Details
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has enabled AI technologies to enhance innovation, productivity, and competitiveness, particularly for SMEs. However, AI adoption remains limited in many parts of Asia due to institutional, financial and knowledge-related barriers.
This seminar brought together international experts to explore regional trends, challenges, and findings from AIM’s research on SME readiness and AI uptake.
Agenda
Wednesday, 23 July 2025
09:10 a.m. Welcome Remarks by Mr. Paul Linnarz - Country Representative Japan & Director, Regional Economic Programme Asia (SOPAS), Konrad-Adenauer- Stiftung
09:15 a.m. Session 1: Framing the Landscape – Insights from Southeast Asia
Lead Remarks:
- Mr. John Paul C. Flaminiano – Project Lead, Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Philippines
- Ms. Chie Kashiwabara – Director-General of Academic Information Center, IDE JETRO
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Mr. Christopher Caboverde – Research Manager, AIM, Philippines
11:00 a.m. Session 2: Country Perspectives – AI in Southeast Asian SMEs
Lead Remarks:
- Dr. Rachel Gong – Deputy Director of Research, Khazanah Research Institute (Malaysia)
- Dr. Vutha Hing – Lecturer, Institute for International Trade (IIT), University of Adelaide (Cambodia)
- Dr. Supavadee Aramvith – Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Mr. Alexander Charkov – Project Manager, KAS Japan
01:30 p.m. Session 3: AI, Labour Markets & Competitiveness
Lead Remarks:
- Dr. Pawel Gmyrek – Senior Economist, Effective Labour Institutions Unit, International Labour Organization (ILO), Switzerland
- Dr. Prasanta Dey – Professor of Operations and Information Management, Aston Business School, United Kingdom
- Dr. Lorenz Granrath, Japan Representative, Fraunhofer International Center for Networked Adaptive Production
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Mr. Shojiro Kusumoto – Project Manager, KAS Japan
03:30 p.m. Session 4: SME Infrastructure, Digital Risk & Cybersecurity
Lead Remarks:
- Mr. Sohom Banerjee – Doctoral Fellow, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; Associate, CUTS International, India
- Dr. Gerhard Fasol – CEO, Eurotechnology Japan
- Dr. Riccardo Corrado - Associate Professor, CamEd Business School, Cambodia
- Prof. Wilhelm Vosse, International Christian University, Chair of the Department of Politics and International Studies, Japan
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Mr. Georg Löer, President & Representative Director at EURO-JAPAN Corporate Advisors Inc.
Thursday, 24 July 2025
09:00 a.m. Session 5: Digital Governance & Regional Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
Lead Remarks:
- Dr. Karthik Nachiappan – Research Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Ms. Tsun Tzu Kristy Hsu – Director, ASEAN Studies Centre, Chung-Hua Institution of Economic Research, Taiwan
- Mr. Prohim Tam – Lecturer, American University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Dr. Carolina Kawakubo, Representative Director & President, NRW.Global Business Japan Trade & Investment Agency of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Japan
11:00 a.m. Closing Session 6: Bridging Perspectives – Policy Innovation and Collaboration
Lead Remarks:
- Dr. Pawel Gmyrek – Senior Economist, ILO, Switzerland
- Dr. Supavadee Aramvith – Professor, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
- Dr. Riccardo Corrado - Associate Professor, CamEd Business School, Cambodia
- Dr. Martin Schulz, Chief Policy Economist, Fujitsu, Japan
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Dr. Gerhard Fasol, CEO, Eurotechnology Japan
03:00 p.m. Networking Session with IDE researchers & Guided tour of the IDE–JETRO Library
