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Advancing together in the new normal
Advancing together in the new normal
What a year it’s been here at Red Hat. Indeed, it’s been a strange time for everyone.
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Guna Chellappan shared thisAgentic AI will require event-driven data architectures to continuously provide high-quality, relevant, and contextual data products to support the dynamic nature of agentic business activities. The constraint is no longer the model — it is the data. Real-time, event-driven Agents are only as good as what they can sense, trust, and act on in the moment. Data is becoming the foundation every serious AI system runs on. I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Regional Vice President at Solace managing the APAC and Middle East Business. Thanks tim wong Sumeet Puri Denis King for your confidence. #RealTimeData #solace
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Guna Chellappan posted thisIts time. I joined Red Hat after 9 years in IBM. I thought I was leaving IBM, but I landed in Red Hat, an IBM company by then.I have to thank Josep Garcia and Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen for taking the chance and hiring me to manage Singapore. For personal reasons, I didnt want me to travel and most companies, like it or not, were not willing to hire an older APAC person to manage Singapore. But as Josep said, the role of a GM is significantly more than just a sales leader. I would like to thank him & DP for the opportunity which led to great 6 years at Red Hat Singapore! Building a sales team from scratch, growing the business 3x in 6years and most of all forging great relationships with customers and partners. Thanks to all the regional leaders who made Red Hat the fantastic company it was! Prem Pavan Marjet Andriesse Daniel Aw Viju Chakarapany. It was a great ride that started at IBM working with so many fantastic people. It was a pleasant surprise when Paul Burton & Rob Thomas asked me to head up, Netezza for Global Markets. It was the first time I managed markets outside APAC for a hardware appliance business. Had a blast working with the Netezza team, with my first step in running an analytical appliance business selling to banks and telcos across the globe. Then I met Zoran Hrustic, who was a fantastic manager who helped me navigate the organisational complexity of IBM. He taught me that the way forward sometimes means taking a step back. Spent some of the best years at IBM, with Martin Chee surrounded by a fantastic team of friends who made it the best time in IBM. So no pictures... Just memories. And thanks to all who took a chance with me and those helped make it the fantastic journey Red Hat & IBM!
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Guna Chellappan shared thisThese days, we are bombarded with news about how powerful AI is and how it will solve everything (maybe even world peace!). But at the same we hears news about AI going rogue or data breaches even in Singapore. Join me and a fantastic lineup of speakers next week on the 14th Oct at the AI Assurance Exchange. Balancing Innovation with Assurance is a challenge.Guna Chellappan shared thisSee you at the upcoming AI Assurance Exchange: Agentic AI edition on 14th October 2026. Whether you are exploring your first agentic AI use case or thinking about scaling agents across your organisation, this edition of the AI Assurance Exchange will help you understand the business, operational and assurance considerations behind enterprise adoption. Come away with a clearer view of: ❓ What changes when AI moves from generating outputs to taking actions ❓ The organisational and operational foundations needed to scale agents ❓ How governance principles can be translated into practical technical controls ❓ Where testing, monitoring and assurance fit into the agent lifecycle ❓ The questions business and risk leaders should be asking before scaling agentic AI The goal is not simply to deploy more agents. It is to build the confidence, controls and assurance needed to deploy them reliably at scale. 📩 RSVP before 3pm on 09th October to be part of the conversation in shaping trustworthy AI adoption. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gtrKf58e (Our team will share a confirmation email to everyone whose registration is approved) Community Partner: SGTech
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Guna Chellappan reposted thisGuna Chellappan reposted thisAmid calls for a slowdown in AI development and the need for businesses to speed up AI adoption, Singapore is in a unique position. The Republic has been at the forefront of technology adoption, and being a first mover creates an opportunity on the AI front, says Guna Chellappan, co-chair of industry body SGTech’s AI, Cloud and Data Chapter. Singapore’s established position in the business, financial and legal sectors also creates an opportunity for the country and companies to develop the necessary frameworks for AI governance, he added.As AI firms call for accountability and limits, an opportunity beckons for SingaporeAs AI firms call for accountability and limits, an opportunity beckons for Singapore
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Guna Chellappan shared thisHad a very interesting chat with some of the SMU undergraduates, BSc (InformationSystems) on my career experience. Primarily based on the fact that a career is not a sprint but a marathon. While the current GenZs may not look at the career the same that I did, its important to always know that its a journey. We discussed interesting topics of how AI will impact their careers and even how industry's proclivity to lay-offs leads to anxiety. But overall it was a fun discussion.. all set to the theme of D&D (look it up if you have forgotten what that is!). Thanks to Rafael J. Barros Venky Shankararaman for helping organise this session! Gerard Blanquer Gyaltsen Chee Gaurav Agarwal Key Hon Tham
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Guna Chellappan shared thisHad a very interesting chat with some of the SMU undergraduates, BSc (InformationSystems) on my career experience. Primarily based on the fact that a career is not a sprint but a marathon. While the current GenZs may not look at the career the same that I did, its important to always know that its a journey. We discussed interesting topics of how AI will impact their careers and even how industry's proclivity to lay-offs leads to anxiety. But overall it was a fun discussion.. all set to the theme of D&D (look it up if you have forgotten what that is!). Thanks to Rafael J. Barros Venky Shankararaman for helping organise this session! Gerard Blanquer Gyaltsen Chee Gaurav Agarwal
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Guna Chellappan shared thisI am very grateful to have earned the Senior Accredited Director credential. My learning journey with SID and experience with Sentosa Development Corporation, have been enriching. This experience has deepened my appreciation for the important role directors play in governance, strategy, risk oversight, and long-term value creation. This journey has led to my accreditation as a Senior Accredited Director, as well as earning the Qualified Listed Entity Director badges. Additionally, I completed the SGOOD (Governance for Outstanding Organisation Directors) training program to enhance my contributions to the non-profit sector. Thank you to the SID community, fellow participants, and mentors for this valuable learning experience. I look forward to contributing meaningfully in the boardroom.
