Fulfilling the Promise of the Digital Age
September 15, 2022Contact:Anders Halvorsen ahalvorsen@witsa.org +1 571 265-5964
Penang, Malaysia: At its September 12, 2022 General Assembly meeting, the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) elected a diverse slate of leaders for the 2022-24 term, including 20 Directors from five continents.WITSA elected The National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) Chairman Dr. Sean Seah as Chairman for the 2022-2024 term. Dr. Seah is well-known throughout the WITSA community, having served in various capacities in support of WITSA, including most recently as WITSA’s Deputy Chairman and the Chairman of the WITSA Finance Committee. As the Chairman of the National Tech Association of Malaysia, Dr Sean is also the Organizing Committee Chairman of the World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT) 2022, which was held at in Penang, Malaysia on September 13-15.Dr. Seah has an extensive and esteemed experience in the digital tech industry, having started his career in Silicon Valley in 1993 worked for Software Publishing Corp and Netscape Communications Inc. He subsequent worked for Sun Microsystems in Malaysia. Dr. Seah has founded and co-founded many innovative tech businesses, including Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX:5MQ) based Afor Pte Ltd.; London Stock Exchange (LSE:GLS) based Galasys PLC; US OTC Market based SEATech Ventures Corporation (OTC PINK: SEAV) and AsiaFIN Holdings Corp (OTC PINK: ASFH). Dr. Seah is currently the Executive Chairman of Angkasa-X Group.During the General Assembly meeting, Dr. Seah presented his vision for the global industry alliance to grow as the leading innovation and tech industry voice and a global digital ambassador for a new digital future. “I am honored and humbled to be entrusted with this important undertaking”, stated Dr. Seah. “I will continue in the footsteps of Chairman Emeritus Yannis Sirros and strive to position digital technology and the digital economy as the new strategic pillar for our global community, to become a global digital ambassador and accelerator in order to promote the value of digital transformation as the key catalyst for economic growth and social prosperity, to promote greater international cooperation by supporting multilateral win-win trade agreements, to drive awareness of the competitive advantage of the digital technology industry, and to strengthen WITSA’s role in the development of technology-related international public policy”, continued Dr. Seah.As WITSA Chairman, Dr. Seah also vowed to increase WITSA’s relevance and value across the organizations vast network of industry associations, spanning 80 countries and representing more than 90 percent of the global tech market. As part of this effort, Dr. Seah plans on working actively with WITSA’s Board of Directors to also recruit more active members in countries not yet covered by the Alliance, and to enhance cooperation with regional industry organizations such as ASOCIO, AfICTA, DIGITALEUROPE, and ALETI. Dr. Seah will also seek to grow WITSA’s Global Business Exchange program (GBX) through B2B business matching, online exhibitions, online WCIT registrations, speaker recruitment, and livestreaming of WITSA events. In order to provide more value and business opportunities for members, Dr. Seah also intends to create a WITSA Business Intelligence (BI) platform.“I know I am leaving WITSA in good hands”, stated WITSA Chairman Emeritus Yannis Sirros. “Having known Sean for many years, I know he will bring to our organization the same business-oriented mentality and dedication that has made him so successful in the digital tech industry, and which will be critical to WITSA’s success as it establishes its new path in the post-COVID economy”.“We all must work closely together to increase WITSA's reach and capabilities”, stated Dr. Sean Seah. “Everyone’s ideas and proposals are crucial and vital if we are to succeed and strengthen our role. I am committed to dedicating my time, experience, efforts, business and personal relations to realize WITSA's true potential, bringing added value to each and everyone's local organization and market”. “Let us build a new digital world together.”