Kannan is an award-winning Global Leader with 27 years of experience in the Technology and Human Capital sectors spanning Asia, EMEA & Americas. Kannan’s Technopreneurship has earned him the “Executive of the Year – Human Resources Technology” award which is an extremely prestigious Management Excellence award from Singapore Business Review. Kannan has held management and leadership positions in First Advantage, Dell Computers, Future Electronics, Arrow Electronics (NY-listed), Farnell Group (London-listed), e2open (IBM-backed), and i-Sprint Innovations (Acer-backed). Kannan is also a Certified International Trainer with very high ratings from Fortune 500 Clients and an accredited Strength Scope Practitioner. Kannan regularly delivers Thought Leadership talks and Masterclasses in the region and constantly offers insights and perspectives in mainstream newspapers and trade publications. Kannan is proficient in several languages – he speaks fluent English, Tamil, elementary Mandarin, Malay, and Thai. An engineer by training, he holds an Honours degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and an MBA from the University of Birmingham in the UK. Kannan holds an Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment as well.

Alvin has more than 13 years of entrepreneurial experience focused on business development, sales & marketing, and operations. He co-built Vanguard Screening Solutions and developed it to become the top background screening provider in the Philippines. His sharp business acumen has helped craft Avvanz and other businesses including Vanguard Workforce Mobility and Tirta Resorts Management Group operate on top of their respective industries. Prior to these, Alvin had a wealth of experience in handling top-notch customer service clientele with multinational companies in the fields of Business Process Outsourcing, IT Services, and Supply Chain Management. Alvin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Major in Computer Applications) from De La Salle University – College of St. Benilde.

Jan is also co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Vanguard Screening Solutions which is a sister company of Avvanz in the same group of companies. He has led Vanguard’s growth from a three-person startup to one of the biggest background screening companies with around 250 employees serving more than 300 companies mainly in the Philippines. Jan has been in the Background Screening industry for more than 10 years, including his stint as the Regional IT Leader of First Advantage Asia-Pacific. Prior to that, he had spent almost 9 years with the San Miguel Group, mostly with its IT subsidiary, SMITS, Inc., where he held various positions in Portfolio Management, Customer Support, Technology Planning, and Network Management.

Born and bred in Singapore, Siang is a consummate Sales professional having honed his skills with work experiences in FMCG with Fraser & Neeve and Unilever early in his career. Next came stints in IT sales leadership at Jebsen & Jessen and Dimension Data along with dives into entrepreneurship including F&B and most recently, cross-border payments partnership with WeChatPay. Siang holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Curtin University in Australia.

Marcellus is a seasoned business leader with a proven track record of driving strategic growth and delivering exceptional customer outcomes. With over a decade of experience in various leadership roles, his deep understanding of the local market and industry will be instrumental in mapping out Avvanz’s development and expansion.

Marcellus brings a wealth of experience in the background screening industry, having spent more than 12 years in the field. In his previous role, he played a pivotal part in tripling India’s revenue, establishing a global capability center with over 1000 employees, and ensuring operational excellence. He also demonstrated a commitment to innovation, developing product and service enhancements to improve the candidate and customer experience.

Prior to joining Avvanz, Marcellus held a variety of leadership and sales positions at prominent companies such as HireRight, First Advantage, Quest Diagnostics, Kelly Services, and ManpowerGroup.

Marcellus holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Osmania University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from VJIM, and has also completed a one-year Executive program in General Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

A finance professional with 15 years of experience in analysis, financial management reporting and control. Christy’s qualifications include an MBA in Corporate Finance from Nottingham Trent University, UK; and she graduated with a BBA (Distinction) in Finance & Real Estate from the University of Oklahoma, USA.

Prior to joining Avvanz, she held executive roles and had diverse working experience and exposure in MNCs across USA, Malaysia, and Singapore in oil and gas (CGG), chemical (Lanxess), manufacturing (Wearnes) and services industries (JPMorgan Chase & Co.).

Jhoann has extensive experience in handling both operations and client success teams during her 10 years of experience in the background check industry. She is a graduate of Business Administration majoring in Office Management at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Prior to her role as the Senior Operations Manager, she was involved in and has led various departments including Finance, Vendor Management, and client care.

A professional with over a decade of expertise in the Background Screening Industry who is innovative, goal-oriented, and committed. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Office Administration and presently manages Operations, Client Success, and Vendor Management, three cross-functional divisions. Her skills contribute to ideas for ongoing team and product development to ensure better service quality, and she keeps Operations, Client Success, IT, and Sales in sync with a fierce desire to provide safe and secure hiring for your company.

