• Graduated with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (MEMS) from University of Science Malaysia (USM) and has more than 19 years of industrial experience as a researcher, professional technologist, policy makers, international standards committee and semiconductor ecosystem builder.
• Currently leading the Semiconductor & Venture Division in Sidec which manages the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park. Responsibility include for driving the strategic vision and execution of Malaysia’s flagship initiative to become a global hub for semiconductor and integrated circuit (IC) design. This role sits at the intersection of technology foresight, ecosystem building, talent development, and international engagement, in support of the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) and Malaysia Silicon Vision.
• Previous research and technology development experience in the areas of:
• Semiconductor technologies such as IC Design, Advanced Packaging, WBGSs, other niche areas such as AI devices, HBM, photonics, memristor, etc.
• Nanomaterials and 2D-NM synthesis and characterization (ferromagnetic nanoparticles, metal oxide nanowires, carbon nanotubes, graphene and their derivatives).
• Incorporation of nanomaterials on MEMS and NEMS device platforms for sensors and electronics applications.
• Printed, flexible and wearable electronics.
• >50 filed patents and journal publications.

With effect of December 1st 2023, Dr. Susanne Lehmann was appointed as Managing Director for Volkswagen Group Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

After studying economic sciences at Universität Paderborn, Germany, and Universidad de Sevilla, Spain, she finished her PhD in Automotive Global Supply Chains in July 2002.

In Nov. 1996, she started her professional career in Logistics Planning at Volkswagen de México, assuming her first management role in Logistics Planning at Shanghai Volkswagen in July 2004. After Leading Positions at Gläserne Manufaktur Dresden and during the ramp up of US plant Chattanooga, in October 2010 she assumed responsibility for Pre-Series and Technical Change Management at VW Commercial Vehicles for the factories in Germany, Argentina and Poland. Her next step took her to VW Group Production in Oct. 2016, where she was responsible for the definition and alignment of product concepts between all VW Group Brands. From February 2019 until September 2021 she was the Senior Director of Production for the North American Region within the Volkswagen Brand. In October 1^st 2021, she was appointed Executive Director of Logistics of SVW in Shanghai, PR China, for Inbound, Inhouse and Outbound for approx. 1.6 Mio. Cars p.a. in ten factories, managing 1.236 employees and a Budget of approx. 762 Mio. EUR.

She was born on July 8th, 1972, is married and has three children.

Hazrin Fazail Haroon currently serves as Chief Operating Officer – Business Development & Engineering Services at HICOM Engineering Sdn Bhd (HESB). HESB, a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM is an investment holding company for manufacturing and engineering services within the automotive realm. Its subsidiaries, associates and joint venture entities covers key manufacturing capabilities include metal stamping, injection molding, aluminum die castings and vehicle assembly.

Hazrin graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Hiroshima University, Japan. He first started his career as an Engineer at automotive giants like Ford, Mazda, and Perodua. Prior to joining HESB, Hazrin held the position of Director of Group Engineering at Proton Holdings Bhd (PROTON). During his time at PROTON, he gained invaluable international exposure by leading the engineering team for Lotus Cars in the UK. Upon returning to PROTON, Hazrin spearheaded the research and development efforts for all their car models covering proficiency in product planning, engineering design, testing (including homologation), and project management.

Now, leveraging his extensive knowledge and proven track record, Hazrin leads business development and engineering services at HESB, strategically guiding the company towards a prosperous future.

A passionate and versatile leader, Azrul Reza is a mechanical-automotive engineer with an unwavering passion for engineering and the automotive industry. His career has taken him on a fascinating journey, from finance and banking to strategic planning and executive management. He began his journey as a consultant for Public Mutual before transitioning to corporate and investment banking roles with Bank Islam and Kuwait Finance House. Demonstrating exceptional aptitude for strategic planning, Azrul took on the challenge of transforming a family enterprise with diverse interests, ultimately being promoted to Chief Strategy Officer.