“On behalf of the entire global WITSA community, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Sean Seah as our new Chairman”, expressed WITSA’s Secretary General Dr. Jim Poisant. “With so many challenges facing our industry in these troubled times, I am confident that with Dr. Seah’s trusted leadership and support, as well as friendship, we will continue to build on WITSA’s many accomplishments to ensure that WITSA will continue to grow and reach new levels of success”, said WITSA CEO Dato’ Dan E. Khoo.Additionally, the new WITSA Board of Directors on September 12, 2022, selected a number of officers for the 2022-2024 term. Mr. Robert Janssen of ASSESPRO, Brazil was selected as WITSA’s Deputy Chairman. Mr. Roger Latchman of the Information Technology Association of South Africa was appointed Vice Chairman for Africa; Mr. Antonio Cimorra of the Spanish Trade Association for Electronics, Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Digital Content Industries (AMETIC) was selected as Vice Chairman for Europe (EU/EEA); Mr. Alexander Mora of the Costa Rican Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (CAMTIC) was voted Vice Chairman for Latin America; and John Kyle of the Business Technology Division of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce was selected as Vice Chairman for the Caribbean.Mr. Doug Johnson, Vice President of Technology Policy at the U.S. based Consumer Technology Association (CTA) was selected as Chairman of WITSA’s Global Policy Action Committee; Mr. Brian Shen, Information Service Industry Association of Taiwan (CISA) was re-appointed Chairman of WITSA’s Business Development Committee; Mr. Tarek M. Abdel Monem Taha of the Egyptian Association for Information & Communication Technology (EITESAL was re-appointed to Chair WITSA’s Nominating Committee; and Dr. Boris Komrakov was re-appointed to Chair WITSA’s Committee on Education, Training and Human Resources.A complete list of the newly elected WITSA leadership is provided below:
#Name & TitlePositionAssociation & Country1Dr. Sean SeahChairmanThe National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM)2Mr. Robert Franz JanssenDeputy ChairmanAssociation of ICT Companies in Brazil (ASSESPRO)3Mr. Antonio CimorraVice ChairmanThe Association of Electronics, IT, Communications and Digital Contents (AMETIC) Spain4Mr. John KyleVice ChairmanBusiness Technology Division of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce5Mr. Roger LatchmanVice ChairmanInformation Technology Association of South Africa (ITA)6Mr. Alexander MoraVice ChairmanCosta Rican Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (CAMTIC)7Mr. Nidal BitarDirectorThe Information & Communications Technology Association (Jordan)8Mr. Francis FongDirectorHong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF)9Mr. Ahmed Al HujairyDirectorBahrain Technology Companies Society (BTECH)10Mr. Matthias IfesiehDirectorInformation Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN)11Mr. Hemant Kumar ChaursaiaDirectorCAN Federation (Nepal)12Mr. Zoran LazarevskiDirectorICT Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of North Macedonia(MASIT)13Ms. Angela MondouDirectorTECHNATION Canada14Mr. Alberto PatronDirectorCámara de Empresas de Software y Servicios Informáticos de la República Argentina (CESSI) Argentina15Engr. Subrata SarkarDirectorBangladesh Computer Samity (BCS)16Mr. Yutaka SasakiDirectorJapan Information Technology Services Industry Association (JISA)17Mr. Brian ShenDirectorInformation Service Industry Association of Taiwan (CISA)18Eng. Tarek Abd-elmonem TahaDirectorEiTESAL Association for Information & Communication Technology Egypt19Mr. Florin VrejoiuDirectorAssociation for Information Technology and Communications of Romania (ATIC)20Mr. Alexandr YesayanDirectorUnion of Advanced Technology Enterprises of Armenia (UATE)
The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is the leading recognized international voice of the global ICT industry, whose members from over 80 countries and economies represent more than 90 percent of the world ICT market. WITSA is dedicated to advocating policies that advance industry growth and development; facilitating international trade and investment in ICT products and services; strengthening WITSA’s national industry associations; and providing members with a broad network of professional contacts.WITSA hosts the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), the premier global industry sponsored ICT conference.WITSA members are leaders in a globally interconnected marketplace. Because the challenges facing the ICT industry are undisputedly global in nature, WITSA members work together to achieve a shared vision on important issues of common interest. WITSA makes it possible for its members — ranging from Mongolia and Argentina to Kenya and the United States — to identify common issues and priorities, exchange valuable information, and present a united position on industry issues.For more information on WITSA, please visit www.witsa.org
