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.

Caroline Blanch Israel

Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group, USA

Caroline Blanch Israel is a Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group. As a leader within the firm’s Consumer Practice, she works with some of the world’s leading consumer goods companies and retailers, specializing in the role of e-commerce, data and analytics to transform how people transact, work and live. Caroline is a deep believer in the power of technology and data to drive change and our collective responsibility to harness these for social and economic good. Outside of her work in digital and retail, Caroline chairs the People functions for BCG Australia & New Zealand and champions Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for BCG Asia Pacific, working to further representation, affiliation and community engagement including LGBTQIA+, cultural diversity and disability inclusion. She has been recognized as an INvolve HERoes Role Model for future women leaders in business. Caroline holds a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Law degree from the University of Melbourne, where she was awarded the law school’s highest honour, the Supreme Court Prize.

Lisa Ivers

Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), USA

Lisa Ivers is a core member of the Global Advantage practice at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and the Leader of its Morocco office. She a joined BCG in 2006. Her work is focused on developing the firm’s public- and private-sector business in Morocco. She has acquired deep expertise in the areas of strategy and reform. Beyond Morocco, Lisa is a deeply committed contributor to BCG's development on the African continent. She has also been selected as a WEF Young Global Leader. Prior to joining BCG, she was a strategic analyst with BNP Paribas. She graduated from HEC Paris.

Alice Jacobs

CEO, Convergence Group, USA

Alice Jacobs is Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IntelligentMD, a molecular diagnostics company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that develops and manufactures tests for rapid, precise, clinically impactful detection of infectious diseases. After losing a patient to a healthcare-associated infection during her medical training, Jacobs founded IntelligentMD to leverage discoveries made in life sciences to improve efficiency in healthcare delivery, increase the confidence of clinicians in treatment and reduce the cost of care worldwide. Since founding the company, Jacobs has assembled a team of visionary leaders dedicated to her vision of integrating next generation solutions into current healthcare practices. In 2004, Scientific American named her as one of the top 50 innovators in science and technology. She serves as a Member of the Whitehead Board of Associates. She holds a BSc in Biological Sciences as well as a BA in Art History from Stanford University. Jacobs earned her MD from Harvard Medical School.

Vimbayi Kajese

Adjunct Professor, #Adtags, USA

Vimbayi is the Founder of #Adtags, a proudly African based marketplace that helps conscious brands source desperately needed images of people of colour for advertising, from everyday social media users around the world. After 15 years of working in media, Vimbayi knows that the power of visual representation is lifesaving. She was invited to expound on her thesis on the TED stage in her thought-provoking talk entitled: “Can an Image Save a Life?”

Vimbayi is happiest grilling heads of states, captains of industry, thought leaders, and influential disruptors (politely) at prominent conferences and private events. Audiences enjoy watching her guests reveal themselves in down-to-earth ways that other interviewers haven’t been able to achieve. Vimbayi is therefore sought after for her personable and diplomatic interview style which allows her to connect with some of the most media avoidant personalities.

Her activism for creating new narratives: for women, people of colour, her African continent and tech in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is at the heart of everything she does. She has served communities in different parts of the world as a rape crisis counselor, mentor to the next generation of leaders, cofounder of a Business Sustainability consultancy and publication in China, and most notably was instrumental in improving intercontinental relations as the “Face of Africa for China” as the first African anchor on Chinese state news, which broadcasts to over a billion viewers globally. She also helped lead Zimbabwe’s Presidential delegation on their maiden voyage to Davos 2018, to thaw and re-establish relations with the West.

Vimbayi has featured in several publications, been invited to present on the TEDGlobal, and TEDx stage; was recognized as a "Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum; a "New Generation Leader" by the African Leadership Network; declared one of Zimbabwe's "Most Influential Under 40"; and was appointed by the Chinese government as a "Special Friendship Envoy and Cultural Ambassador".

