Sydney agenda
Sydney agenda
August 1 | Sydney
07:30 – 09:00
Welcome breakfast
09:00 – 09:10
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Peter Deans is a former Chief Risk Officer and retired from executive life in 2019, after a finance career of over 32 years. Peter is today an industry leading risk management and strategy advisor through his firm, Notwithoutrisk Consulting. Peter is currently Chair and Non-Executive Director of NerdWallet Australia, and a Non-Executive Director of Trade for Good and The Regtech Association. Peter is also an advisory board member for several fintechs and start-up companies.
Peter is a regular contributor to a range of strategy, risk and finance publications including Company Director Magazine (Australia), Director Today (India), FINSIA (Australia) and The Asian Banker (Singapore).
Peter was awarded Australian Banking & Finance magazine’s Chief Risk Officer of the Year award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
09:10 – 09:50
Keynote panel discussion
APRA’s CPS230 - a transformative step in managing disruptive risk
- How can the financial services industry make a solid plan to meet the new standards by 2025?
- What is the role of CPS230 in managing and reducing misconduct risk?
- What initiatives are underway to cultivate a stronger risk culture within the banking, insurance, and superannuation industries in Australia, aiming to prevent future financial downturns?
Alison Bliss is the General Manager, Operational Resilience within APRA’s Cross Industry Division. The Operational Resilience team provide risk expertise to prudential supervision and policy across operational risk, business continuity, supplier risk management, technology risk, compliance and data risk matters, as well as climate risk expertise in relation to financial services. In addition, the team is responsible for leading and executing strategic programs of work focused on uplifting cyber risk management across APRA’s regulated entities and driving a significant shift in how operational resilience is identified and managed by entities to ensure the financial system remains robust and that the Australian community is protected.
Alison currently serves as the Chair of the Council of Financial Regulators Cyber and Operational Resilience Working Group.Alison joined APRA in November 2017 and as General Manager, Data Analytics & Insights, she was instrumental in maturing APRA’s data and analytics capabilities and developing APRA’s forward looking data strategy. Alison has over 20 years broad risk management and operations leadership experience across banking, financial markets, and funds management. Prior to joining APRA she was Global Head of Commodity and Financial Markets Operations at Macquarie Group, where she had responsibility for end to end transaction lifecycle activities for commodities, equities and financial markets trading businesses. During her 15+ years at Macquarie, Alison also held leadership roles in finance, operational risk, funds management, private equity and investment banking and has spent over half her career based in international locations including Seoul, Beijing, Hong Kong and Houston.Alison holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and is a qualified member of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand (CA ANZ).
Niels Thelosen is a financial services risk management professional who specializes in operational risk management, with a focus on operational resilience, data, technology and cyber. In his most recent role, he was responsible for managing operational resilience prudential aspects across Macquarie's operating and support groups, including asset finance, banking, wealth management, trading, finance and risk.
Vasyl Nair is group chief executive at Mine Super and has a background in law and corporate finance, having also held roles across operations, strategy, marketing and risk functions at some of Australia’s largest financial services institutions. He holds bachelor of laws, bachelor of commerce, graduate diploma of legal practice and executive master of business administration degrees. Nair is also a director of Recreo Financial, an Australian financial technology company, specialising in superannuation and investment administration.
Jo Tornatore-Gallo has over 20 years risk experience in financial services’ and is currently with the Royal Bank of Canada where she is Managing Director & Chief Risk Officer, Australia (based in Sydney). As CRO, Jo is responsible for providing independent oversight of Risk across business platforms in Australia.
Jo is currently a member of the RBC Diversity Council and has also actively participated in various employment led working groups such as RWomen, Women in Finance UTS program, Pride chair and Multicultural. Jo has participated as a mentor in the RBC mentoring program and is also an accredited Mental Health First Aid Office.
External to RBC, Jo loves spending time with her family, eating great food, trail running and volunteering at ParkRun.
