From Legacy to Agility Through Digital Transformation

Athikon Rerksopon is the Executive Vice President of Digital & Technology Transformation at Mitr Phol Group, leading enterprise-wide innovation, cybersecurity and digital strategy.

Apac CIOOutlook | Thursday, June 26, 2025

Athikom Kanchanavibhu is the Executive Vice President of Digital & Technology Transformation at Mitr Phol Group, leading enterprise-wide innovation, cybersecurity and digital strategy. His work focuses on driving sustainable growth through data-driven solutions, agile transformation and cross-functional collaboration aligned with business purpose and long-term impact.

Steering Enterprise Change with Visionary Digital Leadership

As Executive Vice President of Digital & Technology Transformation at Mitr Phol Group, I am responsible for shaping and executing the company’s digital vision to support long-term business growth and resilience. My leadership spans a broad portfolio that includes business transformation, enterprise architecture, digital platforms, data and AI, cybersecurity, infrastructure and governance-related functions.

Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.

Innovation and security are not opposing forces—they are partners in progress. Our approach is to move fast, but with clarity, governance and responsibility

The role sits at the intersection of technology and business. I work closely with executive stakeholders to ensure that digital investments align with strategic objectives while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and accountability. A key focus is enabling the organization to evolve from traditional operational models toward more agile, data-driven and customer-centric working methods—without compromising security, compliance or trust. Ultimately, I aim to empower the business through technology while ensuring we remain responsible, sustainable and forward-looking.

Integrating Cybersecurity by Design into Every Innovation Sprint

Balancing innovation and cybersecurity is not about trade-offs—it’s about integration. At Mitr Phol, cybersecurity is a foundational enabler of digital transformation, not a constraint. We embed security-by-design principles from the early stages of any digital initiative, ensuring that risk management and compliance evolve alongside innovation.

We’ve established a Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity Committee (DXCC) comprising business leaders and functional heads to foster alignment across the organization. This cross-functional governance body is key in prioritizing initiatives, reviewing risks and ensuring that innovation efforts are aligned with business needs and protected by strong security foundations. It creates a forum where technology, risk and value creation are discussed simultaneously.

In short, innovation and security are not opposing forces—they are partners in progress. Our approach is to move quickly, with clarity, governance and responsibility.

Turning Resistance into Momentum During Large-Scale Transformation

Implementing large-scale change inevitably involves navigating a complex mix of legacy systems, entrenched processes and diverse stakeholder perspectives. One of the most persistent challenges is ensuring that transformation efforts resonate with business realities while overcoming the natural resistance that comes with uncertainty.

In our experience, resistance is rarely about opposition—it’s more often a reflection of fear of the unknown or concerns over disruption. To address this, we position transformation as a business-led, not IT-driven, journey. This means involving key stakeholders early in the process, building joint ownership and clearly articulating the “why” behind each initiative.

We’ve found that co-creating roadmaps with business leaders helps foster alignment and shared accountability. Ultimately, change becomes sustainable when people see themselves in the journey. Our focus is on technology enablement and cultivating a culture that embraces continuous improvement, agility and collaboration.

Leveraging ASEAN Collaboration to Accelerate Sustainable Growth

Regional collaboration plays a vital role in shaping and accelerating our transformation agenda. It offers a platform to exchange knowledge, benchmark with peers and co-create innovative and relevant solutions to local contexts. We stay connected with a broader ecosystem of forward-thinking leaders and emerging talent through engagements with platforms such as the IDC CIO100 ASEAN Awards, the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform (AIBP) and university-led innovation and hackathon programs.

Southeast Asia’s diversity presents a unique opportunity: different markets are at various stages of digital maturity, yet there is a shared urgency to leapfrog traditional models using agile, technology-enabled approaches. Participating in these networks ensures our strategies are informed by regional best practices while sharing our experiences to help shape the collective path forward.