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Guna Chellappan shared thisApproaching 40 years since my enlistment in 1987! Yes, I am THAT old! Since completing my full-time National Service in 1990, I take pride in wearing my uniform every 1st July for Singapore Armed Forces Day. It serves as a reminder to every soldier on the streets that we all share the same journey, balancing family, work, and personal lives. This day also reminds my friends and colleagues that every Singaporean man, (and recently women), fulfill their NS duty to ensure we enjoy the prosperity that comes with the security provided by the Singapore Armed Forces and the commitment of the SAF NSmen. A salute to my friends and brothers-in-arms! Thank you for your service.
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Guna Chellappan reposted thisGuna Chellappan reposted thisLATEST NEWS. Have you attended a corporate event at a karaoke? Not to sing. It's our 4th episode in our Podcast Peerty series of 10 which is backed by Singapore Global Network (SGN) , a division of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) by Meet Your Peers Not all episodes are executives-only nights. This one is. And sharing on our #podcast will be Mayank Wadhwa from Microsoft , Vijayanand Sinha from Reckitt , Jerome GRAY from Ferrero and Alexander Harrison from Barclays IN-PERSON We are expecting a live, in-person audience of 40. There will be a good 45 mins for audience to share their views or ask questions after the podcast recording. In episode 3, we featured an all-female C-suite peers. So now it's onto the "boys". It would be a different tone. a different vibe. So I decided to book an unusual place. A karaoke on Orchard Road. We have held previous episodes at offices of Amazon Web Services (AWS) , ServiceNow and Capgemini . Events are an experience. The experience of learning, getting inspired, meeting genuine people, striking meaningful conversations, connecting on LinkedIn. Venues set the tone. At our events, people get introduced to others so that no one is left alone. For those who have never sung at a k, we will extend the nite for that. For those who can't leave the mic once you get your hands on it, you get one shot. This brings back memories to when I launched the O2 XDA pda phone in 2002. We did it at the then Queen's disco in Hong Kong, much to the shock of our exclusive mobile service operator CSL, which would not have imagined their brand associated that way. That event packed 500 people, early adopters in the financial industry like Bloomberg , Reuters , etc. We even built an oxygen tunnel as people made their way down the stairs to the basement. What's the most fancy event have you been to in the last 12 months that's not held in a hotel or convention center?
Guna Chellappan commented on a post
3d
Congrats Emma!
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Guna Chellappan liked thisGuna Chellappan liked thisI'm honoured to be part of the 2026 Global Best of the Best Effie Awards Global Grand Jury. Great marketing combines creativity with commercial discipline: challenging assumptions, making deliberate choices and turning customer insight into meaningful business impact. I admire the Effies: they recognise not just exceptional ideas, but ideas that have proven their effectiveness. I'm looking forward to evaluating some of the world's best work, learning from fellow jurors and challenging my own thinking. Thank you to Effie Worldwide for the invitation and opportunity.
Experience & Education
Licenses & Certifications
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Governance for Outstanding Organisation Directors (SGOOD) Programme 2025/26
Singapore Institute of Directors
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Qualified Listed Entity Director Badge (2026)
Singapore Institute of Directors
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Senior Accredited Director
Singapore Institute of Directors
Honors & Awards
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National Commendation Award (Public Medal)
Singapore Government
The Pingat Penghargaan (Tentera) (Commendation Medal (Military)) is awarded to any member of the Singapore Armed Forces who has placed himself above his peers through commendable achievements in military command or staff work, or who has performed service over and above the call of duty.
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National Long Service Award (Public)
Singapore Government
The Long Service Medal (Military) is awarded to a member of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) (regardless of regular or NSmen status) who has completed 25 years of continuous service.
Languages
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Malay
Elementary proficiency
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Tamil
Limited working proficiency
Organizations
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SGTech
Co-Chair, AI, Cloud & Data Chapter
- PresentCo Chairman, SGTech (Formerly known as Singapore IT Federation), AI, Cloud & Data Chapter SGTech is an active and responsible advocate of the technology industry in Singapore. SGTech strives to create an ecosystem to anticipate changing technology trends and develop sustainable initiatives that can further strengthen the community and help the industry grow.
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Singapore Computer Society, Cloud Computing Chapter
Vice President
- PresentVice President of the Singapore Computer Society, Cloud Computing Chapter. Promoting adoption of cloud technologies across IT professionals in Singapore through knowledge-sharing and professional networking sessions. Support engagement with various government agencies. The Singapore Computer Society (SCS) is the leading infocomm and digital media professional society in Singapore.
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Young Business Leaders
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