09:50 – 10:10
Presentation by SAS
10:10 – 10:40
Networking break
10:40 – 11:10
Expert panel discussion: The transformative role of AI in financial performance
- What are the key risks and opportunities linked to the adoption of generative AI in the banking industry?
- How could approaches to genAI become standardized across the financial services industry in the coming years?
- What role can AI play in enhancing profitability and overall performance in financial services?
11:10 – 11:40
Australia's economic paradox: forecasted interest rate declines clash with persistent inflation's grip.
- How will 2026's funding and liquidity shifts affect MLH entities amidst changing interest rates and persistent inflation?
- What is the RBA's approach to achieving a 'soft landing' by managing unemployment and inflation?
- How are the health of the property markets and their interaction with interest rates and inflation influencing Australia's economic stability?
Elliot has been with Westpac Economics for 13 years, having previously worked at the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Over his career, his focus has remained on Australia’s place in the global economy, having assessed economic and financial developments in Asia for the RBA. Clarke manages Westpac Economics’ global economic and financial market forecasts. He holds an honours degree in economics from the University of Sydney, a masters of applied finance from Macquarie University and is a CFA Charterholder.
Jonathan Kearns is Chief Economist and Head of Regulatory Affairs and a member of the investment committee at Challenger, an investment management company with a focus on retirement income. Previously he worked for 28 years at the Reserve Bank of Australia. At the RBA he occupied a wide range of senior roles, including as Head of Domestic Markets Department, Financial Stability Department, Economic Analysis Department and Economic Research Department. He also led the Bank’s work on climate change across four departments and represented the Bank on various domestic and international forums on climate change. Jonathan also worked at the Bank of International Settlements in Basel. He has published research in the fields of international finance and macroeconomics. He has a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from the Australian National University.
My joined AMP in 2021 within the AMP Investments team. My’s responsibilities include providing analyses on global and Australian economic data, constructing various proprietary economic indicators, producing forecasts for external agencies & internal departments, and contributing to the quantitative dynamic asset allocation process.
Previously, My was worked as a fixed income research analyst at Deutsche Bank in New York City with a focus on securitised products. My has a Master’s degree in Financial Mathematics from UNSW Sydney, and a Bachelor degree in Mathematics and Economics from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, United States
Paul Bloxham is HSBC’s Chief Economist for Australia, New Zealand and Global Commodities and is a Managing Director. He is chief spokesperson for HSBC on forecasts and trends for the Australian and New Zealand economies and their interaction with global financial markets and international economies and a key spokesperson on HSBC’s unique view on global commodity markets. Paul is a regular commentator on local and international business television and a frequent contributor of opinion editorials to the Australian newspapers. Paul’s team has won a number of forecasting awards, including the Consensus Economics award for best forecaster for the Australian economy in 2021, and Focus Economics awards for best forecaster for New Zealand in 2023 and both Australia and New Zealand in 2017. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University. Prior to joining HSBC in 2010, Paul spent 12 years as an economist with the Reserve Bank of Australia. Paul holds a Master's degree in public financial policy from the London School of Economics and Bachelor of Commerce in economics with honours from Curtin University.
11:40 – 12:00
Fireside chat: Unpacking the future of fraud detection and AML compliance
- How are fraud analytics enhancing the efficiency of fraud investigations?
- What impact are evolving fraud trends having on the methods and technologies used in fraud investigations?
- How are Australian banks using generative AI to enhance fraud detection and comply with evolving AML regulations?
12:00 – 12:40
Driving environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives in Australia
- Collaborative efforts among regulators, influential corporate entities and financial intermediaries to create replicable co-operation models across neighboring markets
- How innovative businesses are enhancing value propositions and pushing the boundaries of ESG practices
- Strategies to enable collaborative ESG development models in adjacent markets by regulators, influential corporations
- The impact of International Sustainability Standards Board standards on ESG perceptions in Australia
Dr Peter Simpson is currently the Global Head of Safety, Security & ESG for Standard Chartered bank., with a footprint in the highest risk regions of the world. Peter is a pilot by trade, and has BSc, MSc, MA, MBA and DBA. He is passionate about and leading organisations through customer-focussed change and simplification, and working with the next generation of young leaders. He is a Board member in a not-for-profit looking after the most vulnerable members of society.
