experience in the enterprise solution industry and 13 years with Epicor. Focus on helping organisations that make, move and sell by enabling growth via technology for various sizes of organisations from SMEs to LLCs and MNCs. Enjoy strategising with customers with digital transformation, industry revolution and modern technology in optimising an organisation’s potential. Today, he brings his insights from the field shaped by years working closely with organisations navigating complex operational challenges to share practical perspectives on technology, transformation, and the future of business performance.

So Cheer is a Partner who started his career in Business and IT Consulting more than 30 years ago and was most recently the Group CIO for a Fortune 500 enterprise headquartered in Singapore for 3 years before joining PwC as a Partner in Digital Solutions.  These combined hands-on experiences from both consulting and client perspectives have enabled him to appreciate and deliver optimal results for the businesses involving large and complex end to end digital transformation programs. Key clients that he had helped successfully transform include Huawei, SingTel, AMP, Wilmar and Government Ministries and Agencies.

Mr. Don Ong, the Director and Head of Innovation for Advantest Field Service Business Group – a division of Advantest Inc, holds a Bachelor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and a Master’s of Studies from University of Cambridge (United Kingdom).

With over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry across Silicon Valley and Asia, Don has excelled in various roles encompassing program management, product development, application engineering and test engineering. His journey and global perspectives have provided him with valuable insights and expertise in driving innovation and contributing to the advancement of semiconductor technology.

Rishu Choudhary is the Head of Sales & Solutions at UPS Singapore, leading the national sales team and driving commercial growth through strategic, solutionsfocused leadership. With 16 years at UPS, he brings deep industry expertise and a proven track record in empowering customers across diverse sectors.

In Dec 2022, Yum Shoen Yih became Head of Special Projects at the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) of Singapore after 7 years being Director of Cyber Security Programme Centre (CSPC) where he was responsible for securing classified government networks and systems and to implement security programmes to enable a resilient nation and safer cyberspace. This also coincided with his retirement from Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) after nearly 50 years of defending the country. Much of his SAF (RSN) career was doing OpsTech integration to achieve more effective SAF warfighting capabilities, which contributed to his development of cybersecurity concepts to deal with sophisticated cyber-attacks. For the last 20 years, he focussed on securing Singapore cyberspace with special interest to secure non-government entities because they lack cybersecurity expertise and resources. Thus, he curated a costeffective solution using Singaporean security companies to implement a holistic and integrated solution (Asset Based Cyber Defence/ ABCD) to secure businesses/entities and our way of life on the Internet. In 2025, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame of The Cybersecurity Award for his contributions in securing Singapore’s cyberspace. He is frequently requested to speak at international and local conferences on cybersecurity.

Chong Jia Yi is the Assistant Executive Secretary of the United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries (UWEEI), where she provides strategic leadership in advancing industrial relations, workforce transformation, and worker representation across Singapore’s electronics and electrical industries. 

She partners closely with employers, industry leaders, and tripartite stakeholders to drive forward-looking workforce strategies that strengthen business resilience while enabling workforce adaptability. Her work spans key areas such as skills transformation and the implementation of progressive workplace practices, ensuring alignment between enterprise transformation and sustainable workforce outcomes. 

Concurrently, Jia Yi serves as Deputy Director of the NTUC Youth Division, where she contributes to shaping the Labour Movement’s future leadership pipeline. She leads efforts to engage and develop young professionals and union leaders, strengthening organisational renewal and ensuring continued relevance in a rapidly evolving economic landscape. 

With a strong focus on strategic impact, Jia Yi is committed to bridging business and workforce priorities, driving inclusive growth, strengthening labour-management partnerships and positioning Singapore’s workforce for long-term competitiveness.

Dr. Gurdev is Chief Engineering and Technology Officer at PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, overseeing its Technology and Engineering Department and specialist groups driving applied R&D and innovation. Since joining in 2016, he has led key initiatives and advanced technology deployment from research to operations. With prior experience managing PUB’s largest desalination plant and 15 years in technology enterprise development, he holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the National University of Singapore.

Dynamic government and business leader with 20 years of experience driving operational excellence, innovation and growth in the public, defence, city development and infrastructure sectors.  Proven leadership in advancing security, mobility and sustainability initiatives on a global scale. Committed to advancing urban development and upgrading vital water ecosystems through transformative solutions and strategic partnerships.  Previously served as a senior government leader in Singapore as the Chief Executive of the Public Utilities Board (National Water Agency) and currently leading the Singapore Water Association, a water industry caucus comprising over 400 industry members.

