Global emerging technologies expert and former communications executive at Facebook and SpaceX Dex Hunter-Torricke will be the keynote speaker at the 10th edition of the Digital Congress (DigiCon) on 16 to 17 October in Pasay City.

The Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines (DMAP), an organization aiming for excellence and innovation in digital marketing, will spotlight the power of communication and social innovation through Hunter-Torricke’s speech.

Currently serving as an independent strategic communications adviser to major technology companies and political leaders in the US and the UK, Hunter-Torricke brings over a decade of experience from the heart of the technology industry, having managed communications for some of Silicon Valley’s most influential leaders and companies. Headlining the first day of the two-day conference, his keynote is expected to provide over 2,000 attendees with a blueprint for navigating personalization in a tech-driven world and unlocking strategies for scalable, impactful connections.

Prior to his career at Silicon Valley, Hunter-Torricke began his career at the United Nations in 2008 as a speechwriter and spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He later served as Mark Zuckerberg’s personal speechwriter and led the executive communications team at Facebook from 2012 to 2016. He then joined Elon Musk’s SpaceX as a senior director of communications and, later, served as the head of communications for the Oversight Board for Meta, the independent body responsible for overseeing the most challenging content issues for Facebook and Instagram. He was also Google’s first executive speechwriter, supporting chief executive officer Larry Page and executive chairman Eric Schmidt.

Weighing on this year’s theme, Hunter-Torricke highlights the imperative for organizations to invest in building effective and meaningful end-consumer experiences.

“The entire future of communications and reputation-building depends on personalization. Every organization and industry today is facing a vortex of massive challenges and intensified competition. Investing in meaningful experiences that truly meet the needs of individuals is critical for building long-term connections between consumers and businesses,” he explains in a statement.

In today’s tech and AI (Artificial Intelligence) world, brands leverage personalization to create more engaging and relevant customer experiences by using AI algorithms to analyze data, predict behaviors and tailor content, recommendations and marketing messages. About 71 percent of consumers expect personalization and companies with high growth see 40 percent more revenue from it, underscoring the critical role of personalization in meeting consumer expectations and driving customer satisfaction.