Viisti is an Industry Expert at UTS, with both public and private sector including as a Senior Director in top tier consulting firms and in-house, across financial services, telecommunications, media, and education sectors. She focuses on helping organisations with their biggest challenges - including M&A, Diversity and Inclusion, Culture change, Risk, Innovation and ESG - often on high priority programs. Her focus on business transformation is commercial, strategic and pragmatic.
Viisti is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, jas a Masters of Law (USyd), Masters of International Relations (UQ & Sciences Po Paris), and a Bachelor of Business (QUT). She has lived and worked in France, UK, Chile and Vietnam.
Maria is a financial services regulation specialist currently working with China Everbright Bank, Sydney branch as its Chief Compliance Officer and previously at HSBC, CBA and Morgan Stanley. Maria is a practising solicitor for the last 20 years and assisted CBA to implement its AML program during its transition from the FTR Act.
Maria leads with an innovation mindset and recognises that all decision makers need to maintain an eye on the horizon in order to keep abreast of the ever evolving regulatory landscape.
12:40 – 13:40
Lunch break
Afternoon sessions
13:30 – 13:35
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Peter Deans is a former Chief Risk Officer and retired from executive life in 2019, after a finance career of over 32 years. Peter is today an industry leading risk management and strategy advisor through his firm, Notwithoutrisk Consulting. Peter is currently Chair and Non-Executive Director of NerdWallet Australia, and a Non-Executive Director of Trade for Good and The Regtech Association. Peter is also an advisory board member for several fintechs and start-up companies.
Peter is a regular contributor to a range of strategy, risk and finance publications including Company Director Magazine (Australia), Director Today (India), FINSIA (Australia) and The Asian Banker (Singapore).
Peter was awarded Australian Banking & Finance magazine’s Chief Risk Officer of the Year award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
13:35 – 14:05
The role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in derivative pricing and risk assessment
- How AI can predict and mitigate risks in derivatives portfolios
Kylie-Anne Richards is the deputy chief investment officer and leads the implementation of responsible investment practices at Fortlake Asset Management, and is also a member of the Fortlake Asset Management Board and a board member of IAM Funds. She has worked at Macquarie Group in Hong Kong as head of financial engineering for Asia-Pacific and head of indexation and quantitative trading research at CLSA in Sydney. Most recently, Richards was director and portfolio manager at QTR Capital. She is a tenured academic at the University of Technology Sydney with research and teaching interests in sustainable finance, green finance, ESG and high-frequency finance. Richards is an internationally published academic with papers appearing in the International Journal of Financial Engineering and Statistical Inference for Stochastic Processes. She is also a board member of Sport & The Spectrum, a not-for-profit organisation enriching the lives of children on the autistic sectrum through sport.
14:05 – 14:45
Development and sophistication of the derivatives market
- The latest offerings in the derivatives market
- Rebalancing the derivatives market
- What needs to change in the derivatives market?
Kylie-Anne Richards is the deputy chief investment officer and leads the implementation of responsible investment practices at Fortlake Asset Management, and is also a member of the Fortlake Asset Management Board and a board member of IAM Funds. She has worked at Macquarie Group in Hong Kong as head of financial engineering for Asia-Pacific and head of indexation and quantitative trading research at CLSA in Sydney. Most recently, Richards was director and portfolio manager at QTR Capital. She is a tenured academic at the University of Technology Sydney with research and teaching interests in sustainable finance, green finance, ESG and high-frequency finance. Richards is an internationally published academic with papers appearing in the International Journal of Financial Engineering and Statistical Inference for Stochastic Processes. She is also a board member of Sport & The Spectrum, a not-for-profit organisation enriching the lives of children on the autistic sectrum through sport.