Madhu Kannan

Vice-President; Global Head, Corporate Development, Uber Technologies, USA

Madhu Kannan is currently Vice President & Global Head of Corporate Development at Uber Technologies. In this role he has responsibilities of global M&A, Integration, Treasury, Capital Markets and minority investments, Madhu rejoined Uber in Dec 2023 after a stint at Bank of America Securities where has an Executive Vice Chair of Global Corporate & Investment Banking. His first stint at Uber had included being the Chief Business Officer for Asia Pacific. Madhu also has been a Group Head of Business Development at Tata Sons and Chief Executive Officer of the Bombay Stock Exchange. Other roles he has had included Managing Director in the Corporate Strategy Group of Bank of America-Merrill Lynch and a Senior Vice-President at NYSE Euronext in the listings and Business development functions. He earned his BEng degree (Hons) in electrical engineering and electronics, an MSc (Hons) in economics from BITS, Pilani, India, and an MBA in finance from Vanderbilt University, USA.

Asli Karahan

Chief Investment Officer, Lioness Capital, USA

Asli Karahan is CIO of Lioness Capital, a policy and political event-driven hedge fund based in New York, focusing on developed and large emerging economies, with a US bias. Lioness runs a discretionary thematic portfolio, where each theme is expressed in liquid exchange-traded instruments that include equities (single stocks, ETFs, and equity indices), fixed income, futures, commodities and currencies. Risk management is a core component of the
investment process and is managed at position, theme and portfolio levels. Asli is the former Managing Partner of US Policy Metrics, a policy advisory and research firm for hedge funds. This follows her experience for almost a decade at UBS as Senior Client Relationship Director in the CEO's office, covering the largest client and/or transactions globally, where she developed a rare blend of policy expertise, an ability to analyze complex business problems, and a range of global economic policy and regulatory issues. Asli began her career at Schlumberger International, working in Egypt, India, Venezuela and Trinidad &Tobago. She later worked for Procter & Gamble as a Brand Manager running a flagship brand with US$ 100 million-plus revenue at the age of 25. Ay has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSc in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University in Turkey. She holds various financial licenses in the United Kingdom and in United States and is a Chartered Alternative Investments Analyst.

Karen Karniol-Tambour

Co-Chief Investment Officer, Bridgewater Associates, USA

Karen Karniol-Tambour is Co-Chief Investment Officer at Bridgewater Associates, responsible for managing the company’s investment process. Karen oversees the systemization of Bridgewater’s research into trading strategies, manages the development of proprietary investment management models, directs the design and implementation of client investment strategies, and publishes timely market understanding to clients and global policy makers via Bridgewater’s Daily Observations. She also co-leads the firm’s Sustainable Investing efforts, overseeing the design of new investment solutions with both financial and sustainability objectives. Karen joined Bridgewater in 2006 after graduating from Princeton University. She serves on the boards of Search for Common Ground and Seeds of Peace. Karen is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, was included in Fortune’s "40 Under 40" most influential leaders in business in 2019, and has been named to Barron's list of "Most Influential Women in US Finance" for three years in a row.

Sam Kass

Partner, Acre Venture Partners, USA

Sam led food and nutrition policy for the Obama Administration, and was the Executive Director for First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign. He was also the chef for the Obamas. Sam is now focusing on the intersection of health, climate change and food systems in numerous ways through strategy work and investing.

Matthew Katz

Global Head, Data Science, Blackstone Group, USA

Matthew Katz is a Senior Managing Director and the Global Head of Data Science for Blackstone. He leads Blackstone’s team of data scientists and in this capacity partners with management teams and operators to accelerate growth across Blackstone’s portfolio companies by leveraging data science. He and his team additionally work closely with Blackstone’s investment teams to provide a differentiated viewpoint through advanced analytics during the investment process.
Before joining Blackstone in 2015, Mr. Katz was a Vice President at Point72 Asset Management where he focused on data science and investing. He began his career at Credit Suisse.
Mr. Katz graduated with honors from Princeton University. He serves on the advisory board of Virginia Tech’s Academy of Data Science and is on the Blackstone Charitable Foundation Leadership Council.

