Qi Group Chairman: ASEAN Must Upskill Workforce To Break Digital Barriers

Qi Founder and Businessman, Dato Sri Vijay Eswaran was in Davos where he spoke on the need for digitization as this will be the main driver of economic recovery in ASEAN following the devasting pandemic.

In his remarks, ASEAN in being one of the fastest evolving digital economies in the world has seen its digital transformation as the silver lining that has helped the region cope with the devastation caused by the pandemic. The acceleration in fact boosted internet users by over 10% in just one year, and will also be a critical force reinvigorating growth and recovery across the region.

“In 2021, the number of internet users in ASEAN grew by over 10 percent to 400 million people. Almost 70 percent of ASEAN’s population is now online—well above the global rate of 60 percent. The region’s digital economy is now valued at over $100 billion. However, for many ASEAN people, expensive or poor internet quality or digital devices, lack of digital skills, and trust and security concerns stand in their way of fully reaping their fair share of benefits from an inclusive digital economy,” said Vijay after his return from attending the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos.

Vijay is also of the opinion that ASEAN needs to urgently upskill its workforce to tackle barriers to digital adoption.

“To drive digital transformation and to accommodate the new normal, businesses must quickly work with forward-thinking vendors or businesses who can successfully and securely facilitate digital transformation today and prevent obstacles tomorrow. We must build harmony between people, processes, and technologies to achieve better business outcomes in efforts to enable digital transformation noted Vijay.

To best promote digitalization in the economy, Vijay highlighted the urgent need for further upskilling and reskilling initiatives to ensure that this digital generation is equipped for a post-pandemic world and beyond.

Vijay was among the leaders who gave their opinions at the session titled A Digital ASEAN for all, where discussions were held on how the region’s digital future could be shaped to benefit all parts of society and deliver its true potential.

Other discussion leaders at the session included Malaysian Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Bin Tengku Abdul Aziz,  Anthony Tan of Grab, and Derrick Loi of ANT Group. The session was moderated by John Riady, CEO of the Lippo Group from Indonesia.

During the session, Vijay also highlighted that multistakeholder actions in the region must be prioritized to address pertinent issues and to make sure that digital transformation delivers tangible benefits for all of ASEAN

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the WEF hosted its flagship annual meeting in Davos once again this year. The QI Group, a member of the WEF since 2009, has been an active contributor to WEF events and meetings over the last decade. The WEF’s Annual Meeting has emerged as a key focal point for leaders to accelerate the partnerships needed to tackle global challenges and shape a more sustainable and inclusive future.

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