Mr. Eric Hui,
Director, Service Provider,
Equinix Asia Pacific

As the director of cloud and service provider markets, Eric is responsible for market development of Equinix Asia Pacific’s Cloud, Network Carrier, Content and Digital Media provider ecosystem.

Eric has more than 18 years of management experience in the IT sector including backgrounds in networking, managed services and cloud services. He previously held Asia Pacific marketing management roles with Cisco Systems in Hong Kong, helping Asia Pacific service provider and telecom customers roll out new value added services.  Eric received a company award for “Accelerating Market Transitions” for his effort in managed services marketing.  Prior to Cisco, Eric had various senior roles in product marketing, applications engineering and technical design with Intel Corporation in the United States.

Eric has a MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Cloud is the foundation of Digital Transformation, Modern Analytics, FinTech, InsurTech and  also the tool of choice for technology based disruption. With Cloud technologies becoming an indispensable part of business  and social consumption, there is still a hesitation to adopt and there are pitfalls along the journey of Cloud. Most of us understand the benefits of cloud computing, but how do you ensure a successful Cloud journey?

Robb will explore some common Cloud adoption challenges and how to separate fact from fiction with your business, organisation and clients. Robb will also share his experiences helping clients move to Cloud and overcoming challenges, from pre-Cloud conversations to implementation pitfalls, while creating a sustainable cloud computing environment.

Mr. Robb Brady
Director, Advisory Services,
PricewaterhouseCoopers

Robb is a Director at PwC Hong Kong leading Cloud and Infrastructure Technologies with over 20 years of consulting experience in IT infrastructure. He helps customers from multiple market sectors to bridge business and IT from Strategy to Execution. His first-hand experiences include IT Strategy and Architecture, IT Infrastructure and Data Centre Technologies, IT Security, Enterprise Application Architecture and Business Management Processes.
 
Prior to joining PwC in 2012 Robb owned a boutique consulting company for more than 10 years located in Atlanta, Georgia USA. His business specialised in a combination of management and technology consulting, primarily focusing in the tier 1 telecommunication market.
 
He has recently transferred to Hong Kong to leverage his skills and technology experience working with MNCs and to expand the local cloud and infrastructure solution services practice.

In today’s demanding market for always on, always available connectivity to applications and services, many traditional businesses have been forced to modernize their current IT infrastructure in order to stay competitive and relevant.  Their customers are expecting to access their services anytime, anywhere, and on any device.  In this panel discussion moderated by Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA), you will hear from four different companies across various industries – Cathay Pacific, CITIC, DLA Piper, and Hong Kong Jockey Club – and how they have all adopted cloud technology to help modernize their traditional business.  They will share their cloud journey experience, business challenges addressed, obstacles faced, and benefits realized through using cloud as an enabler, helping their businesses become more efficient and agile.

Mr. Joe Locandro
CIO
Cathay Pacific Airways

Joe Locandro is currently the Director Information Technology for Cathay Pacific Airways. His responsibilities include the strategic positioning and delivery of the airline’s information management and technology requirements.

A veteran in IT management, consulting and marketing, Mr Locandro has held a variety of Chief Information Officer posts in various industry sectors ranging from energy to entertainment. He has broad experience working globally and in Asia Pacific for well known blue chip companies.

Mr Locandro is a member of the Hong Kong SAR government’s Digital 21 Strategy Advisory Committee, as well as several other IT related advisory boards for universities, semi government authorities and technology companies. He is also a chairman of the HKCS CIO Board and board member of SITA AERO based in Geneva.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Commerce from University of Melbourne, a graduate diploma in Marketing from Monash University and Strategic Application of Information Technology from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Ms. Carolyn Bigg
Of Counsel,
DLA Piper

Carolyn is an experienced technology and communications lawyer, with a particular focus on data protection, data retention and data security law across the Asia Pacific region. Carolyn regularly advises businesses on the best practice approach to regional and international data privacy compliance, as well as co-ordinating multi-jurisdictional data privacy projects.

