ABOUT US

Gift  is the Area Managing Director for Johnson & Johnson Thailand & Emerging Territories, leading across Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Consumer Health sectors. Johnson & Johnson believes good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. The company strives to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of everyone, everywhere. They are blending their heart, science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity.

A Thai national, Gift has lived in six countries (Thailand, Canada, Vietnam, Spain, Singapore, Indonesia) with over 25 years work experience in the fields of Nutrition and Healthcare, Gift has held both commercial and regional roles in across Asia Pacific Region. Gift started her career in FMCG, working successively for LOWE Lintas, then Coca-Cola Thailand, Boots Healthcare International, Danone Groupe (both in Baby Nutrition and Dairy divisions) and Mead Johnson Nutrition Vietnam, where she also served as Chairwomen of the Nutrition Food Group sector under EUROCHAM. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Gift was the Head of ASEA Zone and General Manager TMS for Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, covering a span of 11 countries across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong Taiwan, and South Korea.

Gift has a Bachelor of Business Degree from the Assumption University, Thailand, and an International Executive MBA Degree from the University of Victoria, Canada. She also holds a certificate for High Performance Leadership and Orchestrating Winning Performance from IMD Lausanne, Switzerland.

On top of her passion to make a difference in peoples’ lives and in healthcare, Gift is passionate in building purposeful brands and have a strong track record in building high performing diverse teams with a sincere interest in people growth and development. During her free time, she loves to water-ski and wakeboard and believes in work-life integration.

Deborah is currently the Country Manager of Pfizer Thailand and Indochina markets (Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos), where she oversees Pfizer Biopharmaceutical Group operations. Deborah leads Pfizer in its purpose of bringing breakthroughs that change patient's lives. Her focus is on driving access to innovative medicines by exercising both internal coordination and engaging external top-level representatives to lead the conversation and drive positive changes for public health in the country. Deborah is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of in-depth and diverse experience in marketing, commercial operations management, and leadership at the local, regional, and global level within Pfizer.

Jeff Nygaard leads the global operations and technology team at Seagate, with over 36,000 people who speak nine languages and live on three continents. He started working at Seagate as an engineer. As he progressed, he has had the opportunity to live and work in the U.S., Asia, and Europe, developing global perspectives, but connecting locally on a personal level. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in building high-performance teams, integrating a competitor's business, developing strategic alliances, and reorganizing Seagate for the future. Nygaard reflects Seagate's philosophy and culture that a responsible business -one that treats people, the environment, and our community with respect- enables better results. Previously, Nygaard has served twice as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and as an honorary AMCHAM board advisor. He holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, with a focus on Robotics and Control System Design. He lives in Thailand with his wife and two children.

John Evans is a co-founding partner and the Managing Director of Tractus, a strategic advisory firm, which has advised clients on more than 8 billion U.S. dollars in trade and investment transactions. Leading Tractus from its inception in Bangkok in late 1995, John has helped it grow into a leading Pan-Asian consulting firm with 70- plus staff and offices in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the USA.

During his three decades in Asia, John has become a trusted advisor to multinational corporations, governments, and Non-Government Organizations NGOs. He is an angel investor in several companies and has held numerous board roles for corporates and non-profits. John frequently writes articles, gives lectures, is interviewed, and conducts workshops around the world on economic trends and doing business in Asia. John is an avid cross-country cyclist and credits his rides, which have covered most of Southeast Asia, as a time for deep thought and the origin of many of his best client solutions. He studied East Asian History and Economics at Princeton University.

Kaveepan Eiamsakulrat is Executive Chairman of K.E. Group With an experience of over 27 years in the real estate development industry in Thailand and across the globe, he has expertise in real estate investment and infrastructure development in Thailand. Kaveepan has worked in leadership roles with multi-million US dollar corporations to bring innovation and technology in the real estate space in the Kingdom. He has served on the Board of Directors at the Housing Business Association, Thai Shopping Center Association, and is actively involved with other associations. He has also received the Trade Association Prestige Outstanding Executive Awards by Ministry of Commerce and Thai Chamber of Commerce in 2018.

