Retail Asia Summit - November 20, 2024

Kanaiya Parekh is an expert at Bain & Company’s Retail, Performance Improvement, Customer Strategy & Marketing and Results Delivery® practices.

He holds more than 20 years of end-to-end retail experience, which encompasses global sourcing, merchandising, online, supply chain, store operations and risk management. He has honed his experience across the UK, India, China and Australia.

In his role at Bain, Kanaiya specializes in advising retail organizations across APAC and EMEA on various issues at both the strategic and execution levels. In particular, he focuses on developing and executing revised value propositions to improve customer experience and overall profitability by focusing on improvement levers across the value chain, including the change management program. 

Prior to joining Bain in 2018, Kanaiya led the global sourcing division at both Debenhams and Target Australia. Previously, he was with Tesco for 16 years, where he held various positions in the UK and India.

He holds bachelor’s degrees in history and economics from the University of London.

Andrew was appointed the CEO of Health & Beauty for DFI Retail Group in November 2023, leading Guardian and Mannings across all DFI markets. His career spans start-ups, public, and business sectors, focusing on excellence and innovation. Previously, he was CEO of Health & Beauty North Asia from 2021, managing Mannings in Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China. He also served as Group Chief Executive of Jardine Restaurant Group and held leadership roles at SSP Group, DFI, and Pacific Coffee. Andrew is also the Chairman of MINDSET, a Hong Kong charity dedicated to improving mental health.

Mário Braz de Matos is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Flying Fish Lab, the Controlled Disruption™ company.
His journey of nearly three decades in the field across 5 continents is marked by exciting contributions in FMCG, technology and brand services industries. Having worked at Unilever, Nokia, as well as running entrepreneurial ventures like Cookwork, the world’s largest online chef community, the brand maverick combines a challenger mindset with a passion for results.
He has worked in 35 countries, lived in over 10, and is known for his cultural adaptability and strategic expertise. A polyglot, Mário is fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French, with a sprinkling of Dutch and Mandarin. A power networker, he enjoys connecting with and learning from people of different industries, backgrounds and perspectives. 
During his corporate career, Mário won several Marketing awards, including the Global Marketing Activation Grand Prix, during his tenure at Nokia and multiple Golden Triangle awards for driving exceptional business growth at Unilever. 
Mário is also an Executive Trainer at The Marketing Institute, where he has trained executives and delivered various Marketing and Brand related courses for companies. Mário graduated from the Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon.
 

Frankie S., Head of Sales for Southeast Asia, began his journey on the shop floor at H&M, where he developed a deep appreciation for connecting with customers. His proudest accomplishment has been launching back-to-back collaborations with a renowned local streetwear brand in the Philippines in 2022 and 2023. This initiative not only resonated powerfully with the local market but also demonstrated H&M’s commitment to celebrating and elevating Filipino fashion. 

Frankie's dedication to people and performance shines through in his drive to build high-performing teams that consistently deliver outstanding results across Southeast Asia. His ability to fuse global brand values with local relevance has left an enduring impact, positioning H&M as an integral part of the region’s fashion landscape.

Outside work he loves to spend time on the beach enjoying the sound of the ocean! He is also known to be a shoe collector with over 300 + pairs of shoes in his closet!

Abigail is an accomplished retail director with over 16 years of experience in the Travel Retail industry, having worked at Singapore Changi Airport where she currently handles product categories such as perfumes, cosmetics, watches, and previously, spirits, wine, and tobacco. She has a passion for delivering exceptional customer service and retail engagement. Leading a team of over 500 people, her aim is to continue to elevate the airport shopping experience in Changi and be at the forefront of innovation in the brick and mortar stores.

Alessandro Tomio serves as the Senior Director for South APAC Markets and APAC Wholesale at Lacoste, where he oversees a network of over 350 mono-brand stores and online platforms across South-East Asia, Oceania, and India. During his tenure, the business has doubled its revenues, becoming a major contributor to Lacoste's global performance. Alessandro also manages the wholesale multi-brand business throughout the broader APAC region, including Korea and Japan.

Before joining Lacoste, Alessandro played a key role in expanding Burger King's presence in several Asian markets, operating from Singapore with additional bases in Ho Chi Minh City and Taipei. Prior to that, he spent seven years in the eyewear industry, holding various roles in supply chain and finance across Europe and Asia.
Alessandro holds a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD and a Master of Management Engineering from the University of Padova in Italy.
 

