The World Congress On Information Technology, WCIT is the largest and the most reputable international event among worldwide IT leaders. It is a signature event of the World of IT and Services Alliances (WITSA) since 1978. Madam Yvonne Chiu, Chairman of WITSA made a momentous announcement today that WCIT will be returning to Malaysia in 2020. Scheduled from the 13 – 16 Sept 2020, in Penang, WCIT2020 MALAYSIA sets Penang as the gateway to Southeast Asia for the world; punctuated with a consumer exhibition of tomorrow; it is expected to attract the participation of international 4,000 visionaries, captains of industry, government leaders and academics that span across 80+ countries. “To have the Olympics of conferences in the global IT industry in Penang will mean that we get to represent Malaysia on the world stage in technology and this is in line with our efforts to achieve PENANG2030 – a family-focused green and smart state.,” quoted YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang.
Organised by the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) and enabled by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the event will include discussions of legal, political and economic trends affecting IT business processes, presentations of innovative solutions, B2B meetings etc. Over the years, speakers of the WCIT have included Al Gore, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, Bill Clinton, Don Tapscott, Bill Gates, Steve Balmer, John Chambers, Nicholas Negroponte and Colin Powell.
Malaysia last hosted WCIT in the year 2008. The Kuala Lumpur WCIT2008 secured a total sales and investments worth RM8.3Billion with more than 20,000 jobs created. 800 business meetings were held over the same duration capturing over RM1.24Billion of business opportunities for the Malaysian ICT industry. RM2.0 Billion worth of potential investments were identified through these meetings with 10 FDI and 26 DDI, with additional 13,000 jobs potentiated.
YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Communication and Multimedia in his keynote said, “To propel and drive our ecosystem, I believe that it is crucial to engage the private sector as they are the main drivers of innovation. WCIT2020 with the theme of “Connecting the World with The Promise of Technology for a Better World”, there is truly a need for us to keep pace with the evolving economic landscape, driven in part by technology, economic growth and business transformation. We will need to do more than merely react to technology as they unfold. ”
Dato’ Ng Wan Peng, Chief Operating Officer of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), said, “This is the second time Malaysia has the honour of hosting WCIT, having hosted the first-in-Asia highly successful 16th WCIT back in May 2008. As the year 2020 has special significance for Malaysians, this is a magnificent opportunity for Malaysia to influence global digital industry trends and policy advocacy and to showcase its innovative role on the digital stage. Malaysia’s geographic location and talent, which is borne out of rich cultural diversity, is uniquely positioned as a hub and gateway into the digital economies of ASEAN, and beyond, to the rest of the world.”
WCIT2020 could also be an excess generator of FDI and DDI to mark Malaysia’s 2020 milestone. The thematic of WCIT2020 refers to the advent of the digital economy has unleashed a flow of possibilities that are limitless, borderless and continuous. The word IN ACTION will be used continuously across the conference, denoting tracks of content that connects cross vertical technology platforms to the three main program focuses. Corporations and technology players in Malaysia are encouraged to make use of WCIT2020 as a platform to elevate their business internationally. Updates on WCIT2020 can be found on wcit2020.org.
