1. Could you please introduce yourself and give us an overview of your journey in machine learning and AI? What got you interested AI?
2. You moved from academia into the corporate world by working for Facebook. Why did you make this transition and what was the transition like?

1. For our listeners who might not be familiar, how would you define machine learning?
2. What is the difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence?
3. What is deep learning?

1. Can you tell us about your role as a Machine Learning Engineer at TikTok? Are you able to talk about some of the key projects you have worked on?
2. Your work at Shenzhen University involved a 3D image segmentation framework. Can you talk about medical imaging, why it is important and what 3D image segmentation means?
3. What is an ASR model and how complex is it?
4. You have experience with self-supervised pretraining in ASR models at Facebook. Could you talk more about this?

1. How do you approach the challenge of developing algorithms for video understanding?
2. In your opinion, what are the most important skills for someone looking to excel in machine learning?

1. What are some common misconceptions about machine learning that you’ve encountered?
2. How do you manage to keep up with the fast-paced developments in AI and machine learning?
3. Can you share any insights on how machine learning can be applied to improve real-world business processes, particularly in the context of TikTok or your past roles?

1. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your machine learning projects, and how did you overcome them?
2. What future advancements in AI and machine learning are you most excited about?
3. How do you see machine learning evolving over the next few years?

1. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring machine learning engineers, what would it be?
2. How do you see your career evolving in the next 5-10 years in the field of machine learning?

How to stand out as an ideal candidate in this modern job market. How is the current landscape of the talent scene different from the traditional one, say 20 years ago?

How can a candidate One Stand Out in this market then?

How do you foresee AI changing the hiring process?

How can job seekers leverage the power of AI in their job search?

Resume, cover letter and interview prep using AI. How can we leverage the current AI technologies today to enhance them?

Which is working on communication & presentation skills. Why is this so important more so now than before?

What would you say to people who believe that communication skills are something people are born with (or without)?

How does one get better at communication & presentation? Where do we even start?

Strategic resume & interview preparation.

How do I prepare for my interview when I don’t even know what questions will be asked?

What is the significance of networking in the modern job market?

How can modern job seekers leverage partnerships with recruiters to stand out and gain competitive edges?

How do we identify these great recruiters?

1. Arun, could you start by sharing your journey into data science? What drew you to this field, and how has your career evolved across different industries?

2. In your work at Swiss Re, you’ve developed solutions like geospatial property databases and electric vehicle pricing models. Could you share a real-world example of how these solutions impacted decision-making?

3. The insurance industry is often considered traditional. How is data science reshaping this space, particularly in areas like claims management, risk assessment, and customer retention?

4. You’ve also worked in the healthcare space, including projects at Novartis. Could you give an example of how you applied data science to address challenges in healthcare or pharmaceutical domains?

5. Predictive analytics and anomaly detection are common terms in your work. Could you explain what they mean in practical terms and provide examples of their application?

6. Data quality and governance are critical in analytics. How do you ensure these are maintained, especially when dealing with large datasets across multiple platforms?

7. AI is transforming analytics. How do you see AI enhancing data science, and what opportunities or challenges do you foresee in its application to industries like insurance and healthcare?

8. From your experience, what are the key challenges organisations face when trying to scale their data-driven initiatives, and how can they overcome them?

9. You’ve mentored data science students and teams. What skills or mindsets do you believe are essential for someone to succeed in this field?

10. Finally, for listeners considering a career in data science, what advice would you give to help them navigate this ever-evolving industry?

Introduction

Today on The Pinpoint Asia Podcast, we welcome Christian Ward, CEO of Daxtra, a leading SaaS recruitment solution. Explore his journey from starting his own company to returning as Daxtra’s CEO, along with insights on scaling a global SaaS business and the impact of Generative AI.

Background

• Could you please tell us what Daxtra is? How big is the business and how many people do you have?
• Let's go back to the beginning - you were a teacher in Taiwan in 2003. Was that more of a explore-the-world phase or did you really think about being a teacher?
• How did the transition to working at Daxtra come about in 2004?
• Why did you leave Daxtra in 2012 and what prompted the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey?
• Your LI profile reads "African sneaker business owner" - tell us about it. How did that happen and what was your role in that business?
• You returned to Daxtra as a CEO last year in 2023. What prompted the return? What lessons did you learn from running your own business that you brought back to Daxtra?

Starting and Scaling a SAAS Business

• What is a SaaS business?
• From your experience, what are the critical first steps for someone with a technology background who wants to start a SAAS company?
• What were some of the most significant challenges Daxtra has faced and continues to face when scaling up?
• What strategies did you use to differentiate Daxtra’s offerings in a competitive SAAS market?

Managing Growth and Global Expansion

• Can you share specific strategies that were pivotal for scaling Daxtra’s operations internationally?
• How do you ensure that Daxtra’s technology and service offerings are adaptable to various markets and client needs?
• How do you manage the complexities of scaling a business while keeping the company culture intact across global teams?
• What is Daxtra's moat and how can you keep low-cost providers from taking away your market share?

Impact of Generative AI on Entrepreneurship

• In your view, how has Generative AI changed the landscape for launching and running a SAAS business?
• Are there particular aspects of building and scaling a SAAS company that have become easier due to advances in AI?
• How is Daxtra leveraging Generative AI in its recruitment solutions, and what impact has this had?
• What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs on using AI tools to their advantage?