14:45 – 15:15
Real-life case studies: real-world examples of successful portfolio management with derivatives
- Lessons learned from past derivatives-related events and crises
15:15 – 15:45
Networking break
15:45 – 16:30
Peer-to-peer roundtable discussion
Derivatives deep-dive discussions
Accessing the derivatives market in emerging markets
16:30 – 16:45
Roundtable insights
Identifying the challenges and opportunities in the derivatives market
16:45 – 16:50
Chairperson’s closing remarks
16:50 – 18:00
Networking drinks
13:30 – 13:35
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Peter Deans is a former Chief Risk Officer and retired from executive life in 2019, after a finance career of over 32 years. Peter is today an industry leading risk management and strategy advisor through his firm, Notwithoutrisk Consulting. Peter is currently Chair and Non-Executive Director of NerdWallet Australia, and a Non-Executive Director of Trade for Good and The Regtech Association. Peter is also an advisory board member for several fintechs and start-up companies.
Peter is a regular contributor to a range of strategy, risk and finance publications including Company Director Magazine (Australia), Director Today (India), FINSIA (Australia) and The Asian Banker (Singapore).
Peter was awarded Australian Banking & Finance magazine’s Chief Risk Officer of the Year award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
13:35 – 14:05
Conduct risk control: shaping ethical business practices
- Priority in practice: ethical integrity versus sales drives
- How financial institutions can align internal cultures and control mechanisms
Michael Skinner
Managing director, chief investment officer and partner
Blackwattle Investment Partners
Michael Skinner has 20 years of engineering and investment experience. Michael was previously responsible for over $1.7bn of investment across a range of Australian equity strategies.
He also lends his time to the University of NSW and the University of Adelaide as a senior academic and serves on a number of boards across the sectors of sport, charity, community and education.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Graduate Diploma of Law, Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Law.
Greg McKenna brings more than 37 years’ experience in the banking and finance industry to his role as CEO of Police Bank, where he was previously a board member and then Chair before stepping into the executive position.
For much of his career Greg spent time in markets where he was a trader, portfolio manager, currency and market strategist, holding long-term titles such as Treasurer of a large mutual bank during the GFC and senior currency strategist roles for two of the majors.
Greg has a Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance) from Monash University, Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, and is accredited with the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Simone Johnson is an enterprise risk management professional at Royal Bank of Canada. She previously held front office roles in securitisation at RBC, ANZ and Macquarie Bank which involved the structuring and execution of warehouse and capital markets transactions.
Simone holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Actuarial Studies) and Applied Finance and a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.
14:05 – 14:45
Elevating operational risk and resilience standards
- Comprehensive mapping and rigorous testing
- Defining impact thresholds for enhanced business continuity and preparedness
Mangala is a risk and governance specialist and self proclaimed data geek who currently works as a data steward at the National Australia Bank. Over the last 7 years, he has worked across all 3 lines of defence and worked at various consulting firms including PwC and ShineWing. He is currently pursuing his MBA at the Imperial College London, and previously graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce and Economics, specialising in Accounting, Actuarial Sciences and Econometrics from Monash University. Outside of work, Mangala volunteers his time for several causes - he currently sits on the board of directors for Beta Alpha Psi International and GovHack Australia and New Zealand. He is also actively involved in the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Youth Network and World Economic Forum Global Shapers' community. In his spare time, Mangala likes to travel, walk along the beach during sunset and play/watch various sports.
14:45 – 15:15
Redefining data risk in the financial services industry
- How banks are taking part in the innovative Apra critical risk data elements pilot to identify critical data elements and improve risk management strategies
- How do governance, risk and compliance systems help assess data maturity and determine areas for improvement in data risk management
- What role does CPS230 play in advancing data risk management and improving overall data practices in the industry?
