Linus Lai is a member of the Asia/Pacific Software and Services Research Group. He has more than 20 years of IT experience in the region. Based in Sydney, Australia, he has experience in several cloud, software, and services programs in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), which covers a wide range of technology and services markets across 13 countries.

In this role, he is responsible for providing insights and analyses in enterprise adoption, integration, and management of these solutions. This includes sourcing strategies, vendor selection, and identifying emerging trends in business and technology solutions across technology buyers in the region. Linus is a founding member of IDC Asia/Pacific’s Emerging Technology Advisory Council and is a recipient of numerous awards for country, regional, and quality research contributions. In his previous role as head of research in Southeast Asia, he developed and grew IDC’s presence in the region.

Linus is frequently quoted in various publications and media outlets and is a regular presenter at industry forums, client events, and strategic workshops. Prior to joining IDC, Linus worked with a large outsourcing service provider that focused on retail banking solutions.

Linus holds a master of science degree from the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom.

Fernando Castanheira is Riverbed’s Global CIO responsible for all aspects of IT including digital transformation, Cyber/IT security, infrastructure, operations and business platforms. In addition, Fernando leads the SaaS Business strategy function partnering with the customer facing teams on new approaches centered on providing ongoing customer value and delightful experiences.

Prior to joining Riverbed, Fernando worked at JPMorgan Chase in various senior IT roles, most recently as a Managing Director and CTO. Fernando led various IT infrastructure and business aligned Application Development organizations with high impact roles at large scale with focus on digital transformations, increasing efficiencies, improve productivity and security. Fernando has built and led large organizations with specific focus in Digital Workplace technologies, End User Services, Multimedia/Telecom, and Corporate Technology functions.

Early in his career, Fernando held engineering and application development roles at Deloitte & Touche and Teledyne Brown Engineering.

Fernando holds a B.S in Computer Science from NJCU and a Master’s degree in Technology Management from Stevens Institute of Technology (magna cum laude).

With over 25 years of leadership experience in technology across the APJ region, Paul Crighton is dedicated to helping customers achieve their strategic vision.

Paul is passionate about engaging with customers to demonstrate the value of AIOps for Observability and Acceleration.

Nick is dedicated to customer success at Riverbed, leveraging his deep experience in IT and Service Management to address customer pain points and deliver optimal outcomes. Known for his collaborative approach and strong leadership, Nick ensures customer relationships are healthy and mutually beneficial. His ability to navigate complex topics and guide technical teams helps Riverbed deliver value across its customer base.

Adi Mendel has been a cornerstone of the Aternity team since 2016, driving the evolution of Digital Employee Experience (DEX) from traditional monitoring to modern, AI-powered observability. With a deep background in product strategy and a specialty in mobile and enterprise-wide DEX, Adi helps global organizations convert complex endpoint data into actionable business outcomes.

Known for a customer-first approach, Adi is currently focused on helping leadership teams navigate the 2026 vendor landscape—ensuring that as the market shifts toward private-equity models and standardized platforms, Aternity customers continue to benefit from technical flexibility, high-fidelity visibility, and a roadmap built for the future of work.