While the COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly a human tragedy on a global scale, it is also fast becoming the single biggest catalyst of digital adoption we’ve seen in our lifetime.

Though the topic of digitalization has been talked to death in recent years, many insurers are still notoriously slow in adopting digital technologies.

In this fireside chat, we get in conversation with Rohit Nambiar, CEO of AXA AFFIN Life Insurance, which despite its smaller size and smaller budget managed to capture 49% of the digital life protection market share even before the MCO.

Key Discussion

• How consumer behaviours have shifted?
• Steps taken by AXA Affin to adapt to new realities
• New normal for the insurance sector post-MCO

About Rohit:

Rohit Nambiar is the Chief Executive Officer of AXA AFFIN Life Insurance Berhad. Under his leadership, AXA AFFIN Life Insurance has launched several industry’s first including AXA eMedic: the first online medical card in Malaysia and Step It Up+: the first-in-the-market transformational wellness programme which motivates Malaysians to be healthier. He has recently won the Young Leader of The Year Award at the prestigious Asia Insurance Industry Awards and CEO with HR Orientation Award at Malaysia’s Best Employer Brand Award in 2019.

Rohit brings over 15 years of experience to the insurance industry globally from his key roles across different parts of Asia within India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and board member experience in Vietnam with Bao Minh Insurance (of which AXA is a minority shareholder).

He has helmed various roles within the AXA Group including Transformation, Customer Experience, Strategy, Financial Planning, Business Development, Merger & Acquisition (M&A), Analytics, Research, Big Data, Programme Management and Public Relations.

Rohit holds a post graduate programme in Entrepreneurship and Management, an Associate from the Insurance Institute of India and Fellow from The Malaysian Insurance Institute. He is also a Certified ISO Internal Auditor and Certified Green Belt Six Sigma.

Register here: https://form.jotform.com/

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has taken a lead in defining a stringent security controls framework for Malaysian financial institutions. As the move to cloud continues to expand — and so does the use of encryption. As the proliferation of encryption continues, so do the number of keys and the potential risks.

Join Thales with your morning coffee and learn how you can start your digital transformation journey and securely migrate your applications and data through a combined portfolio of Thales and Microsoft.

Key Highlights:

• What are the cloud initiatives in BNM’s RMiT whitepaper?
• Azure use cases for financial institutions
• How can financial institutions address RMiT’s cloud security concerns with Bring Your Own Key(BYOK) and Bring Your Own Encryption (BYOE)?

Presented by:

Rahul S Kariyal, Azure Specialist, Microsoft Malaysia & Ivan Tan, Security Consultant, Thales DIS CPL Malaysia

Register Now

The BankTech Asia – Kuala Lumpur series will be bringing forward some of the hottest topics discussed in the banking industry currently including regtech, payments and transactions, artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis, virtual banks and cybersecurity.

Hand-picked professional speakers and experts will speak and share their knowledge and insights to the Malaysian banking industry.

Formerly the Chief Innovation Officer of DBS Bank, Neal Cross is considered by many as one of the most prolific bankers in Singapore. He was recognized as the most disruptive CIO/CTO globally during his stint with DBS.

He's currently the Chairman and Co-founder of PictureWealth an Australian based wealthtech firm and also and sits in the advisory board of Razer Fintech

For the 2nd episode of Fintech Fireside Asia, we sit with Neal to reflect on his journey from banker to entrepreneur.

Register here:

Private Equity Tech Conference will come back on August 13, for another edition of the conference. This year’s event will be themed PETC Malaysia 2020, and is set to gather over 200+ attendees, limited partners (LPs) and general partners (GPs). Discussion topics will include regional deal flows, LP-GP relationships, mid-market deal sourcing, fund of funds, impact of future policies on the industry, etc.

PETC is specialized is in bringing in funds and investors from abroad to connect with the local players. The past annual conferences and investor meetings since 2016 have amassed hundreds of fund managers and LPs, mainly from the APAC region.

A study by the World Economic Forum indicated that 85% of financial services are currently using some form of AI. While incredibly useful for FSIs, AI has been a subject of a lot of fanfare that may distract practitioners from ground reality.

This panel aims to illuminate AI case studies and key learnings from key practitioners that you can adopt within your own FSI environment.

