IBM X HTS: Leadership Agility In Times Of Change And Crisis

Aileen Judan-Jiao is the President and Country General Manager of IBM Philippines. Her mission is to lead IBM to be essential to its clients’ resilient operations and accelerated digital transformation through the infusion of technology such as loud and AI, and services. Since she joined IBM as a Systems Engineer in 1992 and with close to three decades of experience across various technical, business and executive management positions across various business units within the Philippines, ASEAN and other Asia Pacific countries, Aileen has pioneered initiatives that has helped deliver outstanding business outcomes, retain high-value talent, and ensure skills are relevant now and in the future. 

A technology and business thought leader, Aileen has evangelized digital transformation and diversity and inclusion in various fora. She is committed to move the Filipino talent especially women into key leadership positions and get the underserved, under-motivated external young breed into the STEM track. She advocates inclusion by supporting IBM’s good tech initiatives to extend IBM technology and expertise to the Philippines’ less-privileged sector. Aileen champions this further through strategic partnerships with leaders in industry. She sits at the board of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AMCHAM), Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), and Philippine Business for Education (PBed). 

Charu is a Partner at IBM and leads the Consumer Goods, Retail, Travel and Transport consulting practices in ASEAN. She has deep experience of and expertise across a range of consumer and logistics industries, including FMCG, F&B, consumer healthcare, grocery and small-format retail, big-box and super/hyper-market retail, omnichannel and direct to consumer businesses, luxury retail, travel and duty free retail, airlines, airports, and third-party logistics. 
 
With 20 years of end-to-end strategic consulting experience across the globe, Charu works with the C-Suite and Corporate Boards of F500 companies to address their most pressing challenges – including digital reinvention of their businesses, development of new digital and omnichannel operating models, modernization of core and legacy technology, creation of automated and efficient supply chains, re-engineering of core business processes to become more data-driven and intelligent, application-infrastructure modernization and journey to cloud, and design to execution of large-scale transformations. 
 
As an industry leader, she leads consulting and implementation teams to accelerate translation of Board vision into actionable strategies for quick and tangible value realization - from enabling clients’ teams to operationalize customer centricity to leveraging data to create business value, and reducing operating costs and increasing inter-company operability through use of exponential technologies such as AI, IoT, Automation, Blockchain and XaaS-platforms. 
 
She has enabled improvements in her clients’ long-term financial performance including top-line and profitability growth, and sustained increase in enterprise innovation, talent retention, and productivity. 
 
Charu has M&A experience, having been part of several acquisitions in the digital, market-entry, and omni-channel space with focus on emerging markets. 
 
Part of the Singapore Computer Society and the Singapore Institute of Directors, Charu often speaks at industry events, and advises Economic and Trade Councils in ASEAN on digital and technology trends. She also mentors and invests in early-stage start-ups, and serves as guest-faculty at leading graduate schools. 
 
Charu is passionate about the role of women in leadership and Board diversity, and is committed to accelerating the presence of women in STEM.  
 
Charu is also the founder and owner of a successful online luxury ecommerce start-up called BitsxBobs that brings together curated décor and fine art from around the world.  

Sabrina has been working in the talent solutions industry across Asia Pacific for over 10 years and is passionate about unlocking the potential of individuals in the workforce.

She founded half the sky (halftheskyasia.com) - a career and headhunting platform connecting female professionals with equal opportunity employers. Through half the sky, Sabrina hopes to empower women in the workplace and level the playing field for women.

Currently resides in Singapore, Sabrina was born and raised in Hong Kong and educated in Hong Kong, New York and Beijing. Sabrina speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin.