Conference Speakers

Trained in Marketing and Business Management, Aaron is a frequent speaker for our capability workshops. He works with partners to jointly deliver insightful seminars on innovation, business transformation, digitalization and AI application, overseas expansion, and HR capability development. He has led a few Group-Based Upgrading Projects to help companies identify capability gaps and develop roadmap to drive business growth. 

Albert has more than 36 years of franchising experience, of which 11 were as a master franchisee of a UK-based franchise-consulting company. Achievements: he and his team have helped over 1400 companies in over 10 Asian countries in franchising & related consulting work; he has built a network of about 70 strategic partners in over 50 cities; he’s a board or counsel member at the World Franchise Council, Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation,  Franchising & Licensing Association, Brands For Good, and Neu-Gen, a NGO helping ex-offenders; He’d been awarded numerous awards by various national franchise associations & other organizations; he’d spoken in 47 nations in over 300 occasions; he’d co-authored “Developing and Managing a Franchise” & “ Building that first multi-million franchise empire”, and contributed to many publications and social media on franchising; He’s the Editor-in-Chief of Asia Franchise & Business Opportunities , a English-Chinese bilingual magazine (now fully digital) since 1994.

Andrew Khoo is the Chairman and CEO of The MUI Group, a multi-national group of companies with businesses in the hotel, retail, property, and food. Mr. Khoo is a dynamic leader armed with over 20 years of experience in the food, retailing and hospitality sectors where he has held various senior management positions. Today, he also leads MUI Properties Berhad, Pan Malaysia Corporation Berhad, Metrojaya Berhad and West Synergy Sdn Bhd and is a Director of Benjamin Barker. In 2019, he was appointed the President of the Franchising and Licensing Association (Singapore) where he served for two terms.

Anjan brings over 20 years of experience in brand licensing, with senior roles at The Walt Disney Company and now Paramount. He has led regional strategy and P&L across Southeast Asia, India, and MENA, growing global franchises and forging long-term partnerships. At Paramount, Anjan oversees cross-category licensing for Nickelodeon’s portfolio—spanning beloved kids’ brands like Paw Patrol and SpongeBob, as well as adult IPs including Mission Impossible and Emily in Paris—working across multiple markets and stakeholders to drive commercial success. 

Caleb joined the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center in Singapore in 2024 as a legal officer and currently serves as the Representative of the WIPO Center in Singapore. In this role, he administers ADR cases, provides procedural guidance, conducts research to address regional needs, and develops tailored dispute resolution policies. He is also responsible for promoting WIPO’s ADR services across the ASEAN region and creating training materials to enhance regional engagement.

Before joining WIPO, Caleb was appointed a Young IP Mediator by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, during which he served as a shadow mediator in a successful IP mediation case.

He has spoken extensively on the benefits of WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation services at key regional and international events.

Caleb holds an LLB from the National University of Singapore and is an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore.

Dixon has practised law as a private practitioner, in-house legal counsel and as a lawyer & IP Strategist in the government sector.

Over the years, Dixon has advised numerous entities including MNCs and SMEs across many different industries, such as gaming (studio to platform, platform to users), e-sports, platform works i.e. e-commerce, digital exchanges, mobile applications, agri-tech, food-tech, med-tech, artificial intelligence.  As such, he is very familiar with the challenges (particularly IP issues) experienced by businesses throughout Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

On the public policy end, Dixon is an alumnus of Intellectual Property Office of Singapore and he was one of the key contributors involved in the formulation of the Singapore IP Strategy 2030 – Singapore’s 10-year IP road map.

He has spoken on topics relating to intangible assets in many conferences, including WIPO IP Management Clinics (ASEAN regions), Eastern Economic Forum, International IP Symposium (Tokyo), St Petersburg International Legal Forum and World IP Summit (Amsterdam).

Dixon has been listed on the prestigious IAM Strategy 300 list in the recommended individual category from 2020 to 2024 and also listed as IAM Global Leader in 2024.  He is also a certified IP mediator who sat in several panels around the world, including WIPO & INTA.

Proud graduate of the University of Tasmania, Dixon holds qualifications to practise law in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Dickson Low is a seasoned figure in the F&B industry with over 30 years of management experience in Singapore and Malaysia. Within FLA Singapore, Dickson oversees the association's strategic direction and government relations. He is serving as an Advisor on board the Executive Committee. 

