Dato’ Dr Robert Ding Pooi Huat is currently the Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist at Island Hospital, Penang, Malaysia. He is a pioneer Consultant and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Island Hospital. After graduating from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, he continued his postgraduate and specialty training in Gastroenterology in London. Upon returning to Malaysia in 1991, he was appointed Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre, Penang before assuming his present position at Island Hospital. He is a member of the APDW 2021 Programme Advisory Committee and Faculty member for Virtual APDW 2021. He is the Past President of Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and also the Past President of Penang Medical Practitioners’ Society. Dr Ding was also the founding member and Vice President of Malaysian Liver Foundation until 2018. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, UK, a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine in Malaysia and was a member of the Organising Committee for APDW in 2010. He has published numerous abstracts and articles in peer reviewed journals, chapters in books and organized many local and international scientific meetings for doctors. Since 1998, as the Organising Chairman , Dr Robert Ding has successfully organized the Penang Hepatitis Day annually to create public awareness on liver diseases nationwide.