Digital Next Global 2026 Agenda | Keynotes, Panels & Expert Sessions

Digital Next Philippines

Agenda

08:30 AM – 09:00 AM	:	REGISTRATION AND COFFEE
09:00 AM – 09:25 AM	:	OPENING CEREMONY
09:25 AM – 09:30 AM	:	WELCOME KEYNOTE Speaker: Nikhil Raj Singh – Chief Strategy Officer, Ampcus Cyber
09:30 AM – 09:45 AM	:	KEYNOTE 1: Forging a Resilient Digital Philippines: DICT’s Blueprint for Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity Speaker: David Almirol Jr. – Undersecretary for E-Government, Department of Information and Communications Technology
09:45 AM – 10:00 AM	:	KEYNOTE 2: Mastering the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2030: Strategies for Regional Integration and Transformation Speaker: Mel Migrino – President, Philippines CIO Association and Council President, Women in Tech ASEAN CXO Association, SG
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM	:	KEYNOTE 3: Defend, Prove, Quantify: The CISO Operating Model for 2026 Speaker: Nikhil Raj Singh – Chief Strategy Officer, AmpcusCyber
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM	:	PANEL DISCUSSIONEngineering the Future: Industry 4.0 Innovation for an Intelligent and Sustainable Economy Leveraging digital twins, automation, and advanced analytics to optimize performance and enable real-time operational intelligence Integrating AI, IoT, and smart systems to enhance productivity, resilience, and end-to-end visibility across value chains Embedding sustainability through energy-efficient technologies, data-driven resource management, and circular economy innovation Speakers: Arlene Romasanta – Director IV and CIO, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Edison T. Dungo – Director for Information Directorate, Manila Doctors Hospital Ernesto J. Rufino Jr. – Vice President – ICT, Royal Cargo Inc. Kenneth N. Sy – Chief Technology Officer, Rex Group of Companies Leonardo Sacamos Jr. – Chief Information Officer, FAST Logistics Maria Rosell S. Gomez – Partner – Risk Services & Forensics Leader, PWC Philippines
10:45 AM – 10:55 AM	:	KEYNOTE 4: Digital Trust Across ASEAN: Building Identity Verification Infrastructure for the Philippines and Beyond Speaker: Patrick Ramseyer – Chief Revenue Officer, Kairos
10:55 AM – 11:25 AM	:	NETWORKING BREAK
11:25 AM – 11:40 AM	:	KEYNOTE 5: AI-Powered Growth: Scaling Philippine Enterprises with Generative and Agentic Intelligence Speaker: Lito Villanueva – Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
11:40 AM – 11:50 AM	:	KEYNOTE 6: From AI Ambition to Responsible Adoption: What Organizations Are Getting Right Speaker: Maria Rosell S. Gomez – Partner – Risk Services & Forensics Leader, PWC Philippines
11:50 AM – 12:05 PM	:	KEYNOTE 7 :AI-Powered Cyber Defence in ASEAN Banking: Fighting AI Fraud While Protecting Digital Finance Speaker: Barani Sundaram – Chief Technology Officer, EastWest Banking Corp, Philippines
