PLDT, Smart host largest telecoms meet in APAC for 2019
Celebrated futurist and tech writer Nicklas Bergman leads the lineup of influential speakers and industry experts in this year’s Asian Carriers Conference (ACC) that will be held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa in Cebu from September 3 to 6.
Hosted by leading telecoms and digital services provider PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, the ACC marks its 15th year as the largest conference of telecoms operators in the region with over 200 partners and more than 1,000 annual attendees.
This year’s gathering is tackling the theme “Stronger Partnerships for Shared Success” to highlight the need for increased collaboration among various industry players as the world enters what has been called as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
An entrepreneur, technology investor, celebrated writer and speaker, Bergman speaks extensively about Tech Disruption, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, investing in new technology, and leadership in the digital era.
He has written books on how to deal with new technologies from a business perspective. These include "Surviving the Tech Storm - Strategy in Times of Technological Uncertainty" which was published in 2016, and "Navigating the Tech Storm, the business impact of technology beyond the hype" which came out last year.
Bergman also serves as strategic advisor to European Commissioner Carlos Moedas and the European Innovation Council.
Other speakers in the ACC include Google’s APAC Partnership Head Ishan Chatterjee who will tackle the need for greater collaboration and synergy in the industry amid constant technological disruptions.
“As a milestone year, we want to highlight the significance of collaboration among peers that enables key transformation benefitting different stakeholders in the industry,” said PLDT Global President Kat Luna-Abelarde.
“We are quite excited to have Nicklas Bergman to grace the ACC this year. He’s one of the most influential speakers when it comes to technology and will surely rouse the most interesting discussions for the plenary for the appreciation of the attendees.”
Helping spread awareness about ACC and its advocacies are distinguished professionals with long-standing engagements with the Conference. This year’s ACC Ambassadors are Norioki Sekiguchi, Director of Softbank; Quiel Delgado, CEO of Radius; Patrick Sullivan, Global Account Manager of Verizon; Guillermo Martinez Maside, Vice President for Sales of Telefonica; and Jayson Ho, Regional Sales Director of Orange.
ACC regularly attracts the participation of some of the world’s leading international telecommunications providers. For this year, some of its major sponsors include software and services provider AMDOCS, China Mobile, China Unicom, FiberHome, PCCW Global, Verizon Wireless, NTT Communications, and Nokia Corporation.
Other participating companies include Telefonica, Haud, Etisalat, Chunghwa Telecom, Blazon Solutions, CAT Telecom, Digitalk, Dime Global, Glory Technology HK, HGC Global, IDT Asia, IPC, MarvelTec, Orange Telecom, Mitto, PCG Telecom, Primus Telecommunications Group, Inc., Sinch, Saudi Telecom, Telebiz Int’l, Telenor Group, Telia, TIS, TelQ Global, TNZI, Valudev Global, VoiceTec UK, Almuqeet Systems, AT Tokyo, DT One, Eastern Telecommunications, Radius, Fujitsu, Syniverse, and Vasudev, among many others.