Leadership and Team Dynamics

• What qualities do you think are essential for a leader in the SAAS industry?
• How do you foster innovation and keep your team motivated amidst the fast-paced changes in technology?
• Can you share any insights into your approach to hiring, especially for technical and leadership roles in a SAAS business?
• How do you manage collaboration and communication among diverse teams, especially in a remote or hybrid working environment?

Future Trends and Advice

• Where do you see the SAAS industry heading in the next 5 to 10 years, especially with the rapid evolution of AI?
• What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own SAAS businesses in today’s tech landscape?
• How do you stay ahead of competitors and maintain relevance in a constantly evolving industry?
• If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of business advice, what would it be?

Closing Thoughts

• What’s next for Daxtra under your leadership?
• Any final thoughts or words of encouragement for budding SAAS entrepreneurs?

We are incredibly excited to welcome a distinguished guest on today's podcast. While we typically delve into conversations with CIOs and technologists, today we're shifting gears with Mukta Arya, the Chief Human Resources Officer for Asia Pacific at Societe Generale. Mukta brings a wealth of experience in HR leadership, and we are thrilled to have her join us to share her insights.

I also discovered that she is the author of several thought-provoking books, including a collection of intense poems that I am gradually reading to fully appreciate and absorb!

1. Before embarking on a long and successful career in HR, you actually chose to do your Bacehlor's in zoology. Why zoology and when did you decide that HR was your true calling?

1. The Many Facets of HR: HR encompasses a wide range of functions—from recruitment to employee relations to organisational development. Could you elaborate on the key facets within HR and how each contributes to the overall success of an organisation?
2. The Role of a CHRO: What exactly does a CHRO do, and what qualities or experiences are essential to rise to this role? Can you share your journey to becoming a CHRO and the pivotal moments that shaped your career?
3. Underappreciated Aspects: What are some of the most underappreciated aspects of the CHRO’s role? Are there any misconceptions about what HR leaders do that you’d like to clear up?
4. Challenges of the Role: On the flip side, what are the most challenging aspects of being a CHRO, particularly in a global organisation like Societe Generale?
5. Crafting an HR Strategy: When we talk about HR strategy, what does that entail? Could you define what makes a good HR strategy and how its effectiveness is measured within an organisation?
6. You have worked in different parts of the world - India, Singapore and now Hong Kong. How has working in these different regions shaped your career and your thought process?

1. Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusion are frequently discussed in the corporate world. Why are they so critical to an organisation’s success, and how do they impact the bottom line? Can you share any specific initiatives you've led or witnessed that made a significant difference?
2. Glass ceiling effect for women: In the recent past working women would hit the glass ceiling and couldn't easily advance in their careers. Do you feel that the ceiling has broken in recent years? What suggestions do you have for women trying to balance family and work while achieving success in their roles?

1. AI and HR: With the advent of AI and other technologies, how do you see the role of HR evolving in the next decade? What opportunities and challenges do you foresee, and how can HR leaders prepare for these changes?
2. Can you talk about the effects of AI within SocGen? They say that jobs might disappear and new ones might take their place. What is your take on this?
3. Advice for Aspiring CHROs: What advice would you give to someone who aspires to become a CHRO? What should they focus on, both in terms of skill development and career progression?

We are going to take a little detour from the usual theme of our podcasts today. Our client is a senior technologist and the CIO of a major bank but that's not the accomplishment we want to focus on for today. Instead, we're going to talk about running.
Chang has run several 1000 kilometres and has finished several challenging runs in Hong Kong including the Four Trails. He does all this being a family man with 3 children and a demanding job! Today we will talk about how he got into running and we'll focus on two of his epic runs. The Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka which he helped inaugurate and his attempted Camino De Santiago run (600+ km). So let me extend a warm welcome to the one and only Chang!

Background

1. What got him into running?
2. Paint a picture of his running career from the time we did the HK100 together
3. Talk about his list of accomplishments since then
4. Where does this drive to keep running come from?

Mental toughness

1. What does he say to himself when the going gets tough?
2. When does he know when to quit a race?
3. Do thoughts of quitting enter his mind? If so, how does he handle them?

Physical toughness

1. Roughly what does his training look like to facilitate such runs
2. People talk about weak knees and cartilage as the distance goes up. Is there any truth to this and what does he do to avoid injuries?
3. Does he always watch what he eats? Even during a down season? What does he normally eat?

Family

1. How much of a difference can a supportive family be for him to indulge in his passions?
2. How did he find a wife so supportive of his running?
3. Will his kids follow in his footsteps? Does he want them to?

Connection between running and work

1. How does he decide where to channel his energy?
2. What are the positive effects and the negative effects (if any) of long-distance running on work?

Random questions

1. Is running an addiction for him?
2. Is there any downside to this addiction (if it is one)

The Sri Lankan trail

1. Tell us about the time when he was in Sri Lanka during the Tsunami
2. When did he realize the threat and what was going through his mind then?
3. How did he learn about the Pekoe trail?
4. He did the 22-day trail in just under 58 hours!! Talk to us about
1. The preparation for it
2. The dangers of it
3. How he beat being alone in the dark
4. What about animals?
5. How did he manage the weather?
6. The support from the crowd
5. What were the toughest moments during the race?
6. What was it like to finish it?