12:05 PM – 12:35 PM	:	PANEL DISCUSSIONThe Enterprise AI Advantage: Personalization, Performance, and Profitability Delivering hyper-personalized, predictive, and proactive experiences that enhance customer value and loyalty Embedding AI seamlessly across digital platforms, products, and customer touchpoints to drive measurable business impact Building the governance, data infrastructure, and strategic partnerships required for responsible, enterprise-wide AI adoption Speakers: Charlie Valerio – Chief Information Officer, Aboitiz Power Corporation Rookie Nagtalon – Strategic Business & Group Chief Technology Officer, AIDEA Group of Companies Rogelio ‘Nooky’ Umali Jr. – Global Technology Head, CIO, Transunion Philippines Lionel Gacad – Chief Experience Officer, GoTyme Bank Devendra Pratap Singh – Chief Information Officer, AG&P
12:35 PM – 01:30 PM	:	LUNCH BREAK
01:30 PM – 01:45 PM	:	KEYNOTE 8:AI-Driven KYC & Data Authentication: Accelerating End-to-End Approvals Speaker: Sanjay Sharda – Chief Liabilities and Customer Growth Officer, UNO Digital Bank Ltd.
01:45 PM – 02:30 PM	:	PANEL DISCUSSIONAccelerating AI-Driven Digital Transformation in Philippine BPOs: From Automation to Intelligent Operations Leveraging Generative and Agentic AI to boost efficiency, enable hyper-personalization, and shift to high-value KPO services Successful cloud migration, and digital upskilling strategies to future-proof operations and retain talent Real-world BPO case studies delivering measurable ROI Speakers: Tonichi Achurra-Parekh – Vice President, Concentrix, Member Board of Trustees, IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines Clinton Marsh – Chief Technology Officer, KMC Solutions Carlo Valencia – Head of Business Excellence, Sourcefit Resh Del Rosario – Global Security Director, Transcom Nikhil Raj Singh – Chief Strategy Officer, Ampcus Cyber
02:30 PM – 03:00 PM	:	PANEL DISCUSSIONSecuring Tomorrow: AI-Powered Compliance for the Philippines’ Digital Future Building intelligent AI + blockchain frameworks that proactively adapt to Philippine DPA, NPC regulations, and ASEAN standards while neutralizing emerging cyber risks. Integrating quantum-ready zero-trust principles to make cybersecurity the unbreakable core of every digital transformation initiative. Showcasing forward-looking Philippine success stories where predictive compliance intelligence transforms regulatory demands into a powerful driver of growth toward 2030. Speakers: Julie Reyes – Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Maya Philippines, Inc. Guadalupe Lyn P. Vergel De Dios – Director, Chief Compliance Officer, Mizuho Bank Ltd. (Manila Branch) Catherin De Joya Urtola – SVP & Chief Compliance Officer, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited – Manila Branch Melanie Tolentino Oteyza – SVP & Chief Audit Executive, MERALCO
03:00 PM – 03:15 PM	:	KEYNOTE 9:Resilient Systems, Responsible Leadership: Navigating Digital Transformation Securely Speaker: Bently Roxas – Director IV & Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Health
03:15 PM – 03:30 PM	:	CLOSING REMARKS