Mangala is a risk and governance specialist and self proclaimed data geek who currently works as a data steward at the National Australia Bank. Over the last 7 years, he has worked across all 3 lines of defence and worked at various consulting firms including PwC and ShineWing. He is currently pursuing his MBA at the Imperial College London, and previously graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce and Economics, specialising in Accounting, Actuarial Sciences and Econometrics from Monash University. Outside of work, Mangala volunteers his time for several causes - he currently sits on the board of directors for Beta Alpha Psi International and GovHack Australia and New Zealand. He is also actively involved in the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Youth Network and World Economic Forum Global Shapers' community. In his spare time, Mangala likes to travel, walk along the beach during sunset and play/watch various sports.
Winnie is a data risk specialist and certified data steward currently working at Westpac, and previously at Macquarie and CBA. Prior to specialising in data, she has worked in product development and management, business management and risk governance. This diverse experience has given her insights to the different aspects of banking, from front office to operations, compliance and legal, IT, finance and risk.
Winnie is a lifelong learner with a keen interest in exploring the intersection of data risk with other risk classes such as cyber, technology, privacy and AI in our increasingly complex and interconnected digital landscape. She holds a BSc and BCom (Hons) from UNSW and a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University. Outside of work, she is an origami designer specialising in origami tessellations, where a single sheet of paper is folded to create a repeat pattern.
15:15 – 15:45
Networking break
15:45 – 16:30
Peer-to-peer roundtable discussion
Risk management deep-dive discussions
Using generative AI in risk management
As a Manager-Technology Risk at Commonwealth Bank (CBA), Kyvi has over seven years experience in overseeing and advising on risks arising from operational changes, data breaches, and cloud migrations.
She holds the Certificate of the Business Continuity Institute (CBCI) and AWS cloud practitioner. Her mission is to enable safe, sound, and secure technology to build tomorrow's bank today for our customers and community.
Please let me know the next steps, and the time of the panel discussion, names of the presenters, topics and questions to be discussed.
Jenny is a Senior Manager Risk and Compliance at Australian Military Bank. She has over 25 years’ experience in the banking industry within risk, compliance and audit. After graduating from Macquarie University and working in Sydney for a few years in superannuation administration and audit, she moved to London where she spent most of her working career, 18 years, in a Japanese bank and was the Head of Internal Audit.
She returned to Sydney and has since worked in a mid-tier bank, startup bank and now at a mutual bank, Australian Military Bank. In the last 4 years she changed roles from working in the 3rd line to 2nd line in Risk and Compliance.
She appreciates the importance of automation in minimizing risks. She enjoys working through and being part of change management processes that improve or enhance compliance, operations, and controls.
16:30 – 16:45
Roundtable insights
Mastering risk management in the digital age
16:45 – 16:50
Chairperson’s closing remarks
16:50 – 18:00
Networking drinks
13:30 – 13:35
Chairperson’s opening remarks
Peter Deans is a former Chief Risk Officer and retired from executive life in 2019, after a finance career of over 32 years. Peter is today an industry leading risk management and strategy advisor through his firm, Notwithoutrisk Consulting. Peter is currently Chair and Non-Executive Director of NerdWallet Australia, and a Non-Executive Director of Trade for Good and The Regtech Association. Peter is also an advisory board member for several fintechs and start-up companies.
Peter is a regular contributor to a range of strategy, risk and finance publications including Company Director Magazine (Australia), Director Today (India), FINSIA (Australia) and The Asian Banker (Singapore).
Peter was awarded Australian Banking & Finance magazine’s Chief Risk Officer of the Year award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
13:35 – 14:05
Blending horizons: the integration of AI and low-latency trading in redefining future market trends
- Risk in fast trading: managing market fluctuations in low-latency trading
- Assessing challenges in low-latency and high-touch trading
Manab Chetia, currently leading as a Data Science/Insights Manager at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, works at the intersection of data science and artificial intelligence with financial risk management. With a Master's degree in Computing from the Australian National University, specialising in Artificial Intelligence, Manab has harnessed his expertise to drive significant advancements in predictive analytics, NLP and machine learning across various roles in the finance sector.
