The Digital Nation Summit KL (ASEAN Edition) successfully launched last week in Kuala Lumpur, hosted by the GSMA with support from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). The two-day gathering united policymakers, industry leaders, and regional institutions to accelerate the creation of trusted, inclusive, and future-ready digital nations across Southeast Asia.
The event was anchored by the release of the Digital Nations Summit ASEAN Report 2025, which outlined strategies for strengthening digital trust, scaling innovation, and reinforcing governance frameworks to ensure sustainable and secure digital growth. Key themes included digital nation-building, cybersecurity, connected industries, sustainability, and resilience against scams.
A strong speaker lineup featured Rahul Vatts (Bharti Airtel), Magnus Ewerbring (Ericsson), Masaaki Koga (KDDI), and Young Bahn (GSMA), alongside exhibitors such as Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson, Ookla, China Mobile, U Mobile, CelcomDigi, and HONOR. Exhibitions showcased cutting-edge technologies, including AI-powered robotics developed by U Mobile and Huawei.
The summit’s highlight was the Digital Nation Awards & Networking Cocktail at The Westin Kuala Lumpur, which recognized innovation across sustainability, digital inclusion, and mobile-driven transformation. Winners included Afghan Wireless Communication Co., Grameenphone, HONOR, Singtel, AIS, U Mobile, CelcomDigi, and the Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit.
GSMA also presented the 2025 Women Digital Leadership Awards under its Diversity4Tech initiative, honoring global women tech leaders championing digital trust and inclusive AI. Honorees included Muntaha Asim, Tara Neal, Katherine Ng, and Chanita Craythorne.
Looking ahead, GSMA announced that its next flagship ASEAN event, M360 ASEAN, will take place in September 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, under the theme Aligning Policy, Power & Progress.