Michael is currently on secondment from PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency to take up the newly created role of Managing Director of the Singapore Water Association.   SWA is committed to build upon its existing good initiatives and develop new opportunities for Singapore’s water industry.  A key focus of the Association will to embrace innovation, digital technologies as well as enhancing productivity.  SWA will also build on and deepen its collaboration with both local and international partners. 

Kunal is a Senior Vice President & Head of Global Development (DevCo) at Aquatech, a global water & critical mineral technology company delivering advanced industrial water and reuse solutions in 60+ countries. He is also a Board Member of Century Water, Singapore which is a global center of excellence for water for Semiconductor industry for Aquatech. He leads project financing (Water-as-a-Service) across all sectors globally including involvement in one of North America’s largest Industrial water outsourcing deal, developing one of the world’s largest brine by product to battery grade lithium project and a large wastewater reuse project for a hyperscale data centre in Asia.

Prior to this, he was Chief Growth Officer & Managing Director Asia at Anaergia, Canadian Listed global Waste to Biogas player. Prior to Anaergia, Kunal was Country Manager – Malaysia & Indonesia and a member of Global Business Development Team at VA Tech Wabag, a global water company listed on BSE, India. From complex water and wastewater to waste and bioenergy infrastructure, Kunal has been at the forefront of developing and building over 2 billion USD worth of carbon negative and water positive sustainable infrastructure globally.  

Kunal is actively engaged in a number of professional activities such as serving as Vice President (Sustainability & New Initiatives) and Council Member of Singapore Water Association, Advisory Board representing Asia Pacific at the World Biogas Association, Advisory Council member of Imagine H2O Asia and serves on the Advisory Committee of The Separation Technologies Applied Research and Translation (START) Centre Singapore.

Lim Han Bin is the Deputy Director, APAC EHS & Sustainability of GlobalFoundries, one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers with a truly global footprint. He has extensive experience in environmental management and compliance and in developing practical solutions to combat climate change in the semiconductor industry.

In 2021, he led the GF Singapore manufacturing site to become the first in Southeast Asia to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill certification by UL, culminating years of effort and projects to reduce waste and improve circularity with this landmark achievement. HanBin is currently driving GlobalFoundries’ Journey to Zero Carbon initiative and putting to work his wealth of experience in engineering solutions and organizational change to one of the biggest challenges of our times. 

Govind has over 20 years of experience in the water industry, bringing deep knowledge of sales & operational excellence, customer-centricity, and global market growth. He was most recently Evoqua’s Managing Director for Asia Pacific and led Suez’s global business development & strategy earlier. He earned his bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Newcastle.

Niels Fielsøe Petersen is Global Business Development Director at Grundfos, with extensive global experience in sales and business development across industrial markets. With a strong technical background, he has worked closely with partners and customers worldwide, addressing diverse application and environmental challenges. He brings deep international market insight and a proven ability to integrate commercial and technical solutions to drive successful implementation and business growth.

Vanessa is Assistant Vice President at the Singapore Economic Development Board’s Semiconductors Industry Group. In her role, she is responsible for driving investments from global leading semiconductor companies into Singapore and developing ecosystem initiatives to ensure the long-term competitiveness of Singapore’s semiconductor industry.

Zhala Sarmast is a Technical Communications and Marketing Strategist at SepPure Technologies, a CleanTech company specializing in manufacturing chemically resistant hollow fiber membranes for Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN) applications. With a background spanning both science and communication, she contributes across a number of functions, including quality control, communications, and marketing. As part of the Business Development team, she helps translate technical innovations into clear messaging that supports the company’s growth.

Dr. Wendy Ge is the CEO and Co-founder of NTi Technology, bringing over two decades of engineering leadership to the forefront of sustainable semiconductor manufacturing. Specializing in advanced membrane technologies, she is driving the industry’s shift towards circularity through breakthrough solutions in solvent and process recovery and waste valorisation. With a proven track record of optimizing complex industrial processes across multinational corporations, Dr. Ge holds over 10 patents and a Doctorate in Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering focused on sustainable membranes. An award-winning leader recognized in Women in Engineering, she combines her academic excellence with deep operational expertise to help semiconductor fabs transform waste streams into valuable resources and achieve their ESG goals.

Zhuohan Cai is the Director of Aquarden Pte. Ltd., located in Singapore Water Exchange. Aquarden’s patented SuperOx® reactor completely destroys persistent organic pollutants including PFAS used in semiconductor wafer processing.