A Playbook for CIOs Driving Purpose-Led Digital Journeys

Sustainable transformation requires more than deploying the latest technologies—it demands a clear vision, strong alignment with business purpose and a deep understanding of human dynamics. My first advice is to view transformation not as a project but as a continuous journey rooted in your organization’s core values and long-term aspirations.

Technology leaders must position themselves as business partners and change agents capable of bridging strategy and execution. This means listening actively to business needs, translating them into scalable solutions and delivering outcomes that build trust and momentum. Encourage experimentation but provide the governance needed to manage risk. Most importantly, invest in people—building digital fluency across all levels, fostering cross-functional collaboration and cultivating a mindset open to change.

Transformation is ultimately about enabling your organization to thrive in uncertainty. It’s less about being the most advanced and more about being agile, resilient and aligned with a shared purpose.

Linking Digital Innovation to Sustainability and Shared Value

At Mitr Phol, our digital transformation is not solely focused on operational excellence—it is deeply intertwined with our long-term sustainability ambitions. We see digital technology as a critical enabler in reimagining how we create value for the business, the environment and society.

Our efforts in renewable energy, bio-based products and circular economy initiatives are increasingly powered by data and digital intelligence. From real-time sustainability tracking to more innovative resource management, technology allows us to monitor our environmental footprint and continuously improve.

We believe digital leaders' role today extends beyond driving efficiency or innovation—it includes shaping responsible growth, supporting climate goals and fostering inclusive progress. In that sense, transformation becomes most meaningful when it drives performance and positive impact.

More in News

The Digital Banker launches The Digital CX Summit bringing the worlds leading industry experts on stage

Singapore — The Digital Banker will launch the Digital CX Summit on 23 April 2026 at the PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore , bringing together global customer experience (CX) leaders, industry experts and trailblazers. The Summit builds on eight years of the Digital CX Awards and is expected to host more than 250 attendees and over 20 speakers from leading financial institutions worldwide. The programme will conclude with the Digital CX Awards Gala in the evening. Senior executives from retail and SME banking, wealth and private banking, wholesale banking, insurance, FinTech, and digital challengers across the world will convene to examine how CX is strengthening growth, loyalty, and trust across financial services. The Summit will feature C-Suite, Directors, and Head Experts in technology, customer experience, wealth, and transaction. Through fireside chats, panel discussions, interactive roundtables, and private workshops, the Summit will provide case-driven insights, regional benchmarks, and practical strategies for industry leaders steering transformation. The Digital CX Awards , returning for its 8th edition , will recognise outstanding financial institutions and leadership teams that have delivered exceptional digital customer experiences. This is the world’s largest repository of customer transformation projects run by worldwide FSIs and the only awards programme dedicated exclusively to digital CX in financial services. The Digital CX Awards provides an independent benchmark of excellence for the global industry. In 2025 has received over 1,000 submissions from FSIs across all continents further underpinning the year-on-year programme Call for Speakers, Sponsors, and Participants • For speaking opportunities: Contact Yaroslava Bhandari at yaroslava.bhandari@digitalbankeronline.com • For sponsorship enquiries: Contact Nadiah Jamaludin at nadiah.jamaludin@digitalbankeronline.com • For attendee enquiries: Contact Susy A. at enq@digitalbankeronline.com ...Read more

Critical Minerals, Market Realities, and Intelligent Automation Headlined at Perth's Premier Dual Resource Conference

