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.

Lisa Walker

Chief Executive Officer, Ecosphere+, United Kingdom

Lisa Walker recently left BG Group (now part of Royal Dutch Shell) where she served as Vice President for Environment & Climate Change to become CEO of start-up Ecosphere+. Lisa worked in the oil and gas sector for >17 years, closely involved in all aspects of climate change strategy development & implementation, public policy formation, sector coalition building and low-carbon business development. She was a driving force behind the UK Emissions Trading Group, the CCAC Oil & Gas Methane Partnership (which she Co-Chaired), the Sustainable Gas Institute and the CEO-led Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI). Lisa helped BG Group secure multiple industry awards for sustainability. Before BG Group Lisa held various roles at BP including Director of the BP Carbon Ventures corporate-VC fund. Lisa successfully secured capital for many innovative investments in sustainable land-use and forestry, low-carbon technologies and b io-energy, including first-of-their-kind deals for the private sector such as the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). Lisa is a mother of four and originally from New Zealand.

Tiffany Xingyu Wang

Chief Trust and Marketing Officer, OpenWeb, USA

An award-winning marketer and social entrepreneur, Tiffany Xingyu Wang’s deep technological understanding, digital trust stewardship and marketing prowess have positioned her at the nexus of the future of media, corporate ethics and the emerging community economy.

She currently serves as the Chief Marketing & Trust Officer of OpenWeb – a role that reflects her leadership in the field. The leading community engagement platform powers over 3,000 publishers and brands and is leading the way in creating trusting spaces for healthy conversations and diverse, engaged communities in the Web3 era. At OpenWeb, Tiffany Xingyu oversees marketing as well as the entire trust and safety P&L and is working closely with the company’s vast partner networks to scale market-leading best practices.

Tiffany Xingyu is also the President and Co-founder of Oasis Consortium. As part of the nonprofit created to define a digital sustainability model for businesses, she launched first-of-their-kind User Safety Standards for Web3, minting industry-backed consensus on digital safety early in the Web3 revolution and earning interest from TIME, MIT Technology Review and more. The momentum continues with over 20 platforms, including Roblox, Pandora, Grindr, Fandom, The Meet Group and Together Labs, pledging to the standards.

Tiffany Xingyu’s pioneering approach to marketing, innovation and advocacy serves as a model for future leaders looking to drive positive change at a global scale. She’s democratizing access to critical digital trust and safety knowledge through a first-of-its-kind LinkedIn Learning course for brand leaders. Active with global organizations that are elevating the dialogue around the future of media and the web, she is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders program, the Atlantic Council’s Trust & Safety Taskforce and a board member of AdCouncil.

Prior to joining OpenWeb, Wang was the Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at Spectrum Labs, a leading contextual AI platform that keeps over 1 billion users safe online. She also holds two USPTO patents in machine learning applications for marketing.

Tiffany Xingyu stays abreast of blockchain and quantum computing technologies through investments and advisory board roles. She’s also a venture partner at Tribe, a Singapore government-backed blockchain accelerator, where she leads investor relations in the US.

Her leadership continues to be acknowledged within the industry and the global business community. She was recently on the cover of Adweek’s first edition of 2023 in the “Year of the Tenacious CMO” feature and her work has been highlighted in leading publications including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Digiday, and VentureBeat. With further recognition from Forbes’ Most Entrepreneurial CMO List and the CMO Club’s Most Innovative Awards under her belt, Tiffany Xingyu has solidified her reputation as one of the seminal innovators of her generation.

James Wanjohi

Managing Partner, Alpha Strategy Consultants, Kenya

James Heads up Alpha Strategy Consulting, an African boutique strategy advisory house; advising large corporates on their expansion in Africa. He previously headed up GEMS Education Solutions work in Africa. Previuosly, he was the Managing Director of the Branson School of Entrepreneurship, established in 2006 by Sir Richard Branson, to spearhead the advancement of young marginalized entrepreneurs. A successful visionary entrepreneur, Wanjohi was educated in India (Aurangabad and Vadodara) in commerce, economics and strategy. Today James partners with corporates to build youth entrepreneurship programs linked to innovation responding to the youth bulge challenge in Africa. He serves on the Boards of Ndiza Micro Finance and UDDI, and is a Strategic Director for Africa Kapital Konnect.

