Meet Our Keynote Speakers
We're thrilled to introduce the keynote speakers shaping this year's conference！Explore their industry-leading backgrounds and thought-provoking presentation abstracts here.
Stay tuned as we unveil more distinguished speakers soon！
Opening Address Speaker Announcement
We are honored to welcome Professor Wei Xiangdong, Secretary General of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA), as the Opening Address Speaker for the 2025 A-ATP Conference. Professor Wei will open the conference on the morning of November 3, 2025, setting an inspiring tone as participants from around the world gather in Hong Kong. Kong. His address will reflect on the evolving role of assessment in Asia and globally, while highlighting opportunities for collaboration and innovation across the profession.
About Professor Wei Xiangdong
Professor Wei has served as Secretary General of the HKEAA since March 2021, providing strategic direction and leadership in administering a wide range of examinations and assessment services for both the school sector and the public.
Prior to his current role, Professor Wei was a Professor in the Department of Economics at Lingnan University, where he also held several leadership positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. He was Director of the Pan Su-tong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute and the China Economic Research Programme. In addition, he served as Supervisor and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Governors of Lingnan Institute of Further Education.
Professor Wei founded the Lingnan University STEAM Education and Research Centre to advance STEAM education in Hong Kong, and has also held teaching and research positions at universities in the UK and Mainland China. His extensive background in higher education and assessment makes him a highly respected voice in the field.
Opening Keynote Speaker
We are thrilled to announce that Kevin Baird, Chairman of the Global Center for College & Career Readiness and Chief Experience Officer at Prometric, will be our Opening Keynote Speaker at the A-ATP 2025 Conference in Hong Kong!
Keynote: Building Future Ready Workforce: Innovative Strategies for Skill Development and Assessment
Kevin will unpack landscape of building workforce in an era of AI-driven transformation, offering actionable insights on:
- The future of work and global skill gaps
- Innovative strategies for power skill fluency and leadership development
- The role of generative AI and immersive technology in next-generation assessment
- Fostering essential collaboration between education, government, and industry
About Kevin Baird
Kevin E. Baird leads in accelerated human performance and workforce development, focusing on portable global credentials and LLM-powered, conversation-based predictive skill analytics. He collaborates with rapidly growing economies and global leaders to develop platforms for enhancing human performance and workforce readiness.
Kevin designed the International Pathway for College & Career Readiness for labor mobility and migration. He also teaches graduate-level courses in trauma readiness and response, and is co-author of Whole: What Teachers Need to Help Students Thrive (Wiley, 2020) and Trust Me: Discovering Trust in a Culture of Distrust (2023).
Kevin contributes to research supported by the U.S. NSF and neurobiological studies of student engagement with Dr. Paul Zak. In early literacy, Kevin collaborates on digital foundational skills (Dr. Kay Stahl), cognitively complex classrooms (Dr. Karin Hess), and NABU/UN mother-tongue programs. He advances low-bandwidth streaming/AI multilingual content for global education access.
Kevin holds degrees in Sociology, Anthropology, and Business with academic theses focused on medical sociology, language acquisition, and global business development. He is also one of the world's first Accredited Learning Environment Planners, a recipient of the Beinecke National Scholarship, the Wingspread Fellowship and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Secretary's Circle.
Closing Keynote Speaker Announcement
We are delighted to announce our Closing Keynote Speaker for the 2025 A-ATP Conference: Robert Kienzle, Senior Consultant, Knowmium.
Keynote: Tools, Trades, and Tech: How We Got Here in Asia
This interactive keynote will journey through human history to highlight the technological achievements that continue to shape societies, businesses, and personal lives in 2025. Beginning with the earliest tools that enabled communities to flourish, Robert will explore unique and lesser-known inventions from ancient times, the Middle Ages, the Industrial Revolution, and today's technology-driven era.
Through compelling stories and visuals, insights from historians, archivists, and today's tech leaders will come to life. Audience members will be invited to share ideas in small groups and with the wider room, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. Special focus will be placed on Asia's pivotal role—from the innovations of the Silk Road to today's modern breakthroughs—that continue to influence global progress.
About Robert Kienzle
Robert brings over 20 years of business training and coaching experience across all seven continents. As Senior Consultant at Knowmium, he designs and facilitates workshops for Fortune 100 companies and global firms, and coaches professionals on leadership and communication strategies.
He is the author of Hybrid Live Guide and a regular presenter at the Association for Talent Development International Conference & EXPO since 2022. Robert also serves as an Associate Professor at Sungkyunkwan University's Graduate School of Business.
Robert holds an MA in Communication from the University of Arkansas (USA), with additional credits earned at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (UK). He is also a two-time semi-finalist in the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking (2014 & 2015).