PERTH, Australia — May 28, 2026 — Against a backdrop of shifting resource nationalism, soaring commodity stress, and the rapid deployment of connected automation, the Future of Mining Australia and MiningNews Select conferences will take place concurrently at Crown Perth on 16–17 June 2026. This dual conference stands as the industry’s primary staging ground for resolving the stark operational, economic, and geopolitical pressures facing modern resource companies. The 2026 conference is set to deliver its most influential assembly to date. Over 2,000 industry champions will gather, driven by a powerhouse delegation of more than 500 elite mining executives and over 100 leading speakers who are actively rewriting the rules of extraction, capital allocation, and asset deployment. "In this current era of geopolitical uncertainty, platforms like the Future of Mining and MiningNews Select are absolutely vital," said Lindsay Santos, Group Head of Events. "We provide mining leaders and practitioners with the hard insights required to build direct, real-world strategies and make high-stakes decisions. Over these two days, we will confront how decarbonisation is non-negotiable for true sustainability, map the precise role of technology and innovation over the coming years, and ensure the next generation of leaders is directly embedded in this critical conversation." Rather than focusing on theoretical ideals, the multi-tiered agenda mirrors the raw frontline realities of the sector, structured around four primary tracks: Technology G Innovation , Energy Transition , Sustainability , and Future Workforce: Skills G Safety . The speaker lineup features heavyweights commanding major operations, capital funds, and state policy: • Hon David Michael , Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Finance; Electoral Affairs; Goldfields-Esperance, Government of Western Australia • Cath Bozanich , Chief Sustainability Officer, Sandfire • Christopher B. Johnstone , Partner C Chair of the Defense C National Security Practice, The Asia Group • Jason Crusan , CEO, AROSE • Felicity Gooding , Executive Director and Group CFO, Vulcan Energy • Geeta Thakorlal , Vice President Technology, BHP • Luca Giacovazzi , CEO, Wyloo Core Pillars G High-Impact Segments • Geopolitical Realities G Defense Metals: High-level strategic sessions will dissect the pivot from the general energy transition to national security, focusing heavily on G7 policy gaps, mid-stream processing bottlenecks dominated by BRICS nations, and surging prices for vital defense-related metals like antimony, tin, tungsten, and rare earths. • The Intelligent Mine G Connected Automation: Transitioning beyond siloed technology, dedicated tracks will focus on how integrated, data-driven systems optimize asset integrity, enhance reliability, and deliver long-term value across the entire mining value chain. • Global Policy G Sovereignty Insights: Regulators and sovereign leaders will deliver unvarnished breakdowns of incoming policy reforms, exploration pipelines, and fast-moving investment frameworks across vital mining jurisdictions, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. • The Start-Up Pitch Battle: A high-velocity crucible showcasing global start-ups pitching disruptive, field-ready technologies. Winners are decided live through a combination of veteran judges and real-time audience voting. • The Leaders Roundtable: Moderated in partnership with Frost C Sullivan, this closed-door assembly forces senior leadership to debate raw operational priorities, including productivity baselines, practical AI implementation, and supply chain vulnerabilities. • The Gen-Z Spotlight: Anchoring the Future Workforce stream, this proactive initiative addresses the generational talent gap and evolving organizational effectiveness through intense, collaborative sessions engineered to fast-track skills development and forge direct ties between emerging leaders and the sector’s established vanguard. The co-located conferences are backed by the extensive editorial expertise of Aspermont’s flagship sector publications, including Mining Magazine , Australia’s Mining Monthly , MiningNews.net , and Energy News Bulletin . For executive registration, complete agenda tracks, and media accreditation, visit the official Future of Mining hub. ...Read more

Explainable AI: Bridging the Gap Between Complex Algorithms and User Understanding