Camino De Santiago trail

1. How did the idea come about?
2. Talk to us about
1. The preparation for it
2. The dangers of it
3. How he beat being alone in the dark
4. What about animals?
5. How did he manage the weather?
6. The support from the crowd
3. How hard was it to make the decision to quit?
4. After he quit, did regrets take over his mind? How did he handle them?
5. How will he change his preparation the next time around?

To finish:

1. What lessons has he learnt from long-distance running?
2. How has it shaped him as a human being?
3. How should one balance sports vs social connections vs work?
4. What are some of the top tips for being able to successfully run such distances?

Today on The Pinpoint Asia Podcast, we are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Toa Charm, a visionary leader who has a wealth of experience in the technology space. 

With over three decades of experience across AI, Big Data, FinTech, corporate innovation, and entrepreneurship, Dr. Charm has held senior positions at global giants like HSBC, IBM, and Oracle. 

He’s the founding chairman of the Data Literacy Association (DaLa), driving data empowerment across industries, and a key mentor to some of Asia’s most promising start-ups. 

Our goal today is to understand more about DaLa, why he chose to start this association and the benefits of being a member of DaLa.

First of all, let me welcome Dr Charm to the podcast!

1. DaLa’s Vision and Mission

• Could you please give our audience an overview of your background and share the inspiration behind founding the Data Literacy Association (DaLa)? What was the driving force behind this initiative?
• How does DaLa aim to bridge the gap in data literacy, and why is this critical in today's digital landscape?
• What are some of the key initiatives DaLa has undertaken to empower individuals and organisations to understand and utilise data effectively?

2. Data Literacy Empowerment and Digital Transformation

• In your view, how does improving data literacy contribute to successful digital transformation within organisations?
• You have worked with numerous companies on their data strategies. Could you give us examples of how enhanced data literacy has translated into business success?
• For companies just starting on their data literacy journey, what are the fundamental steps they should take to begin leveraging data more effectively?

3. DaLa’s Impact on the Industry

• Can you share some success stories where DaLa has made a significant impact on an organisation’s data culture and performance?
• How do you foresee the role of DaLa evolving as the demand for data-driven decision-making grows globally?
• What are the unique challenges DaLa faces in promoting data literacy across various sectors, and how are you addressing them?

4. Personal Insights and Future Goals

• Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for DaLa in the next 5-10 years? How do you plan to expand its influence globally?
• How do you balance your involvement in DaLa with your other roles in academia, industry, and mentoring?
• What advice would you give to businesses and individuals who want to stay competitive in a data-driven world?

5. DaLa Events and Awards

• Could you please talk more about DaLa awards and events?
• What is the Data Literacy Index and how is it calculated?
• Why should companies consider participating in the DaLa awards?

Introduction:

We've all been hearing about AI and how it's about to take over the world!

Today on the Pinpoint Asia Podcast, we are honoured to have Kevin Pereira, MD of Blu Limited which is a consulting firm that specializes in Artificial Intelligence. He is also a guest lecturer at HKUST and teaches 'Big Data in Finance' and 'AI in Marketing' to MBAs and MFin students. We are going to ask him many questions pertaining to AI to learn more about the topic.

Questions:

1. Background & Career Journey:

• Let's start with a bit of background. Can you tell us a bit about your journey in technology and how you first got involved in AI and automation?
• You started talking about AI before the likes of ChatGPT, etc. How did you have the foresight to delve more into this?

2. The Role of AI in Business Transformation:

• You have consulted with many companies about AI. Which industries are ripe for transformation in your opinion?
• For those companies that want to get ahead of the AI curve, what should they do now to prepare?

3. AI Innovation & Trends:

• What are some of the most exciting AI innovations you’ve encountered recently that have the potential to revolutionise industries?
• How do you think generative AI, like chatbots and AI-generated content, is influencing the way companies operate?
• What are the key trends in AI that you believe every business leader should be paying attention to?

4. Challenges & Ethical Considerations:

• AI comes with its challenges, from data privacy concerns to ethical dilemmas. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced when implementing AI in businesses?
• How do you navigate the ethical considerations of AI, especially in sectors that have a large societal impact?

5. Future of AI:

• In five years, where do you see AI taking us? What are some of the future innovations or challenges we should be prepared for?
• How do you envision the role of human workers evolving alongside AI in the workplace?

6. Inspiration & Advice:

• For young professionals looking to enter the AI space, what advice would you give them to succeed in this rapidly growing field?

I have always wanted to speak to our podcast guest today to learn how he consistently maintains a smile while managing what I imagine to be a very high-pressure job as a global CIO for a top financial conglomerate. Let me welcome Pradeep Hegde (Global CIO for CLSA) to the podcast.

1. My first question for you is just that: every time I see you, you always have a smile on your face and you seem to be in total control of your inner world. Is that really the case and how do you manage that?
2. As a Global CIO of a major brokerage, what are some of the issues you are always juggling with? Are they different issues each time or is there an ongoing theme?
3. When managing these issues do you compartmentalize them so they don't interrupt you when you are having other conversations with people?
4. Do you have a stress management routine? If so, can you talk about it?

