With two Single Day Events taking place this coming week, in Beijing, China and in Hyderabad, India, we hear from PHUSE APAC Director, Sarvesh Singh, reflect on his involvement in our Single Day Events to date.

Tell us a little about your history with PHUSE.

I have been associated with PHUSE since 2014. I started as Co-Chair for a Single Day Event (SDE) in 2014 and became Asia Events Director, managing events in India, China and Japan. The Board was later reshuffled and I was nominated as APAC Director, overseeing all PHUSE activities in the Asia Pacific region.

What do you enjoy most in your current position as APAC Director?

I am involved in the planning of 7 annual events in APAC (4 in India, 2 in China and 1 in Japan). I enjoy my interaction with the Co-Chairs involved in the events planning. I also visit four different cities in India for four different events. I enjoy the diverse culture and diverse food of each city. 500 people from 20 different companies attend the events, so I enjoy my interaction with diverse minds as that gives a great learning and sharing opportunity.

What are the main developments you have seen with the Single Day Events (SDEs) during your time with PHUSE?

PHUSE has evolved in APAC in the last five years and is a much more recognised brand than ever before. Previously, we would get around 50–80 attendees at each event but now we get close to 200 attendees at some. Our presenters would be at managerial level whereas now we get people at very senior level (Director, VP) who come and present. We used to struggle to get sponsorship for the events; now we have several sponsors who reach out to us enquiring about the schedule of events for the current, as well as the following, year. Feedback from attendees has improved as quality of events has increased over time, based on lessons learned at each event.

What, in your opinion, are the main benefits of attending an SDE?

The main benefits of attending an SDE are getting fresh ideas and solutions for pressing issues in the biometrics space; networking and building meaningful relationships; and staying current with trends by learning from experienced and seasoned speakers. SDEs are a very good platform for lifelong learning.

Do you have any tips for anyone considering presenting at an SDE?

Understand the theme of the SDE very well and then pick a compelling topic with some catchy keywords. Know your audience, rehearse your presentation, prepare well. Make an outline of your presentation before you start making slides. Limit the words in your slides. The human brain is designed to remember stories and pictures much better than words, so try to include graphics in your presentation. Once you are satisfied with the content and the flow, stop editing. Too much editing also makes things more confusing. While presenting, try to present in the form of a story and make sure you allow some time for questions. Avoid self-talk and maintain eye contact with the audience.

What would you say is your favourite SDE host city to date?

I would say it’s Pune for multiple reasons. That was my first visit to the city. Hospitality in the hotel was excellent. The number of attendees was almost double what we anticipated. There was fantastic interaction during both the event and the breaks. The theme was great and the presenters were fantastic, talking to the point.

Is there anywhere you would like to see PHUSE host an SDE?

I would like to see PHUSE hosting SDEs in a few more countries within APAC. Currently, we organise Single Day Events in India, China, and Japan. We held our first SDE in Singapore in 2018 and received a great response. There are several other countries in APAC with a good number of people in the biometrics space, so I would like to try out in those countries. There are several cities in India where we could potentially host the events but have not done so to date, so I would like to explore some of those options as well.

Name a personal SDE highlight.

At recent SDEs, we have started inviting university students to attend. Interacting with them gives good insights. I was amazed by their energy and enthusiasm. They also have great ambitions and curiosity around each and every thing that is happening in the industry.