Event Details

Join AMCHAM at our annual Penang Dialogue on September 4, 2018 from 9.00 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.


The Penang Dialogue is a half-day signature program that brings together AMCHAM members with key stakeholders in local government, academia and civil society to discuss core themes related to doing business in Malaysia's Northern Region.


This year we are focusing on the priority area of talent.


Penang and surrounding areas have for decades been at the forefront of Malaysia's industrial development, welcoming global MNCs from the U.S. and elsewhere that have helped to drive Malaysia up the value chain. The advent of evermore sophisticated automation and A.I. presents great opportunities for Penang, yet also comes with challenges. Penang-based companies need access to a highly-skilled and adaptable workforce to harness these new technologies, and talent development will be perhaps the single most important criteria for the continued prosperity of the region. Preparing the workforce to thrive over the coming decades requires a long-term holistic approach with strong levels of collaboration between the private, public, academic and civil society sectors, and this forum will welcome senior speakers from each of these spheres to share some of the latest developments and opportunities in this key area.


AMCHAM is delighted to announce that Y.A.B. Chow Kon Yeow, the new Chief Minister of Penang, will deliver a keynote address as well as The Honorable Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.


Due to overwhelming response each year, we would encourage you to register early at RM300 (members only) per person to avoid disappointment as we are unable to accommodate last minute requests.


Kindly contact Ms. Elyna Ngu at elyna@amcham.com.my for event sponsorship and corporate tables. We look forward to seeing you in Penang!

Agenda

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Registration & Arrival of Guests
9:00 AM - 9:05 AM
Welcome Remarks by AMCHAM
9:05 AM - 10:15 AM
Panel 1- Managing Talent for the Digital Age
Today’s talent pool is not always meeting industry needs and skills gaps are emerging, leaving governments, academia and training institutions seeking new ways to ensure that Malaysia’s work...
Today’s talent pool is not always meeting industry needs and skills gaps are emerging, leaving governments, academia and training institutions seeking new ways to ensure that Malaysia’s workforce remains competitive. At the same time, given the rapid nature of change as we approach the Digital Age, what can companies themselves be doing to manage the talent base that they already have and to attract or upskill the talent they need for their future growth? This panel will address the hard questions and present some solutions that are already being implemented to bridge this gap.
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10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Networking Coffee Break
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Panel 2 - Delivering a Competitive and Inclusive Workforce: The Role of TVET
Ensuring that Malaysia’s progression towards high-income economy status is matched with strong income-earning opportunities for all Malaysians will require a strong focus on talent developme...
Ensuring that Malaysia’s progression towards high-income economy status is matched with strong income-earning opportunities for all Malaysians will require a strong focus on talent development at the technician level. Early indications from the new government suggest that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will remain a high-priority focus area, complementing traditional academic paths so that Malaysians with different talent profiles each have fair opportunity to enhance their skills, increase productivity, and contribute to an internationally competitive workforce. Policy making over TVET has historically been somewhat fragmented and overlapping between multiple ministries - what type of institutional support is needed from our new government to reverse this pattern, and what role and contributions must companies take on to ensure that Penang can be both competitive and inclusive over the coming years?
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12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Lunch
12:45 PM - 1:00 PM
Opening Remarks by the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, The Honorable Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Keynote Address by Penang Chief Minister Y.A.B. Chow Kon Yeow
1:45 PM - 1:50 PM
Closing Remarks & Thank You

Speakers

  • Y.A.B. Chow Kon Yeow (Chief Minister at Government of Penang)

    Y.A.B. Chow Kon Yeow

    Chief Minister at Government of Penang

  • The Honorable Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir (Ambassador at U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur)

    The Honorable Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir

    Ambassador at U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur

  • Weina Ang (Global Employer Services (GES) Executive Director of Deloitte)

    Weina Ang

    Global Employer Services (GES) Executive Director of Deloitte

    Ang Weina has 28 years of experience with Deloitte in Singapore, Japan and Malaysia dealing with employment taxes, mobility policies, immigration compliance, equity compensation, remuneration planning and employer’s payroll compliance. She is featured regularly in local media and publications and has presented at local and overseas forums and symposiums.

    Weina graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Accountancy. She is a Fellow of the ISCA (Singapore) & CPA (Australia), an Associate Member of the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia and a Chartered Accountant of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. She also sits on the Advisory Board of the School of Business in Monash University (Sunway Campus) in Malaysia. Weina is a licensed tax agent in Malaysia.

    Weina is also instrumental in the collaboration between Deloitte Malaysia and Talent Corporation Berhad (under the Prime Minister’s Department) in supporting the latter in expatriate immigration and taxation issues. She is also a mentor in the National Women In Leadership Programme under the Government’s Economic Transformation Programme and is a member of the Professional Qualifications Advisory Committee (PQAC) appointed by the Board of Directors of CPA Australia. Weina also sits on the HR Committee of MICCI.