Eliot is the Managing Director at Nitro Labs, a Bangkok-based microbrewer of non-alcoholic beverages like cold brew coffees and teas. Co-founding this SME/startup in 2017, Eliot also currently serves as Chairman on the company's Board of Directors.  The company's mission is to support offices, hotels, and other retailers with delicious new on-tap beverage options which are healthy, convenient, energizing, and hassle-free.

Eliot is American, relocating to Asia in 2010 in a project management capacity for RMA Group's construction division in Afghanistan, where he was tasked with winning contracts and delivering projects in support of nationwide U.S. Government and ISAF operational requirements. Prior to Nitro Labs, Eliot also co-founded an early stage tech company in Thailand focusing on digital event management, e-ticketing, and payments processing services, which he later exited via private sale.

Eliot studied Chemistry at Indiana University with a concentration in analytical science. He enjoys learning Thai, golfing, studying blockchain technology, and being an active member of his community.

Wiyada is currently the Country Leader of 3M Thailand. She joined 3M as General Counsel and Management Operating Committee with over 20 years of experience in private practice and as in-house counsel. She started her career as an associate at Coopers & Lybrand Thailand, moved to White & Case Thailand and Norton Rose Thailand and joined Michelin Thailand as General Counsel. Prior to taking her current position, Wiyada's role at 3M was expanded to Women’s Leadership Chair and Diversity & Inclusion Champion and from the legal pillar, she was recognized as Southeast Asia Legal 500 Powerlist Individual in 2019.

Jamie has 20 years of experience as an executive and consultant with MNCs, agencies and NGOs, holding a variety of leadership roles in strategy, partner management, program management & communications across USA, APAC, Europe and Africa. Key leadership positions include country head, VP of CSR and strategy committee lead.

Chatit Huayhongtong is President of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd., a position he assumed in May 2021. As president, he is responsible for upstream operations in Thailand. Chatit began his career with Chevron in 2002 and over a 20-year period has held numerous engineering and leadership positions of increasing responsibility around the world, including in the United Kingdom and United States. Prior to becoming President, Chatit served as General Manager for Operations from 2018; as General Manager for Asset Development from 2016; as Asset Manager of Pailin Asset from 2013; and as Deputy Asset Manager of Platong Asset from 2011. Chatit graduated from Chulalongkorn University with an MA in Business Administration in 2003 and a BA in Petroleum Engineering in 1994.

Tanapot has been in the banking industry for more than 28 years, where he has spent most of his time in Thailand with a few years abroad spent in Sydney, Hong Kong, and Singapore across several international financial institutions. His most recent job posting has been with Citibank, Thailand in late 2018 as Head of Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, managing over 700 corporate and institutional relationships across Thailand. He has a BA in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MBA from SASIN Institute in Thailand.

Simon has lived in Southeast Asia for the last 17 years between Thailand and The Philippines. He’s currently the Managing Director of Harmless Harvest, where he helms all operational and business functions in Thailand, fulfilling the “Harmless” mission of providing the best tasting, organic, and fair for life coconut products to the World. Simon believes in a values-led approach and is passionate about generating wealth for all stakeholders through good business leadership.

Previously, Simon was with Dole Thailand for almost a decade in various roles, most recently as the VP & MD. In this role, he was the President of five legal entities and all operations in Thailand, contributing 40% of the Worldwide Packaged Food profit of Dole. Simon is also a Non Executive Director of Prime Hemp Science and Industry srl, and an advisor to the board of Thai EuroCoat.