1. Could you please talk a bit about your background? Do you come from a family where academic excellence was mandated?
2. How did the idea of pursuing something in technology come about? Was it a strategic move or did you just choose something based on your interest at that time?
3. How ambitious were you then and did you always want to become a CIO?
4. What sparked the move to Japan from India in 1996?
5. For someone to ascend to the rank of being part of a C-level suite what are some of the requirements in your opinion? Is being good with people the most important quality of such a person?
6. Is it possible for a person who wants to be purely hands-on to rise to the level of becoming a CIO? Or does a person have to be a strong people manager?
7. How important are mentors in this regard and can you think of any mentor who has been crucial to your success?

1. Would it be fair to say that people management is the hardest part of a C-level executive’s job?
2. How can a person who is mainly focused on technology learn to people manage? What makes a good people manager?
3. When you are given more items to manage as a global CIO, you are expected to have a very broad knowledge of many things within the firm. How should one balance the temptation of going very deep in one area vs acquiring a broad set of knowledge in many areas?

1. What do you think are some of the growing trends within Banking Tech?
2. Is AI/Predictive Analytics really going to disrupt this space or is it more hyped?

1. What sort of advice would you give to budding technologies these days? Is a degree as important as it once was? Or, can one self learn the most pressing topics which universities don’t exactly teach? Like, for example, delving into one area like predictive analytics
2. Would you have any other comments or anything else you want to share?

I want to take a step back and talk about how you have gotten to where you are. Role as a Global CIOTrends in the industry advice to budding technologists

Today on the podcast, we have data expert Oliver Graeser who is the Head of Data & Insights at Parcel Perform.

Our goal today is to give everyone a 101 on Data and to dissect the difference between Data Modeling/Analytics, Data Lakes and so on.

Questions for Oliver - background

1. Could you please talk about your background? What got you interested in technology and in particular data analytics?

2. You transitioned from the banking/quant world into a pure tech role. What inspired this change?

Data 101

3. Can we start off with a basic 101 on Data? Could you please break down all of this for us or put it into context? What is the relationship between Data Science/Data Analytics/Data Modeling/Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?

4. Could you paint a rough flowchart on how data progresses from one stage to another? We hear of terms like Data Lake, Data Buckets and so on. For the average person who does not know much about how data is collected and processed, could you give us an overview of this?

5. We know what a relational database is (like SQL Database). Why would one need a non-relational database? Also, what is No SQL?

6. We also hear about technologies like Hadoop, MongoDB, etc. What are the applications of these kinds of technologies?

Data Science and Predictive Analytics

7. Could you give a real-world example of the application of Data Science?

8. What does Parcel Perform do? How do these concepts relating to data apply to Parcel Perform's workflow?

9. What is the difference between good predictive analytics and AI?

10. On the subject of AI, what is LLM and where are the situations in which one would need them? How does data science tie into LLMs?

Future of AI/Data

11. In your opinion, how much of what we hear about AI is a fad vs something to be seriously considered and concerned about?

12. How is AI shaping your line of work?

13. What can engineers do today to not be replaced by AI in the future?

Advice for budding technologists

14. What is your advice to budding technologists graduating from universities and wishing to pursue something in data science?

We had the incredible privilege of hosting Brian Wong on The Pinpoint Asia Podcast! As the 52nd employee of Alibaba and the author of "The Tao of Alibaba," Brian shared invaluable insights into the company's journey from a startup to a global e-commerce giant. Our conversation covered his unique experiences at Alibaba and the principles that fueled its phenomenal success. Brian's stories and wisdom provided a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of one of the world's most influential tech companies. It was an enlightening and inspiring episode that you won't want to miss!

Background

• Career Choice: Why English literature over medicine?
• Early Career: Information asymmetry between East and West in 1997 and the opportunity at Alibaba.
• Decision Making: Recognizing Alibaba as the right opportunity.
• Tao Components: Path, harmony, and embracing contradictions.

Mental Strength

• Leaving Comfort Zones: Moving from Palo Alto to Hangzhou.
• Purpose and Ambition: Balancing mission-driven life with financial needs and materialism.
• Continuous Growth: Cultivating ambition and taking on new challenges despite past achievements.

Personal Reflections

• Evaluating Opportunities: Deciding when to say yes to career roles.
• Proudest Achievements: Highlights from a career with Alibaba.

Insights on Alibaba

• Innovation Spirit: Learning from China's entrepreneurial spirit.
• Mistakes and Learnings: Key errors on the path to success.
• Leadership: Jack Ma's charisma, dealing with self-doubt, and maintaining staff well-being.
• Company Culture: Mission, vision, values, and performance reviews.
• Improvisation: Managing frequent changes without causing frustration.
• Data Utilization: Leveraging data to drive business.
• Growth Initiatives: Alibaba Global Initiatives and Leadership Academy.
• Growth Factors: Right timing vs. hard work and strategy.

Leadership Insights

• Leadership Development: Inherent traits vs. acquired skills.
• Building Culture: Establishing company culture.
• Morale Management: Keeping morale high during tough times.
• Motivation: Rewarding process vs. results.
• Strategic Thinking: Balancing strategy sessions with everyday work.
• Humility: Staying humble despite accomplishments.

Future Outlook

• China's Evolution: Changes since 1997 and pitfalls of growth.
• Future Challenges: Opportunities and challenges for Alibaba and the tech sector.
• Geopolitical Impact: Adapting to maintain a competitive edge amidst geopolitical shifts.