At the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Manab spearheads a team focused on leveraging AI for complaint prevention, demonstrating a keen ability to translate complex data into actionable insights. His innovative work includes the technical development of classification models for complaint resolution, employing Python, Word2Vec embeddings, LightGBM, and Azure's Open AI service, to enhance the customer experience and operational efficiency.
Manab's contributions extend beyond his technical skills, mentoring colleagues and graduates, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. His open-source contributions, notably to the Langchain project, underscore his commitment to advancing AI applications in real-world settings.
With a track record of exceeding performance expectations and a passion for leveraging cutting-edge technologies, Manab is poised to share valuable insights on integrating AI with low latency trading to redefine market trends and manage trading risks.
Justin Balnaves, Avalon Rivers Asset Management brings over 30+ years of experience in global financial markets to the forefront. Justin's journey includes leading systematic trading at Bankers Trust, delivering notable returns atMacquarie Bank , and serving as Global Head of High-Frequency and Intraday Strategies at Royal Bank of Scotland. Additionally, he managed a $100 million portfolio at World Quant and guided high-performance intraday strategies at Sun Trading LLCwith a Sharpe ratio of 5+. Partnering with Steven Singh, a seasoned professional with over 20+ years of expertise in software development and financial markets, adds immense value to their collaboration. After years of refining their craft in algorithmic trading, Avalon Rivers Asset Management is thrilled to unveil a distinctive investment prospect that leverages sophisticated trading models and high-quality computational algorithms to pinpoint intraday trades with the highest probabilities of success. At the core of our venture lies a distinctive investment opportunity in algorithmic trading, backed by years of industry experience and a proven track record of success.
14:05 – 14:45
The role of data in assessing trading risk
- Understanding the impact of predictive analytics in forecasting trading risks and informing strategic decisions
- Real-time monitoring: how real-time alerts facilitate quick responses to trading risk
Pallab Dey is a quantitative research/analytics and technology professional and is currently leading a data science & data solutions group in the systematic trading and strategy research space in Boronia Capital. His key expertise areas include financial market assets (with exposure to equity cash and listed futures and options), low latency automated trading product development, microstructure research & analytics, statistical/predictive modelling, and big data software solutions utilizing high-frequency time series data.
Pallab Dey has held various positions in financial markets and trading areas, including research, algorithmic product design and management, and engineering roles while working with hedge fund, FinTech firms, and sell-side institutional division in investment banks. He has also conducted lectures and designed courses in UNSW business school related to trading and FinTech.
Pallab Dey holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), a master's degree in Risk and Investment Management (Financial economics track), and a bachelor's degree in Computer Science & Engineering. He has authored academic research working papers in the area of Microstructure of the Market, Market Liquidity, and Short Selling, and frequently presents and chairs in finance conferences.
Manab Chetia, currently leading as a Data Science/Insights Manager at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, works at the intersection of data science and artificial intelligence with financial risk management. With a Master's degree in Computing from the Australian National University, specialising in Artificial Intelligence, Manab has harnessed his expertise to drive significant advancements in predictive analytics, NLP and machine learning across various roles in the finance sector.
At the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Manab spearheads a team focused on leveraging AI for complaint prevention, demonstrating a keen ability to translate complex data into actionable insights. His innovative work includes the technical development of classification models for complaint resolution, employing Python, Word2Vec embeddings, LightGBM, and Azure's Open AI service, to enhance the customer experience and operational efficiency.
Manab's contributions extend beyond his technical skills, mentoring colleagues and graduates, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. His open-source contributions, notably to the Langchain project, underscore his commitment to advancing AI applications in real-world settings.
With a track record of exceeding performance expectations and a passion for leveraging cutting-edge technologies, Manab is poised to share valuable insights on integrating AI with low latency trading to redefine market trends and manage trading risks.
