Agenda
30 October 2025
8:00 AM
Networking and registration
8:50 AM
Opening remarks
9:00 AM
[Opening fireside chat]
From CMO to CEO: Unveiling the leadership playbook for Malaysia's digital-first era
- Redefining consumer engagement by harnessing AI and emerging technologies, while balancing efficiency with authenticity and human connection.
- Embedding innovation into culture by institutionalising experimentation, agility, and adaptability across teams and ways of working.
- Understanding the evolving leadership priorities by shifting from a CMO’s marketing lens to a CEO’s enterprise-wide vision, reshaping decision-making and long-term growth strategies.
Moderator:
Rezwana Manjur
Editor-in-Chief
MARKETING-INTERACTIVE
Speaker:
Santharuban Thurai Sundaram
CEO Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Exports
Etika Group of Companies
9:30 AM
[Case study]
Next gen campaigns: Breaking new frontiers with AI-driven creation and automation
- Revolutionising campaign workflows by integrating generative AI tools that blend speed, creativity, and precision like never before.
- Riding the wave of discovery with AI-powered strategies tuned to emerging platforms.
- Crafting unified and adaptive campaigns that dynamically respond to real-time data and shifting audience behaviours across all digital touch-points.
10:00 AM
[Panel discussion]
Unlocking intelligence: How AI is reshaping the future of precise and purpose-driven marketing
- Harnessing AI to move past repetitive tasks, and unlocking strategic, data-driven creativity, that truly connects with audiences.
- Integrating advanced algorithms with human insights to craft campaigns that balance efficiency with emotional resonance.
- Elevating marketing outcomes by continuously refining personalised experiences in real time to drive deeper engagement and loyalty.
Panellist:
Nachiappan Arasu
VP, Marketing
ERL
Ila Mathi
Head of APAC Digital Business and Brand Experience (B2B2C)
Kimberly-Clark
Schrene Goh
Chief of Commercial
MRT Corporation
10:30 AM
Networking break
11:00 AM
[Case study]
From safe bets to bold moves: Recalibrating ROI expectations for marketers in an era of disruption
- How traditional ROI measurements fall short in capturing the full value of innovative digital campaigns.
- Discuss new frameworks that balance short-term performances with long-term brand growth and customer loyalty.
- Delve into how AI, automation, and data analytics can unlock new opportunities for digital marketers to innovate and differentiate.
11:30 AM
[Case study]
Data in motion, experience with intent: Crafting journeys that convert
- Connecting data across online and offline touch-points to eliminate fragmentation, simplify complex customer journeys, and build a complete 360° customer view.
- Leveraging first-party data and CX signals to anticipate customer needs, streamline interactions, and deliver hyper-relevant recommendations at every step.
- Rethinking CRM and hyper-personalisation strategies to ignite engagement, unlock new audience segments, and orchestrate seamless omnichannel journeys that drive loyalty and long-term growth.
12:00 PM
[Panel discussion]
Going live, going viral, going shopping: The next wave of social commerce
- Demystifying the rise of social commerce, and exploring how platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are transforming into shopping destinations, blurring the lines between content, community, and commerce.
- Considering the role of influencer marketing when it comes to strategies for leveraging social commerce platforms to engage consumers, building brand communities, and driving sales conversions.
- Analysing the evolving dynamics of creator economies within social commerce, exploring how brands can partner with influencers, leveraging user-generated content, and creating engaging experiences that foster authenticity and build trust.
12:30 PM
Networking lunch
1:30 PM
[Panel discussion]
Everything, everywhere, all at once: Strategies for omni-personalisation in a multi-everything world
- Deconstructing the concept of omnichannel marketing and its evolution in the face of increasingly integrated digital and physical experiences.
- Discussing the role of emerging technologies and platforms in creating cohesive customer journeys that transcend traditional channel boundaries.
- Embracing innovative approaches to customer engagement that foster brand loyalty and advocacy in a hyper-connected world.
Panellist:
Stephanie Caunter
Director, Customer Insights, Engagement and Digital Experience
AIA Malaysia
Mahek Shah
Head, AirAsia Media and Head of Commercial, Movetix
AirAsia MOVE
Olga Pulyaeva
Marketing Director
Carlsberg Malaysia
2:00 PM
Power hour
Across the next 60 minutes three experts will share short sharp talks on key issues affecting marketing professionals today.
[Case study]
The rise of live commerce in Malaysia’s e-commerce playbook
- We explore how real-time engagement and interactive storytelling are transforming traditional shopping into immersive live experiences that drive instant conversions.
- Decoding the unique challenges and opportunities in integrating live commerce within Malaysia’s diverse digital landscape and consumer behaviours.
- Showcasing winning strategies from brands leveraging live commerce to build community trust, boost brand loyalty, and scale sales rapidly.
[Case study]
The cashback generation: Rethinking loyalty in a rewards-obsessed market
- Unpacking how evolving consumer expectations are reshaping loyalty programmes from simple rewards to integrated and value-driven experiences.
- Examining the role of cashback and instant gratification incentives in driving repeat purchases and deepening customer engagement.
- We reveal innovative approaches brands are using to balance transactional rewards with emotional connections that foster long-term loyalty.
Speaker:
Chang Li Shian
Head of Group Digital Marketing
Maybank
[Case study]
Digital underdogs to market movers: SMEs unlocking growth through platforms
- Highlighting how SMEs are leveraging digital platforms to overcome resource constraints to reach wider and more targeted audiences.
- Exploring practical strategies for integrating e-commerce, social media, and digital tools to build brand presence and drive growth.
- Learning actionable insights from SMEs’ journeys, and highlighting strategies that can inspire other brands navigating the digital ecosystem.
3:00 PM
Networking break
3:30 PM
[Case study]
Beyond the echo chamber: Rehumanising marketing in a machine-led era
- Challenging the over-reliance on automation by integrating authentic human insights to deepen customer connections.
- Bridging the gap between data-driven tactics and emotional storytelling to craft campaigns that truly resonate.
- Empowering marketers to balance AI efficiency with empathy, ensuring technology serves people, not just processes.
4:00 PM
[Panel discussion]
Thriving in the digital ecosystem: CMOs as agents of change
- We explore how today’s CMOs are redefining their roles from brand guardians to transformation drivers, championing innovation across functions, not just within marketing.
- Unpacking how CMOs can align data, content, commerce, and tech to build cohesive experiences across platforms while collaborating more closely with CIOs, CX leads, and product teams.
- Discover how successful marketing leaders are embedding real-time insights, purpose-driven storytelling, and agile experimentation into their decision-making frameworks to stay ahead of change.
4:30 PM