In his subsequent positions as COO of a private investment firm and GCEO of a GLC, Azrul cemented his reputation as a change-maker and business builder. He currently serves as CEO of MARii, a government agency propelling the automotive industry and its ecosystem in Malaysia—a sector contributing 4% to the nation’s GDP and employing approximately 700,000 individuals. Passionate about private equity, venture capital, family office management, and foundation/trust structures, Azrul is driven to make a lasting impact on national interests. He aspires to pursue a PhD or DBA, focusing on researching family enterprises or foundation/trust structures in Malaysia, leveraging his extensive experience to contribute meaningfully to these fields.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Azrul has a colorful and fulfilling lifestyle driven by his diverse interests. When he's not immersed in the world of finance and engineering, you can find him indulging in his hobbies, which include exploring the great outdoors & travel. In both his professional endeavors and personal pursuits, Azrul Reza exemplifies the true essence of a visionary leader—bold, diverse, and ever-committed to making a positive impact on society and the world at large.

Edmund Araga is a prominent figure in the electric vehicle (EV) industry in the Philippines, holding a pivotal role that contribute significantly to the sector’s growth and development. Mr. Araga is deeply involved in various organizations and initiatives aimed at advancing electric mobility both locally and regionally.

Mr. Araga currently serves as the President and founding member of the Asian Federation of Electric Vehicle Association Inc. (AFEVA) with ASEAN country members including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos. He is also currently the president of Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), the association has currently had 82 active members. Mr. Araga led EVAP Annual electric vehicle summit and now on its 12^th year.

Advocacy and Legislative Efforts

As an advocate for electric vehicles, Mr. Araga is one of the technical committee members in passing the EVIDA Law in application of Comprehensive Roadmap (CREVI) together with government stakeholders from DOE, DTI, DOST, DOTR and DENR.

Industry and Initiatives Achievements

Mr. Araga’s contribution to the EV industry include establishing the first commercial e-charging stations in Bacoor City and distributing e-trikes to various local government units and private entities.

He has also forged strategic local and foreign partnership both government and private sectors. His company is one of the exclusive distributor of Imotor Thailand Ltd. Which produces e-scooter made in Thailand.

He was able to secure a Memorandum of Agreement with different associations such as CIAPS-PBA, Phil. Nickel Industry Association.

He also represents for ASEAN and APEC workshop.

Conclusion

Edmund Araga’s leadership and advocacy have been instrumental in advancing the electric vehicle industry in the ASEAN region and in the Philippines, through his various roles and initiatives, he continues to drive the growth and adoption of sustainable transportation solutions, making significant strides towards a greener future.

Jaffri is the CEO of Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST). He began his career as an entrepreneur, building an information services firm in 1986, and later joined Oracle Malaysia as a consultant.

Prior to joining CREST, he was Vice President of the Business and Technology Advisory Division of Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad, a company that facilitates the development of ICT and other emerging technology sectors via innovative financing.

Jaffri obtained his B.Sc. from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA, where he majored in Computer Science and minored in Business Studies.

Kamlesh has over 27 years of experience across the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries managing diverse portfolios spanning from engineering, maintenance, finance, purchasing and operations in across Asia, the United States and Europe.

He currently drive the business development activities with regards to new energy and also mobility at SEDCE, driving sustainable transport solutions and advancing Sarawak’s Net ZERO 2050 goal.

En. Mazwan has about 20 years of experience with the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA). He is presently a Council Member of MAA. He is also the Honorary Treasurer of the Automotive Federation of Malaysia (AFM), the umbrella body representing 4- wheelers and 2-wheelers business entities as well as the component and parts manufacturers in Malaysia. He has also contributed at the regional level in leading the Technical Group in the ASEAN Automotive Federation.

Nitin Bansal is an experienced business leader with demonstrated history of driving business growth in Asia Pacific region. He is based out of Singapore and currently engaged as Vice President & Business Head for KPIT’s Product business across Asia & US. One of his prime focus is to support OEMs reduce their SOP timelines & costs via Early platform validation of SDV E/E architectures and thereafter facilitating comprehensive products & tools across the Validation needs. He also leads Global sales for Technica Engineering (a leading Technology company headquartered in Germany and part of KPIT Group).