Antoine is the Managing Director with PwC South East Asia Consulting. He has over 15 years of experience in leadership roles and has worked with companies across a range of industries – including retail, automotive, industrial products, and mining – as well as in geographies spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. He has deep expertise in strategy, operations, and digital transformation, collaborating with companies to design and implement market-back strategies for competitive advantage.

As the APAC Marketing Solutions Lead at TikTok, Trixie drives thought leadership in ecommerce and crafts compelling stories to help brands grow with TikTok's performance marketing solutions. Prior to TikTok, she spearheaded innovative B2C campaigns such as Southeast Asia's first Super Brand Day while at Shopee, a leading ecommerce marketplace. When not strategizing, you can find her growing her slow fashion business dearsamfu.com with her twin sister, a passion project born out of her love for her Chinese heritage.

Reedev sits at the intersection of business, data and technology to help businesses drive growth, customer experience and overall marketing effectiveness. He brings 15+ years of experience where he has designed and implemented data-driven digital marketing, CRM, loyalty and customer data strategies for large global organizations such as Chanel, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Tourism Board, ExxonMobil, Standard Chartered Bank, ST Electronics to name a few.

Andy is Global Head of E-Commerce at Blackmores, Australia’s leading natural Vitamins and supplements company with established market leading presence across APAC. Based in Singapore Andy is accountable for the Global development and execution of Blackmores Ecommerce strategy, channel performance and priorities to grow and win through retail partners and direct to consumer models. Prior to this, Andy spent 2 years as Business Development director responsible for the successful development and implementation of Blackmores Asia strategic Regional initiatives.

Prior to Blackmores, Andy worked in various regional leadership roles at Treasury Wine estates, one of the worlds largest wine companies. He is originally from the UK having moved to Singapore in 2016, is a qualified CIMA management accountant and has a BA Economics degree from the University of Liverpool. 

Sachin has over 20 years of experience in market research, consulting and analytics and has been based in Singapore for the past 8 years.

Before his current role of client development, Sachin has managed client relationships and delivered end to end market research projects across domains such as brand, innovation, media and customer experience as well as industries such as consumer durables, FMCG, e-commerce, alcobev, telecommunications and media.

Sachin has a Masters degree in Business Administration and a Bachelors degree in Electronics Engineering.
 

U-Fong Chua (pictured), E-Commerce Director, MU ASEAN, at Beiersdorf, has been in the E-Commerce and FMCG industry for more than a decade. He was recognized as Asia’s top 25 E-Commerce Leader by Marketing Interactive.

Currently, he is responsible for growing the Beiersdorf’s online channel across Southeast Asia by building and managing the E-Commerce team with more than 50 people across brands like NIVEA, Eucerin and Hansaplast.

Before Beiersdorf, he honed his experience at well-established companies such as The LEGO Group, P&G and L’Oréal .

He graduated studying engineering, after which he took a 180-degree turn and changed his career path. Like his career choice post-graduation, he believes it is this same boldness that makes any campaign today stand out, while authenticity is what makes consumers stay.

Quan Yao is a Senior Analyst (Channels) at Euromonitor International, leading research for the Retail and Digital Consumer sectors in Southeast Asia. He has a keen interest in the impact of retail digitalisation and evolving business models, and its implications for businesses and consumers within the region. 

Over his time in the company Quan Yao has engaged and advised clients on the industries’ competitive landscape, market trends & strategic outlook through his analysis on Euromonitor's Passport database, external publications, and client and industry conference engagements. He is the Co-Author of Euromonitor’s “Top 100 Retailers in Asia Pacific 2021” White Paper, and his sector commentary has been featured on prominent regional publications such as Singapore Business Review, Tech in Asia and DealStreetAsia. 

Quan Yao holds a Bachelor of Business Management degree with a Double Major in Operations Management and Analytics from the Singapore Management University. 

Dipashree is an award winning marketing leader with 21 years of experience in launching & architecting brands for exponential growth, across India & South East Asia, at leading global organizations like Netflix, Singtel, MediaCorp, Unilever and now Amazon. At Amazon Fuse, Dipashree heads Partner Growth for APAC and ANZ for Amazon subscription services like Prime, Prime Video, etc.

