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TSSAG x SFDA – Navigating the Asian Investment Landscape
23 April @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Venue: Singapore Cricket Club | Gilmour Room, Connaught Drive A, Singapore 179681
Organizer
Event Details
TSSAG and SFDA, in continuation of their thought leadership series “Navigating the Asian Investment Landscape,” are pleased to announce their Annual Conference to be on 23 April 2026. This half day post lunch event will feature expert panels on emerging opportunities within the Asia Middle East corridor, investment funds, and the changing scene in Asia, and harnessing AI in Asia within financial services. We hope you can save the date for this event. Attendance is by invitation. More event details will be shared soon.
Agenda
14:00 – 14:30
Registration and Networking Coffee/Tea
14:30 – 14:35
Welcome Address
14:35 – 15:15
Session 1 – The Asia-Middle East Corridor
Martin O’Regan, Valerie Mantot-Groene, Shuai Lu and Shantanu Mukerji
Following on from last year’s panel discussion, the Asia-Middle East Corridor continues to attract attention and focus, what are the latest developments?
This panel will delve into the emerging opportunities in the Middle East, exploring opportunities for the potential set up by investors, managers and service providers.
15:15 – 16:00
Session 2 – The Future of Capital Flows
Mrugank Paranjape, Thomas Scott-Barton, Justin Christopher and Kai-Niklas Schneider
With wealth transition, geopolitical risk, and democratisation of investing, are we looking at a paradigm shift, and are we ready?
This panel will examine the opportunities and challenges faced by fund sponsors to enhance evolving practices in the face of the new dynamics.
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:15
Session 3 – Fortifying for the Future: AI in APAC’s Financial Sector
Lawrence Au, Hai Jade Fuan, Boon Hiong Chan and Rajiv Premkumar
In 2026, the financial sector will experience a transformative shift as advanced data strategies and AI reshape banking, asset management, insurance, and FinTech. With AI set to automate over a third of manual processes, efficiency gains will be substantial.
This panel will delve into scaled AI investment and corporate implementation, featuring insights on regulation, generative AI, and security.
17:25 – 17:30
Concluding Remarks
17:30 – 19:30
Drinks and Canapes
Speakers
Lawrence Au
Founder & CEO of The LaunchPad.Biz
LinkedIn
Lawrence Au served as Asia Pacific CEO at BNP Paribas Securities Services and Northern Trust for 16 years combined, building their Asian operations from the ground up and providing strategic leadership to more than 2,000 staff across eight countries. His industry contributions were honoured by Global Custodian’s “Industry Legend Award” (2023), Asia Asset Management’s “Lifetime Achievement Award” (2016), and the University of Queensland’s “Vice Chancellor Alumni Excellence Award” (2020). He has authored two books on the evolution of Asia’s financial industry—”Asia’s Financial Industry 1986–2016″ and “From Physical to Digital”— both held in university and public libraries worldwide. Since retiring from corporate life in 2018, he has remained active as a consultant, guest lecturer, mentor, and philanthropic supporter, and serves on several advisory bodies including HKMA CMU’s Market Advisory Group.
Boon Hiong Chan
Industry Applied Innovation Lead & Head APAC Market and Technology Advocacy, Securities Services at Deutsche Bank
Boon‑Hiong Chan leads Deutsche Bank’s Securities Market and Technology Advocacy and applied innovation in APAC, with a focus on market structure, post‑trade & funds, digital assets and AI.
With over 20 years’ experience across public‑private sector engagement, transformation and securities services, he represents Deutsche Bank in industry forums including GFMA and ASIFMA, and in initiatives such as MAS Project Guardian and Pathfin.AI. He has led DLT and AI initiatives recognised through five innovation awards in 2024–25 with Deutsche Bank named as co‑recipient.
Based in Singapore, he supports capital market modernisation across the region.
Justin Christopher
Managing Director, Head of Asia at Calastone
Justin is responsible for Calastone’s Asia business.
Justin has over 20 years’ in the financial services industry extensively in the Operations, Managed Funds and Funds Administration. His most recent roles include Chief Operating Officer at Link Fund Solutions (part of the Link Group), Managing Director, Custody Services at One Investment Group and Head of Clearing, Custody Services and Product for BNP Paribas Securities Services Australia and New Zealand.
Hai Jade Fuan
Executive Director, Head Product Commercialisation, Financing & Securities Services of Standard Chartered
Hai Jade joined Standard Chartered Bank in 2012 and currently leads Product Commercialisation within the Financing and Securities Services business, spanning new product development, client solutioning, strategic messaging, and thought leadership. With over two decades of post-trade experience across Asia and Europe, she brings a practitioner’s perspective on how emerging technologies, particularly AI, can enhance decision-making, operational resilience, and client outcomes within regulated financial markets. She also oversees the Market Insights function, represents Standard Chartered on the ISSA operating committee, and works closely with clients and market participants to translate trends in digital assets, funds, custody, and post-trade infrastructure into commercially viable, market-ready solutions.