KPIT is World’s largest independent Automotive Software & System Integrator. They have strong presence in Asia with local Engineering development centres across ASEAN, Japan, Korea, China and India to serve Automotive ecosystem

Simon Ng is the Partner Sales Director for Subscription Business in Customer Role Experience team in Asia Pacific South region at Dassault Systèmes. He brings over 20 years of experience across the manufacturing, construction and engineering industries in Asia Pacific and Japan, having held technical, sales and management positions with PTC and Autodesk in Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

Since joining Dassault Systèmes in 2019, Simon has been driving business growth in Southeast Asia, championing the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and enabling organisations to accelerate their transformation from design to manufacturing and AI-driven innovations.

A manufacturing engineer by training from Yokohama National University, Japan in the 90s and MBA from RMIT University, Australia in the 2000s. Currently pursuing PhD in Business Transformation with AI at Universiti Malaya-Wales, Kuala Lumpur, reflecting his passion for bridging advanced technologies with real-world business impact.

Mr. Suroj Sangsnit is currently serving as the Executive Vice President of SAIC MOTOR-CP CO., LTD. On July 13, 2024, he was elected President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT) On July 13, 2024, he was elected as the President of the Thai Electric Vehicle Association (EVAT), after serving as the Vice President for Industry and Business Development from 2022-2024.

With a career spanning from 1986 to the present, he has been actively involved in various management roles within the Thai automotive industry, including production, logistics, quality control, inventory management, and sales. This extensive experience has made him well-versed in all aspects of the automotive sector.

Over his 38 years in management, Mr. Suroj has witnessed the remarkable growth of the automotive industry in Thailand. In 2022, the government introduced a subsidy program for electric vehicles to promote their usage. MG actively invested in and contributed to developing electric vehicle infrastructure as a leading company in the Thai electric vehicle market. However, at that time, the electric vehicle industry in Thailand was still in its nascent stage, and the implementation and enforcement of related policies faced various challenges.

Mr. Suroj, along with his team, tirelessly engaged with government bodies and relevant organizations to provide feedback, negotiate, and offer suggestions on issues ranging from electric vehicle subsidies to localizing component production and developing the electric vehicle ecosystem, including charging stations. His efforts and contributions have established him as an exemplary figure and a leader in the Thai electric vehicle industry.

Sven Herschel assumed the role of Vice President, Bosch Connected Services (Asia Pacific) in July 2025. He represents Bosch Connected Services across East Asia, supporting customer engagement and business development activities in the region.

In this role, Sven also contributes to identifying and shaping future growth opportunities for connected services across the region.

Born in 1977 in Berlin, Germany, Sven is a technology and business leader with over two decades of experience at Bosch, Google, and IBM. His focus has been on building digital services, as well as the teams and structures needed to deliver them effectively in global markets.

Before relocating to Asia, Sven served as Vice President of Bosch RideCare in Renningen, Germany. He worked on developing the team into a product organization, strengthening collaboration across functions, and guiding the product area through its next growth phase.

He holds a degree in Computer Science from the Humboldt University of Berlin.

Victor graduated in Mechanical Engineering from University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

Prior joining Sarawak Energy in 2018, Victor has worked for 22 years with Shell Malaysia as a Mechanical Engineer in Design, Platform Fabrication, Onshore Plant Operation and Maintenance Engineering in Shell MDS Bintulu and Bintulu Oil Terminal. Victor worked as Senior Project Manager at Steam Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Project in Muscat, Oman and the Petronas Carigali and Shell Joint Venture’s Chemical EOR Project in Offshore North Sabah and the Sarawak’s Baram Delta Operation (BDO), offshore Miri.

