Top 3 Finalists to Present at CommsForward25 Conference for the Grand Prize

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 May 2025 – STRATSEA 2025: InterVarsity Crisis Communication Award is currently open to undergraduate communication students across Southeast Asia. Designed to challenge and nurture the next generation of communication leaders, the regional competition is held in conjunction with the inaugural CommsForward25 Conference, which will take place from 2 to 3 July 2025 at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral.

Organised by Citrine One Group, STRATSEA25 invites university teams to develop and present a crisis communication strategy in response to a hypothetical scenario centered on a major cyberattack involving a technology company. Entries opened on 17 April and will close on 15 June, and the top three teams will be flown to Kuala Lumpur to present their strategies live on Day 2 of the conference. Winners will be announced during a special award ceremony, judged by leading industry professionals including Shukreen Ma (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad), Ana Pista (Ardent Communications, Philippines), David Ko (Ruder Finn Interactive Asia, Hong Kong), and Iza Sofia Kasbi (Cyberview Sdn Bhd).

Held under the theme “Shaping Stories, Inspiring Results,” CommsForward25 is expected to gather 250 delegates from across Southeast Asia, offering a dynamic platform for C-suite leaders, communication professionals, academics, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to explore the evolving role of strategic communication in driving trust and transformation across today’s complex business and digital environment.

“With recent crises such as the PETRONAS Gas Pipeline fire explosion, Myanmar-Thailand earthquake, market volatility from the US tariff announcement, the communication landscape continues to evolve. Rising misinformation, cybersecurity risks, and advancements in AI, AGI, and ASI has heightened the demand for communicators to be strategic advisors shaping narratives, managing crises and guiding organisations through a complex reputation landscape. They are no longer just message crafters.

“CommsForward25 will address these realities, bringing together leaders, innovators, and changemakers to explore strategies and raise the bar for modern communication. We are proud to launch CommsForward25 as the first of what we envision to be a biennial gathering of minds across industries,” enthused Ivlynn Yap, Executive Chairman of Citrine One Group.

Ivlynn further emphasised that CommsForward25 is not just a space to spotlight best practices, but a space to challenge norms, learn from one another, and redefine how communication influences outcomes at the highest levels of leadership.

The two-day conference will feature a stellar line-up of regional and international thought leaders. Among them are Datuk P. Kamalanathan, former Deputy Minister of Education and Chairman of PR Practitioners Society of Malaysia (PRactitioners) as well as Council Member of Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), who will deliver the keynote speech and delve into the essential skills needed in today’s AI-driven communication landscape; Ivlynn Yap, who will explore the role of ethical leadership in crisis communication; and Ana Pista, Founder & CEO of Ardent Communications (Philippines) and CEO of AI Centre of Excellence, who will discuss the transformative role of AI in the Public Relations industry.

One of the key highlights will be the session by Shamsul Izhan Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer of National AI Office (NAIO), Malaysia, who will offer insights on the country’s position in the global AI ecosystem. Delegates can also look forward to an engaging session with Nurulhuda Abd Aziz, multiple award-winning journalist and former press secretary, on the interplay between journalism and public relations. Additionally, Michelle Lau, Special Projects Director of Qube Integrated and former Project and Pavilion Director for Malaysia Pavilion at World Expo 2020 Dubai and Expo 2017 Astana, Kazakhstan, will unpack the intricacies of strategic reputation management at global events.

Complementing the keynotes are interactive panel sessions featuring esteemed experts including Sharon Goh of Syuen Zens Resources, Fiona Liao from POS Malaysia, and Syed Muhammad Idid of West Coast Expressway (WCE), tackling themes such as the future of communication skills in an AI-powered world, stakeholder alignment, brand impact, and ethical crisis navigation.

With speakers and delegates from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the UAE, CommsForward25 promises truly regional perspectives on global communication challenges and actionable strategies for those ready to lead change in their organisations.

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About CommsForward

CommsForward is a business communication conference organised by Citrine One Group with the intent to be the preferred platform where top-level management of corporations, businesses, academia, governments and communication practitioners congregate to discuss, debate, share insights and knowledge to address trends and issues facing the world today and promote best communication practices to convey their desired messages which can build trust and confidence to the entity.

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