Key Topics:

• Case studies and use cases for AI within FSI
• Challenges, pitfalls, and current realities
• Data governance and management
• AI Ethics in Financial Services

Speakers:

• Dr David Hardoon, Senior Advisor Data & AI, UnionBank
  Prior to his advisory role to UnionBank, Dr Hardoon was a Chief Data Officer at Monetary Authority of Singapore. He considers himself a data artist instead of a pure data scientist
• Foong Chee Mun, CTO & Co-Founder, Money Lion
  Chee Mun co-founded MoneyLion a US-based neobank listed as Forbes' Fintech 2020. As the CTO he leads the data science team situated in Kuala Lumpur.
• Andy Li, Founder & CEO, Silot
  An ex-Baidu executive, Andy founded Silot a fintech firm providing AI solutions to banks. Silot is listed in the latest KPMG Fintech100: Leading Global fintech Innovators.
• Michael Hom, Head Financial Solutions, InterSystems
  Michael heads the Financial Solutions team at Intersystems, a solutions provider software systems and technology for high-performance database

Register here

Customers expect seamless, intuitive, and personalized interactions when it comes to managing their money. It’s the overall exchange that counts, and that exchange needs to work for all players involved—customers and service providers—across every channel and step of the journey. 

Financial services companies of all kinds are using programmable communications to build outstanding customer journeys that drive loyalty and customers experiences. 

Due to COVID-19, people are spending more time online to have the services.

Joining Vonage on how they accelerate your business and protect both companies and customers

• Programmable digital communications optimize the customers experiences along the whole journey 
• SMS, Voice, Video, Social Media – Multi-channel touch points with your customers
• Anti-fraud of the fake users to protect FinTech companies and reduce the operation cost
• 2FA(2-Factor-Authentication) secures every customer’s transaction and make your companies trusted

Register here: https://bit.ly/2WFTuCK

This is especially true in the South East Asian region with Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia each at different stages of creating regulation for virtual banks.

With several of the virtual banks having already launched in Hong Kong, what happens in this market will likely set the tone for virtual banks for the rest of the region.

Join us for this webinar to understand the Hong Kong virtual banking landscape and how it will impact other Asian markets.

Key Discussion Points

• Lessons learned in launching a virtual bank in Hong Kong
• Shifting behaviours and the impact of the pandemic on virtual banks in Hong Kong
• How the launch of virtual banks have shifted financial services landscape in Hong Kong

Speakers

Adrian Tse, CEO WeLab Bank

Adrian Tse is the CEO of WeLab Bank, the only homegrown bank among the 8 entities licensed by HKMA. Prior to this, Adrian was the CFO at Standard Chartered Taiwan.

Andrew Farmer, CIO, Mox

Andrew Farmer is a senior digital and technology leader with extensive experience shaping strategy, business architecture and delivering digital banks. He's currently the CIO of Mox, a virtual banking consortium led by Standard Chartered

Dr. Frederic Lau, CEO, Airstar Bank

Dr. Lau served in Hong Kong and US regulatory agencies for years. He is currently the CEO of Airstar Bank, a virtual banking consortium formed by Xiaomi and AMTD Group

Frankie Wai, Head of Business Solutions Group Greater China,Temenos

Frankie Wai is the Head of Business Solutions Group Greater China of Temenos, one of the world-leading banking software company. He has been actively investigating the emerging technologies and formulating software solutions that help virtual banks to deliver innovative banking services.

Apiax and aosphere teamed up to discuss some of the main data protection challenges companies are dealing with today. Register for this complimentary webinar at 10:00 CEST/16:00 SGT on Tuesday, 25th August to hear the latest insights given by wealth and asset management companies in their recent data protection report.

Join Apiax and aosphere to hear more about:

• Key pain points in data protection
• How companies are staying up to date with compliance regulations
• The opportunities that digitalisation of data protection knowledge brings

Register here: https://bit.ly/3gYyqzt

Join this free webinar to discover how PSPs, acquirers and merchants in South East Asia benefit from EMV 3-D Secure technology!

The usage of mobile devices for online shopping has grown exponentially in the region. Customers expect seamless online shopping within the comfort of their favorite device. Fraudsters, on the other hand, are trying to take advantage of the increase in e-commerce transactions across different devices.

The EMV 3-D Secure technology lets e-commerce players offer superior customer experience while keeping fraudsters at bay.

In this webinar, Netcetera will show PSPs, merchants and acquirers how to use the EMV 3-D Secure technology to:

• Increase conversion rates using risk-based authentication
• Decrease transaction abandonments by reducing friction for users and
• Improve the overall shopping experience using native authentication screens
• Benefit from liability shifts and protect your revenues

During the webinar, you will learn how version 2.0 improves over 3-D Secure 1.0 and how to take advantage of the scheme mandates to reap the benefits of the 2.0 technology.