Nolan Watson

President and Chief Executive Officer, Sandstorm Gold Ltd, Canada

President and CEO, Sandstorm Gold, a NYSE American-listed company with a market capitalization of $1.1 billion. Founder and President, Nations Cry, a registered charity building and operating schools in Sierra Leone, Africa. By the age of 26, was the youngest CFO of any NYSE-listed company in the world. Recognized as one of the "Top-40-Under-40", Canada and "CEO of the Year". In addition, Nolan is the youngest "Fellow" of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia and he has been recognized as one of the "Most Motivated" Chartered Financial Analysts in the World by CFA Magazine. Nolan is a regular contributor on various radio programs, television programs, and government conferences on topics ranging from mining, to environmental sustainability and he has been seen on CNBC, Fox Business News, BBC, BNN and CNBC Europe among others.

Scott Weber

President and Chief Executive Officer, Peaceinvest, Switzerland

Scott M. Weber is President and CEO of Peaceinvest, a Swiss-based, investment firm that harnesses finance to build a more peaceful world. The company identifies and arranges partnerships and financial vehicles, including Peace Bonds, that mobilize capital to create value for all stakeholders concerned and that adhere to the Peace Finance Impact Framework Standards. Rooted in local communities, Peaceinvest is global in scope, the Management team of Peaceinvest has experience working across 100 countries. It seeks to address inequalities wherever they persist and is committed to building Peace at Scale.

Ricardo Weder

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, JUSTO, INC., Mexico

Ricardo Weder is an entrepreneur and promotor of the technological ecosystem in Mexico and Latin America.
He is the Founder and CEO of Jüsto, a company that seeks to transform the Retail and Consumer Industry in LATAM through technology and fair practices; with operations in Brazil, Peru and more than 300M USD received in investment.
Previously, he was the COO and Global President of Cabify. There, he was a key player in its growth and expansion strategy, from having a small operation to becoming a tech Unicorn valued at 1.4B USD with presence throughout Latin America, in more than 120 cities.
He is an independent Board Member of Principal Financial Group in Mexico; part of the investment committee of Nazca, the leading Venture Capital in Mexico; a member of the advisory board of Engen and Tip, as well as of various technology startups. He is also an Angel Investor in more than 30 startups and one of the first investors in 5 unicorns.
In 2021 he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and was previously a member of its expert network and a founding member of its Global Vanguards Community. In 2020 he was selected as an Endeavor Entrepreneur and in 2021 recognized as a member of its Outliers community.
In his professional career, he has collaborated with companies in the Financial Sector such as HSBC, J.P. Morgan and PWC.
Born in Mexico, he is an Industrial Engineer from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, and has an MBA from the University of Mannheim, Germany, with a stay at the CUHK University of Hong Kong. In addition, he is certified by Endeavor's Innovation and Growth program at Stanford University

Wen Bo

Member, Scientific Committee, Air and Water Conservation Fund, National Geographic Society, People's Republic of China

Rainforest Foundation Norway, China Advisor, China Country Director, CDP, 2021 and 2019, Program Director, Air and Water Conservation Fund, National Geographic Society, 2012-2016, Senior Fellow of Pacific Environment , China Coordinator, Global Greengrants Fund(2001-2011). He graduated from the China School of Journalism in Beijing and Zhongnan University in Changsha, Hunan province, and earned his Master's degree in International Relations at KDI School of International Policy and Management in Seoul, South Korea. He attended a United Nations University certificate course on Climate, Energy and Food Security in 2009. Asia Society Asia 21 Fellow; PEW Fellow in Marine Conservation.

Christian Wenk

Senior Physician, Emergency Ward, Clinic St Anna, Switzerland

Despite a life-threatening bicycle accident in 2000 that left him as a paraplegic, Christian Wenk went on to complete his medical studies and became a Senior Physician in the Emergency Ward of Clinic St Anna in Switzerland, specializing in internal and emergency medicine. He is also an accomplished triathlete and is the winner of Paralympic gold medals as the Swiss handcycling head coach. In addition, Wenk is a musician who plays the piano thanks to a sophisticated pedals system. He has recorded a number of CDs and performs regularly for charity. He also gives inspiration talks throughout Switzerland, acting as an ambassador for inclusion and dignity.

