Speakers for Asia Economic Forum 2024

For over 25 years, Dr. Chatchai Thnarudee has been a passionate architect of change, leading businesses across continents to achieve remarkable growth. From Fortune 500 giants to disruptive startups, he ignites transformation through strategic leadership and a dedication to measurable impact.

As a leader, Dr. Chatchai Thnarudee fosters collaborative environments where individuals and teams flourish. Dr. Chatchai Thnarudee leverages design thinking, lean methodologies, and disruptive technologies to drive innovation across diverse industries: banking, finance, insurance, healthcare, wellness, and more.

Dr. Chatchai Thnarudee is currently a Board of Director at the Digital Government Development Agency, MCOT Public Compay Limited, Jaspal Public Company Limited, The Klinique Medical Clinic Public Company Limited, Jaymart Insurance Public Company Limited, Center of InsurTech, and the Thailand by Office of Insurance Commission.

In recognition of Dr. Chatchai Thnarudee’s achievements, He has been awarded:
• One of the 7 Most Influential InsurTech Leaders by Thai FinTech Association (2019)
• Best Insurance Award from Emerging Asia Insurance Awards (2019)
• Honored as one of the 20 Best Insurers by IDC (2020)

Jatupron Pimngern is a dynamic leader in the FinTech and payment innovation sector, with a wealth of experience spanning global payment technology companies, banking, and unicorn startups. Currently serving as the Head of Strategic Foresight & Financial Innovation at DeeMoney, Jatupron has played a pivotal role in driving business growth through innovative strategies, market intelligence, and regulatory management.

Her expertise extends to leading cross-functional teams, developing cutting-edge digital products, and managing complex business risks. Throughout her career, Jatupron has secured key licenses, directed international business expansions, and forged critical technology partnerships across Southeast Asia. A thought leader in her field, Jatupron has been an influential voice in industry associations, including the Thai E-Payment Trade Association (TEPA) and the Thai FinTech Association (TFA). She is also an accomplished educator, having shared her insights on business and technology at prestigious institutions such as Silpakorn University (SUIC).

Jatupron is also a prominent speaker at the Asia Leadership Conference, where she continues to inspire and lead discussions on key industry trends and leadership. She holds an M.S. in ASEAN Studies from the University of Malaya, Malaysia, where she graduated with distinction, and a Bachelor of Economics with honors from Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand.

Kultida Leenabanchong is the Strategic Communications Lead and a member of the Leadership Team at Roche Thailand. She is also the Global DE&I Communications Strategy Lead at Roche. With over 20 years’ experience and a proven track record working with Asian, European and US Companies, Kultida uses the power of communications by partnering with stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem to create inspiring and compelling stories that empower people to take control over their healthcare decisions, improving healthcare outcomes in the society. She is an accomplished moderator, engaging audiences at media events and medical education conferences. Kultida’s professional journey includes bringing DE&I into the workplace at Roche and helping people to understand and engage with DE&I priorities. Kultida believes that everyone deserves the right to be respected and recognized regardless of their background and that a healthy work culture can inspire people to be at their best and accelerate toward high performance. Kultida holds a Master of Science in Marketing from the University of Salford, Manchester and has trained as a public relations practitioner and digital marketing strategist at London College of Communication. She has also undergone further training in DE&I areas: unconscious bias, allyship, psychological safety, inclusive language and intercultural awareness.

Narusan is currently the Chief Executive Officer of InnoSpace (Thailand) InnoSpace, a venture capital firm established by a consortium of 16 leading companies in Thailand. With a mission to fuel innovation and technological advancement, InnoSpace has made a significant impact with a total of $20 million in committed capital.

During the past 5 years from the inception of Innospace (Thailand), Narusan designed the investment thesis, budget allocation, and screening process for InnoSpace (Thailand). InnoSpace invested in 18 startups with 1 exit and deployed a total of $2.5 million in investment capital. The firm initiated two groundbreaking synergy projects in collaboration with its limited partners (LP), fostering an environment of mutual growth and innovation. These projects not only leverage its collective expertise but also aim to address pressing global challenges through technological advancements.