Victor’s main role in Sarawak Energy was supporting the Front End Engineering Design works for the Mentarang Induk Hydro-dam Project, and further leading the implementation and development of EV Charging Station networks across Sarawak. Sarawak Energy started in 2019, with the piloting project of Level 2 AC chargers by collaborating with ChargEV. In 2024, Sarawak Energy collaborated with Gentari for the deployment of high-powered DC Fast Charging Stations with the installation of a 1st Flagship DC Fast Charging Station in Kuching and this year 2025, at major towns along the newly completed Pan Borneo Highway, mainly at Simanggang, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.

Nurul serves as the Executive Chair and an Assurance Partner at PwC Malaysia and was the Markets Leader from 2016 to 2022. She brings over 28 years of expertise in audit and business advisory services, including assisting with cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Nurul has worked across diverse industries such as media, telecommunications, oil and gas, and property development.

Her international experience includes a two-year stint with PwC UK in London. She's contributed to key government initiatives like accrual accounting implementation and COVID-19 vaccination rollout. As PwC Malaysia’s first female Executive Chair, she advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Nurul is the Chair of the 30% Club Malaysia, promoting gender parity in leadership.

She’s a Council Member of MICPA and MIA, holds an honours degree in Accounting from the University of Malaya, and is trilingual in Mandarin, English, and Malay. Nurul is also a mother of four.

Sharul has over 20 years’ experience in with experience in Automotive Sector especially in Vehicle Construction, Standards/Regulations, Testing, Road Vehicle Acts and Policy. He is specializing in Vehicle Construction, Standards/Regulations, Testing, Road Vehicle Acts and Policy especially Malaysia National Automotive Policy (NAP). He is also actively participating in the other Malaysian Government Policy development which include Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB), Intelligent Transportation System Roadmap (ITS Roadmap), National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), New Industrial Masterplan (NiMP), and National Transport Policy (NTP).

Sharul is also actively engaged in research on ESG practices in the automotive sector, with a particular research interest on end-of-life (EoL) batteries and second-life battery (SLB) applications. His expertise ensures that the project outcomes will not only address industry challenges but also align with future sustainability goals and regional cooperation in advancing green automotive solutions.

Dato' Seri Mustapa Mohamed is a distinguished Malaysian leader with a career spanning nearly five decades. He spent 13 years as a civil servant before embarking on a 36-year political journey, which concluded with his complete retirement in September 2023.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Melbourne University and a postgraduate degree in Development Economics from Boston University.

Throughout his political career, Dato’ Sri Mustapa held several key ministerial positions, including Deputy Finance Minister, Second Minister of Finance, Minister of Entrepreneur Development, Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy).

Since retiring from politics, Dato’ Sri Mustapa has focused on advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in poverty alleviation and education. He currently serves as an Adviser to the Society for the Promotion of SDGs, an Adviser to the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies at Universiti Malaya, and a Distinguished Fellow at the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network at Sunway University.

Datuk Hanafi Sakri is the Deputy Secretary-General (Industry) of Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) since 3 April 2023. Prior to this appointment, he was the Senior Director of the Industrial Development Division of MITI from 21 Sept 2020 until 2 April 2023. In this capacity, he was involved in the formulation of various policies related to the development of the following sectors among others automotive, aerospace, electric and electronic, iron and steel, I4.0 and chemical. He holds a Master’s Degree in Economy from the University of Okayama, Japan. He began his career in the Administrative and Diplomatic Service in 1994.

Datuk Hanafi served at various divisions in MITI namely Director of Administrative Division from 1 Feb 2013 until 31 May 2014; Director of the Trade Department of Economic Relations and International Trade Division from 1 Jan 2010 until 31 Jan 2013; and Senior Principal Assistant Director of Investment Policy and Trade Facilitation Division from 1 July 2007 until 31 December 2009.

His previous experience includes YB Finance Officer of Malacca State from 15 Mac 2018 until 20 Sept 2020; Deputy Under-Secretary of the Direct and International Tax Department from 27 July 2015 until 14 Mac 2018; Head of the GST Section of the Taxation Department from 1 Jun 2014 until 27 July 2015.