She also advises on all forms of technology and communications contracts, and has significant experience in complex outsourcing projects, systems supply and integration agreements, cloud arrangements and e-commerce platforms, acting for both users and suppliers in the technology, telecommunications, banking, insurance and other sectors, as
well as on related regulatory issues.

She has industry and in-house experience from client secondments to an international telecoms operator, a US software house, a forensic service provider and a global insurer.

Mr. Gautam Bardoloi
Head of IT Strategy and Governance,
Hong Kong Jockey Club

Mr. Gautam Bardoloi, Head of IT Strategy and Governance at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, is responsible for driving strategy for overall IT planning of demand and supply management, IT budgets, financials,  manpower & vendor management. Gautam also manages the Enterprise Architecture and Project Management Office functions as well as oversees the IT Shenzhen Development Center (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Club). Prior to joining the Club, he was a Senior Partner with IBM Global Business Services (GBS) and led IBM’s Asset Management Services for the Growth Market Units (Asia Pacific, Latin America, Central Europe & Middle East) where he managed engagements in over 20 countries. Gautam is a Mechanical Engineer, with an MBA and Law degree.

Mr. Gareth C. Bridges
Senior Manager, Enterprise Markets
Equinix, Asia Pacific

Gareth Bridges is the Senior Manager for Enterprise Markets at Equinix, where he is responsible for incubating the business within select industry sub-verticals across Asia Pacific.

Prior to joining Equinix, Gareth spent over 10 years at Symantec, where he primarily focused on the business development for emerging technologies in Greater China.  In his last role he led a sales team to bring high-end information risk management and compliance technologies to market in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Based in Hong Kong since mid-2006, he spent the first two years of his tenure serving as Symantec’s Greater China business lead for information lifecycle management and electronic discovery product lines; he later went on to spend the next three years building their Data Loss Prevention business in the region from scratch.

Gareth has regularly assisted numerous organisations across Asia with the development of reliable and effective strategies for mitigating information security risks and augmenting the management of their enterprise computing platforms.

The first half of Gareth’s career was split between London and Melbourne, where he held technology delivery positions working in the Financial Services Industry and with start-up software companies.

Mr. Michael Leung
Chief Information & Operations Officer
China CITIC Bank International

Michael Leung was appointed Chief Information & Operations Officer of China CITIC Bank International in December 2013.

In this capacity, he manages the bank’s information technology and banking operations, as well as innovative banking and corporate services. At the same time, Michael chairs the IT and operations committees, and serves as a member of the management committee and other bank-level governance committees.

Michael is a fellow and president of the Hong Kong Computer Society, vice chair of the CIO Board, a fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors, an Exco member of the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers, chair of the IS Departmental Advisory Committee of CityU, chair of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association and head of its Finance Committee. Separately, Michael has chaired many QF accreditation panels for the HKCAAVQ in the past years.

Hong Kong came in tops in the Cloud Readiness Index 2016, published by the Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA). What are the regional cloud trends in Asia Pacific, and how do we measure up globally? And what are some of the factors that have contributed to Hong Kong's success?

Ms. May-Ann Lim
Managing Director, TRPC Pte Ltd, & Executive Director, Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA)

May-Ann is concurrently the Managing Director of the technology research firm and think tank, TRPC Pte Ltd, and also the Executive Director of the Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA).

She has over a decade of experience in public policy, tech policy development, and government relations communications across the Asia Pacific, and has worked with many global, regional, and local organisations such as APEC, ASEAN, PECC, the ACCA, and the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), on thought leadership development, government outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts.

Her career has spanned a number of global, regional and local institutions, including the World Bank, World Vision, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), and the Singapore Internet Project. Through the ACCA, she has worked in multiple markets lobbying for the acceleration of ICT and cloud industries, and other Internet adoption policies.  She also serves as an Exco member for the Internet Society (ISOC) Singapore Chapter, and is co-convener of CSIS Pacific Forum’s Young Leaders’ Programme Singapore (YLP SG.)

Based in Singapore, May-Ann also lectures on Internet and ICT Policy in the Communications and New Media Department in the National University of Singapore (NUS).