Fully electric – No additional fossil fuels necessary. No toxic by-product. Reuse of resources. Sustainable, low energy alternative to thermal incineration. 
22 years as exclusive distributor for patented Swagelok fluid systems components and cleanroom fabrications for the semiconductor industry in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, China. Holds degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. 

Roger Foo Teck Seng is Head of Sales & Proposals, APAC at Gradiant, leading regional commercial strategy and project development for advanced industrial water solutions. With over 17 years in the water and environmental sector, he has held leadership roles at Kurita, Hydranautics, Sullair, Garlock and Evoqua. Roger works closely with semiconductor and advanced manufacturing clients to address critical water challenges, including high-recovery reuse, PFAS treatment and operational optimisation.

Chris O’Connor serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Memsift Innovations Pte. Ltd., a technology-driven company at the forefront of transforming industrial liquid waste treatment. Through its proprietary platform, Memsift enables Minimum Liquid Discharge (MLD), resource recovery, and significant reductions in operating costs and carbon emissions, delivering both economic and environmental value across multiple industries. Chris brings extensive experience in finance, investment, and operational leadership across Europe and Asia.

Dr. Weston is a member of Numat’s founding team and is responsible for growing Numat’s technology portfolio by aiding in the transition of novel MOF benchtop chemistries into commercial products. Dr. Weston has served in a variety of senior roles and is a co-inventor of Numat’s ION-X®, SENTINEL™ and ARTEMIS™ platform technologies. Dr. Weston received his Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Calgary and completed his postdoctoral research at Northwestern University before joining Numat.

Benjamin leads global venture and growth equity investments in companies at the forefront of innovation across the technology and healthcare landscape. He has been involved in successful fundraises for direct and co-investment funds across various asset classes. He also serves as an active partner to entrepreneurs, and has worked with management teams in significant liquidity events with strong outcomes.

Ben joined SGInnovate as an investor in 2018, bringing to the firm a strong belief in the promise of combining emerging science with avant-garde engineering and artistic design in harmony. That conviction has led to some of Ben’s most successful investment partnerships, and continues to guide his investment thesis today. Before arriving at SGInnovate, Ben was a Management Consultant at Deloitte and a trusted advisor to global financial institutions and public sector stakeholders. He specialised in working with clients on investments and divestitures, go-to-market strategy, and innovation opportunities that emerged from the first wave of technology companies in Asia.

Dr. Carlos Mazure has been working close to A*STAR as an advisor since May 2021. On July 2024 he joined the Institute of Microelectronics – A*STAR as Chief Strategy Officer. 

With 40 years of experience in the global semiconductor industry, Dr. Carlos Mazure is presently member of several international advisory committees and company boards in Singapore and Europe.

Chairman and Executive Director of the SOI Industry Consortium since July 2014 through December 2020. Under his leadership the SOI Industry Consortium has been promoting with the SOI ecosystem the development of the SOI platforms worldwide and helping accelerate the SOI market growth. The SOI Industry Consortium joined the industry association SEMI in January 2021, where Carlos Mazure was an advisor till December 2021.

Carlos Mazure was with Soitec till October 2020. Executive Vice President and Advisor to the CEO since April 2019, and EVP & CTO, Head of Corporate R&D and CTO at Soitec from January 2001 through March 2019.

Prior to Soitec, from 1994 through 2000 Carlos was with Infineon (Munich, Germany), and initiated Infineon/Toshiba FeRAM Alliance in Japan. From 1993 through 1994 he worked for IBM/Infineon DRAM Alliance (Fishkill, NY); and from 1990 through 1993 at Advanced Products Research and Development Laboratory (APRDL), Motorola (Austin, Texas) on BiCMOS ultra fast SRAMs. Carlos started his career at the Siemens Corporate R&D in Munich, Germany, in 1984. 

Carlos Mazure is IEEE Fellow, PhD from the Technical University Munich, Germany. Authored/co-authored 120+ technical papers, holds 100+ US patents.

Aditya is the founder and MD of Elev8.vc. Elev8.vc is a venture capital firm based in Singapore, dedicated to empowering early-stage deep tech startups to solve the world’s most complex challenges. The firm provides founders with capital, expertise, and connections to build companies that drive positive, transformative impact. With a focus on technologies in AI, chips, robotics, and beyond, Elev8.vc is a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth.