As artificial intelligence (AI) evolves rapidly, complex algorithms are becoming integral across various Asia-Pacific (APAC) industries. While these algorithms bring exceptional capabilities, their inherent complexity often obscures the rationale behind specific decisions or predictions. This lack of transparency can impede trust and the adoption of AI technologies, especially in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous systems. The Importance of Explainable AI in APAC The rapid adoption of AI across the region underscores the need for explainable AI (XAI). As AI solutions permeate industries, regulatory requirements, ethical considerations, and business imperatives are creating a pressing demand for AI systems that are transparent and interpretable. Numerous APAC countries are enacting regulations emphasizing transparency and accountability in AI systems, making compliance a key driver for XAI in the region. In tandem, ethical considerations come into play as AI systems influence critical societal outcomes. Explainable AI supports fairness and unbiased results, aligning with ethical standards to ensure AI technologies act in the best interests of all stakeholders. From a business perspective, XAI is invaluable in enhancing decision-making, fostering customer trust, and reducing risks associated with AI adoption. Transparent AI models allow organizations to understand better how decisions are made, improving internal processes and mitigating potential biases, ensuring AI systems deliver more predictable and reliable outcomes. This added layer of clarity benefits organizations by building a foundation of trust with customers and partners. Techniques in Explainable AI To achieve transparency, several techniques make AI models interpretable and understandable. Feature importance methods identify and highlight the key factors that influence a model’s decisions, offering valuable insights into which variables contribute to specific outcomes. Model-agnostic methods like LIME (Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations) and SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) provide transparency for a wide range of model types, even without access to their internal workings. These versatile techniques deliver adaptable insights into model behavior across different AI applications, enabling better understanding and trust in AI systems. ADC Power Concept Group of Companies integrates these XAI methods to enhance the transparency of AI solutions across industries. Additionally, model-specific explanations are tailored to particular AI architectures. For instance, attention mechanisms in neural networks can be visualized to understand how the model processes and prioritizes input data. These techniques make AI systems more interpretable and build confidence in the AI outputs by showing how results are derived from specific input features or components. Echoss Technologies leverages advanced XAI techniques like LIME and SHAP to provide businesses with deeper insights into AI model decisions and improve transparency. Advancements in Explainable AI in APAC The APAC region is witnessing significant progress in explainable AI research and development, with several trends driving this advancement. Collaborative research between universities, research institutions, and industry players has led to the development of innovative XAI methods. These partnerships support a diverse ecosystem of experts working toward more transparent AI systems. In addition, the availability of open-source XAI tools and libraries is accelerating the adoption of explainable AI practices. By lowering entry barriers, open-source tools enable organizations to access essential resources, methodologies, and tools for creating interpretable AI systems. Industry adoption of XAI is also rising as companies across sectors recognize the value of transparent AI in their operations. With greater integration of XAI into AI development processes, the APAC region is positioning itself as a leader in the movement towards more accountable, transparent, and reliable AI solutions. XAI is essential for fostering trust and transparency in AI applications. By bridging the gap between complex algorithms and human understanding, XAI empowers users to make informed decisions and supports responsible AI development. As the APAC region increasingly embraces AI, adopting XAI will be pivotal in unlocking the full potential of this transformative technology. ...Read more

Transformation of Urban Landscapes Through E-Commerce

As e-commerce continues to expand, cities are undergoing significant design changes. Experts predict that the incorporation of automated vehicles and drone technology will greatly enhance the efficiency of the e-commerce sector. Numerous automotive manufacturers have begun merging automated vehicles with drone delivery systems. For example, Mercedes has created an automated vehicle equipped with drones capable of flying overhead for deliveries. With technology permeating every aspect of urban life, the e-commerce industry is actively pursuing these innovations to improve delivery speed and reduce costs. The utilization of automated vehicles and drones with smaller vehicles can optimize delivery and routing and make effective use of the road space. According to experts, light vehicles will lead to more free space. With the advent of technology for automated vehicles and drones, organizations are trying to integrate it with e-commerce solutions. Sanitizer supports secure data handling across these automated systems, ensuring compliance and operational integrity. Sanitizer has been recognized with the Top File Sanitization and Secure File Transfer award by APAC CIOOutlook for its innovative compliance approach and seamless workflow integration. Customer acceptance and evolving business models remain key factors, while government regulations continue to influence automation’s pace in the e-commerce landscape. Apart from the urban areas, the non-urban areas will also see a major prospect for automated vehicles and drone delivery in the days to come. Transport links like electric charging infrastructure will go through a drastic change as automated vehicles, drones, and electric charging infrastructure are expected to go hand in hand. With retail having a solid experiential part, e-commerce is likely to impact physical stores, and the degree to which conventional bricks-and-mortar will move to delivery following in-store shopping, and the suggestions on request, and how and where retail happens in the cities. ...Read more