Abel is an accomplished technologist with several years of experience in the DevOps space. He has been the DevOps lead for many high-growth firms such as Xendit, Cake Group, and Foodpanda.

Today, we are going learn about DevOps and Cloud from him. We will also talk about his background and try to understand what made him the tech guru that he is!

Abel's background

You've been to many parts of the world like China and Africa and are now in Singapore. Could you talk to us about your background? What got you interested in technology and what keeps you interested in tech?

The 101s

Let us start off with architecture. Perhaps we can start with the basics.

Could you tell us what architecture is and how it has evolved? We have heard of two-tier and three-tier in the past. What are they? As far as applications go, there are other architecture terminologies that are being used these days. For example, microservices architecture and monolithic architecture. Could you please tell us what they are? Also, what would be a real-world example of this?

DevOps, SRE, Platform Engineer, DevSecOps and PaaS

Moving onto some 101 about DevOps, could you please define what that is? What did tech people do before DevOps was in practice? What makes someone a good DevOps practitioner? Is there a difference between Application and Infrastructure DevOps?We also hear the term SRE being used interchangeably with DevOps. What is the difference between the two? What about DevSecOps and PaaS? What are they?

Cloud 101

Moving onto the basics of the Cloud, the basic premise is that the infrastructure that was on the premises in a company can now be shared through combined computing power in a data center which is called the Cloud. Is that description somewhat accurate? There are so many Cloud providers like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud and so on. What are the differences between them? Other than pricing does the Cloud matter much to a developer? We hear about terms like Kubernetes, Containers, and so on. What are they?

Leading people

You have also lead a large number of people and we have some questions relating to this. The first one is which one do you find more enjoyable? The leading people bit or the tech bit? How should a hardcore techie learn to people manage? What are some of the challenges you have encountered with this? At some point, the general perception is that if you do not manage people, your career tends to stagnate. How much truth is there to this?

Trends in the industry

How will DevOps evolve in the future? Is AI/Predictive Analytics really going to disrupt industries in the future or is it more hyped?

Advice to budding technologists

What sort of advice would you give to budding technologies these days? Is a degree as important as it once was? Or, can one self learn the most pressing topics which universities don’t exactly teach? Would you have any other comments or anything else you want to share?

Our guest today has extensive experience as a CIO with large banks. He has successfully set up and managed 3 sizeable Technology Development Centers in the mainland and has played a key role in the initiation of 2 startups including one in the FinTech space in the mainland. Let me welcome Greg Au Yeung to the Podcast!

Today on the podcast, we are going to ask Greg about how his career trajectory and we are also going to delve into his experience setting up development centers in China and the future of technology there. Greg has recently started his own YouTube Channel called Inspiring China (https://youtu.be/JyrVpCGc5Ug) 

Intro Questions:

1. Greg, could you please give us an intro of yourself in your own words? Are you from Hong Kong originally?

2. Can you talk about your experience as an IT person - how did you rise to the level of being a CIO and did you always want to become a CIO?

3. According to your LinkedIn Profile (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregauyeung/), you started getting involved in building Technology Development Centers as early as 2005 when you were with State Street. Why the interest in China?
   

More questions about China:

1. In 2005 many people were not entirely sure about moving to China whereas you seemed to have embraced the chance of building your experience and expertise in China. Why is that? What was your motivation? Was it a career-driven move?

2. What challenges did you face in setting up a development center in China? Can you speak to the talent available in China?

3. One of the problems with offshore development centers tends to be that it is harder to integrate a Mandarin-speaking tech center with an English-speaking front office business in Hong Kong or in other parts of the world. What are your thoughts on bridging this sort of language barrier?

4. Some say that China is becoming more expensive and the offshore centers would now have to move to places in South America. What are your thoughts on this?

5. How do you see the trend of offshore centers in China developing over the next few years?
   

Technology Questions:

1. There is no doubt that clear winners are emerging from China. Like DJI, BYD, TikTok, BitMain and so many more. How would you compare the landscape of mainland-based tech unicorns with their Silicon Valley counterparts? Do you think the government in China is very encouraging of the development of new tech startups? Is the legal system conducive to building a good environment for these startups to mature?

2. From a data standpoint, given China has less stringent rules on privacy, do you think they have an advantage when it comes to Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence as these technologies need more and more data to become better?

3. What do you think are the roadblocks when it comes to the development and progress of technology in China?

4. Can you talk about the startups you've been involved with? How did you choose them and what has your role been in them?
   

YouTube Channel:

1. What inspired you to set up your YouTube channel Inspiring China?

2. Could you talk about who your target audience is and why they should subscribe?
   

Personality:

1. You've been working for a while now and have achieved quite a bit in your career. Do you still have the same drive to learn and grow as you did at the start of your career?

2. What career advice would you give to young ambitious IT professionals who want to be CIO one day?

3. Has there been any particular mentor who has been instrumental in your career development?

4. What books do you read? Is there a pattern and what are some of the top books you'd recommend?

5. How do you manage stress?

6. Has there been a key mentor or a significant person in your life who has enabled you to achieve the success you have had in your career?

7. Knowing what you know now if you could travel back to when you were 25 years old, what advice would you give yourself?

8. Is there anything else you would like to say that we haven't asked you?

Thank you so so much for your time and for sharing your wisdom with our audience

Today we are grateful to be talking to the Deputy Chief Product Officer of PwC's Digital Products Group.