Rachel Davidson is the Cluster General Manager of Hilton and DoubleTree Sukhumvit Bangkok. She has enjoyed a successful career in the hospitality and tourism industry spanning over 25 years, the last eleven of these with Hilton Hotels and Resorts. An Australian national, Rachel’s career has encompassed General Manager’ roles at hotels and resorts throughout Australia, China, Japan and Thailand. During this time, Rachel has also held a number of director positions in various organizations including President of American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa (2016 - 2018), Vice President of Chatan Tourism, Chair of Tourism Whitsundays, President of Hotels Sales and Marketing Association, Victoria and Director of YWCA, Melbourne. From 2015 – 2019, Rachel was the Japan, Korea and Micronesia representative for Hilton’s Global Corporate Responsibility program, Travel with Purpose, which focuses on making a positive social and environmental impact.

A leader with broad based knowledge of on-line start-ups, real estate development and project finance in Asia, Charles brings more than two decades of experience in capital raising, corporate finance and commercial real estate to IC Partners Limited. Established in January 2011, and based in Bangkok, Thailand, IC Partners serves as a financial advisor and investor for a couple of on-line startups as well serves as an investment and asset manager for a number of hospitality related investment joint venture investments and family offices in Southeast Asia. IC Partners works with various capital partners, venture capital funds, family offices and international hotel operators and advises investors on development planning, capital raising, deal structuring and contractual matters in the industrial and hospitality and branded residential segments.

He is also a senior member of the advisory boards at Young Happy, Thailand’s leading social media app and e-commerce business to solve the problems of the aging society seniors and Singapore based AJT Holdings Pte. Ltd. which owns the Wellity and Dr Map brands and is a wellness management platform for hospitality, senior living and standalone medical/wellness clinics in ASEAN.

His previous engagements include appointment as Chief Development Officer in 2007 for InVision Hospitality Co., Ltd. and Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Finance for Gannon International Ltd. and Managing Director of Gannon Realty (Thailand) from 1999-2007 overseeing the company's commercial real estate and industrial development projects in both Thailand and Vietnam.

Charles earned an MBA at the Kenan‐Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina‐Chapel Hill, with honors. He currently serves as a Trustee of The Kenan Foundation Asia and is a member of the Executive Committee. Charles served as a Governor and Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand from 2004 through 2007 and is currently Co-Chairman of AMCHAM’s Tourism & Hospitality Committee.

Aileen is a technology enthusiast, with almost two decades of experience in product, financial products, and go-to-market strategies. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the Nanyang Technological University Singapore and is the mother of three spirited boys.

Since joining Mastercard in 2016, Aileen has been actively advocating the cashless movement in Asia Pacific. She spearheaded the development and launch of Mastercard QR based payments solution, which led to the creation and proliferation of EMV standardized QR payments in the region, while simultaneously working with regulators, and leading players in financial services and the digital space.

Aileen has been the Country Manager of Thailand and Myanmar for Mastercard since 2019. Here, she has championed the need and expansion of cashless payments and has been dedicated to accelerating the country’s digital payments landscape to support the government’s vision of creating an inclusive cashless society.

Aileen’s personal and professional diverse experience in Asia has given her firsthand insights into the need for a digitized interconnected world to ensure everyone, including SMEs, entrepreneurs, and women, is included and can gain equal access to opportunities to grow and excel. In her efforts to boost Thailand’s digital transformation, Mastercard has launched various initiatives to drive cashless payments and greater inclusiveness in Thailand.

Prior to joining Mastercard, Aileen worked for Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) in Singapore where she held key leadership positions in marketing, business and product development. Among her many accomplishments there, Aileen played an instrumental role in the development and implementation of new digital services including mobile payment solutions. In her career, Aileen has been instrumental in the strategic implementation of digital first technologies and forging strong partnerships with government agencies to establish a seamless and secure inclusive payments infrastructure that is accessible for all - cornerstone of Thailand’s 4.0 Agenda and Bank of Thailand’s Digital Payments Roadmap. Her experience has resulted in innovative and priceless changes in the payments landscape, in Thailand and Asia. Her industry knowledge, experience, and engagement has also helped in creating sustainable positive changes for Thailand’s technological and financial inclusion agenda, not just for consumers, but businesses of all sizes as well. By leveraging existing opportunities to create new ones, Aileen has also paved the way for women in technology and payments.