A passionate HR person dedicated to creating a positive corporate culture and employee experience that promotes continuous business growth and cultivates customer obsession. With more than 7 years of experience in HR and people operations, Aisah worked with international companies focused on customer service, talent acquisition, employee engagement, learning, and collaboration. She is a graduate of Business Administration majoring in Human Resources at Saint Louis University and is currently taking up a Master’s in Business Administration. After achieving the national certification in Human Resources Associate in the Philippines as a top-notch, Aisah has been certified as a Mental Health First Responder – advocating mental wellness not only in the workplace but also in the community.

With over 18 years of diverse and hands-on experience in the IT industry, Mike has developed a comprehensive skill set spanning network management, system administration, software development, and IT project management. He is recognized for his technical expertise and ability to deliver high-impact solutions across a wide array of IT disciplines, making him a valuable asset in any organization.

Mike holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), where he gained a strong foundation in engineering principles. Over the years, he has supplemented his academic background with specialized certifications and training to stay ahead of industry trends. Notably, Mike has completed Azure System Administration 101 & 104 courses, gaining in-depth knowledge in cloud infrastructure management, and has advanced skills in VMware Administration, Wireless Technologies, OSP (Outside Plant), Network Administration, and Data Center Administration.

In addition to his broad technical expertise, Mike has spent the past 2 years specializing in IT Cloud Security, focusing on securing cloud environments, managing risks, and ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of data in the cloud. His experience includes implementing robust security frameworks, conducting vulnerability assessments, and applying best practices for identity and access management (IAM), encryption, and compliance standards. Mike is adept at ensuring secure cloud architectures and mitigating security threats in dynamic and complex environments.

His background in Data Center Administration and IT Project Management complements his technical skills, enabling him to effectively manage large-scale infrastructure projects, from planning and design to implementation and optimization. Mike’s leadership in project management ensures alignment with organizational goals, budget constraints, and timelines, while maintaining a focus on scalability, performance, and security.

Throughout his career, Mike has proven himself as a versatile IT leader with a passion for solving complex technical challenges. He excels in designing innovative solutions, optimizing systems, and driving cloud security initiatives that meet the evolving needs of modern enterprises. Whether managing networks, securing cloud environments, or optimizing data centers, Mike’s results-oriented approach consistently delivers reliable, scalable, and secure IT solutions.

Salman brings over 20 years of leadership experience spent in the deep end of scaling and transforming businesses from private equity-owned businesses (First Advantage) to start-ups to Fortune 200 (Arrow Inc) and FTSE 100 (Sage Plc). As the Managing Director for UK and Western Europe at Thomas Cook Plc, he drove a turnaround of a £3 billion P&L with over 10,000 employees. As the EVP of Transformation at Sage Plc, he was directly responsible for the successful transformation of the business to a global, cloud-based SaaS business. He has directly been responsible for leading innovation as Head of Global Innovation at Premier Farnell (formerly a FTSE 250 and now acquired by Avnet a Fortune 200 company) and as the Chief Digital Officer for Capita’s People Services division. He is a purpose-driven leader who has worked and lived in many parts of the world including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, and the UK. He believes in the power of people, and inclusive culture and that strategy is simply what you DO to make the business achieve its goals.

Chia Hock Lai has nearly two decades of experience in the financial and technology industry, having worked in Singapore’s GovTech and NTUC Income. An alumnus of NUS and NTU, he is the founding president of the Singapore Fintech Association, a founding board member of the Global Fintech Institute, and co-chairman of the Blockchain Association Singapore.

He is a council member of and strategic advisor to numerous fintech startups and organizations, such as ASEAN AFIN, IEEE C/BDL, Singapore Sichuan Trade & Investment Committee, IBF, and a Fellow of the Singapore University of Social Science (SUSS). He frequently speaks on topics related to fintech and blockchain at international events and universities.

David has spent 3 decades of his career in diverse organizations that include government agencies (National Productivity Board and Bank Negara’s ICLIF), MNCs (GE and J&J), and conglomerates (SinarMas Group). He has served in Chief Talent Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer roles across the globe.

He has managed GE’s Executive Leadership Programmes in Crotonville, New York; led leadership centres in Brussels, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Sydney, Singapore, and Tokyo and served as a consultant to many Asian organizations that include Garuda Airlines, Samsung, Wipro, and Bank Negara. David holds degrees and certificates from the National University of Singapore, INSEAD, University of Michigan, and MIT’s Sloan Business School. He was co-author of Lights, Camera, and Action and served in an editorial capacity for the Productivity Digest and the Singapore Productivity Casebook. He has spoken at numerous conferences and delivered workshops across the world including the renowned American Society for Training and Development in Denver, Colorado. He also serves as a Board Advisor for the Institute of Advance Studies in Complex Choices.