Sim Kang Wei is a seasoned semiconductor professional with over 25 years of experience in Front-End Wafer Fabrication technology, focusing on project leadership, technology development, and innovation.

He currently holds the position of Senior Director and Head of Wide-Band-Gap Semiconductor R&D at Infineon Technologies (Kulim) Malaysia, where he is leading the research and development efforts in the wide-band-gap semiconductor field, driving innovative solutions and technological advancements.

His technical knowledge spans a variety of technology platforms, including DRAM/Flash Memory, Power Discrete, MEMS/Sensors, and Wide-Band-Gap technologies. With an M.Sc. in Material Science & Engineering from the National University of Singapore. Sim is passionate about mentoring emerging leaders in the field and fostering collaboration, drawing from his extensive international experience.

Dr. M. Ajmal Khan (Wazir) was born in Doag, Wana (South Waziristan), Pakistan. He received his M.Sc and M.Phil degrees in Applied Physics from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, in 1998 and 2001, respectively. Later, he received his PhD degree in applied physics from Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan in 2013. In 2012, during his PhD work, he has discovered the thin film of boron (B) doped p-type BaSi2 layer "p+" along with his PhD supervisor Prof. Takashi Suemasu (Appl. Phys. Lett. 104, 252104 (2014)). After his discovery, the efficiency of the solar cell was enhanced from 1.4% to 10%.

Later he joined the team of FUTURE Photovoltaic (PV)-Innovation, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Fukushima Renewable Energy AIST (FREA), Koriyama in 2014. In 2017, he moved to Riken (RAP) as a SPDR and later in 2020 he moved to RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) as a research scientist (Prof. H. Hirayama Lab). Since then, he has been doing research on the epitaxial growth, characterization, and device applications of group III-nitride semiconductor-based UV LEDs and UV Laser Diodes. He has developed a world first AlGaN UVB LED with a world record efficiency of 9.6% with a light power of 40 mW on the wafer (Sci Rep 12, 2591 (2022)).

Presently, he is working as a senior research scientist at Riken and working on the project of far-UVC LEDs for SARS-CoV-2 (Corona Virus) inactivation. He reported the world shortest 228nm far-UVC LED grown on a low-cost c-Sapphire with EQE of 0.32% (Phys. Status Solidi (A) 221, 2400064 (2024)). He bears various roles and responsibilities, such as a renowned member of the Japan Society of Applied Physics (JSAP), and guest editor of several journals. He received several national and international awards for his invention of Boron-doped BaSi2 Solar cells and AlGaN-based UVB LEDs. He delivered more than 150 talks including keynote and invited talks both in the local as well as in the international conferences. He is the author and co-author of more than 110 pre-reviewed research publications.

Dr Lacey obtained his DPhil in Chemistry/Materials Science from the University of Sussex, UK and has held R&D, Engineering and Business responsibilities in semiconductor manufacturing companies across Europe, USA and Asia. He has more than 30 years experience in semiconductor & display technology development & manufacturing, in both start-up and multi-national environments.

He has been based in Malaysia since 2001 and is currently President of SFAM - the Semiconductor Fabrication Association of Malaysia. He was one of the exco committee members involved in the earlier phase of conceptualisation and inception of CREST since March 2012. Dr. Lacey was bestowed with an honorary Doctor of Science by Universiti Sains Malaysia at the Arau Palace in 2021, an accolade reflecting his profound impact on advancing LED technologies and expanding opportunities in Malaysia.

Dr. Sideq Salleh is a seasoned R&D leader with over two decades of multinational experience spanning Western Digital, AMS-OSRAM, Seagate, and Fuji Electric, and currently serves as Program Director R&D and Industry Development at CREST. He drives national semiconductor and advanced manufacturing initiatives, leading multi-million-ringgit R&D programs and industry–academia–government collaborations. Specialising in high-volume process & material development, IR4.0 automation, and advanced manufacturing, he holds multiple U.S. patents and trade secrets—including a glass substrate patent applicable for data storage and advanced packaging.

Dr. Sideq’s expertise in innovation, intellectual property, and strategic partnerships continues to shape Malaysia’s semiconductor and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

Julien Brault is a research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). He specializes in the fabrication of semiconductor materials by epitaxial growth. At the beginning of his career, he worked on: indium arsenides and phosphides (InAs-InP system) for 1.55-μm telecom applications; gallium nitride and aluminum nitride lasers (GaN-AlN system) for applications in spectroscopy and UV microfabrication; and silicon nanocrystal-based transistors (MOSFET) for non-volatile memories. These research activities were carried out in the laboratories of: Lyon Institute of Nanotechnology (INL - Ecole Centrale de Lyon), Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble (IRIG - CEA Grenoble) and the University of Tokyo in Japan (International Research Laboratory on MEMS and NEMS (Micro- and Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems), LIMMS- IRL 2820, Hiramoto Laboratory).

