Asia School of Business Leads the AI Evolution in Southeast Asia with Inaugural AI-Powered Leadership Conference

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 December 2025 - The Asia School of Business (ASB) today reaffirmed its position as a leading institution for AI-driven leadership in Asia by hosting the AI-Powered Leadership Conference, which convened global AI pioneers, CEOs, regional innovators, and policymakers to explore the future of leadership in an AI-powered world. The event was supported by the conference's Strategic Partner, TRX City Sdn Bhd, the organisation driving the growth of Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), Malaysia's International Financial Centre.

[L-R] Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Azi, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor; Professor De Kai, author of "Raising AI" and pioneer of AI and language technologies; YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital Malaysia, Brian A. Wong, former Alibaba executive and entrepreneur; Prof. Joe Cherian, CEO, President, Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Asia School of Business.

In his welcome address, YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, Malaysia, welcomed the gathering of leaders who recognise the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) which will drive the next phase of Malaysia's and the region's economic growth.

"Leadership in the new age of intelligence demands trust and transparency to drive growth and return on investment. Beyond managing teams, leaders must understand AI's ethical implications for jobs and equity, proactively anticipating risks like algorithmic bias and cybersecurity. Corporate leaders must adopt human-centred AI principles, ensuring technology serves people first by augmenting human judgment and enhancing the human touch, rather than dictating or eroding it," he said, adding that leaders must invest in people as seriously as they invest in technology.

The opening keynote was delivered by Professor De Kai, a globally recognised AI pioneer and author of critically-acclaimed MIT Press book, Raising AI, appearing for the first time in Malaysia. Renowned for building the web's first language translator and developing the language models that later powered Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google Translate, he is one of only seventeen Founding Fellows of the Association for Computational Linguistics. With appointments at HKUST and Berkeley's International Computer Science Institute and experience on Google's AI ethics council, De Kai brings deep expertise at the intersection of AI, ethics, and society.

Professor De Kai shared, "Artificial Intelligence are not gods or slaves. They're attention seeking children who want your approval. We are not parenting them but they are already influencing us unconsciously, and it will continue to influence us even more if we keep thinking of them as mechanical tools."

His session set the stage for a series of sessions and interactive discussions around the theme of Leadership and Cybersecurity, that examined how AI is reshaping industries, workforce structures and organisational strategy. Other notable keynote speakers included Brian Wong, former Alibaba executive, entrepreneur, investor, and author known for his work on globalisation strategy and AI-enabled organisational design; and Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, globally renowned for his groundbreaking research in interactive robotics, avatar science, and human–AI interaction.

The conference also featured ASB faculty experts Professor Ong Shien Jin and Professor David Asirvatham, who provided insights into AI-driven decision-making, leadership dynamics, and organisational transformation. Participants explored next-generation AI models, leadership, cybersecurity, responsible adoption, human-centred leadership and long-term competitiveness.

"As intelligent systems become central to national strategy, corporate competitiveness, and cross-border collaboration, leaders today must pair technical literacy with sound judgement and ethical clarity. This is why ASB is proud to host this conference: to ensure our region's decision-makers are equipped to navigate AI's sweeping impact across economies and societies. ASB has invested deeply in these capabilities through our Micro-Credential in AI for Business Leaders, our Certified AI Leader and Certified AI Practitioner executive education programs, and an expanding suite of AI-integrated offerings across our learning pathways. Our goal is straightforward ‒ to help organisations lead AI-driven transformation with confidence, accountability, and long-term competitiveness." said Joe Cherian, CEO, President, Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Asia School of Business.

TRX City Sdn Bhd, the strategic partner of the conference, highlighted the importance of AI-ready leadership as a critical foundation for a thriving financial ecosystem. Dato' Sr Azmar Talib, CEO of TRX City said, "AI is reshaping global finance and Malaysia must stay ahead of the curve. At TRX, we see AI-ready leadership as a fundamental driver of competitiveness. Our partnership with ASB reflects our commitment to building an international financial centre that attracts top talent, accelerates innovation and strengthens Malaysia's position in the region. TRX is proud to support that momentum."

The conference also included exhibitors, including ThakralOne, iFLYTEK, Biline, Beyond Insights, Symprio, and Galactic Network and Vetece Holdings. PIKOM, the National Tech Association of Malaysia, also participated as a supporting partner as part of broader efforts to strengthen Malaysia's digital economy and innovation landscape.
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HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire – 20 June 2026 – Hong Kong's Government Flying Service (GFS) held its inaugural three-day International Symposium on Emergency Response and Aeromedical Services (ISERAS) (June 16-18), bringing together more than 230 policymakers, experts and academics, and industry representatives from over 70 institutions and accredited organisations.

With participants from places including Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Austria, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, the event aimed to foster closer co-operation in emergency linkage, resource sharing, and professional training among different regions.

The inaugural International Symposium on Emergency Response and Aeromedical Services was held in Hong Kong from June 16 to 18. Photo shows the Under Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Michael Cheuk (fifth left); the Director General of the Rescue and Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China, Wang Lei (fifth right); the Controller of the Government Flying Services of the HKSAR Government, Captain Eddie Liu (fourth right), and other guests at the opening ceremony.

The symposium featured a series of plenary sessions, panel discussions, technical visits, and live demonstrations jointly conducted by the GFS and various government emergency units. A number of memoranda of understanding were signed during the event, to deepen collaboration between the GFS and the Chinese Mainland as well as domestic and international emergency, aviation, and medical institutions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Security, Michael Cheuk, said that the challenges of emergency response as a result of the realities of climate change are evolving at an unprecedented pace.

"A shift to proactive prevention, continuous enhancement of international and cross-regional collaboration, and enhanced experience and insight sharing among stakeholders are key to rising to new and complex challenges," Mr Cheuk said, adding that the collaborative spirit of ISERAS will forge stronger partnerships, further strengthen emergency response capabilities, and secure a safer future for communities.

The Director General of the Rescue and Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China (CRS), Wang Lei, also attended the symposium and delivered a keynote presentation on air rescue capabilities and strategic development in the South China Sea.

The symposium concluded with an interdepartmental counter-terrorism drill and exchange session, with the participation of the GFS, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, showcasing Hong Kong's professional capabilities in responding to terrorist attacks.

The symposium concluded with an interdepartmental counter-terrorism drill.

The Controller of the GFS, Captain Eddie Liu, said that the GFS has always played an important role in emergency response and rescue. "In addition to assisting in search and rescue, providing air ambulance and other emergency aeromedical services, the GFS also shoulders the responsibility of maintaining internal security of the HKSAR," he said.

"In emergencies such as terrorist attacks, the GFS would make rapid deployment to assist the disciplined services in conducting air assault, offering all-round support to the HKSAR Government's overall counter-terrorism efforts."

Since its establishment in 1993, the GFS has served at the forefront of round-the-clock search-and-rescue and emergency aeromedical operations, while the ISERAS aims to collectively build a truly transnational pool of professional expertise, thereby underscoring Hong Kong's status as an aviation hub for emergency response in Asia.

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