08:30 AM – 09:00 AM	:	REGISTRATION AND COFFEE
09:00 AM – 09:30 AM	:	OPENING CEREMONY
09:30 AM – 09:45 AM	:	KEYNOTE 1: Strengthening National Cyber Defence: CICC’s 2026 Strategic Acceleration Plan Speaker: Paulo C. Ullado – Director III, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center
09:45 AM – 10:00 AM	:	KEYNOTE 2: Preparing the Payments Industry for What’s Next Speaker: Yew Kuann Cheng – Regional Vice President, PCI Security Standards Council
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM	:	PANEL DISCUSSION 1: The CISO’s Playbook: Orchestrating Security, Innovation, and Boardroom Confidence Navigating escalating regulations, AI-driven threats, and budget pressures while sustaining resilient, future-ready security programs Harnessing AI as both shield and risk—how leaders are leveraging intelligent defence to counter AI-powered adversaries Closing the boardroom gap by aligning cyber risk, business strategy, and measurable outcomes to achieve true executive-level partnership Speakers: Albert Dela Cruz – Director, PHCERT Alexis Bernardino – Principal CXO Advisor, Head CXO Advisory Group, PLDT Enterprise Marlon Sorongon – Chief Information Security Officer, Maybank Philippines Jose Paul G. Rufo – Chief Information Security Officer, Union Bank of the Philippines Francesca Barcelona – IT Area Lead – WB CISO and Global CISO, ING Hubs PH
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM	:	NETWORKING BREAK
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM	:	KEYNOTE 3: Zero-Trust at Scale: Strengthening Enterprise Connectivity and Edge Resilience Speaker: Jon David Frilles – Regional Lead – Network and Infrastructure Security, Kenvue
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM	:	PANEL DISCUSSION 2: From Reactive to Autonomous: AI-Enabled Cybersecurity for the Next-Gen Enterprise Automating threat detection, triage, and response through AI-driven analytics to reduce dwell time and operational fatigue Enabling human–AI collaboration within the SOC to enhance decision intelligence and accelerate incident containment Embedding governance, explainability, and ethical controls to ensure secure, accountable, and resilient AI-powered defence operations Speakers: Rookie Nagtalon – Board Of Trustees, CIO Philippines Steffen Minkmar – Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Asian Development Bank Justine Co – VP Fraud Management, WiSAP Patrick Ramseyer – Chief Revenue Officer, Kairos
12:00 PM – 12:15 PM	:	KEYNOTE 4: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Advancing Privacy-Enhancing Technologies Speaker: Col. Francel Margareth Padilla PA – Cybersecurity Woman Leader and Evangelist, Armed Forces of the Philippines
12:15 PM – 01:15 PM	:	LUNCH BREAK
01:15 PM – 02:00 PM	:	PANEL DISCUSSION 3: Privacy at the Core: Reimagining Data Protection for a Connected World Embedding privacy into business strategy, not treating it as a back-office function. Navigating AI, cross-border data use, and third-party risk. Elevating the DPO role into a strategic leadership mandate. Speakers: Robert Sanchez Paguia – Division Chief and Data Protection Officer, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center Atty. Maria Concepcion Gloria-Rubio – Data Protection Officer/ AVP Investigation & Verification, Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corporation Joseph Victor Generato – Director II, Management Information Systems Service, Maritime Industry Authority Gelalyn V. Boquiren – Data Protection Officer, San Miguel Corporation and President, Data Privacy Council, a Council of National Privacy Commission Alyssa Jean D. Velasco – Data Protection Officer, Hann Group of Companies
02:00 PM – 02:45 PM	:	PANEL DISCUSSION 4: Building Cyber Resilience in Philippine BPOs: Defending Data, Clients, and Trust in a High-Threat Landscape Navigating rising ransomware, supply chain attacks, and AI-powered threats targeting the BPO sector Implementing Zero Trust, compliance frameworks (ISO 27001, SOC 2), and advanced threat detection for global clients Practical strategies for incident response, data privacy, and securing hybrid/remote operations while maintaining competitive advantage Speakers: Michael Oliver Ignacio – Vice President, Information Security and Data Privacy, Altius Inspiro JL Botor – President, Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines Vasanth Kumar – AVP – Technical Services Group, HGS Nikhil Raj Singh – Chief Strategy Officer, Ampcus Cyber
02:45 PM – 03:00 PM	:	CLOSING REMARKS Mel Migrino – President, Philippines CIO Association and Council President, Women in Tech ASEAN CXO Association, SG

Terms and Conditions | Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 QNA Group.
All rights reserved.
Head Office: Office 1705, Grosvenor Business Tower TECOM, Barsha Heights, Dubai UAE

About QNA

QNA has firmly established itself as a trusted leader in the events industry, with a remarkable track record of hosting over 150 B2B conferences, summits and roadshows across India, APAC, the Middle East, and Africa. Over the years, QNA has built a reputation for creating high-impact, content-rich events that resonate with industry leaders and stakeholders.

At QNA, our mission goes beyond organising events; we aim to foster environments where business leaders, entrepreneurs, governments and change-makers from around the world can converge to drive meaningful change. We are committed to asking the right questions, challenging the status quo, and sharing cutting-edge business insights that empower our attendees to lead with vision and purpose in an ever-evolving global landscape.

Digital Next Philippines

About QNA

For Sponsorship

For Speaking

For Marketing

For General Enquiries