Management Committee Biographies
| Founding Chairman | ||
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J Anton Ravindran, Group CEO & Co-Founder, Genovate Solutions J. Anton Ravindran is the Group CEO and Co-Founder of Genovate Solutions. He has been instrumental in expanding Genovate to be a regional player in IT services, consulting and training. He has acquired nearly 15 years of experience in the IT Industry and has worked with a host of major corporations, both in the US, and in Asia. Prior to heading Genovate, a Singapore-based company that currently has regional offices in 10 countries, Ranvindran was the Regional Business Manager (SES) with Sun Microsystems for Asia South. Whilst at Sun Microsystems, he won the President's Award for outstanding performance in 1999. Ravindran has also worked with Singalab (an IBM/NCB joint venture) where he spearheaded business development and with Informatics, where he spearheaded and managed ITE programmes, for its international operations, for nearly 30 countries. Whilst based in Texas, he had a successful technical career with both IBM Labs at Roanoake, and Computer Associates at Las Collinas. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in IT awarded by the University of Texas and an MBA conferred by the University of North Texas. Ravindran has published numerous articles in most of the leading IT publications in Southeast Asia and is a regular guest speaker at major technology events, and has presented at international conferences. Anton is also the Asst Secretary elect of Singapore Education International (SEI), an industry driven government supported organization. In spite of his demanding schedule, Ravindran finds time to contribute to many civic and charitable organizations in Singapore. He is also a Charter Member of the Singapore Lions Club. He is married to Mala, a Singaporean, and partner of a local law firm. | |
| www.genovate.com | ||
| J Anton Ravindran | ||
| Vice-Chairman | ||
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Mark Trudinger, Vice President Asia, SurfControl Mark Trudinger has worked in Internet related fields since 1996. He was International Director of sales for Microsystems Software International, and International Internet Director for the software division of Mattel Inc., and is currently Vice President Asia for SurfControl Plc. He has worked for SurfControl since 2001. He has been a frequent speaker at international events, usually focusing on his expertise in Internet Filtering, Internet Security and how to stop unwanted content. Trudinger joined SurfControl as Director EMEA and Rest of World, responsible for building the business in Scandinavia, Southern and Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2003 he moved from London to Singapore to established the Singapore Office, SurfControl’s first Asian office. As Vice President Asia, he is responsible for North and South East Asian territories, including India and Japan. | |
| www.surfcontrol.com | ||
| Mark Trudinger | ||
| Secretary | ||
| John Pok, Legal Counsel, Yahoo! Singapore and Southeast Asia As Legal Counsel at Yahoo! John Pok manages the full spectrum of legal duties at the company covering Southeast Asia and India. His responsibilities include structuring and negotiating deals, ensuring regulatory and statutory compliance and liaising with various government and statutory authorities and bodies. In addition, he oversees and manages Yahoo!’s corporate secretarial and litigation needs. John is an integral part of the management team, working closely with other senior executives at Yahoo! Southeast Asia and India to oversee the administration, operations, business and commercial development, strategy and risk management of the company. John also sits on the information security committee of the Yahoo! group of companies which is responsible for dealing with and formulating the information security policies of the Yahoo! group. Prior to Yahoo!, John served as Chief Legal Counsel at Vcheq,com and has held other positions in private practice at Shook Lin and Bok as well as Khattar Wong and Partners. He graduated with a LLB (Hons) from King’s College, London and holds a LLM (Corporate/Commercial) from the same institution. John was called to the Singapore Bar in 1995 and to the Bar of England and Wales in 1993 | ||
| www.yahoo.com.sg | ||
| Treasurer | ||
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Katharine A Bostik, Senior Director Legal and Corporate Affairs, South East Asia, Microsoft Corporation Katharine Bostick is Microsoft’s Senior Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs in South East Asia. She is responsible for leading Microsoft’s efforts across South Asia Pacific in developing and implementing Microsoft’s internet safety initiatives focused on protecting the public from the growing internet threats, including malicious code, botnets, spam, online fraud, and other cyber attacks. She collaborates with governments, industry, law enforcement, and consumers to build partnerships focused on public policy, education, and enforcement. In leading Microsoft’s cybercrime enforcement efforts in the region, she is building public/private partnerships with law enforcement agencies focused on cybercrime capacity building projects. Katharine is also leading Microsoft’s efforts in protecting children online by working with external organizations and law enforcement to protect children impacted by the internet. In the area of Intellectual Property, she has established Microsoft’s Anti-counterfeiting program in South Asia Pacific. The program has focused on education, public policy, and strategic enforcement against criminal organizations in key markets across the region. Prior to joining Microsoft, Katharine served as a federal prosecutor for over 11 years. As an Assistant United States Attorney, she prosecuted cases in the Southern District of New York, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section at the Department of Justice, and in the Northern District of California. During her career as a federal prosecutor she handled a wide range of investigations and prosecutions, including prosecutions of major organizations involved in international drug trafficking and money laundering, and major fraud investigations. Just prior to joining Microsoft, she served as the Chief of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force for the Pacific Region in the United States Attorney’s Office in San Francisco, California. Katharine received her Juris Doctorate from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California at Berkeley. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Santa Clara. She is a member of the New York, California, and Washington D.C bars. | |
