Community

The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a community of innovators from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Search current members and alumni by year awarded, sector or region.

Joud Abdel Majeid

Senior Managing Director; Global Head, Investment Stewardship, BlackRock, USA

Joud Abdel Majeid, Senior Managing Director, is the Global Head of Investment Stewardship for BlackRock and a member of the firm’s Global Executive Committee. She is responsible for leading the stewardship team and all its activities as it engages with companies to promote effective governance and create long-term value for clients.

Prior to stewardship, Ms. Abdel Majeid was Deputy Chief Financial Officer for BlackRock where she led the Investor Relations, Corporate Development, Financial Planning and Analysis, and Management Information Initiatives functions within BlackRock’s Finance Department.

She previously served as Chief of Staff to the CEO and was responsible for oversight of the Executive Office of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and oversaw engagements with clients, policymakers, public officials, and BlackRock’s Board of Directors.

Ms. Abdel Majeid joined BlackRock in September 2017 as Chief Operating Officer of BlackRock Solutions, which delivers the firm’s Aladdin technology. In this role, she was responsible for the commercial strategy and day-to-day operations of the business.

Enass Abo-Hamed MBE

Chief Executive Officer, H2GO Power Ltd., United Kingdom

Dr. Enass Abo-Hamed MBE is the Co-founder and CEO at H2GO power ltd; an award winning spin-out company from the University of Cambridge developing energy storage technologies. She completed her PhD at Cambridge University, where she also was a postdoctoral fellow and elected Cambridge University Energy Champion. Currently she is also a member of the Advisory Board at BeyondNetZero's General Atlantic Growth Fund, a Board Trustee at the Royal Academy of Engineering, a member of the external advisory board at Airbus (STAR) and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.

She has 15 years of business and research experience in technology, sustainability, hydrogen production & storage, renewable energy and energy storage. Enass is passionate about climate entrepreneurship and clean energy technology policy. She often gives keynote speeches at international forums and participates in high impact roundtable discussions on clean energy, energy security and resilience for women entrepreneurship in tech. Enass won few recognition awards for her commitments to build and use technologies as a tool to combat climate change, such as being honoured in the King's New Year's honours list 2023, the visionary of the year award by MIT Tech Review Innovators Under 35 Europe, MIT Tech Review Innovators Under 35 EU, the best energy start-up award at the Global Hello Tomorrow Summit among others.Dr. Enass Abo-Hamed MBE is the Co-founder and CEO at H2GO power ltd; an award winning spin-out company from the University of Cambridge developing energy storage technologies. She completed her PhD at Cambridge University, where she also was a postdoctoral fellow and elected Cambridge University Energy Champion. Currently she is also a member of the Advisory Board at BeyondNetZero's General Atlantic Growth Fund, a Board Trustee at the Royal Academy of Engineering, a member of the external advisory board at Airbus (STAR) and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. She has 15 years of business and research experience in technology, sustainability, hydrogen production & storage, renewable energy and energy storage. Enass is passionate about climate entrepreneurship and clean energy technology policy. She often gives keynote speeches at international forums and participates in high impact roundtable discussions on clean energy, energy security and resilience for women entrepreneurship in tech. Enass won few recognition awards for her commitments to build and use technologies as a tool to combat climate change, such as being honoured in the King's New Year's honours list 2023, the visionary of the year award by MIT Tech Review Innovators Under 35 Europe, MIT Tech Review Innovators Under 35 EU, the best energy start-up award at the Global Hello Tomorrow Summit among others.

Tendayi Achiume

Alicia Miñana Chair in Law, UCLA School of Law, USA

E. Tendayi Achiume is Professor of Law at the at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, and a research associate of the African Center for Migration and Society at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and the Refugee Studies Center at Oxford University. She is also the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, and is the first woman to serve in this role since its creation in 1994. She was appointed to this position by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2017. The current focus of her scholarship is the global governance of racism and xenophobia; and the legal and ethical implications of colonialism for contemporary international migration law. Her UN reports have addressed issues ranging from international human rights obligations requiring reparations for racial discrimination rooted in colonialism and slavery, to racial discrimination resulting from emerging digital technologies, among others. She is also a recipient of the UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award—the highest university-wide honor for excellence in teaching. Professor Achiume is a graduate of the Yale Law School, Yale University, and the United World College of the Atlantic. She is also a former law clerk of Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke and Justice Yvonne Mokgoro of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Niklas Adalberth