Aditya has been a deep-tech veteran for 25 years – from Silicon Valley to Shanghai. Prior to Elev8.vc he helped grow two multi billion-dollar tech companies, both acquired, one in each of the hardware and software industries. Aditya follows his passion and supports deep-tech founders to secure market fit and to realise explosive enterprise sales growth.

Aditya has worked on the operational side of semiconductors for over 15-years, across design, applications, manufacturing, and sales.

Benjamin C.K. Tee is a Full Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise) at NUS Enterprise. He earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering (2014) from Stanford University and became the first and only Stanford student to win both the TSMC Outstanding Student Research Gold Award and Academy Award in 2011. 

His research focuses on flexible and stretchable semiconductor sensor devices. He leads the Sensors.AI Labs at NUS, where his group has advanced organic thin-film transistor-based pressure sensors, scalable neuro-inspired electronic skin systems (Science Robotics, 2019), self-healing electronic materials and high-reliability piezoresistive thin-film sensors. His work has been recognized with the MIT TR35 Innovator Under 35 (2015), NRF Fellowship (2017), WEF Young Scientist of the Year (2019), Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2021), and the James Dyson International Award (2021). 

Tee translates research into commercial products through three startups: Privi Medical (acquired), Hannah Life Technologies, and Tacniq.AI, which builds tactile AI foundation models and sensor hardware for robotics. His ventures have raised a combined USD 10 million and are revenue-generating. At NUS Enterprise, he leads the strategic development of the university’s deep-tech startup ecosystem. He holds a BS (Summa Cum Laude) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Masters and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

Dr. Jekaterina (Jeka) Viktorova is the CEO and Co-founder of Syenta, an Australian deep-tech company developing breakthrough additive manufacturing technology for the semiconductor industry. With a background in chemistry, electrochemistry, and advanced manufacturing, she is the inventor of the core Syenta technology and leads its mission to solve the AI era’s memory bandwidth bottleneck by enabling high-resolution copper interconnects for next-generation advanced packaging.

Derrick Yap is the Chief Executive Officer of PBA Group (“PBA”), where he drives the company’s strategic direction and has transformed PBA into a global ultra-precision motion group, servicing equipment makers. Under his leadership, PBA Group has executed synergistic mergers and acquisitions, growing into an enterprise with over 30 companies and 500 staff across 10 countries.

Derrick began his career in the engineering sales team before leading the group’s sales operations in Singapore and Malaysia. He later headed the global distribution and trading arm, focusing on linear motor engineering, and pioneered the group’s contract manufacturing capability to produce ultra-high precision machines for multinational corporations. He eventually took over the helm from his father, Tony Yap, the founder of PBA Group.

 As CEO, Derrick has positioned PBA as a leading motion control solutions provider, building the company into a platform for Technology 4.0 adoption. Notably, under Derrick’s leadership, PBA is now deeply involved in developing technologies for advanced packaging and metrology, working closely with world-leading semiconductor equipment makers to support next-generation manufacturing capabilities.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Derrick is passionate about promoting entrepreneurship. He founded the Robotics Automation Centre of Excellence (RACE) as an educational platform to drive Industry 4.0 adoption, and an incubation lab to groom the next generation of leaders in engineering, reflecting his broader vision to grow a Technology 4.0 ecosystem.

An award-winning leader in the engineering sector, Derrick’s accolades include the Promising SME 500, Enterprise 50, and the 2017 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as the 2018 Overall Winner of the Established Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He has also contributed to public service, having previously served with the South West CDC, participated in a government initiative under the Committee for the Future Economy (CFE), and as a patron for the Woodlands CCC.

Derrick’s mission is to build a sustainable and innovative future for PBA, where employees feel motivated and supported in a creative and inspiring environment. By fostering a culture of integrity, learning, and collaboration, PBA drives forward-looking solutions in the age of AI, 5G, and Smart Manufacturing investing in R&D, advancing motion technologies, and providing customised solutions that help equipment makers thrive. Together with partners, people, and a passion for motion, PBA continues to push boundaries, creating a world where precision drives progress for all.

CK Chang is Chief Executive Officer of Jebsen & Jessen Packaging, a member of the Jebsen & Jessen Group. He has the overall responsibilities for businesses and operations in 4 ASEAN countries and 8 factories with total of 1,200 employees producing protective foam moulding packaging and blow moulding products. The countries and plants are Vietnam (2 factories in Hanoi), Indonesia (1 factory each in Tangerang, Jakarta and Gempol, Surabaya), Singapore (1 factory in Jurong) and Malaysia (1 factory each in Johor Bahru, Nilai and Sungai Buloh). 