Register here: https://bit.ly/3fHzzdk

From 10-12 September, the HUAWEI DEVELOPER CONFERENCE 2020 (Together) will take place, with this year’s edition being streamed online. The conference includes an exciting line-up of announcements, including the latest on HMS Core 5.0, new updates about HarmonyOS and EMUI 11, and the unveiling of many more exciting technologies. The conference will also include keynote addresses expanding on how Huawei is helping to build the new era of intelligence and interconnectivity, with 19 Tech Sessions covering a wide range of topics including fintech and e-commerce, over 400 industry veterans sharing insights, over 500 tech firms helping to craft Huawei’s ecosystem, and addressing over 300 topics on Huawei’s open capabilities.

The annual conference is part of Huawei’s commitment to being open and collaborative, as they aim to usher in a truly secure and hyperconnected era. Huawei’s latest advancements empower developers to innovate as they craft the future of technology from Harmony OS connectivity to the free and open services of HMS Core 5.0. The spirit of HDC 2020 is reflected in these updates, forming a space that enables and inspires developers to explore the full potential of their technology. In this sense, HDC 2020 frees developers to become architects of the future, helping build a better, connected world. Join the conference to explore the exciting ways Huawei is looking to collaborate with developers and partners in the future.

Join here: https://bit.ly/3jXdrOL

While many ASEAN countries are pushing forward their regulatory frameworks, Philippines is forging forward incumbent banks and new players launching their own digital banks.

Although there are already a number of digital banks operating under existing licensing regimes, Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas is also looking to issue new guidelines for digital banks.

What does this mean for Philippines financial services industry? How will this impact Philippines’ large unbanked population?

Key Discussion:

• How digital banks will reform Phillippines’ banking landscape
• Incumbent led digital banks vs new entrants
• Solving the Philippines financial inclusion puzzle

Register here: https://bit.ly/2R9DkP2

INNOVATION…ACCELERATION: YOU’RE INVITED!

Open Innovation Day is an online interactive event for C-level leaders in banking and wealth management, addressing technology and digital strategy hot topics for 2020.

CREALOGIX will present new research into the crucial role of Innovation in strengthening established financial brands, inviting attendees to share their own views and visions of what digital success looks like in the decade ahead.

Join our CEO and over 200 senior banking and wealth leaders on Wednesday 16th September 2020, 10 am – 12 pm CET for a live discussion on top trends in banking innovation – including:

• Conversational banking
• Open banking and the API economy
• Personal finance optimisation
• Taking advantage of the fintech ecosystem

Registration now open – save your spot today!

Sign up now

In June 2020, Axiata Digital announced that it secured a US$ 70 million strategic investment from Great Eastern, sealing the biggest fintech investment in the Malaysian market.

With this investment, its subsidiary Boost Holdings Sdn Bhd will be valued at US$ 320 million, and the Axiata Group revealed their ambitions to build Malaysia's first unicorn.

Join us for Episode 3 of our Fintech Fireside Chat as we sit down for a live session with Khairil Abdullah, CEO, Axiata Digital to share what the future holds for the digital services provider in a hypercompetitive landscape.

Huawei Connect 2020 is an open platform designed to help our customers and partners navigate these changes, share experience, and work together to create new value.

At this year's event in September 23 to 26, we will explore trends and opportunities in industry digitization; showcase advanced ICT technologies, products, and solutions; give you an insider's look at the fruits of joint innovation; and share best practices in digital transformation. Our ultimate goal is to build an open and sound industry ecosystem that will benefit all stakeholders and create new value for all industries.

Register here: Huawei Connect 2020

IFN Innovate is a gathering of the leading forces of Islamic finance digital innovation and transformation built to inspire new ideas and promote a culture of innovation within Islamic financial institutions and startups to thrive in the digital era.

Focusing on digital innovation in the Islamic finance space, IFN Innovate is a platform for ideas to germinate as leaders in Islamic finance transformation gather to share, discuss and explore the latest digital trends.

The one-day interactive event will deep dive specific fintech verticals across the different segments of the Islamic finance industry: banking, Takaful and capital markets. Designed for incumbent innovation leaders and emerging agile startups, IFN Innovate will provide networking opportunities for meaningful business connections with the industry’s brightest minds.

SCxSC is Securities Commission Malaysia's annual fintech event, a platform for discussions and exploration of new and evolving digital trends.