Within the Research Center on Hetero-Epitaxy & Applications (CRHEA), since 2004, he has been working on semiconductor materials with very large band gaps, in particular gallium and aluminum nitride alloys (AlGaN), for the production of optoelectronic components (light-emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers, optical waveguides, etc.). His work has led him to participate in numerous French National Research Agency (ANR) projects, as well as European projects. In particular, he has been coordinating ANR projects on white LEDs and UV LEDs, and within the Labex GaNEX, - national network on GaN-based materials -, on materials for UV emission. He is currently responsible for a project in partnership with the RIBER SA Company, a leader in the field of molecular beam epitaxy components. He is the author/co-author of over 140 publications and five patents.

He is responsible for the Advanced Photonics Group in CRHEA. He is also a member of the Environmental and Health Sciences (SENS) team, where he is developing the UV LED theme, and of the 2D+ team, where he is developing the van der Waals epitaxy growth of AlGaN materials on 2D materials (h-BN and graphene). He is a member of the Board of Directors since 2018 and of the Laboratory Council since 2016. He is involved in the Côte d'Azur University as a lecturer in electronics at the "Networks and Telecommunications" Institute of Technology, and as a member of the scientific council of "Complex Systems" Academy of Excellence. He is (has been) involved as a member of numerous program and expert committees in major international conferences on nitrides (ICNS, IWN, ISGN), ultra-wide bandgap materials (IWUMD) and semiconductor components and materials (SSDM - Japan). He is a visiting Professor at the Far Infra-Red (FIR) Center of the University of Fukui, Japan, since 2019.

Thung, Beng Joo, a Malaysian, aged 55 was appointed as Vice President of SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd in February 2023. Prior to the appointment, he was holding as Vice President position for Manufacturing management and responsibilities on fab operation. He joined SilTerra in 2000 as the Electrical Failure Analysis and Reliability engineer. He was one of the key engineers that setup the Electrical failure analysis capability during the SilTerra FAB start up in year 2000. In 2002, he was assigned to Technology Development team full responsibilities for CMOS22um new technology development. In 2004, he was assigned to Yield Engineering team fully responsibilities on yield improvement and technology optimization. He manages to bring the CMOS22um and CMOS18um technologies with word class defect density (D0) performance within very short prior of time. On 2017, he as senior director of Fabrication Integration and responsibilities on Fab integration process optimization, Yield Enhancement, More Than Moores Technology Development in Silicon Photonics and CMOS Image Sensor (CIS). In 2021, he was assigned to Manufacturing management, full responsibilities on manufacturing, Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing System.

He graduated with Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronic from The Robert Gorden University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom and obtained a full scholarship from ODASS to further his Master of Science (MSc) in Microelectronics and Information System from Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom. He has more than 30 years of semiconductor experience. Prior to join SilTerra, he was attached with multi-national companies such as Komag Corporation, INTEL Corporation, Akashi Kuboto Corporation (pioneer start-up team) and Showa Aluminium Corporation (pioneer start-up team).

He also has passion and interest in research for continues improvement in optimizing the wafer fabrication process. He has filed in multi publications within the companies, journal, national and international conferences.

In recognition of his experienced, he has given the opportunity as the project leader for the technologies outsourcing, transfer and wafer fabrication consultant. He managed transfer multi new technologies from beginning to mass production within 9 months’ time prior.

Azimah Binti Abdul Kadir is a leading expert in strategic intellectual property (IP) and technology commercialization, with over 30 years of experience driving innovation-led economic growth in Malaysia and beyond. As a Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) certified by the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals (ATTP), she currently heads the Market Intelligence, Investment and Portfolio Division at MIMOS Holdings Sdn Bhd, the commercialization arm of MIMOS Berhad.

Her work focuses on translating scientific innovation into national economic value, particularly within the semiconductor sector. Azimah has led strategic initiatives that position Malaysia competitively in the global semiconductor value chain, including:
- Developing investment strategies for the MIMOS Semiconductor Technology Center, enabling Malaysia’s emergence as a MEMS supply chain player.
- Advising on semiconductor ecosystem development in Uzbekistan, fostering regional collaboration.
- Launching My-AI, Malaysia’s national AI data-sharing platform to support high-performance computing and research commercialization.

Azimah’s expertise spans IP valuation, patent analytics, licensing, and market intelligence—tools she uses to assess technology readiness and economic viability. Her strategic models have guided commercialization of indigenous technologies across sectors such as healthcare, education, and finance.

She is a co-inventor of eight patents and the architect of e-IPMS, an IP management system that elevated MIMOS’s global patent rankings. Her contributions earned recognition including the National Best Trademark Award and top rankings in the PCT Yearly Review.

Academically, Azimah holds a Master’s in Intellectual Property Law and a professional degree from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA). She is professionally trained by the Japan Patent Office, JIII/AOTS, and MyIPO in strategic IP and valuation.