Sarah Johnson comes from a unique background. She used to be the Operations Manager for the Polar Challenge / South Pole Race and spent 3 months in Antarctica for this. After a few more roles in technology, she is now the Deputy Chief Product Officer of the Digital Products Group arm of PwC.

Today on the podcast, we will ask her a few questions about her current role and try to glean some wisdom from her. After that, we will also talk to her about her personality and her contribution to society and to women in particular. So let me extend a warm welcome to Sarah and thank her for agreeing to do this!

Questions:

1. If you were to introduce yourself in three sentences or less, what would you say?

2. Let's go back to the beginning of your career. We just need to talk about your experience in Antarctica. How did that come about and what was it like living over there for 3 months?

3. Can you talk about the trajectory of your career and how it helped you get to where you are today?

4. Has your experience in seemingly unrelated jobs like the one in Antarctica helped you with your current job? If so, how?

   
   

Digital Products Group:

1. Can you talk about what Digital Products Group is?

2. Why was there a need to start Digital Products Group to begin with?

3. How old is Digital Products Group and can you talk about some of the successes so far that this group has achieved so far?

4. What have been some of the challenges of delivering these products?
   

Personality:

1. You seem to have a 'giving' and a charitable side to you. You are a mentor for HandsOn Hong Kong and sever as a mentor in the Women's Foundation of Hong Kong helping women advance in their careers. Why do you feel the need to give back and help develop women?

2. In your opinion, what can be done to promote more women in technology?

3. How ambitious and determined have you been to rise to the top of your profession and where does this ambition come from?
   

Final questions:

1. How do you think technology will evolve in the next 10 years or so?

2. What career advice would you give to young ambitious IT professionals?

3. Do you have a special routine that you follow that has enabled you to achieve success in your career so far? 

4. What books do you read? Is there a pattern and what are some of the top books you'd recommend?

5. Is there anything else you would like to say that we haven't asked you?

Today on the podcast, we have Ricky Lui who is a Security Consultant with SailPoint which is a company specializing in Identity Access Management. This topic of Identity Access Management is becoming increasingly important in today's world especially as internet connectivity everywhere is getting deeper and faster.

We will be talking about this topic in depth with Ricky today so first of all, let me welcome Ricky to the podcast.

Questions

• Please introduce yourself in your own words

• What is the relationship between Accenture and Sailpoint?

• Can you please also talk about your background and how you ended up specializing in IT Security / Identity and Access Management

Questions on our topic:

• What is the difference or relationship between IT Security and Identity Access Management?

• Can you give us an overview of IAM? Provisioning / Entitlement

• What is IAM so important? Especially, why now?

• As databases grow, how does one protect private data / prevent outside attacks?

• What kind of problem does Sailpoint solve in particular?

• Can Sailpoint's solutions be applied to Cloud-based CRMs like Salesforce?

• Can you talk about cases where companies have lost money due to bad IAM?

• Is this important for small companies and big companies?

• Can you talk through a couple of examples of implementation of IAM?

• Is IAM mainly deployed on the Cloud? Is IAM mainly deployed on the 'Application' side or the 'Infra' side?

• What are some of the mistakes companies make when it comes to IAM and how do they fix it?

• Do the latest concepts like Machine Learning and AI also interact with IAM?

Future of IAM

• What is the future of IAM and how is it changing?

There has been so much talk about Virtual Banks in the past few months. Some newspapers have reported that this could be a big threat to traditional retail banks. But, what exactly is a Virtual Bank and what can we expect from them over the next couple of years? On the podcast today, we are privileged to have Andrew Farmer, the CIO of Mox Bank (Standard Chartered's Virtual Bank) talk to us about this.

1. Could you please give us an intro of yourself in your own words?

2. Could you talk about how the transition from being the CIO for BP to entering the finance industry came about? What made you want to join the Commonwealth Bank and what brought you to Hong Kong?

3. Has the experience of working in an entirely different industry like the Oil and Gas industry helped you in your banking role? What about your current role? Do you think you have an advantage compared to others who have only worked in the banking domain?

Virtual Banking 101:

1. What exactly is a "Virtual Bank"?

2. Traditional retail banks essentially lend money at interest and attract deposits. That's the simplified business model for a retail bank. What is the typical business model for a Virtual Bank?

3. Does the "virtual" in a virtual bank mean that one can never walk to a branch?

4. What is so good about a Virtual Bank? How do the services on offer differ from that of a traditional bank?

5. From the standpoint of the complexity of the systems and infrastructure, how is working for a VB different from working in a traditional bank?

6. The mobile apps for (say) HSBC / Citi and other banks keep better so what advantage would a VB add to the already easy-to-use apps provided by traditional banks?

7. What would make a good VB technologist and would they differ from traditional technologists that banks hire?

Questions about Mox in particular:

1. We have all heard of Mox Bank, a numberless master card. Can you please talk about the benefits of banking with Mox?

2. What other products can we expect from Mox in the next year or two?

3. If SCB has a retail bank, won't this new Virtual Bank cannibalize its retail bank?

4. How would Mox differentiate itself from ZA Bank or Livi?

5. Are deposits under VBs also protected by Hong Kong's deposit insurance scheme?

The Future:

1. 8 companies have been awarded VB licenses. That seems like a small number but what would happen if more and more companies are awarded licenses? Would the population be "overbanked"?