Founder and Executive Chairman, Norrsken Foundation, Sweden

Niklas Adalberth, the unicorn entrepreneur behind payment start-up Klarna, donated $125 million to found the Norrsken Foundation, a tech-for-good ecosystem for social impact entrepreneurs daring to tackle societies biggest challenges. Norrsken currently houses 125+ companies in Europe's largest impact hub in Stockholm and is opening up Africas largest hub for entrepreneurs in Kigali Rwanda. Norrsken Foundation have also launched different impact funds in Europe and Africa.

Usman Ahmed

Head, Global Public Policy and Research, Paypal, Inc., USA

Usman Ahmed is the Head of Global Public Affairs and Strategic Research at PayPal Inc. Ahmed is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law School. His research has been published in the Cambridge Press World Trade Review, MIT Press Innovations Journal, as well as the Boston University International Law Journal and has also been cited in articles appearing in the NY Times, Financial Times, and Straits Times. He is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and a Security Fellow at the Truman National Security Project. He serves no the Board of the DC Economic Club, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, and the Muslim Public Service Network. Ahmed earned his JD from University of Michigan, his MA from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and his BA from University of Maryland.

Daniel Ahn

Global Fellow, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, USA

Dr. Daniel P. Ahn is the co-founder and CEO of Delfi Labs, which provides machine learning-driven financial risk management solutions for businesses. He is also a non-residential Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

Previously, he was Managing Director, the Chief U.S. Economist, and Head of Markets 360 – North America at BNP Paribas in New York. From 2014 to 2018, he was the Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of State, where he advised the Secretary of State and senior principals on a wide range of international economic and security topics, including global macroeconomic growth, economic warfare and sanctions, international trade, and energy and environmental issues.

Prior to entering public service in 2014, Dr. Ahn was the chief commodities economist at Citigroup in New York and also held senior positions at Citadel, Barclays Capital, and Lehman Brothers. He has also held research and teaching positions at Harvard University, the National Bureau of Economic Research, Columbia University, the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Monetary Fund, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Georgetown University, and the U.S. Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

He is the author of multiple research articles, Congressional testimony, and a textbook, Principles of Commodity Economics and Finance with MIT Press.

He was featured in Forbes Magazine as one of 30 under 30 in Finance. He is the recipient of both the Superior Honor Award and the Meritorious Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State.

He completed his A.B. in economics and finance with honors from Princeton University, and his Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

Anulika Ajufo

Venture Partner, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Sagana, United Kingdom

A vibrant and inspirational leader in Finance and Philanthropy with extensive experience in investments in both public and private sector markets from some of the world's largest Financial Institutions- Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Carlyle Group and Soros Fund. For over a decade, Anulika has developed extensive experience globally, notably in the fields of private equity and venture capital investing. She believes in the ability to drive change at scale through socially and environmentally oriented business having led inclusive investment portfolios across EMEA with sectoral focus across financial inclusion, renewables, healthcare, education and widening access to other basic services for marginalised populations. Her philanthropic work with young people in the United Kingdom over the past 15 years has also gained widespread recognition. As an advocate for economic justice and social mobility, she currently Chairs the Board of University of East London- London's most diverse and inclusive university by race and socioeconomic status. She is also the Founder of the Sequoia Platform- a social mobility engine for ethnic minority and disadvantaged youth in the United Kingdom, geared towards creating educational and employment opportunities in the United Kingdom. Anulika has an MEng in Medical Engineering from Queen Mary University of London and an MSc in Law and Finance from the University of Oxford.

Ali Akhai

Chairman, Martin Dow, Pakistan

As an initiative-driven leader, Ali believes in the significance of diverse business, technological innovation, and talent, ready to lead impact with a desire to improve human well-being. He is recognized as the face of the Martin Dow Group and has received praise for his in-depth knowledge of numerous facets of the pharmaceutical industry.