| www.microsoft.com.sg | ||
| Katharine A Bostick | ||
| Interest Group Co-ordinator | ||
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Christopher Harvey, Chief Executive & Software Engineer, Zara Technology Pte Ltd Christopher oversees strategy and charts technical directions for Zara Technology. He has more than three decades of experience developing software in the UK and in Asia for both MNCs and SMEs across multiple industries. He has extensive experience in integration and conversion of legacy applications to Internet-enabled systems. Beginning his career in the UK, his much sought-after expertize brought him to Asia. He has consulted and implemented systems for a wide range of companies including Wilson Parking, A&W, Pico Art, National Bank of New Zealand, Oxford University, Hill Samuel, NatWest Bank, Morgan Stanley, Commercial Union, and Hitachi Chemicals. For the past decade in Asia, he has been leading a team developing software for SMEs. By literally living and breathing the SME segment, his understanding and knowledge of the market is comprehensive. Christopher received his BSc (Hons) in Computing Science from the University of Staffordshire, UK (1984). PhD research in knowledge-based systems and Artificial intelligence at the University Of Aston in Birmingham was cut short due to the unrelenting pull of the private sector; but Christopher has always harboured a curiously strange desire to officially finish what was started. | |
| www.zaratechnology.com | ||
| Christopher Harvey | ||
| Secretariat | ||
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Andrew Peters, Regional Director Asia Pacific, The Pacific West Communications Public Relations – Event Management – Marketing Strategy Bringing more than 15 years of industry experience to the table, Andrew joined The Pacific West Communications in October 2005. As Regional Director Asia Pacific, Andrew is responsible for the strategic development of the agency, overseeing client portfolios, business development and providing counsel to deliver total value-added solutions that deliver sustainable results for clients. He is also instrumental in regionalising the agency’s business through opening offices in Hong Kong, Sydney and London, further expansion plans continue. Before driving the strategic direction of The Pacific West Communications, Andrew spearheaded client campaigns for an integrated marketing and communication agency headquartered in Sydney. He was seen to be a sort-after resource for their Asian clients and subsequently established their first international office in Singapore. Andrew has been also instrumental in founding the Internet Industry Association of Singapore (IIAS) and continues to serve as its secretariat. Andrew has had extensive experience in B2B and B2C marketing for technology companies across Asia Pacific. His previous years were spent at multinational technology vendors including ICL (now Fujitsu), Wang Computers and Anixter. To compliment The Pacific West Communication’s portfolio of services Andrew has recently launched a number of new exciting initiatives these include; a business platform that facilitates business relations between Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Translations Services for corporate communications from web to print to broadcast and yet to be unveiled, an essential Destination Travel Service. Andrew is a passionate New Zealander with an avid interest in technology and possesses an entrepreneurial attitude to both business and life. To contact Andrew Peters please call +65 9451 9012 or email: Andrew@thepacificwest.com | |
| Legal Advisor | ||
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Ken Chia, Principal, Baker & McKenzie/Wong & Leow Baker & McKenzie is the world’s leading global law firm. We have provided sophisticated legal advice and services to many of the world’s most dynamic and global organisations for more than 50 years. With a network of more than 3,200 locally qualified, internationally experienced lawyers in nearly 40 countries, we have the knowledge and resources to deliver the broad scope of quality legal services required for both international and local clients – consistently, with confidence and with sensitivity for cultural, social and legal practice differences. Baker & McKenzie is one of the largest and most well-established law firms in the Asia Pacific region, having had a presence here for more than 40 years. Baker & McKenzie, Singapore was established in 1981 and has since grown rapidly to become the largest offshore firm in Singapore. Our office offers full legal services with strong practices in corporate and commercial law, intellectual property and information technology law, banking and finance law, tax law, international trade law, construction and engineering law, litigation/arbitration/alternative dispute resolution, securities and major projects. With effect from 1 January 2001, Baker & McKenzie has been operating through a new joint venture firm: Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow, in a joint venture with its Singapore associate firm, Wong & Leow LLC. The Joint Law Venture allows us to offer our clients the benefits of many synergies that are present between our two firms as well as those between our Asia Pacific and Global Operations. | |
| www.bakernet.com | ||
| Ken Chia | ||