2. How would VBs continue to evolve in the next 5-10 years?

3. How would technologies like blockchain, machine learning, and AI impact VBs?

As we look to wind up, I would be remiss if I didn't you about your secret of success from starting your career as a Management Consultant for Accenture to rising to the level of becoming the CIO for Mox. So, I want to take this opportunity to ask you a few "character" questions:

Personality:

1. You've been working for a while now and have achieved quite a bit in your career. Do you still have the same drive to learn and grow as you did at the start of your career?

2. How ambitious and determined were you to rise to the top of your profession?

3. What career advice would you give to young ambitious IT professionals who want to be CIO one day?

4. Do you have a special routine that you follow that has enabled you to achieve success in your career?

5. Has there been any particular mentor who has been instrumental in your career development?

6. What books do you read? Is there a pattern and what are some of the top books you'd recommend?

7. How do you manage stress?

8. Has there been a key mentor or a significant person in your life who has enabled you to achieve the success you have had in your career?

9. Knowing what you know now, if you could travel back to when you were 25 years old, what advice would you give yourself?

10. Is there anything else you would like to say that we haven't asked you?

Thank you so so much for your time and for sharing your wisdom with our audience

Our guest today is Sandesh Raikar. He has a wealth of experience in the Cloud space. He is the Director of Operations for Softlayer which is now called IBM Cloud. He played an instrumental role in increasing revenue for IBM Cloud by 300% and also grew their staff base by 300% in a 24-month period. I had the opportunity to meet him in Singapore and he totally dazzled me with his wealth of knowledge in Cloud technology. 

We're going to start off by talking to him about the basics of Cloud computing and we will attempt to slowly get into more detail about the subject during the latter part of our conversation with him.

"Sandesh's background"

1. Could you please introduce yourself in your own words and say a few words about your background?

2. You've got a strong background in building and managing large-scale Data Centers. Did you seek out those jobs because of an interest in this area or did these jobs find you?

3. Are data centers bought or rented by companies like IBM? What are the benefits of owning a data center vs renting one?

4. Is the speed of connectivity the most important differentiating factor for a data center? 

"Cloud Computing"

1. For the average not-so-technical person, what is Cloud Computing? Why are you so passionate about it?

2. What problem does Cloud Computing solve?

3. Can you please explain these concepts: virtualization / VMWare

4. We hear about SAAS, PAAS, IAAS - what's the difference between them?

5. There seem to be many firms like Google Cloud, MS Azure, AWS and now Alibaba Cloud. Can you talk about the market shares of these companies?

6. What is the difference between these Cloud providers?

7. How does IBM Cloud differentiate itself and who are the main target customers?

8. How can one judge the quality of a good Cloud Platform? Is speed the main criterion?

9. Talk about Cloud Security and Cyber Security. It seems to be on the news everywhere. What is the difference between IT Security, Cyber Security, Cloud Security and Cyber Risk?

10. MS recently sunk one of their Data Centers to the bottom of the ocean for what they claim is because of better cooling. Do you think it was more of a marketing stunt or is such cooling the thing of the future?

11. Is Cloud computing already mature as a technology? How do you think Cloud Computing will evolve in the future? 

"Advice and Future Trends"

1. How will data centers evolve in the future in your opinion?

2. Are you following other trends in FinTech like BlockChain, AI and Cryptocurrencies? What is your view on them?

3. In your opinion, how should today's computer science student prepare for work in the FinTech world of tomorrow?

4. What books do you read? Is there a pattern and what are some of the top books you'd recommend?

5. Has there been a key mentor or a significant person in your life so far that has enabled you to achieve the success you have had in your career?

6. Knowing what you know now, if you could travel back to when you were 20 years old, what advice would you give yourself?

7. Is there anything else you would like to say that we haven't asked you?

We often get told that "soft skills" are very important to progress in one's career and life in general. But, what exactly is that and what can one do to cultivate better soft skills? We are privileged to have Khyati Kapai on the podcast to talk about that. Khyati is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Yzer Solutions which specialises in the provision of customised training, coaching and consulting services for individuals and organizations in the Asia-Pacific region. So let me first of all welcome Khyati to the podcast.

Intro questions:

1. Please introduce yourself and Yzer Solutions

2. What got you interested in this space?

3. Roughly how many people have you coached and what are the top 3 typical revelations one has when attending one of your workshops? Please elaborate on them 

Going into soft skills:

1. How would you define "soft skills" ? What are the elements that make up "soft skills"?

2. Why is it important for one to improve one's soft skills?

3. As candidates in a competitive job market, how can one benefit from stronger soft skills?

4. What about introverts and shy people? Is it harder for them to hone their soft skills?

5. Please talk about some practical tips on what one can do to start working on each element of one's soft skills

Communication:

1. I attended your workshop once and I saw how easily gaps in communication easily build because the understanding of phrases is different between the speaker and the listener. Can you speak to that?

2. When both parties are communicating in their 2nd language, what can one do to minimize communication gaps?

3. How important is using one's hands for gestures when it comes to communicating?

4. What can one do when ego gets in the way of communication?

More tips:

1. Having led several workshops and trained several people in this space, what are your top 3 tips for individuals and companies?