Dipashree has won several accolades for her work, including the Most Admired Marketing Leader 2023, Asia’s Woman Leader Award 2021 by CMO Asia and the Asia Content Mogul Award 2021 by the Content Marketing Summit Asia. Dipashree is an ardent champion of women in business and espouses the cause actively, at work and outside. She also hosts regular in-person/ virtual sessions on career coaching and navigation in Singapore, as a way to give back to the community. Dipashree’s advice on shaping a dream career has been featured in the recently released book- “Before the Good Things Come”, along with 23 other global senior executives. 

Eucel is a Director of YCP Interactive Solutions Division based in the Philippines. He has over 13 years of experience working for Forbes 500 companies (Coca-Cola, Reckitt Benckiser, Mondelez, Mead Johnson) in different roles across marketing, sales, market intelligence, e-commerce, and finance. He also has experience in the advertising industry, where he’s worked with top brands such as Samsung, Unilever, Heineken, and Nestle as they ran their regional campaigns. On top of that, Eucel serves on the board of various non-profit organizations.     

As the Head of Singapore and Global Retail Excellence at Love, Bonito, Chun Yan is dedicated to crafting a seamless customer experience across all of the brand’s global stores. She drives global retail excellence through strategic brand and marketing partnerships, ensuring scalability, and overseeing people training. Prior to Love, Bonito, Chun Yan has a colourful career with 6 years in DFS Group Limited, and her last stint in Sea’s Group COO/Co-founder’s Office. She is also passionate about personal growth and mentorship.

For the past decade, Guray has played a pivotal role in expanding Infobip's operations across new territories. With his strategic vision and leadership, he has successfully built high-performing teams and established a strong market presence.

As Head of BFSI, Retail, and Digital Business, APAC, Guray leads strategic initiatives across the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector, as well as retail, e-commerce, and digital native businesses. His collaborative approach and deep market insights have been key in cementing Infobip’s position as a leading cloud communications provider. Guray's commitment to innovation continues to drive Infobip’s success in the dynamic global communications landscape.

Iz-Lynn is the Chief Executive Officer of the Manager. She is responsible for steering BHG Retail REIT's strategic direction alongside the Board, and delivering the overall business plans with the support of the management team.

Prior to driving the REIT's listing, lz-Lynn headed Beijing Hualian Department Store Co., Ltd's ("Sponsor") Mall Management Operations and was based in Beijing. In this capacity, Iz-Lynn oversaw active mall management of this Shenzhen-listed group's nation-wide portfolio of properties. She was also part of the senior management team responsible for directing the Sponsor's future strategic development.

From 2005 to 2013, lz-Lynn held various positions in Far East Organization. She was the Assistant Director of the Retail Business Group where her primary responsibility included maximising the business performance of the flagship asset Orchard Central, while her concurrent role as Vice-President (Retail Consultancy) involved the exploration of international new-to market brands to the retail portfolio. In the Hospitality Business Group, comprising hotels and serviced residences, she was responsible for the delivery of the business unit's operational and service excellence. During her tenure, lz-Lynn also concurrently held the position of the Head of Service Quality at the group's corporate level.

Iz-Lynn began her career with Singapore Airlines where she had varied roles which enhanced her exposure to different aspects of airline operations. She became Singapore Airline's first female Station Manager and was entrusted to manage overseas stations' airport operations in Frankfurt, Copenhagen, New York and Hong Kong.

lz-Lynn holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom and completed the General Management Programme at Harvard Business School. Iz-lynn was also the case protagonist in Harvard Business School Case Study "Iz-Lynn at Far East Organization". 
 

Guillaume is a Partner at KPMG in Singapore. He has more than 25 years of experience in the tech industry with deep digital and customer experience expertise across the APAC region.

Prior to joining KPMG, he drove digital transformation, innovation and investments as Head of Strategy at Mediacorp between 2012 and 2017. He was subsequently appointed Head of Social to manage social media and digital marketing activities and build impactful campaigns.

Guillaume was previously a Partner and Managing Director with the strategy practice of Accenture, responsible for technology, media and telecom strategy clients in Southeast Asia.

He has spent more than 20 years in Asia, working in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Brunei, Vietnam, Philippines, Korea and China.

Recognised as a thought leader in the tech industry, Guillaume has published more than 15 articles and white papers on tech and innovation for various organisations and publications. He is invited regularly to present at industry events and conferences.