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  • Solomon Arulanandam Lorthu (Managing Director of Penang Operations at Motorola Solutions Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Innoplex))

    Solomon Arulanandam Lorthu

    Managing Director of Penang Operations at Motorola Solutions Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Innoplex)

    Solomon Lorthu is the Managing Director of Penang Operations for Motorola Solutions Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. He was appointed to his current position on 1st January, 2018 and has assumed overall responsibility for the company’s operations at its Penang site that includes Supply Chain, R&D and Global Solutions & Services Center. Solomon continues to lead the R&D organization in Malaysia, the largest R&D setup for Motorola Solutions globally. Solomon has over 21 years of experience with Motorola Solutions and has held various key leadership positions within the company during his tenure.

    Prior to his current appointment, Solomon was responsible for leading the Devices Hardware Engineering function within the Penang Design Center. Under his stewardship, Solomon has led various teams to deliver numerous innovative products under different portfolios for worldwide customers, from platform-based to fast derivatives. These products have won numerous design excellence awards internationally.

    Solomon is passionate about people development, operational excellence and innovation. He continues to lead multiple initiatives surrounding these areas. He was also the recipient of Motorola Solutions Leadership Excellence Award in 2013 for his exemplary management and leadership contributions to his organization.

    Solomon graduated in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Northumbria, UK in 1997.

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  • Suresh Chandra (Human Resources Director of Intel Technology Sdn. Bhd.)

    Suresh Chandra

    Human Resources Director of Intel Technology Sdn. Bhd.

    Suresh Chandra has been the Intel Malaysia HR Director since 2010. Prior to this he held the position of Finance Director for the company– a role he held from April of 2001 to 2010. Suresh has been with Intel for ~ 25 years


    In his role overseeing the HR division in Intel Malaysia, Suresh is responsible for ~ 8000 employees in 2 locations – Penang and Kulim. Intel’s operations in Malaysia are very diverse and include a large manufacturing footprint employing ~ 4000 employees, R&D and Engineering which has ~ 3000 employees and the remaining are a variety of functions including Shared Services for HR, IT and Finance, Logistics and various other site services.

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  • Cheng Leong Chuah (Senior Director of Human Resources, APAC at Plexus Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd.)

    Cheng Leong Chuah

    Senior Director of Human Resources, APAC at Plexus Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd.

    Cheng Leong (CL) was appointed HR Senior Director of Plexus in 2017 and is currently responsible for the entire APAC region, providing management leadership to a HR team supporting over 10,000 employees in the region.

    Prior to his current role, CL served as the general manager of Plexus handling full spectrum of plant operation including business P&L, customer management, manufacturing operation, engineering, NPI, material supply chain and Lean Sigma deployment.

    He graduated from University of Louisiana with a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering and started his career as a process engineer. Before joining Plexus in 2008, he was the general manager of Corporate Services (APAC region) in Intel.

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  • Masliza Mansor (Director of Human Resources at First Solar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.)

    Masliza Mansor

    Director of Human Resources at First Solar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

    Masliza Mansor is the Human Resources Director for First Solar Malaysia since 2009. She has more than 20 years of full spectrum hands-on experience in Human Resources management field. She graduated from Michigan State University, USA. A passionate learner, she has successfully attained professional certifications in HR Management Professional (HRMP) by USA HR Certification Institute, Senior Certified HR Professional (SHRM_SCP) by USA Society for Human Resources Management and Australia Professional Certification in Human Resources (CAHRI). She is also fond of sharing professional experiences by sharing in external conferences and through her facilitation in Leadership programs. Some of the programs she have conducted were Situational Leadership II®, Fierce Conversation®, Color Code®, Change Management, Lessons in Leadership, Effective Supervision and HR Functional Topics.

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  • Dave Mitchell (VP & General Manager at Boston Scientific Medical Device (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd)

    Dave Mitchell

    VP & General Manager at Boston Scientific Medical Device (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

    Dave Mitchell is Vice President and General Manager of Manufacturing and Distribution for Boston Scientific’s Penang Operations. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of the manufacturing facility in Penang.

    Dave joined Boston Scientific in 2002, and has held various international roles within Boston Scientific Operations, including assignments in the United States, Ireland, and Costa Rica. He has been responsible for IT/factory automation, product technology transfers, plant scale-up, program management, and global operations strategy.

    Prior to joining Boston Scientific, Dave worked for the Ford Motor Company, where he spent 7 years in manufacturing, powertrain design, and vehicle strategy. Dave also worked at Accenture doing strategy consulting in the consumer products industry.