Brian Kaufmann

Head, Private Equity; Portfolio Manager; Member of the Management Committee, Viking Global Investors, USA

Mr. Kaufmann is the Head of Private Equity and a Portfolio Manager for Viking Global Investors, LP, a global investment firm that manages over $40 billion. He is also a member of the firm's Management Committee. From 2010 to 2016, Mr. Kaufmann was a public equity Portfolio Manager and Investment Analyst responsible for investment ideas in the healthcare and life sciences sector. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Kaufmann was an Associate at TA Associates, where he was responsible for originating, researching and executing private equity investments in the healthcare and business services sectors. From 2003 to 2005, he was an Investment Banking Analyst in Merrill Lynch's Mergers and Acquisitions Group. Mr. Kaufmann is a graduate of Harvard Business School, where he received an MBA and was a Baker Scholar, and of Cornell University, where he received a B.S. in applied economics and business management, magna cum laude. In 2021, he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Conrod Kelly

Managing Director, MSD, USA

Conrod Kelly is an award-winning marketer and industry leader, as well as a published author and sought-after speaker. Conrod’s tenure at Merck includes commercial leadership of the Diabetes, Anesthesia, Surgery, and Alzheimer’s Franchises. He is currently serving as Merck’s first Executive Director of Health Equity, leveraging data, digital solutions, partnerships, and policy frameworks to improve health outcomes and driving sustainable business and societal value. Prior to joining Merck, Conrod held roles at Johnson & Johnson in diabetes and GlaxoSmithKline in vaccines. In 2020, Conrod was recognized by Medical Marketing & Media’s inaugural 40 Under 40 in Healthcare. His work on the film A Touch of Sugar was a finalist for 33 industry awards and winner of 15. He also received the United Nations SDG Media Award and Top Black in Healthcare Award from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Conrod serves on the SDOH Taskforce and the Global Futures Council at the World Economic Forum. He received his MBA and BS from Florida A & M University and has continued his executive education at The Wharton School at UPenn and Duke University.

Teresa K. Kennedy

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Power Living Enterprises, USA

Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Power Living Enterprises, training people in a conscious approach to wellness and success. She has produced hundreds of virtual/in-person mindfulness-based programmes with organizations such as Bloomberg Media and National Institutes of Health. She is also co-founder of Inner Dignity, a nonprofit using arts and media to empower and build mental resilience within the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community. An advocate for human potential, she led the Young PWR Brokers, teaching self-esteem skills to girls; founded the Ta Yoga House, first yoga studio in Harlem, NY; and was biographer for yoga master Tao Porchon-Lynch, co-authoring two award-winning books and curating 66 one-of-a-kind events in 10 countries including the United Nations and World Government Summit in Dubai. She is a National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association and created Elder Dignity to transform views on aging and reform the adult guardianship system in the U.S. She produced the social impact video, The Deception of Protection (2019), moderated the #FreeBritney Symposium, and advised the #FreePeterMax campaign. She testified at the New York Senate Guardianship Roundtable Public Hearing and spoke at the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee, among other forums. Early career, she founded VH1 Interactive and VH1@Work Radio and was Vice-President of Business Development & Operations for MTV Networks where she managed a 200-person operation and launched six digital cable networks. At 20 years old, Kennedy consulted with Fortune 500 companies and wrote case studies at Harvard Business School. She has been in media, including CNN and Oprah's book Live Your Best Life! Kennedy has a dual BA in Sociology and Studio Art from Wellesley College, an MBA from Harvard, a PhD in World Religions, and executive education in Global Leadership and Public Policy. An American, she was born in Ghana, started school in Australia and studied design in Italy.