Adam Werbach

Head of Digital and Unscripted, Kapital Entertainment, USA

Adam Werbach is a media sustainability leader working at the intersection of technology, business and politics. He recently joined Kapital Entertainment as head of Digital and Unscripted Television and is creating shows across major networks and streamers. Previously, he developed the sustainable shopping customer experience as the Global Lead for Sustainable Shopping at Amazon.com. After a YGL journey, he founded Trove (formerly Yerdle), the re-commerce company that manages resale for Patagonia, Nordstrom's, Eileen Fisher, Arc'Teryx, and REI. He previously founded Act Now, which was acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi and the Publicis Groupe, after he helped Walmart launch its sustainability efforts. At age 23, Werbach was elected President of the Sierra Club, the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the US, after helping pass the legislation to create Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks in California. He spent almost ten years producing an indie-rock documentary film entitled "This is Noise Pop," which was named one of the top five music documentaries of the year by Rolling Stone Magazine, even though it was only shown once. Werbach lives between San Francisco and Bolinas, California with his wife Lyn and their three kids, Mila, Pearl and Simon.

Gregorio Werthein

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Calwaro Capital, Argentina

Gregorio Werthein is CEO and Chairman of Calwaro Capital. Before he was Co-Chief Executive Officer Replay Acquisition Corp. He also served as a board member and an executive committee member of Transportadora de Gas del Sur SA (NYSE: TGS) from 2016 to 2020. Previously, he served as an Executive Managing Director of Werthein Group (2012 to 2019), and also as a board member of GNNW S.A., Experta ART and Cachay S.A. Mr. Gregorio Werthein received an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Buenos Aires in 2008, an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2011 and participated in the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School in 2017. In addition, he is a former Olympic athlete, former president of the Argentine Equestrian Federation and currently board member of the Argentine Olympic Committee.

Silvia Wiesner

Consultant, Leadership Advisory, Egon Zehnder, Germany

Silvia Wiesner is active in Egon Zehnder’s Consumer Practice, leveraging her many years of marketing, sales, and general management experience in the consumer goods industry across various European markets to develop bold ideas and identify ideal solutions for clients. She excels at shaping visions and inspiring others, aided by her multicultural background and command of several languages. Silvia is also passionate about driving diversity, equity and inclusion on executive and board teams. Before joining Egon Zehnder, Silvia spent 17 years in marketing, sales, and general management roles at Unilever, most recently in Brussels as the Managing Director for Belgium and Luxembourg. Prior to that she was based in Hamburg where she held the position of General Manager and Vice President for Marketing in the food category in German-speaking countries.
Silvia earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Graz in Austria while spending an exchange year in the USA. She furthered her education with courses at Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD, and the Corporate Governance Institute. Outside work, Silvia drives gender equity in decision-making roles in Europe as a member of the executive committee of European Women on Boards and has been identified by BeyondGenderAgenda as “one of the top 100 women for diversity” in Germany and selected as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. She also belongs to the LEAD Europe network, the Club of European Female Entrepreneurs, and the Corporate Governance Institute in addition to mentoring for the EMEA Fellowship Program of the Marketing Academy and nushu Female Business and providing strategic advice to IMAGINE (cofounded by Paul Polman).

Ted Wiley

Co-Founder and President, Form Energy Inc, USA

Ted Wiley is the Co-founder and President of Form Energy (formerly Baseload Renewables), a startup company developing ultra-low cost, long duration energy storage to enable a 100% renewable energy future. Previously, Ted was president and of McDonough Innovation, a consulting and product development company focused on helping companies implement cradle to cradle and circular economy principles developed by William McDonough. Prior to McDonough Innovation Ted was a co-founder of and head of product at Aquion Energy, a start-up that manufactures sustainable, cost-effective batteries for stationary energy storage applications. Prior to Aquion, Wiley was a Senior Associate at Hudson Clean Energy Partners where he worked on biofuels and solar investments. Before Hudson, he served as a captain in the US Army. As a platoon leader for the 1-23 Infantry Battalion, he spent a year in Iraq leading combat missions and helping to organize the country's first free elections. Wiley earned a BSc in Physics at Seattle University and an MBA from Harvard Business School with concentrations in clean technology entrepreneurship.