InnoSpace (Thailand) also partnered with leading international accelerators in 2023. This strategic move broadens its portfolio’s geographical footprint in South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Mainland China.

InnoSpace (Thailand) sets an ambitious agenda with focused investment in cutting-edge deep-tech startups, collaboration with international accelerators for global expansion, and a partnership with a renowned university and government agencies for the seamless transition from research to commercialization.

Before joining InnoSpace (Thailand), Narusan worked for a private equity firm that managed government-backed funds to invest in Innovation-driven enterprises. He also has a background in management consulting, investment banking, and banking industries.

Rashmi is a seasoned keynote speaker & a leadership facilitator with extensive global leadership experience across organizations such as Coca Cola, Unilever, IBM, Aon & Vodafone-Idea.

She is passionate about igniting a global conversation on helping leaders reframe their leadership mindsets and build inner resilience to handle today’s leadership challenges.

During last 17 years working up & close work with executives, she also realized a hidden truth: success doesn’t sacrifice wellbeing. She reinforces how prioritizing mental wellbeing is key to unlocking peak performance and building resilience. Her TEDx talk on leadership remains relevant and timeless guidance on effective leadership styles in the changing AI led world.

Rashmi has inspired over 200,000+ people across 9 countries as a speaker & leadership facilitator and as over 200+ hours on stage, including global platforms like TEDx, The Economist, the Corporate Innovation Summit & UN Youth Speak.

Rashmi is also an entrepreneur, was incubated by Entrepreneur First Singapore and has built a digital AI coach for young managers.

An engineer and a business post graduate by education, an inspirer at heart, Rashmi brings a unique perspective to help you lead better.

Ratinan Wongwatcharanon has more than 14 years of experience working for Thailand’s leading corporates in various sectors as an Investor Relations, Sustainability, and Corporate Communication expert. She is currently the VP of Head of Investor Relations at Thai Credit Bank Public Company Limited. Her passion is to strive to be a part of creating value for the company and the industry, which includes developing a solid company strategy to maximize long-term benefits for the environment, society, and shareholders, as well as to improve the quality of life for all stakeholders. She leads various ESG-related aspects in the organization and is also a part-time speaker and lecturer on ESG matters. She graduated with an MBA from the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, and a Bachelor of Economics from Thammasat University.

Lt. General Sharma retired from the Indian Army in 2008 after four decades of an illustrious and brilliant career of selfless service to the nation. He commanded the largest operational force in the world and led the logistics and administration of the 1.3 million strong Indian Army in his last assignment before retirement. Gen Sharma is also a passionate advocate of sustainable and responsible development with expertise in the areas of environment, renewable energy and ecology. He writes on national strategy and security issues and lectures business leaders on decision making, motivation and positivity. He is currently the Chairman of MitKat Advisory Services, a niche Asia-Pacific-focused risk mitigation company. He is an entrepreneur himself and has mentored many start ups in India.

With over 10 years of experience in the F&B industry and the Tech field, Surasit is currently the CEO & Co-Founder of Hungry Hub. He comes from a family background in the Hospitality sector where his family owns multiple hotels in Bangkok and Phuket.

At Hungry Hub, Surasit leads a team of 60+ team members, helping over 1,500 restaurant partners across Thailand generate over $70 million in extra revenue for the partners in the past couple of years. His aim is to scale the startup beyond Thailand in the near term. Hungry Hub has raised over $2 million to date from top-tier VCs and Angels in Thailand.

Surasit started his entrepreneurship path at the age of 17 with his own gadget blog and made his first $1,000 from Google ads. He got his first full-time job at the age of 19 at Standard Chartered Bank in Thailand and got promoted to Singapore after a year. However, after 3 years in the corporate world, he decided to switch gears to the startup world. He started two other businesses while doing his MBA before eventually moving on to Hungry Hub.

Surasit has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Systems from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship & Finance from Sasin School of Management and did an exchange at Wharton Business School, US.

Surasit was one of the four representatives of Thailand at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Silicon Valley that was hosted by President Obama in 2016 and received several awards from the Foreign Chamber of Commerce and Startup Associations within Thailand.