He was the Director and Co-founder of Revenue Valley Group and served as the CEO until 2020. Dickson also introduced and managed multiple F&B brands, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Tony Roma’s, TR FireGrill, Nice Catch Seafood, Dapolah, and New York Steak Shack in Malaysia over the last 18 years, where he played a key role in company growth, profitability, and maintaining high standards in the restaurant business.

In an industry that demands constant innovation and transformation, Dickson’s key strength lies in developing, understanding, and training people for advancement, including expanding brands into new territories.

Ms. Ding Lei (Emily) is the General Manager of the International Business Department at Shenmo Education Headquarters in Beijing, China. With over 12 years of dedicated experience, she has been instrumental in expanding the Shenmo brand globally, successfully introducing its renowned abacus mental math program to over 50 countries worldwide. 

• Glenn is a prominent leader in the cyber security and data protection space with Zavior, where he specializes in regulations and cybersecurity, supporting businesses of all sizes in achieving compliance with personal data protection laws (PDPA) and information security standards, as well as in securing ISO and local regulatory certifications. Beyond his core role, he is an active board member contributing technical and business expertise to community-building efforts with organizations such as the Singapore Digital Chamber of Commerce (SGDCC), the International IP Commercialisation Council (IIPCC) Singapore, and Brands For Good Asia. Previously, as Presale and Solution Architect Director at Tessaract.io, Glenn bridged technical and business needs for professional services clients, playing a critical role in technical scoping, sales, product development, and implementation. He also brings significant venture capital and corporate innovation experience gained at TNB Ventures—a next-generation Series A-focused VC and corporate innovation firm specializing in IoT, robotics, AR/VR, and big data—where he led cross-sector innovation programs, strategic consulting, and collaboration among corporates, government agencies, and startups across ASEAN, China, and Taiwan.

Hsien Naidu is a recognized thought leader in franchise strategy, known for bridging high-level strategic insight with grounded execution across Southeast Asia’s franchise landscape. With decades of experience supporting brands in scaling effectively and sustainably, she champions a content-driven approach to growth—leveraging storytelling, education, and brand clarity as key tools in franchise development. Beyond her advisory and operational work, Hsien is also a community builder, having hosted and curated Franchise Mastermind events that bring together founders, operators, and innovators across the region to share best practices, challenges, and breakthroughs. Her influence extends across Southeast Asia, where she has become a trusted voice in helping brands turn strategy into systems, and ideas into scalable outcomes. 

With over 30 years of hands-on and advisory experience across franchising, branding, IP and strategy, John has guided businesses in a wide range of industries, backed by real-world insights from leading a regional F&B brand and shaping award-winning brand transformations. John has over three decades of experience advising SMEs and MNCs across Asia. His insights have shaped growth journeys from local startups to global networks.

KK’s practice areas include cybersecurity, data protection, technology, employment, and private client advisory. Before joining the Bar, he spent close to 25 years in separate roles with global MNCs, listed entities, and the Singapore Government. He is a graduate of the University of Texas (Austin), Monash University Law School (Australia), National University of Singapore (Law Faculty) and Wealth Management Institute (NTU). He is also an affiliate member of STEP. He holds multiple technical qualifications and professional memberships in information security and audit. Whilst as Founding Chair of the Cybersecurity and Data Protection Practice Committee of the Law Society of Singapore, he led the Committee in developing the Cybersecurity Practice Guide for lawyers as well as developing the Cybersecurity Guide for charities in Singapore for the Commissioner of Charities, Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY). 

Formerly an Allen & Gledhill partner, Sok Ling is a seasoned

business, entertainment and intellectual property (“IP”) lawyer

with more than 20 years of post-qualification experience. She is

the founding vice-president of the Institute of Singapore Trade

Mark Agents and chairs The Law Society of Singapore trade

marks committee. She is a domain name dispute resolution

panelist with World Intellectual Property Organization, Hong

Kong International Arbitration Centre and Asian Domain

Name Dispute Resolution Centre.

Sok Ling is a professionally-trained and accredited mediator

with an impressive track record in resolving domestic and

cross-border business, shareholder, licensing, real estate,

employment, consumer, intra-family, defamation, trade mark,

copyright and patent disputes over the past decade. She holds

a level 3 accreditation with Singapore International Mediation

Institute and is empanelled as mediator and neutral evaluator

with Singapore Mediation Centre, Consumers Association of

Singapore, The Law Society of Singapore, World Intellectual

Property Organization, Benchmark International Mediation

Centre etc.

