Tech Events
STACK 2024: Learn from the experts in AI, software security, and digital transformation!
15 October 2024
Who are the keynote speakers at STACK 2024 shaping the future of tech through AI, security, and digital transformation?
Get ready for Singapore’s biggest Government-led tech event — GovTech’s STACK Developer Conference 2024 — happening from 6 to 7 November at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre!
What is STACK 2024?
STACK 2024 is GovTech's flagship conference that seeks to foster learning, collaboration, and networking across the public and private sectors. It serves as a platform for government agencies, industry leaders, and the tech community to exchange ideas and explore new opportunities that propel digital transformation.
Why attend STACK 2024?
This year’s event will feature 9 distinguished keynote speakers who are experts in their fields, representing leading organisations like Microsoft, GitLab, ServiceNow, and more.
STACK 2024 offers an unparalleled opportunity for innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts to gain insights into the latest advancements, trends, and products shaping the future of technology.
Get to know the keynote speakers of STACK 2024
Note: This article is the 2nd of a two-part series on STACK keynote speakers. Check out the 1st article to learn more about the other STACK keynote speakers.
Chang Sau Sheong: Shaping Singapore's Digital Future
Chang Sau Sheong is the Chief Technology Officer and Deputy Chief Executive (Products) at GovTech, where he leads the country's digital transformation efforts and drives innovation in public sector technologies. With over 30 years of experience in software engineering and digital transformation, Sau Sheong is a key figure in Singapore’s journey towards becoming a Smart Nation .
What to Expect from Chang Sau Sheong’s Talk
In his keynote, Sau Sheong will delve into how AI and open-source technologies are revolutionising software development and engineering productivity. Attendees can expect insights into how the Singapore government is leveraging AI coding assistants and cloud technologies to enhance the efficiency of public services.
With his extensive experience across both public and private sectors, Sau Sheong will offer practical advice on driving digital transformation in complex organisations, ensuring long-term resilience in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
A Visionary Leader in Digital Transformation
At GovTech, Sau Sheong is responsible for the development and execution of whole-of-government platforms, including cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity operations . He is dedicated to ensuring that Singapore’s public sector remains at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, utilising generative AI and open-source tools to boost developer productivity and build resilient digital infrastructure.
Before joining GovTech, Sau Sheong had an extensive career with leadership roles at global tech giants like PayPal, Yahoo, and HP, where he led teams in building enterprise software for international markets.
Championing AI and Innersourcing
Sau Sheong is a strong advocate for AI integration and InnerSourcing — a strategy where organisations use open-source software development practices to develop, share, and collaborate on software codes within the organisation. He is focused on enhancing collaboration across government agencies by encouraging the sharing and cross-use of software module stacks such as SG Tech Stack . This allows developers who face common engineering, security, and policy compliance challenges to reuse and adapt these resources for their projects.
Driving Community and Industry Engagement
Sau Sheong's dedication to building technology communities is evident in his long-standing involvement in developer conferences. He is the driving force behind the STACK Developer Conference , Singapore’s largest government-led developer event, where he fosters collaboration between the government, industry players, and the tech community. Under his leadership, the conference has evolved into a platform for exploring cutting-edge topics like AI, digital trust, and open-source innovation.
Dr Tok Wee Hyong: Pioneering Data and AI for Global Impact
Wee Hyong is the Partner Director of Products at Microsoft's Cloud and AI Organisation, where he leads global teams in developing cutting-edge solutions that harness the power of data and artificial intelligence. With over 15 years of experience at Microsoft, Wee Hyong has been a driving force in shaping the company’s AI strategy and fostering innovation across its diverse product portfolio. His leadership has helped transform AI from a niche technology into a critical tool for businesses and governments worldwide.
What to Expect from Dr Tok Wee Hyong’s Talk
In his keynote, Wee Hyong will explore the game-changing potential of Generative AI and how it’s reshaping industries today. He will discuss the pivotal role of data in training AI models and outline best practices for developing a holistic Data and AI strategy that can deliver meaningful outcomes. Expect insights into how Microsoft and its partners are leveraging AI to solve real-world challenges, from enhancing operational efficiencies to tackling environmental issues.
Transforming AI and Data into Tangible Solutions
Wee Hyong has played a pivotal role in advancing AI technologies at Microsoft, co-founding initiatives like AI for Earth, which uses AI to address global sustainability challenges. Through projects ranging from tracking deforestation to measuring carbon absorption, his work has demonstrated how AI can be a force for public good. As the former Head of AI Labs, Wee Hyong led a global team of data scientists to develop AI solutions for industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing, delivering innovative machine learning applications that drive business impact.
From Product Innovation to Global Leadership
Throughout his career, Wee Hyong has been at the forefront of AI innovation at Microsoft. He helped develop the Azure Data Factory, a key component in Microsoft’s cloud offerings, and played a crucial role in launching Microsoft Fabric, a unified data analytics platform. With over 10 books published on topics like weak supervision and automated machine learning, Wee Hyong is also a thought leader in the tech community. His deep expertise in AI, coupled with his leadership in product development, has cemented his status as one of the leading figures in global AI innovation.
Ashley Kramer: Company Culture as a Catalyst for Innovation
Ashley Kramer serves as the Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, as well as interim CRO for GitLab Inc. With deep expertise in product management, marketing, and technology, she is pivotal in advancing GitLab's position as the most comprehensive AI-powered DevSecOps platform for software innovation.
What to Expect from Ashley’s Keynote Presentation
In her keynote presentation, Ashley will share the parallels between the world of software development and GitLab’s community approach and her perspective on what it means to bring an open-source mindset to the workplace. Drawing from her extensive experience at GitLab and other leading tech companies, Ashley will explore how to:
Implement a community-driven mindset within organisations
Build high-performing teams
Provide the resources, freedom, and support needed to hire and grow tech talent for innovation to thrive
Ashley’s Journey: From Engineer to Executive
Beginning her career as a software engineer at NASA, Ashley quickly discovered that while she excelled in the technical aspects, her real passion lay in solving problems and creating compelling narratives. This led to a product management role at Amazon.
At Amazon, she honed her ability to combine analytical skills with creative vision, a blend that not only made her a standout product leader but also prepared her for her future in marketing. Her roles at Tableau and Alteryx further solidified her expertise in scaling hypergrowth companies, transforming them into market leaders through strategic product positioning and go-to-market strategies.
Leading Through a Customer-First Approach
At GitLab, Ashley’s roles as Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Strategy Officer and interim CRO empower her to bridge the gap between product development and marketing. Her approach is deeply rooted in customer insights, ensuring product innovation and marketing strategies align with real market needs.
Steve Springett: Pioneering Secure Software Supply Chains for a Safer Digital Future
Steve Springett is a prominent figure in software security, currently serving as the Director of Product Security at ServiceNow, where he and his team help product engineering build secure and resilient software. As a passionate advocate for open-source software and a leader within the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) community, Steve has driven numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing software supply chain security.
What to Expect from Steve’s Talk
In his keynote, Steve will address the critical importance of software supply chain security in today’s interconnected world:
The role of Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs) in enhancing transparency and accountability
How organisations can integrate security practices into engineering and developer platforms
The importance of maturity models in assessing and improving security postures
The collective responsibility required to address the challenges of the software supply chain
Expect to gain valuable knowledge on how to navigate this complex landscape, and safeguard your software supply chain by leveraging collaboration, transparency, and shared best practices to build a safer digital future.
An Expert in Software Supply Chain Security
As part of the OWASP Board of Directors, Steve helps to shape the organisation’s future direction. For instance, under his leadership, the OWASP Dependency-Track project has become a key tool for identifying and managing risks in software components. Moreover, his efforts with CycloneDX, an Ecma International standard for Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs), has also been widely recognised. He also co-authored the Software Component Verification Standard (SCVS) — a comprehensive reference for assessing software supply chain maturity. The standard has influenced policies and frameworks such as the NIST Secure Software Development Framework.
At ServiceNow, Steve educates teams on secure software development practices, including threat modelling, secure architecture, and defensive programming techniques. His commitment to security spans every stage of the software development lifecycle, fostering a culture where security is ingrained from the outset.
A Champion for OWASP and the Broader Community
As a member of the OWASP Board of Directors, Steve has been instrumental in driving the foundation’s mission to make secure software a reality through open collaboration, education, and innovation.
Steve is also committed to enhancing OWASP’s outreach in both government and industry. He believes in strategic representation at key events and has been actively involved in software transparency initiatives led by the U.S. Federal Government.
Suthen Thomas Paradatheth: Leading Grab’s Tech Revolution in Southeast Asia
Suthen Thomas Paradatheth is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Grab. He leads the technology team that builds all of Grab's products which serve millions of people across Southeast Asia every day. An early leader in Grab, he has held a range of critical technology and business leadership roles in the company since it began as a startup until it became a NASDAQ-listed public company.
He was Grab’s first Technical Lead, and oversaw the development of many of its foundational systems. He also established the Business Operations team and served as Chief of Staff to co-Founder Hooi Ling Tan. Since 2017, he has held a variety of engineering and technology leadership positions, including Chief Technology Officer.
He has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School on a twin Fulbright Scholarship and Khazanah Global Scholarship and a Bachelor’s in Software Engineering (First Honours) from the Multimedia University.
What to Expect from Suthen's Talk
In his keynote, Suthen will discuss the critical role of platforms in driving engineering efficiency and maximising scalability.
Keen to hear from these keynote speakers? Register for the STACK Developer Conference 2024!
Choose from in-person tickets (selling fast) or virtual tickets!