Shuai Lu
Senior Executive Officer & Managing Director of Gordian Capital (DIFC) Limited
Shuai serves as the Senior Executive Officer and Managing Director of Gordian Capital (DIFC) Limited, as well as the Chief Representative for Gordian Capital Limited Shanghai Representative Office. Prior to this, he served as Gordian Capital’s Singapore based, Head of Trading as well as the Responsible Officer of Gordian Capital Hong Kong Limited. Joining Gordian Capital as a graduate in 2011, he has gained considerable experiences in operations, risk management and trading, executing trades in equity and, derivative instruments, across all Asian markets. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Statistics) from the National University of Singapore. Originally from Hangzhou, China, he is a Singapore citizen.
Valerie Mantot-Groene
Regional Head of Asia at APEX Group
Valerie is a Regional Head-ASIA at Apex Group, with over 20 years of experience in leading alternative assets servicing teams across Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
Valerie has been an active contributor to the industry throughout her career, serving on the board of various professional organizations and committees. Currently, she is the Chair of the Association of Luxembourg Funds (ALFI) in Southeast Asia, as well as member of the D&I committee of the Singapore Fund Directors Association (SFDA) and the Singapore Venture Capital Association (SVCA).
Shantanu Mukerji
Managing Director of Gulf Capital
Shantanu is the Managing Director and head of Gulf Capital’s Singapore office, a leading thematic alternative investment firm with over 18 years of experience in growth markets. He has been leading the firm’s private equity investments and portfolio growth activities in Asia since 2021. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in consumer and luxury industries, having previously spent nearly a decade at L Catterton, the world’s largest consumer-focused private equity group. There, he handled investments, value creation, and divestments. He also held senior roles at renowned brands like LVMH Watch & Jewellery, Zegna, and Nike. Shantanu holds a B. Tech from IIT Delhi and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad in India.
Martin O’Regan
Managing Director of Solas Fiduciary Services Pte Ltd
Martin O’Regan is the founder and managing director of Solas, providing a truly independent directorship service, based in, and privately owned in Asia. With over 25 years of experience in investments funds and other alternative investment vehicles, Martin has held senior roles for Deutsche, Citi, Apex and UBS in Bermuda, Dubai, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Martin is licensed as a director with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA). He is also Chairman of the Singapore Fund Directors Association (SFDA). He is an Executive Committee member of both the Singapore Funds Industry Group (SFIG) and Chinese Offshore Private Funds Association (COPFA).
Mrugank Paranjape
Managing Partner at MCQube
Mrugank is a renowned expert and consultant in capital & commodities markets. He is the Non-Executive Independent Director on the Board of the State Bank of India & Oracle Financial Software Services, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sewa International. Prior to this, he held leadership and senior roles in NCDEX eMarkets Private Limited, Multi Commodity Exchange of India, and Deutsche Bank. He was awarded the “Custodian Banker of the Year” (2012) by Asian Investor. Mrugank is an alumnus of IIT Mumbai (B Tech, Electrical Engineering) and IIM Ahmedabad (PGDM with Specialization in Information Systems).
Rajiv Premkumar
CEO of Curia Regis
Rajiv Premkumar is the CEO of Curia Regis, Board Member of the Association of Cryptocurrency Startups and Enterprises Singapore (ACCESS) and Chair of the ACCESS Digital Asset Management Subcommittee (ADAMS). He is a regulatory compliance specialist and legal professional focused on financial services, digital assets, and institutional market infrastructure.
With extensive experience in regulatory compliance, he has worked across the industry and in multiple jurisidictions, bringing together his deep local and global exposure. He played a key role in building out Singapore’s Payment Services requirements by securing Singapore’s first crypto-exchange license. Rajiv and his team engage with industry stakeholders on innovation, data, and technology to advance automation and institutionalization in digital asset management, and have been actively involved in the delineation of AI use within financial markets.
Kai-Niklas Schneider
Partner at Clifford Chance
Kai-Niklas Schneider is a Partner in the Singapore office and a member of the APAC Private Funds Group. He is a US-qualified lawyer with over 20 years of specialist experience in the funds sector and advises clients on the formation of and investment in a wide variety of private equity funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds and credit funds. He also counsels clients on co-investments, secondaries and spin outs.
Kai is the co-chair of the Executive Committee of the Singapore Funds Industry Group (SFIG), a public-private partnership between the MAS and the funds industry.
Thomas Scott-Barton
APAC Chief Operating Officer at Jain Global (Singapore)
Thomas Scott Barton is APAC COO of Jain Global with over two decades of hedge fund experience, beginning his career at Tudor and later founding global macro and digital asset funds in Singapore. He is a member of AIMA’s Global Council (since September 2022) and Chair of the AIMA Singapore Executive Committee.