Digital Transformation & Emerging Technologies

Hera Oktadiana is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University and James Cook University, Australia and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Brawijaya, Indonesia. She is also a postgraduate academic at Trisakti Institute of Tourism,Indonesia, founder of Muslim Women in Tourism & Hospitality (M.WiTH), and founder of Halal, Sustainability and Inclusive Tourism (HaSIM) Forum. She holds a Ph.D. from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and CHE (Certified Hospitality Educator) from the American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute. She has served as Head of Tourism and Hospitality at several Indonesian tourism institutions. Her research focuses on tourist behaviour, Muslim tourists, Halal tourism, tourism sustainability, and tourism education, with several of her works receiving academic awards. She is also a member of the editorial board of several reputable international tourism journals and has been a speaker at various national and international tourism events.

Shamsollah Ghanbari is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Islamic Azad University and a Non-Resident Researcher at the School of Computer Science, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM) in Iran. He holds a PhD in Distributed Computing and High-Performance Computing from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). His research focuses on distributed systems and artificial intelligence, resulting in numerous publications in high-quality international journals and conference proceedings. Actively engaged in the academic community, Dr. Ghanbari serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He is the founder of the Iran Journal of Distributed Computing Systems and has frequently acted as a guest editor for special issues. Dr.Ghanbari is also the founder and head of the Distributed Systems and Computing Group. Under his leadership, the group organizes the biennial Distributed Computing and High-Performance Computing (DCHPC) conference series. He has chaired this event in 2018, 2022, and 2024, and will chair the upcoming 2026 edition. Additionally, he has been invited as a Visiting Professor to Auezov University in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, in 2019 and 2023.

Dr. S. Vasantha is a Professor of Management with over 30 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. She currently serves in the Department of MBA at Saveetha Engineering College. A recognized Ph.D. supervisor, she has guided 27 doctoral scholars and 11 M.Phil. researchers, along with post-doctoral projects. She holds a Ph.D. in Management Studies from Mother Teresa University and an MBA (II Rank) from the University of Madras.
Her research interests include financial management, banking, digital payments, e-governance, and supply chain management. She has published extensively in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals and authored 10 books. Dr. Vasantha has received research grants from ICSSR, NABARD, and international bodies, and has presented over 120 papers at national and international conferences. She is committed to academic excellence, research innovation, and student empowerment.

Dr. Tan Fee Yean is an Associate Professor at the School of Business Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). She earned her PhD in Human Resource Management from the same university. Her postdoctoral fellowship was completed at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. Additionally, she has served as a visiting lecturer at the Southampton Business School, University of Southampton, UK, for a three-month period. Dr. Tan Fee Yean’s primary teaching and research interests lie in organizational behavior and human resource management, with a particular focus on career planning and development, leadership, change management, employee engagement, and topics related to employees’ work attitudes and behaviors. She has received eight Best Paper Awards from international conferences and several Excellent in Reviewing Awards from renowned international journals, in recognition of her significant research contributions. Notably, she has been recognized by Emerald Publishing as an Outstanding Reviewer in the 2021 and 2022 Emerald Literati Awards. Besides that, she serves as a Section Editor for the International Journal of Management Studies (IJMS), a university-owned journal, and frequently contributes as an Article Editor for SAGE Open. Her research has been published in some high-impact, peer-reviewed journals indexed in the International Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. Furthermore, she has received research grants from the Research Acculturation Grant Scheme (RAGS) and the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) to support research on issues related to employee work engagement and counterproductive work behaviors.

Dr. Rohit Bansal is working as an Adjunct Faculty in Rockford College, Sydney, Australia. He obtained Ph.D. in Management from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. With a rich experience of 17 years, he has achieved growth through robust and proactive academic initiatives. He has authored & edited many books with renowned national & international publishers including Springer Nature, IGI Global, Scrivener-Wiley Publishing, De Gruyter etc. He has published 180 research papers and chapters in national and international journals of repute including Scopus indexed as well as edited books. His research work is published in leading publishers like Springer, MDPI, HIndawi, IGI Global, Cell Press, De Gruyter, Elseveir, Inderscience, Wiley etc. He has also presented papers in 60 conferences and seminars including IIM Indore, IIM Ranchi, IIM Jammu and IIM Kozhikode. He is on Editorial Advisory Board as a member in many national and international peer reviewed journals. He has served as member of technical committee in many international conferences. He has acted as Session Chair and speaker in many international conferences . He has been awarded many times for contribution to academics and research.

Tesfaye Hailu Gk is an accomplished academic, researcher, and entrepreneur with over ten years of experience in education, leadership, and community service. He holds a BA in Management from Mekelle University, an MBA from Dilla University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Management at Addis Ababa University. Tesfaye has shown exceptional academic performance with a cumulative GPA of 3.72 and 3.97. As an educator, Tesfaye has worked at Jimma University and Kotebe University of Education. He has mentored students, coordinated ICT and e-learning projects, and contributed to strategic planning. His skills include leadership, statistical analysis, and qualitative research. He also has certifications in digital transformation, data analysis, and entrepreneurship from respected institutions like the University of Virginia, Udacity, and YALI. Tesfaye is a dedicated volunteer. He spends his time with the Ethiopian Red Cross Society and mentors young entrepreneurs. His research appears in multiple publications, and he has presented at national conferences on subjects like entrepreneurial ecosystems and industrial parks. Tesfaye speaks English, Amharic, French, and Tigrinya. He is committed to promoting sustainable development and innovative leadership in changing environments. With a goal of making a lasting impact, Tesfaye aims to connect academia, research, and community service to promote positive change.