    Dave holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

    Dave relocated to Penang from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, along with his wife Kristine, his daughter Nicole, and his son Kyle.

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  • Datuk Muhd Khair Razman Mohamed Annuar (Director General, Department of Manpower at Ministry of Human Resources)

    Datuk Muhd Khair Razman Mohamed Annuar

    Director General, Department of Manpower at Ministry of Human Resources

    Datuk Muhd Khair Razman bin Mohamed Annuar is presently the Director General of the Department of Manpower under the Ministry of Human Resources. He has received his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Staffordshire (UK) in 1992 and later pursued his Master in Laws (LLM) specialising in International Law from the University of Southampton (UK) in 2006.

    He first joined the civil service on 21 st March 1994 as the Assistant
    Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). He had served in
    several divisions at MOFA, namely the South East Asian Division, Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), West Asia Division and the
    Policy Planning Division. From December 1997 to July 2002, he was
    posted to the Malaysian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan.
    Datuk Muhd Khair Razman had served at the state level for a short period from February to August 2003 as the Assistant District Officer (ADO) at Balik Pulau District and Land Office before his promotion as the Principal Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communication in August 2003.

    Upon completion of his Master’s Degree in UK, he was then assigned as the Principal Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs
    commencing 1 st December 2006. While at the Ministry of Home Affairs, he was tasked to lead the International Division as well as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (MAPO). Simultaneously, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Malaysian Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling Migrants (MAPO) from 2011 to 2017. Datuk Muhd Khair Razman had also pursued a special programme on Trafficking in Persons in the United States under the International Visitors Leadership Programme for three weeks.

    Datuk Muhd Khair Razman was responsible for the First and Second
    Malaysia’s Universal Periodical Review (UPR) process pertaining to human rights evaluation under the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on issues concerning the Ministry of Home Affairs.

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  • Hasnul Nadzrin Shah (Director - Government  and Regulatory Affairs of IBM Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.)

    Hasnul Nadzrin Shah

    Director - Government and Regulatory Affairs of IBM Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

    Hasnul is the Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs for IBM Malaysia. His responsibilities include strategic stakeholder engagement, the provision of policy input to government stakeholders, supporting the business objectives of IBM in Malaysia and is part of the IBM Malaysia senior leadership team.

    He has over 18 years of experience in working in various leadership roles in startups and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). His extensive experience in handling management, technical and strategy roles has served to strengthen his contribution to the various organizations he has served in. He has been involved in the Economic Transformation Labs at the national (ETP 2010) and regional level (IRDA). He has represented IBM as a speaker on a wide range of technology and policy issues at various forums as the ASLI Digital Economy Conference, ASLI Malaysia Education Summit, the Edge SME Summit and other industry events.

    He is currently involved in the Government Relations Committee of the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and a member of the US ASEAN Business Council. He is an avid reader of economic theory, business strategy, biographies and Tom Clancy novels. In his spare time he enjoys trekking, military simulation paintball and strategy themed computer games. His current policy interest areas are national economic development theory, the impact of technology on society and the economy (blockchain, artificial intelligence, social media) and Malaysia’s political and societal transition post GE 14.

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  • Wooi Leng Ong (Fellow and Head, Socioeconomics & Statistics Programme at Penang Institute)

    Wooi Leng Ong

    Fellow and Head, Socioeconomics & Statistics Programme at Penang Institute

    She holds two master's degrees in Social Sciences (Economics) from University Sains Malaysia (USM) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). She has a double major degree in Mathematics and Economics from USM. She has been involved in many socio-economics projects at Penang Institute. A few notable ones include public finance, economic development, and the most recent one is about the Penang skilled workforce study. She is also the Statistics Editor for Penang Monthly and ISSUES. Her research interest lies specifically in labour market analysis and socio-economic mobility.

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Tickets

Member

Staff of member company who is registered at AMCHAM as a representative of the organization.

Member Price RM 300
Member Company Price

Staff of a member company who is not registered at AMCHAM as a representative of the organization.

Standard Price RM 330
Non-Member Price
Standard Price RM 450
Corporate Table - Member Company

Corporate Tables consist of 10 seats on an identified table with preferred table location; these are assigned on a first come, first served basis. Companies must supply their logos to AMCHAM for use at the table location.

Standard Price RM 3,500
Corporate Table - Non-Member

Corporate Tables consist of 10 seats on an identified table with preferred table location; these are assigned on a first come, first served basis. Companies must supply their logos to AMCHAM for use at the table location.

Standard Price RM 5,250
Silver Sponsor Table

Complimentary Table of 10 seats as included in Silver sponsorship package

Standard Price Complimentary