Christopher Ang serves as the CEO of GS1 Singapore, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to aiding companies in product barcode ID registration for international sales and trades. By enabling supply chain traceability/sustainability and enhancing patient safety across various sectors, including online and in-store retail and healthcare, GS1 plays a pivotal role in optimising efficiency and business communication globally with a commitment to fostering global standards. 

Christopher was formerly the Centre Director of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation - Centre for Corporate Learning.  He has headed the SSG-accredited ATO (Approved Training Organisation) / CET Centre (Continuing Education & Training Centre) in areas of productivity & HRD consultancy, sales & marketing, training delivery & operations, curriculum development and career services since 2013.  

Christopher brings with him 30 years of cross-functional leadership roles and experience. He is actively involved in proposing industry digitalisation, productivity & quality initiatives to various industries and companies, including medical, manufacturing, retail and online businesses. 

Christopher holds a Master’s in Technology Management.  He is an SSG DACE Certified Adult Educator and Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.  He was also a Certified Practising Management Consultant (PMC-SBACC), Certified Quality Engineer (CQE-ASQ) and Certified Project Management Professional (PMP-PMI) during his industry/consultancy days. 

Andrea is an enthusiastic global procurement expert with a solid Retail/FMCG/F&B background. A dual citizen of Italy and Australia residing in Singapore since 2018, his 15-year career spans three continents across consulting, procurement and supply chain. He has worked for renowned companies like Ferrero, Reckitt, Woolworths and Vodafone on themes such as packaging, point of sale, distribution centres, logistics and contact centre services. Passionate about all applications of technology to business, Andrea is currently engaged by Argon & Co to help clients with their procurement journey.

For over two decades, Johanna Monange has been immersed in the creative realm of the perfume industry, serving as a Creative Director at prestigious houses such as Firmenich and IFF, and collaborating with renowned luxury groups like L’Oréal, LVMH, Estee Lauder, and Puig.Trained as a perfumer, Johanna collaborated with some of the most famous fragrance nose’s creators, contributing to iconic scents like Lancôme’s La Vie est Belle, Pac Rabanne One Million, Viktor & Rolf’s Spicebomb, YSL L’homme …

In 2019, fueled by her passion for personalization and perfumery education, she founded Maison 21G. Departing from her leadership role in the corporate world, Johanna envisioned a perfume creation experience that celebrates individuality, cultural richness, and a sense of playful discovery. 

Launching in Singapore and rapidly expanding across South East Asia, China and Middle east, Maison 21G under Johanna's guidance seeks to redefine the perfume industry through creativity, education, experience and sustainability, inviting consumers to become co-creators of their signature fragrances. Johanna's dynamic spirit and forward-thinking approach fueled many iconic partnerships with hotels and brands such MBS, Resort World Sentosa, Mandarin Oriental,Ritz Carlton, Raffles, Ferrari, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, American Express and many others.

Jitha heads Strategy and Business Development at LUXASIA, Asia-Pacific’s leading distributor and retailer in luxury and beauty, working with a 100+ luxury beauty brands across 15 markets in Asia-Pacific. He has been part of LUXASIA’s transformation journey over the last 6+ years, as the company has transformed into an omnichannel and multi-category luxury leader in the region. Apart from LUXASIA, Jitha also invests in promising tech and consumer startups, and writes about tech and business.

With a robust professional background and extensive experience in Marketing, Retail & Ecommerce, Tran Nguyen Phi Long has displayed a proven track record for his Multidisciplinary Strategic Marketing Management by being a Senior Marketing Head of many leading Vietnamese companies and multinational corporations, namely Nhommua, Lazada, Central Group, Pharmacity, and PNJ.

He is well-known for his prestigious lifetime Award as "Excellent Marketing Leadership" by Philip Kotler in 2022 and many other International Marketing Awards such as the “Best Event/ Experiential Marketing Campaign” & “Best Brand Trial/ Sales Generation Campaign” in the Dragon of Asia 2024, "Marketing Initiative of the Year” in the Retail Asia Awards 2024 & 2023, the “Best Retail Event” in the Event Marketing Awards 2024, the “Best Retail Marketing” in the Marketing Events Awards 2024, 2023 & 2022, “Instant Impact/ Promotion” in MMA 2023…

He is also an enthusiastic leader in social activities. Currently, he plays important roles as the Head of Communication Department of Vietnam Sales & Marketing Club (CSMO), Member of Executive Board of Vietnam Advertising Association (VAA), Member of Executive Board of Ho Chi Minh City Advertising Association (HAA),  …