Justin Balnaves, Avalon Rivers Asset Management brings over 30+ years of experience in global financial markets to the forefront. Justin's journey includes leading systematic trading at Bankers Trust, delivering notable returns atMacquarie Bank , and serving as Global Head of High-Frequency and Intraday Strategies at Royal Bank of Scotland. Additionally, he managed a $100 million portfolio at World Quant and guided high-performance intraday strategies at Sun Trading LLCwith a Sharpe ratio of 5+. Partnering with Steven Singh, a seasoned professional with over 20+ years of expertise in software development and financial markets, adds immense value to their collaboration. After years of refining their craft in algorithmic trading, Avalon Rivers Asset Management is thrilled to unveil a distinctive investment prospect that leverages sophisticated trading models and high-quality computational algorithms to pinpoint intraday trades with the highest probabilities of success. At the core of our venture lies a distinctive investment opportunity in algorithmic trading, backed by years of industry experience and a proven track record of success.
14:45 – 15:15
Quality data as a key business asset
- Strategically tackling data challenges: crafting dynamic and robust strategies for data and technology innovation
- The importance of data governance through a unified data strategy
Will Liang is an Executive Director at MA Asset Management, where he is responsible for overseeing the company's data, technology, and AI initiatives. His extensive career includes a decade at Macquarie Group, fulfilling several key roles— notably, he served as the CIO for Macquarie Capital in ANZ and spearheaded the technology strategy for the innovative Moonshot initiative. Will's career path led him to Harvard to further enhance his expertise in data analytics and artificial intelligence. Upon returning to Australia, he joined KPMG in a pivotal role, becoming the National Leader of Regulatory Technology.
Besides his executive commitments, Will serves as a non-executive director and treasurer for the RegTech Association's board and participates as a member of the Financial Services Council technology expert group. Will is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council.
As of 2023, Will has earned recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice in AI and has been distinguished as the most influential Asian Australian under 40 in the corporate category.
With a proven background in leading risk management practices and ensuring regulatory compliance, Scott has held diverse leadership roles within the financial sector, domestically in Australia and globally. In his current role, Scott leads a cross-functional team to define and implement robust data governance strategies that are tailored to meet the specific needs of the organisation across its footprint markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. He plays a pivotal role in guiding his organisation on industry best practices, developing policies for compliance, and promoting a robust data governance culture.
His expertise in data governance spans across data privacy, records management, data quality assurance, and data stewardship, acting as a thought leader and overseeing the integrity and security of critical data assets. Scott is commitment to excellence in data and risk governance, driving impactful change whilst maintaining regulatory compliance and fostering a culture of data-centric decision-making within organizations. He is passionate about leveraging data as a strategic asset and helping organizations harness the full potential of their data resources to achieve their business objectives.
Scott enjoys spending time with his young family and keeping fit.
15:15 – 15:45
Networking break
15:45 – 16:30
Peer-to-peer roundtable discussion
Data and tech deep dive discussions
Operational resilience through the cloud and AI
Will Liang is an Executive Director at MA Asset Management, where he is responsible for overseeing the company's data, technology, and AI initiatives. His extensive career includes a decade at Macquarie Group, fulfilling several key roles— notably, he served as the CIO for Macquarie Capital in ANZ and spearheaded the technology strategy for the innovative Moonshot initiative. Will's career path led him to Harvard to further enhance his expertise in data analytics and artificial intelligence. Upon returning to Australia, he joined KPMG in a pivotal role, becoming the National Leader of Regulatory Technology.
Besides his executive commitments, Will serves as a non-executive director and treasurer for the RegTech Association's board and participates as a member of the Financial Services Council technology expert group. Will is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council.
As of 2023, Will has earned recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice in AI and has been distinguished as the most influential Asian Australian under 40 in the corporate category.
16:30 – 16:45
Roundtable insights
Data-tech alchemy: transforming risk assessment with AI and big data
16:45 – 16:50
Chairperson’s closing remarks
16:50 – 18:00