Register here: https://bit.ly/33JlsjK

Key Discussion Points:

• Evolution of the Malaysian investment landscape
• Emergence of alternative investment products
• Navigating the future of wealthtech in Malaysia

Panelists

• Aaron Tang, Country Manager Luno
• Wong Kah Meng, CEO Funding Societies
• Sam Shafie, CEO & Co Founder
• Chan Ken Yew, Head, Quant & AI Trading Solutions, Kenanga

Register here: https://form.jotform.me/202853214056449

Against the backdrop of COVID-19, how financially safe is it to be a worker in the gig economy? Are gig workers financially healthy? What financial behaviors do they demonstrate and what sorts of financial products and services do they use? How has Covid-19 impacted them and how did they cope? Why is it important for the financial sector to serve gig workers and what’s the business case in doing so?

In this session, we answer these questions with UNCDF’s research studies in Malaysia(with platforms small and large and discuss what stakeholders could do to help gig workers develop financial security and resilience and ultimately financial freedom.

The session will discuss these key findings from the report and debate the role stakeholders could play in improving the financial health of gig workers.

Panelists

• Jaspreet Singh, Global Inclusive Innovation Lead, UNCDF
• Sean Goh, Managing Director, Grab Malaysia
• Farhan Hizami, Inter-Ministry Collaboration Manager
• Nurhisham Hussein, Chief Strategy Officer, EPF

Register here: https://form.jotform.me/202952466857467

The IFN Halal Financing Forum 2020 will focus on bridging Halal businesses to Islamic finance. It will explore the opportunities presented by the growth of ethical, sustainable and responsible finance to the Islamic banking, finance and investment industry in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Through a series of engaging keynotes, interviews and panels, the forum will explore how Islamic and sustainable finance can become more closely interlinked, and how Shariah compliant financial institutions and asset managers can play a greater role towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, including the alleviation of disease and reduction of global displacement.

It will also examine how the Islamic finance industry can, through effective guidance and funding, help facilitate the development of key, strategic sectors, including education, healthcare, housing and agriculture.

The digital banking race is heating up in Vietnam, spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic which made it absolutely crucial for banks to step up their digital transformation strategies.

Incumbent banks have risen up to the challenge by ramping up technology adoption, while a handful of other banks took the approach of developing stand-alone virtual banks

With digital banking steadily penetrating in Vietnam and some estimates predicting that it rises to US$8 billion in 2020, Vietnam is a fertile ground for digitally focused banks to thrive.

In this exclusive webinar with Fintech News, we speak with some top industry leaders from MoMo and Digitech Innovation, to deep dive into the digital banking transformation efforts in Vietnam.

Key Discussion Points

• State of fintech and digital banking transformation in Vietnam
• Vietnam’s regulatory development for virtual banks and cloud adoption
• How incumbent banks react to opportunities and compete in the digital banking space

Speakers

• Anthony Thomas, Chairman of MoMo
• Claude Spiese, Senior Advisor of Digitech Innovation
• Director, Digital and Cloud Product and Strategy of Finastra

Moderated by: Vincent Fong, Chief Editor, Fintech News Malaysia

Register Now

IDC Financial Insights predicts that by 2023, US$3.4 billion will be invested into digital channels for online and mobile development as well as platform capabilities in APAC.

The pandemic and movement restrictions that were put in place forced many of us to rely on digital banking channels and this trend is expected to be on the rise as the crisis does not seem to be abating.

With an increasingly digital population, digital onboarding becomes a bank’s first point of interaction with their customers, and it’s crucial for banks to ensure a seamless and secure experience.

Speakers:

• Shailesh Grover, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer, Hong Leong Bank, Malaysia
• Michael P. Magbanua, First Vice-President Group Head of Operations and Shared Services, UnionBank, Philippines
• Natee Srirussamee, Executive Director - Head of Retail Digital, UOB Thailand
• Frederic Ho, Vice President, APAC, Jumio

Register here: https://bit.ly/2HpQSEA

Adapt claims to be Asia’s largest tech convention, providing a great opportunity for participants to network and collaborate with industry leaders in martech, fintech and proptech, as well as professionals from renowned global organizations.

International speakers will present the latest technological breakthroughs and digital marketing innovations, and attendees will gain exposure to regional tech players, funding communities, developers, media, investors and multinational corporations (MNCs).

The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) is the world’s largest and most inclusive FinTech event that brings together heads of state, financial and technology leaders, FinTech founders, policy makers, investors and multilateral agencies. Last year, the week-long event brought together over 60,000 attendees from 140 countries.

This year, SFF returns on 7-11 December with a unique hybrid format combining a 24-hour online event platform and over 40 global satellite events in FinTech hubs around the world. In December, SFF will unite the global FinTech community to discuss key global challenges, with a focus on post-pandemic recovery.

Learn more at https://www.fintechfestival.sg/