After completing his Bachelor of Science business graduate degree (BSc) from Brunel University in the UK, he proceeded to further his education with a double Master's degree. He holds a Master of Science in Global Business from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom and a Master of Science in International Business Development & Consulting from Novancia Business School in France.

He joined the Martin Dow Group of Companies in 2016 after completing a structured orientation program in Marketing, Finance, Business Development, Human Resources, and Regulatory Affairs. In 2017, he assumed the role of Business Development Lead, launching eight new products. By October 2018, he succeeded his father to be the next Chairman of the Martin Dow Group.

Ali is playing an essential role in shaping the future of the Martin Dow Group, carrying on his father's vision by guiding the group's foray into further diversification through successful strategic acquisitions and flexible technologies.

Besides dedicating his time to grow the business, Ali is deeply involved in Philanthropic endeavors, he has taken on roles in 3 leading Healthcare institutions. He is the Core Committee Member of the Shaukat Khanum Karachi Project, a Member of the Fund-Raising Committee at The Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) and a Trustee at the Memon Health & Education Foundation supporting and ensuring free quality healthcare service.

With his impeccable leadership, he is now expanding the Martin Dow Group’s worldwide partnerships, talent development, and industry influence.

Shihana Alazzaz

Deputy Secretary General, Council of Ministers, Saudi Arabia

Appointed by His Majesty, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Shihana serves as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers. Previously, she held the role of General Counsel at PIF and Secretary of the PIF Board of Directors from 2018. Shihana, an honors graduate in law from Durham, has professional experience with Baker McKenzie and Vinson and Elkins.

Sahar Albazar

President of the Forum of Young MPs, Inter-Parliamentary Union, Egypt

Sahar Albazar is an Egyptian Parliament Member and Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. She is also the Former President of the Young Parliamentarians, part of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Prior, Albazar was an Impact Assessment Consultant at the World Bank for Youth Employment Project in Egypt and Social Investment Adviser at British Petroleum Egypt. She is also the Founder of Helwa Ya Balady, an NGO that focuses on developing slum areas and countering poverty in developing countries. Albazar has an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Esraa Al-Buti

Partner, EY, Saudi Arabia

I joined EY Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 8 years ago and in 2019 became the first-ever woman partner in our Saudi member firm, as well as the youngest ever. Today I lead EY’s Tax Controversy practice in Saudi Arabia. My work at EY includes advising KSA-based large local/multinational groups and family businesses on tax advisory assignments and tax- and zakat-compliance matters. I also provides international tax-structuring advisory services to Saudi Arabian inbound and outbound clients and investors, and have worked on a number of tax due-diligence assignments for private-equity and corporate clients for transactions in Saudi Arabia. I am specialize in projects in the Government and Public Sector (GPS) and lead on many government giga projects. I also serve as a member of the Saudi B20 Task Force I have a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from King Saud University, with First Class Honours. I am a Certified Public Accountant with membership in the Saudi Organization of Certified Public Accountants (SOCPA). I serve as a board member in the Saudi Accounting Association and Prince Sultan University committee. I also deliver honorary lectures on Taxation at Prince Faisal University.

Erica Alessandri

Member of the Board, Technogym, Italy

In 2016, after pursuing several international work and volunteering experiences, Erica joined the family business, Technogym, world leader brand in equipment and digital solutions for fitness, wellness and sport. That year, she was appointed Member of the Board when the company went public. In this position, she has been active in the design and implementation of ESG policies and other initiatives around sustainability. Moreover, after her MBA at INSEAD, Erica started leading a new and innovative project to bring a personalized wellness experience directly to consumers anywhere, anytime through a new app integrated with Technogym’s ecosystem. Alongside her focus on business, Erica also serves on the board of the “Wellness Foundation”, the family’s non-profit body, whose mission is to promote the Wellness lifestyle as an opportunity for all stakeholders: governments, companies and citizens. Erica has been involved in the development of the second phase of the “Wellness Valley”, a social project aimed at building in Romagna, their local community, the first Wellness District in the world by engaging over 200 stakeholders to leverage Wellness as a lever for sustainable economic development. In March 2020, Forbes Italy featured Erica on the cover page of their 30 Under 30 issue for her commitment in bringing forward the family’s legacy around promoting the Wellness philosophy.