CK started his career as Research Engineer in UMW Auto Parts, Product Engineer and Product Manager in Tyco Electronics before moving into commercial roles as Sales, Key Account and Business Development Manager in Tyco Electronics, Regional Sales Manager in TT Electronics and General Manager in JJ-LAPP, a joint venture between Jebsen & Jessen and LAPP Asia Pacific. 

In his role as CEO, CK is continuously driving sustainable business, manufacturing and supply chain across the 8 factories based on our core capabilities in managing round-the-clock high-volume operations, just-in-time deliveries, managing multinational key accounts and technical competencies in foam and blow moulding. 

His company mission is to deliver innovative, sustainable and cost-effective packaging solutions, ensuring superior product quality, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. He aims to strengthen his company market position by enhancing automation, improving sustainability efforts and driving continuous innovation in processes and materials.

Jean-Paul (JP) Duvivier brings 20 years of experience spanning the U.S. Treasury Department, global banks, and consulting firms, with a particular focus on U.S. sanctions. During his 12 years at Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism & Financial Intelligence, he investigated sanctions violations, led designations of narcotics traffickers, terrorists, and WMD proliferators, and advanced U.S. priorities with partners in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. He later held senior sanctions compliance roles at Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, PwC, and National Australia Bank, and most recently directed investigations and compliance at Ferrari & Associates in Washington, D.C. JP has delivered training on sanctions and AML/CFT compliance to banks and government agencies across Europe, Africa, and Eurasia, and brings both deep OFAC experience and practical international compliance expertise that will be valuable to the participants of Business Connect.

A graduate of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, Higher Command Course & the prestigious Indian School of Business, he has over three decades of rich experience in both Government and in the corporate sector. He has had three exposures in critical billets in IHQ of Ministry of Defence, besides tenures abroad including the United Nations.

He has been the Vice President of a premier industry body in semiconductors wherein he steered Semiconductor & ESDM Policy to include engagements at both Centre as well as six States. He provided important inputs in this senior leadership role for various policies to the relevant government ministries to include MeitY, MEA, Ministry of Industries and Commerce and others besides detailed interactions with academia, regulatory bodies and multi stakeholder interactions for policy making.

He has been Senior Consultant to Government of Telangana for IT and Electronics and is presently Senior Advisor to Semiconductor Future Accelerator Laboratory (SFAL), Bengaluru. He has provided critical inputs in curating semiconductor and fabless policies and providing inputs for various states in India and an integral part of writing acclaimed national and international research and policy reports.

He is a policy specialist and a well-known public speaker in national and international technology events and in various policy forums, think tanks and institutes of eminence to include NDC, DSSC, Delhi Defence Dialogue, SEMICON INDIA, State SEMICON summits etc. He is well-known columnist and thought leader with regularly published opinion pieces and policy articles on semiconductors, geopolitics and critical technologies in both national and international media in addition to articulating his views on television. He has been awarded ‘Veteran Achievers Award” in January 2026 as a run up to Republic Day by Chief of Army Staff.

He has been Principal Advisor and Executive Director of MEDEPC (Mobile and Electronic Devices Export Promotion Council) since 10 Feb 26 and CEO of Escape Velocity Mediaworks Pvt Ltd and Chakra News, a company he founded in May 2025, focused on Critical Electronics, Defence and Aerospace domain.

Leo Yulianto Sutedja has been a Commissioner of the Company since 2023. He is also the President Commissioner of PT Alfa Goldland Realty, Commissioner of PT Delta Mega Persada, President Director of PT Peternakan Ayam Manggis, Vice President Director of PT Bekasi Fajar Industrial Estate, President Director of PT Bekasi Matra Industrial Estate, Director of PT Argo Manungga Land Development, Director of PT Kurabo Manunggal Textile Industry, and Director of PT Pralon. Leo Yulianto Sutedja holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin di Madison, United States.

Sukumar Verma, Managing Director of Informa Markets’ Maritime, Energy & Industrial group in Singapore, has extensive expertise in strategic business planning, market expansion, and product development for B2B tradeshows. His portfolio spans high-growth sectors including photonics and semiconductors, where he plays a key role in driving industry platforms such as the Asia Photonics Expo, fostering regional ecosystem development and international market collaboration. Sukumar is also Vice President for Industry and Enterprise at SACEOS, the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers, and Co-Chair of the Singapore MICE Sustainability Committee driven by the Singapore Tourism Board.