2. If there's one key takeaway in the form of an exercise that you'd like to leave our listeners with, what would it be?

3. Is there anything else that you'd like to say or share that I have not asked?

Edward Wong is a Finance Technologist professional who is currently working for QuantDesk, which incorporates quantitative AI-bots that will automate high-frequency trades (HFT) in the past, he was involved as an Application Architect playing an important role in the delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. We will unpack all of that and more during the course of our discussion with him.    Edward has worked in Silicon Valley, Hong Kong and is now managing a team of developers in Saigon, Vietnam. Today on the podcast we want to talk to him about Cryptos, AIs and all the trending technology topics and also about what it is like leading and managing teams across Hong Kong, Silicon Valley and Vietnam. So first of all, let me welcome Edward to the Pinpoint Asia podcast.

  Questions:

1. Briefly talk about your background

2. What got you interested in IT?

3. Between 2006 and 2013 you worked for IBM and you played the role of an Application Architect and were involved in the delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Please talk about that project. What's an Application Architect?

4. You worked as a Treasury Architect for the Fed Reserve Bank around 2013. Can you talk about that experience? What is it like working for the US government?

5. They say governments are slow to adapt to change - did you find that this was the case?

6. Why did you choose to return to Hong Kong and why the interest in Finance Technology?

7. You were the Co-founder of the Shanghai Commodity and Futures Exchange. Talk to us about that.
   

Technology:

1. What did you attempt to do with Crytpos? Why the interest there?

2. What is a bot? And, what is the difference between a bot and an AI Bot?

3. What does architecting a crypto trading platform mean? What is a crypto trading platform?

4. How did the idea of development in Vietnam come about?

5. What is it like working in Vietnam? How did you find the developers and what was it like communicating with them?

6. Why did they choose Vietnam as the dev centre and not China?
   

 Future of Technology in Finance:

1. What's your view on cybercrime? Do you think it will become a bigger problem with thieves becoming smarter than cops?

2. If you could invest in one great FinTech idea and pour most of your investment money into it, which one would it be?
   

  Advice for aspiring technologists:

1. Is there anything different that computer science students need to do now to prepare for the FinTech world ahead of them?

2. If there's any advice you can pass on to your 20-year-old self, what would it be?

3. Is there anything else you'd like to say that I haven't asked you yet

Totally humbled and privileged to be talking to the APAC CIO and Managing Director of Daiwa Capital Markets John Zendano today. He started his career with the United States Air Force loading C130 cargo planes and got his first taste of finance and Investment Banking by working for Nomura as an Operations Clerk in 1983. He has since been making solid progress in his career and as mentioned, today he is in an MD and CIO for Daiwa Capital Markets. He has volunteered for different causes including teaching English to severely handicapped children. As his LinkedIn profile says: "[It is] Good for all kids to learn that although handicapped, all kids are equal". Such empathy, care and approachability despite his various achievements speak to John's character.

Today on the podcast, we will trace the success of his career and have him share with us some of the lessons he has learnt in life and his career so far. So let me extend a warm welcome to John and thank him for agreeing to do this!

Questions:

1. If you were to introduce yourself in three sentences or less, what would you say?

2. Let's go back to the beginning of your career. Why did you want to join the USAF? And what was your family's reaction to your decision when you expressed it?

3. Loading C130 aircraft for the military, what was that experience like? Sounds like a scene right out of an action movie!

4. If someone were to ask you about the top 3 things you learnt from your military experience what might that be and why was it important for you to learn it?

5. Why did you decide to leave the air force and how did that first job in finance come about?

6. Was knowing and being able to speak Japanese a unique advantage to your getting the job?

7. Head of Operations for Prudential in Japan in 1986 to Chief Admin Officer for Lehman Brothers in 2001, your career seemed to have taken off since your time in as the. What comes to the top of your mind when asked what you would attribute your success to?

8. If you were to compare the challenges in your career to the challenges back in the military, how would they compare?

9. What role in your career so far has been the most memorable for you?

10. As CIO of Daiwa, what has been your biggest accomplishment and what's been the biggest challenge?

11. What is the biggest change you've seen in the evolution of technology in your career so far?

12. How do you think technology will continue to change if we look 5-10 years into the future?
    

Personality:

1. You've been working for a while now and have achieved quite a bit in your career. Do you still have the same drive to learn and grow as you did at the start of your career?

2. You have a caring and charitable side to you. As mentioned in the intro, you volunteered in Japan by teaching English to severely handicapped kids. As mentioned in the intro, you believe that "Good for all kids to learn that although handicapped, all kids are equal". Your LinkedIn recommendations also talk about how you treat everyone fairly and give everyone the same chance to progress. How did these beliefs and such empathy get instilled in you?

3. How ambitious and determined were you to rise to the top of your profession?

4. How do you maintain a humble and approachable personality despite all your achievements so far?
   

Questions:

1. What career advice would you give to young ambitious IT professionals who want to be CIO one day?

2. Do you have a special routine that you follow that has enabled you to achieve success in your career?

3. What books do you read? Is there a pattern and what are some of the top books you'd recommend?

4. Has there been a key mentor or a significant person in your life who has enabled you to achieve the success you have had in your career?

5. Knowing what you know now, if you could travel back to when you were 25 years old, what advice would you give yourself?

6. Is there anything else you would like to say that we haven't asked you?