Quantum standard technology specialist SDT (CEO Jiwon Yoon) announced on the 5th that Natasha K. Kovacs, head of business strategy at the company, has been appointed as a member of the 'Tier-1 Industrial Advisory Group (IAG)', the top industry advisory body of Malaysia's national research institute 'MIMOS'.
MIMOS, the Malaysian government's national research and development (R&D) agency, spearheads national policy formulation and the development of a technology ecosystem in strategic technology areas. Among its core advisory bodies, the Tier-1 IAG, comprised of experts with global expertise in various fields, provides strategic advice on national R&D direction and science and technology policy formulation.
With this appointment, the Kovax team will advise on the development of Malaysia's national quantum strategy and the allocation of science and technology budgets within the 13th Malaysia Development Plan (RMK13). This will allow SDT to directly participate in quantum technology policymaking within Southeast Asia, and is expected to provide a strategic advantage in attracting future research funding and pursuing international collaborative projects.
IAG members serve as strategic ambassadors, policy workshop leaders, and technology roadmap advisors. They are responsible for structuring discussions on national challenges and providing actionable policy insights. They also serve as session chairs for industry-specific roadmap dialogues and policy roundtables.
Through this participation, SDT aims to secure policy leadership in key technology areas such as quantum key dispersive (QKD) and quantum-resistant cryptography (PQC), and to expand partnerships with governments, businesses, and academia in the ASEAN region, thereby transforming from a technology supplier to a partner in fostering an industrial ecosystem.
Natasha Kovacs, a Harvard University graduate, has overseen SDT's business strategy since 2021, spearheading global partnerships and the development of a quantum technology hub. Regarding her appointment, she stated, "I feel a sense of responsibility to serve as an advisor on Malaysia's core technology policies. I will strive to establish SDT as a policy partner through substantive collaboration with the ASEAN region."
Yoon Ji-won, CEO of SDT, said, “This appointment is a result of SDT’s technological prowess and strategic vision being recognized in the global market,” and added, “In the future, we will serve as a link between Korea and the ASEAN region, based in Malaysia, and grow into an orchestrator of the Southeast Asian quantum technology ecosystem.”
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