Reconnecting in Person: Reflections from AWS Summit ASEAN

Last week we hosted our first physical AWS Summit ASEAN since 2019. Four years is a long time to wait. 🙏

The energy in the room reminded me why in-person connection still matters - the hallway conversations, the spontaneous introductions, the shared sense of possibility when you're learning alongside people who are building the future in real time.

I'm grateful to everyone who attended, and especially to the AWS teams who made this summit possible.

Voices That Shaped the Day

We were fortunate to hear from leaders who are tackling some of the most pressing challenges in technology and business today.

Ayush Sharma, CTO of a leading Singapore enterprise, shared his team's journey toward net zero - accelerating decarbonization across the telco and IT sectors. It's a reminder that sustainability isn't a side project; it's becoming core infrastructure. 🌱

Samuel Chu from SingLife, Lawrence Lim and Lim Boon Ping from a leading Singapore enterprise brought depth to our conversations on AI/ML, analytics, and ML strategy. These aren't just buzzwords - they're the essential components of modern data-driven businesses, and hearing how different organizations are operationalizing them was invaluable.

The Conversations Between Sessions

Some of the most meaningful moments happened in the spaces between talks.

I had the chance to discuss female tech talent in the region with Laura, Amazon VP and Distinguished Engineer. We talked about EQ and leadership with Rich Hua, AWS Head of EPIC leadership. I reconnected with AWS alumni and had wide-ranging data discussions with executives and guests throughout the day.

These conversations reminded me that technology leadership is about more than architecture diagrams and roadmaps. It's about building inclusive teams, fostering the next generation of talent, and staying curious about how others are solving hard problems.

Gratitude and Forward Momentum

I want to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and shared their stories from across the region. 💡

Special recognition to: Kee Yaw Yee, Ayush Sharma, Sander Veraar, Lawrence Lim, Lim Boon Ping, Leo Tay, Yean Ping Yar, Soon Dee Chua, Juat Ngoh Chia, Douglas Mun, Samuel Chu, Frank Feng Fei, Ravin Sachi, Julien Ng, Nithya Krishna, Chelsea Lim, Sid Bhandari, Joey Tan, Catherine K, Unni Pillai, Pedro Paez, Vikas Omer, Leo Da Silva, Eng-Hwa Tan, Chee Beng Ong, Jenny Loh, Wilkinson Chew, and Michael Evans.

Events like this remind me that we're not building in isolation. We're part of a community - learning from each other, challenging each other, and moving forward together.

Let's continue to learn, grow, and make a positive impact. More soon. ✨

#AlwaysDay1 #AWS #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #Community #Sustainability #AI

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