A recipe for Asia-Pacific enterprise success

Organisers of technology-related events in the Asia-Pacific region have a unique perspective on trends impacting organisations in this part of the world. Andy Kiwanuka, MD, CloserStill Media (Asia Pacific) & Tech Week Singapore Organiser spoke to TechTrade Asia's TechTouch about key trends making waves today.

Q: ⁠As a global producer of events, you engage with enterprises across Asia. What trends do you see shaping the digital economy in Asia Pacific over the next 2-3 years? 

Kiwanuka (AK): From our perspective, four forces are reshaping Asia Pacific’s digital economy. AI, particularly generative AI, has moved past experimentation into deployment at scale. Whether that involves powering smarter cities, reimagining customer experiences and engagement or enhancing productivity through automation, AI will no doubt continue to make a real impact on the digital economy by extending “always-on” operations across numerous sectors.

The infrastructure underpinning this shift is evolving rapidly. The region is seeing exponential growth in demand for data capacity and connectivity. This demand is continuing to accelerate as technology advances, driving innovation in data centres, cloud and network ecosystems. However, this surge in infrastructure development comes with its own set of challenges—chiefly, the environmental impact.

The push for more powerful, interconnected digital ecosystems is running headlong into the urgent need for energy efficiency. With a growing emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency, sustainability is now inseparable from digital growth. 

A RSM report highlights how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and climate credentials are no longer peripheral but central to growth strategies, with regulatory reform across Asia Pacific, raising the stakes for companies that fail to demonstrate credible climate risk management. 

With sustainability and digitalisation now top priorities for businesses, the convergence means that infrastructure expansion must align with ESG imperatives, pushing enterprises to balance energy efficiency with performance. Findings from a Workiva report reflected that 97% of executives agree that strong sustainability reporting offers a competitive edge, suggesting that this is a shift we see actively shaping boardroom priorities.

Finally, digital trust is emerging as business-critical. As organisations scale digital operations, conversations around cybersecurity will continue to evolve. More than just being about defence, cybersecurity will be the key to enabling innovation securely. With the rise of AI introducing new vulnerabilities, enterprises are seeking integrated, forward-looking solutions that can scale with their ambitions. Together, these forces will define how enterprises across Asia Pacific compete and grow in the years ahead.

Q: Where do you see AI delivering the most impact today? 

AK: Today, AI is delivering tangible impact across various industries, with particularly significant transformations in sectors like retail, financial services and healthcare. With AI fundamentally reshaping operations, enhancing decision-making and creating new avenues for personalised customer experiences, businesses are feeling major impacts in operational efficiency. 

For example, AI is helping retail businesses optimise supply chains and enhance customer service with chatbots and virtual agents, while in financial services, AI is improving fraud detection and risk management. Generative AI is also helping marketers accelerate the personalisation of content at scale. McKinsey estimates that generative AI alone could contribute up to US$4.4 T in annual value when fully scaled. 

Q: What will determine whether enterprises can scale these gains in the years ahead?  

AK: The largest hurdle to scaling these gains lies in meeting regulatory, ethical and governance frameworks. As AI technologies become more embedded in decision-making processes, issues such as data privacy, bias and transparency require careful management. Enterprises must navigate these complexities to ensure that AI is used responsibly and in compliance with evolving regulations.

Scalability also depends on the ability to operationalise AI, moving from pilots to full deployment across functions and geographies, with measurable outcomes. Organisations that invest in upskilling their workforce, building agile AI operating models and continuously iterating based on real-world results will be best positioned to turn today’s momentum into long-term competitive advantage.

Q: ⁠⁠Beyond AI, technologies like cloud, edge computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are reshaping how businesses operate. Where are these technologies driving the biggest changes for enterprises in Asia Pacific today?

AK: The biggest changes we’re seeing are in real-time operations, cross-border scalability and data- driven service innovation. Edge computing, in particular, is transforming industries like manufacturing, logistics and healthcare by enabling low-latency, real-time decision-making at the source of data. This is critical for use cases such as predictive maintenance, autonomous systems and smart city applications – areas where countries like Singapore and South Korea are particularly active.

At the same time, the public cloud market in Asia Pacific is growing rapidly, and is projected to expand from US$53 B in 2024 to US$131 B by 2029, fuelling greater agility and scalability. Enterprises are leveraging cloud platforms to expand across markets, deploy services faster, and manage data more efficiently.

The convergence of IoT, edge and cloud is also unlocking new business models, from remote monitoring in healthcare to smart infrastructure and energy management. And with increasing regulatory complexity in the region, edge computing offers a practical way to ensure data sovereignty while maintaining operational resilience.

These technologies are not just improving performance: they’re enabling enterprises to rethink how they deliver value in a digitally-fragmented yet opportunity-rich region like Asia Pacific.

Q: What role do partnerships between enterprises, governments and tech providers play in ensuring both innovation and resilience?

AK: With fragmented ecosystems and diverging regulations creating significant friction when it comes to scaling technology solutions across borders, innovation today demands co-creation between the public and private sectors.

Governments can play a pivotal role by funding or facilitating innovation sandboxes, testbeds and pilot zones that allow startups and enterprises to experiment safely and in compliance with regulatory requirements, accelerating responsible growth.

Technology providers must play their part, too. By embedding regulatory alignment for privacy protections and support for cross-border data flows directly into their solutions, tech companies can bridge the gap between innovation and compliance.

This shift from transactional relationships to long-term partnerships ensures that innovation and resilience advance hand-in-hand, even amid regulatory complexity.

Q: ⁠⁠How do industry events like Tech Week Singapore help enterprises move to the next level?

AK: No enterprise can succeed in isolation in today’s fast-moving digital economy. Industry events like Tech Week Singapore play a critical role in driving business success by creating high-value opportunities for collaboration, learning, and visibility. 

By providing an environment where technology leaders, policymakers and enterprise decision-makers can come together, exchange ideas and forge strategic partnerships, events help facilitate cross-sector innovation, co-developed solutions, and faster go-to-market strategies that uplift the digital economy. Just as importantly, Tech Week Singapore acts as a barometer for global tech trends. By showcasing emerging technologies, business models and regulatory developments, the event equips businesses to anticipate change rather than react to it.

Details

Tech Week Singapore, returning to Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 8–9 October 2025, is Asia’s platform for industry-defining conversations and strategic partnerships. Under the theme Connected Futures, Boundless Impact, Tech Week Singapore 2025 will spotlight how AI is accelerating cross-industry collaboration – from cloud, AI infrastructure and cybersecurity to digital marketing and e-commerce. 

Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, Singapore will be the event’s Guest of Honour (GOH), alongside VIPs including senior diplomatic members and ambassadors from top embassies, chambers of commerce and key associations.