As a HRDF-certified corporate trainer, she speaks regularly at international forums including WIPO, USPTO, and IPBC Asia, and collaborates with global partners such as Clarivate UK. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Malaysian-Japan International Institute of Technology (UTM).

In her plenary session at ICoSeMT 2025, Azimah will present a strategic framework to stratify semiconductor innovations—such as III-nitride materials and wide bandgap semiconductors—based on their economic impact, market readiness, and cross-sectoral potential, offering actionable insights for regional stakeholders to align research excellence with national development goals.

Prof. Dr. Tao Tao is from School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, focusing on GaN-based Micro-LEDs.

Prof. Tao has published more than 70  papers, including Nature Nanotechnology, Advanced Functional Materials, IEEE Electron Device Letters etc. He was elected as Young Scholar of Changjiang River from Ministry of Education, China.

Dr. Yilmaz Dikme is the Technical Director and of co-founder ELEMENT 3-5 GmbH, Germany. He received his Ph.D. degree from RWTH Aachen University, Germany and has more than 20 years of experience in the field of group III-nitride material deposition by MOCVD and by plasma. At ELEMENT 3-5 he has developed and patented a epitaxial process called Next Level Epitaxy that allows the growth of AlN, SiC and Diamond at low temperatures with high throughput. He has co-authored more than 50 scientific publications.

Mohd Hanapiah Abdullah is a distinguished senior lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, specializing in nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and dye-sensitized solar cells. With a deep passion for advancing sustainable energy solutions, his expertise lies in the development and application of cutting-edge nanomaterials to enhance the efficiency and performance of solar energy systems.

A dedicated researcher and academic who aim himself to the field of nanoscience, focusing on material innovation and functional applications in renewable energy. His work emphasizes photovoltaic advancements, particularly in the field of dye additive for organic based dye-sensitized solar cells, aiming to push the boundaries of energy conversion efficiency.

Beyond academia, he is a recognized member of the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), underscoring his commitment to professional engineering excellence. His affiliation with BEM reflects his active participation in engineering standards, research collaboration, and technological development that bridge academic research with industry applications.

Driven by a vision to foster interdisciplinary partnerships, he actively seeks collaborations with various stakeholders, including industry leaders, research institutions, and technology innovators. His goal is to build synergies that accelerate breakthroughs in nanotechnology and sustainable energy, ensuring impactful solutions for global challenges.

With a steadfast commitment to scientific advancement and collaborative innovation, Mohd Hanapiah Abdullah continues to inspire research excellence, mentor future scientists, and contribute to the global pursuit of sustainable technology.

Allen Cheah has over 25 years of experience working in both ODM/OEM and EMS R&D, as well as Development Engineering fields with a primary focus in Design Engineering & Product Realization for multinational companies in Penang. His last held position was a Senior Director of Asia Design Center, a Regional Development and Application Engineering Role across EU, U.S., Malaysia, China, Taiwan and Thailand for a myriad of customers that spans to DUV/EUV Lithography Equipment stage with ASML.

He has a Dual-Bachelor of Science Degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky, Lexington U.S.A. He is a team player for the Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) – Advanced Packaging Cluster via CREST Malaysia to support the National Vision, Framework and Technology Envelope for long term spurious growth in Advanced Packaging SIP (System in Package) for Malaysia.

Dr. Adnan Younis is an Associate Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics at UAEU. He received his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia. His field of research is the development of nanomaterials, perovskite materials, and their applications in electronic devices, clean energy storage devices, and wastewater treatment. He has published over 90 journal papers and several book chapters with an h-index of 31 in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. He has been recognized as the Top 2% of highly cited researchers in the world according to Stanford University's list of highly cited researchers in 2021 and 2022. He is an Editorial board member of several high-impact journals.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlkay Demir is the Director of the Nanophotonic Research and Application Center (CÜNAM) at Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Turkey, a National Research Infrastructure. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Sivas Cumhuriyet University, where his research focused on the epitaxial growth and characterization of III–V semiconductor structures for quantum cascade lasers. During his doctoral studies, he was awarded a TÜBİTAK 2214-A scholarship to conduct research at the Center for Quantum Devices, Northwestern University, USA, under the supervision of Prof. Manijeh Razeghi.

With more than 15 years of experience in metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), his expertise spans the growth of III–V and III–nitride semiconductors, including GaN, AlN, AlGaN, InGaAs, and InAlAs, for advanced photonic and optoelectronic devices. His research covers high-quality nitride materials on silicon and sapphire substrates, ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs), infrared photodetectors, quantum cascade lasers, and gradient-index optical coatings for defense, space, and quantum technologies.

Dr. Demir has coordinated multiple national and international R&D projects, authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, and has been an invited speaker at international conferences. He actively contributes to European and global semiconductor research networks, fostering collaborations between academia and industry to accelerate innovation in advanced materials and device technologies.