Professor at Politécnico Grancolombiano, Environmental Engineer and MSc in Clean Technologies with emphasis on renewable energy systems. She leads the Environmental Innovation Research Seedbed and develops research and educational initiatives in sustainability. Her work focuses on electric mobility, air quality monitoring, renewable energy systems, and water analysis and treatment.

Prof. Abhilasha Singh, Dean and Professor of HR and OB at the American University in the Emirates (AUE), is a seasoned academic leader who has held several senior academic administrative positions, including President, Provost, and Vice President for Academic Affairs. A certified reviewer for the UAE Ministry of Education’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), she is deeply committed to quality assurance, outcome-based learning, and continuous improvement. She has received prestigious honors, including the Hind Ratan Award and recognition as Most Influential Women by Filmfare Middle East. A prolific scholar with extensive publications in high-impact outlets and a senior editor of a leading Q1 Scopus-indexed journal, she contributes actively to the global higher education discourse, particularly through her work on worldviews and values in higher education and her frequent speaking engagements at major national and international forums. She serves on the executive board of the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL) and has secured multiple research grants, including from the Dubai Future Foundation and the UAE National Research Foundation. Her work on inclusive higher education has been recognized internationally, including an invitation to speak at a UNESCO-aligned conference in Moscow, and her perspectives have also been featured through sector commentary in University World News.

Dr. Kiran Kumari Patil is the Deputy Director of School of Engineering and Technology at CMR University Bangalore, India. She is the President-CMRU of the Institute Innovation Council, Ministry of Education, Govt of India. She is a seasoned academician and visionary leader in Higher education, a leading many initiatives for the growth and excellence of HEI. With over 25years of experience in the Higher Education Institutions in the capacity of Professor, Director and Dean in HEI has proven record of building, scaling and sustainable academic initiatives. Her contribution in the space Academics, Industry – Academia collaborations, Tech driven Innovation and Startup is remarkable. Dr. Patil has extensive experience in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. She has mentored over 50+ startups at the various Technology Business Incubator and Startup India and has published numerous research articles in reputed national and international journals. Dr. Patil's expertise lies in driving industry collaborations, nurturing innovation, and supporting the growth of startups. She plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between academia and industry, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. She has successfully executed National and International projects in the space of Skill development, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Dr.Patil is passionate drive student lead programs to solve rural community problem through technology.

Prof. Dr. Ir. Fahmi, ST., M.Sc., IPU, ASEAN Eng, SMIEE, is a distinguished professor and senior lecturer in digital technology with over 20 years of experience. Currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Universitas Suatera Utara (USU), he also acts as a Strategic Advisor on SPBE and e-Government to the Provincial and District governments. His expertise covers enterprise digital systems, data and information management, digital transformation and integrated public service platforms. He has held pivotal roles, including Head of the Comlabs Laboratory, ICT Systems Officer at USU, and Data Management Consultant for JICA and WESTAT. He is also an official SPBE Assessor appointed by KEMENPAN-RB and holds international certifications in Digital Transformation Strategy from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford. Academically, Prof. Fahmi has contributed extensively to digital systems research, with an H-index of 17 on Scopus and more than 176 publications, books, and intellectual property. He is also actively involved with IEEE, ASEAN Engineering, and AI innovation networks across Southeast Asia. He currently serves on the Indonesian Higher Education Board. With a strong foundation in academic research, a deep understanding of strategic policy, and hands-on experience in IT governance, he is uniquely equipped to enhance national data infrastructure, ensure digital transformation, and build robust, secure digital ecosystems within the higher education sector.

Prof. Ir. Dr. Ismail Bin Musirin obtained his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Hons) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1990, followed by an MSc in Pulsed Power Technology from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom in 1992, and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia in 2005. He is currently a Professor of Power Systems at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, UiTM. He also leads the Power System Operation Computational Intelligence Research Group (POSC). With over 34 years of academic experience, he has made significant contributions to teaching, research, and academic leadership. Prof. Ismail has published more than 400 papers in international indexed journals and conference proceedings. He actively contributes to the academic community as a reviewer for leading publishers, including IEEE Transactions, Elsevier, WSEAS, John Wiley, and IET. Since 2007, he has chaired over 20 international conferences and has delivered keynote speeches in various countries, including the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, China, India, and Malaysia. He has also been entrusted with evaluating research grants at both national and international levels, including for the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. His research interests encompass artificial intelligence, optimization techniques, power system analysis, renewable energy optimization, distributed generation, power system stability, and machine learning applications. A Professional Engineer by qualification, Prof. Ismail is a Senior Member of the International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology (IACSIT), and a member of the Artificial Immune System Society (ARTIST) and the International Association of Engineers (IAENG), Hong Kong. He has held several academic and professional appointments, including Visiting Professor positions at UTHM Batu Pahat, UTHM Pagoh, and Lincoln University. He has served as a Panel Expert for Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) engineering programmes and as an External Examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at multiple institutions, including Limkokwing University, Lincoln University, and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. Additionally, he has been appointed as an External Adviser for Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). In recognition of his outstanding research contributions, he was awarded the UiTM Most Prolific Author Award in 2020.