The first female president of the Fintech Association of Malaysia, Karen Puah is a trailblazer in the country’s fintech industry. Phua's skillset and background complemented her focus on building the national platform to support and push Malaysia to be the leading hub for fintech innovation and investment in the region.

In November 2022, Puah was appointed CEO of Incite Foodtech, a venture that creates and supercharges QSBF (quick-serving-beverage-and-food) brands' growth. The company boasts nine brands under its portfolio including Underground Burger and Wondermama.

She has been and continues to be an active advocate for women’s involvement in entrepreneurship and technology, as seen by her role as ambassador and head of Malaysia for She Loves Tech, the world’s startup competition and accelerator programme for women-led and women-impact tech startups. Her active presence in Malaysia's startup community is further felt through CS Tech Solutions, a company she co-founded with Ridzuan Aziz to help corporations, small and mid-sized enterprises on digital transformations as well as to seed investment on startups.

Puah has over 20 years of experience in the advertising, FMCG and finance industries, which has shaped her unique regional experience and perspective in marketing, as well as giving her the edge in providing technological and innovation insights that are anchored in an extensive fintech network. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Asia eUniversity and a Diploma in Islamic Finance from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, London.