Stephanie Krishnan is Research Director for IDC Manufacturing Insights, responsible for Industry 4.0 research. In this role, she responsible for the production, development and growth of the IDC Manufacturing Insights program in the Asia Pacific region. In this role, Stephanie will be delivering a research agenda that will appeal to technology buyers and vendors both in terms of subscription products and custom research in Industry 4-0 looking across ecosystems, value chains and supply chains of industrial industries.

Stephanie has more than 20 years’ experience in manufacturing and supply chain, with a diverse background that complements her years in academia and professional development consulting in multiple countries such as Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE and Hong Kong among others. in addition to this, she advises startups in the areas of process automation and technology adoption, particularly in supply chain management. Stephanie has been most recently been conducting economic and supply chain market research as part of consulting in the Middle East.

Al Zhong is the Director of Smart Manufacturing Solutions & Robotics, Lenovo Solutions and Services Group, based in Hong Kong.

Al has over 20 years of experience in technology consulting, having served as a Consulting Partner for the Big Four across Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North America. His career began in ERP, etc. enterprise applications, evolving into a robust expertise in data governance, analytics, digital transformation, digital twins and artificial intelligence.

He has delivered high-impact solutions for key industries, including High-tech Manufacturing & Automotive, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) & Retail, Transportation, Logistics, & Public Sectors.

In addition to his technical prowess, Al is a Fellow of CIMA, a member of CPA Australia, and is CISA certified.

Alex is a Solution Director at Lenovo, supporting strategic accounts in the Asia Pacific region. With over 30 years of experience in IT solutions, services, and business management, Alex excels at helping customers tackle complex business challenges using innovative solutions from Lenovo and its ecosystems partners. Prior to joining Lenovo, he spent 25 years at IBM, where he honed his expertise in technology and client solutions. Having spent 3 years with the data center defacto standard company, Uptime Institute, Alex holds certifications in Accredited Tier Designer (ATD), Accredited Tier Specialist(ATS) and Accredited Operations Specialist (AOS). Passionate about driving digital transformation, Alex is committed to delivering tailored solutions that empower businesses to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. His leadership and strategic vision continue to make a significant impact in the industry.

Alex holds an Electrical Engineering Bachelor Degree from the Nanyang Technology University, Singapore.