She is among the pioneer batch of mediators in Singapore to receive specialist accreditation in IP mediation

and in family mediation. She has the honor of successfully mediating one of the first disputes filed under

the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore mediation scheme, and of successfully conducting the first ever fully virtual mediation during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

 Pai Timasart has been with TOROFRIES for 3 years, playing a key role in franchise development both domestically and internationally. She manages all franchise inquiries and works closely with potential partners to support brand growth. Currently focusing on Southeast Asia, Pai has successfully signed 9 outlets in Malaysia, with 3 already in operation—marking a strong start to TOROFRIES’ international expansion. 

Nguyen Phi Van is a serial entrepreneur, author & government advisor. Her experience spans over 20 years as a senior executive in brand, retail, and franchise development across global emerging markets in Asia, The Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. She is currently chairwoman of VFLN - Vietnam Franchising & Licensing Network, board director of ASEAN Business Angel Alliance Network, chairwoman of Go Global Holdings with an investment portfolio of 12 franchise systems, and a startup angel investor with a portfolio of 34 companies. She has published 10 books in Vietnam with 2 on franchising, namely “Franchise Startup - A Short Route to Global Markets” and “Go Global - An MSME’s Guide to Global Franchising.  

Ryo Horiki is a Tokyo-based serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in IT, marketing, and business development. Over the years, Horiki has launched and managed more than ten companies across a wide range of fields: corporate storytelling (Life Story Inc.), food franchise expansion into Japan (FT Consulting, Japan Partner), sales and organizational support (Web Progress), cybersecurity (Vyshytech LLC), international trade (illnoa LLC), security services (EDP Japan LLC), and the operation of fresh orange juice vending machines, Director of IJOOZ Japan.

Sethaphong "SETH" brings over a decade of expertise in growing franchises, supported by a solid 20-year foundation in finance and investment within Thailand. As a highly skilled franchise expert holding Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), he served as a franchise standard assessor, and teaches on franchise subjects at universities and with Thai government bodies. His proficiency shines through in organizing successful business matchmaking events, both in-person and online, across Thailand and Asia. SETH plays a pivotal role in helping Thai brands go global and in introducing international brands to Southeast Asia. Additionally, he specializes in finding suitable franchisees for international franchise brands across Asia, ensuring a perfect match between brands and their local partners. 
 
His work primarily addresses real-world challenges in the hospitality sector, focusing on areas where finance, operations, and marketing overlap. Before founding Gnosis Company Limited, a boutique corporate advisory firm in Bangkok, Sethaphong amassed valuable experience as a banker and financial consultant at an international advisory firm. His academic credentials include a Master’s degree in International Business and Finance from Southern New Hampshire University, USA, and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Banking from Thammasat University, Thailand. 
See more Sethaphong's bio at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethaphong/  

Susan Su is the Managing Director of Asiawide Franchise Consultants Pte Ltd, a leading consulting firm based in Singapore. She is a renowned expert in franchising, with a strong background in franchise development and market expansion in Asia. Susan Su has authored and published several notable works, including "Franchising: The China Practice" and thematic research reports such as the China Franchise Development Report and the Research Report on the Development of Overseas Franchise Brands in China. She has also translated "From Ice Cream to the Internet – How to Build a Successful Franchise System" and published an academic article titled "The Performance of International Franchises in China" in The Journal of Global Business & Trade. Through her work at Asiawide Franchise Consultants, Susan Su provides expert guidance to businesses looking to expand through franchising in Asia. 

Viviene is a co-managing partner at Clifford Law LLP with over 27 years of experience in Dispute Resolution, specialising in Family Law, Employment Law, and Negligence Claims(Professional and Personal Injury) . She is a SIMI Certified Mediator, trained by Regent’s University London and the Singapore Mediation Centre, and currently serves as a Principal Mediator with the SMC and a Senior Mediator with the Law Society Mediation Scheme. Viviene has handled over 100 mediations and also mediates in her private capacity. 

Viviene conducted the first successful mediation under the WIPO-Singapore ASEAN Mediation Programme in Singapore in November 2023. The mediation resolved a trademark dispute involving Chew's Optics and its related businesses, Chew's Optics (Bishan) and Chew's Optics (Kovan)

Fun fact: Viviene is Law Society Pro Bono Ambassador for 2025