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.

Javier Garcia-Martinez

Founding Curator, Madrid Hub, University of Alicante, Spain

Founder of the technology-based company Rive Technology, which markets the technology he developed during his Fulbright postdoctoral stay at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Since 2012, the catalysts that Rive Technology sells are used in several refineries, significantly increasing fuel production and the energy efficiency of the process. In 2019, W. R. GRACE acquired Rive Technology.
Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Director of the Molecular Nanotechnology Laboratory of the University of Alicante (UA) where he leads an international team working on the synthesis and application of nanostructured materials for the production of chemicals and energy.
Past-President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Previously, he served as a member of the Executive Committee.
Founder and President of Celera, a program that identifies young people with exceptional talent in Spain and provides them with the necessary tools to enhance their personal and professional abilities to make the most of their potential.
In June 2014, he was awarded the King Jaime I Award, and in 2015 the Emerging Researcher Award from the American Chemical Society. In the summer of 2017, Javier was recognized by the American Chemical Society with the Kathryn C. Hach Award as the best US entrepreneur in the chemical sector. Javier is a member of the World Economic Forum Expert Network and Young Global Leader and Global Young Academy Alumni. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Chemical Society.

Katherine Garrett-Cox

Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management, Gulf International Bank (UK), United Kingdom

BA (Hons), History, Durham University. Chief Executive Officer, GIB Asset Management. Operating between London and New York, the business was established in 1975 and focuses on client-related activities in asset management and treasury. GIB UK's asset management strategy is focused on scaling and mobilizing capital in support of sustainable investment strategies, across equities and fixed income. Formerly Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer, Alliance Trust PLC, one of Europe’s largest providers of sustainable and responsible investment funds. Chair, Clean Air Fund; Chair, CDP Worldwide Board; Chair, Gousto. Former Member: Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank AG (2011-2020); UK Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group; Scottish Business Board; Commission for the Green Investment Bank; Steering Group, Capital Markets Climate Initiative; Executive Committee, World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Founder Member, Advisory Council of The CityUK. Former British Business Ambassador for Financial Services. Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum (2006). Member of the Foundation Board of Young Global Leaders until December 2019 and former Member of the Board of Trustees, Chair, Global Agenda Council on Values (2012-14), World Economic Forum. Patron, City Week UK. Recipient of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), New Year's Honours 2014.

Kate Garvey

Co-Founder, Project Everyone, United Kingdom

Kate Garvey is Director of Freud Communications, where she specializes in promoting global campaigns and issues, including the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Product (RED), Live Earth, tcktcktck, 1Goal: Education for All, Gimme Shelter Campaign for UNHCR, and Tony Blair Faith Foundation Maternal Mortality campaign. Previously, she worked for Bob Geldof and Richard Curtis on the Make Poverty History Campaign and Live 8 concerts. Her career began in politics where, from 1997 until 2005, she worked for Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street in the Prime Minister's Private Office. Garvey was responsible for the presentation and planning of the prime minister's events and visits, domestically and abroad, as well as major roles in the 1997 and 2001 general elections and running Tony Blair's election tour in 2005.

Agon Gashi

Chief Executive Officer, Meridian, Kosovo

Agon is born and lives in Pristina, Kosovo. Agon graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Bard College in New York and he also completed a leadership program at IMD in Switzerland a few years later. In 2023, Agon was recognized as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Agon joined his family business in June 2010, and in two years, he co-founded Meridian Express, a chain of neighborhood stores, now one of the leading retail companies in the country. In 2020, Agon managed to acquire 100% of SPAR Kosovo, an international chain of supermarkets.

Agon is a very active member of society and positively transforms Kosovo's business environment by showing that we can all do well by doing good. He is Vice-Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce, founder and board member of Kosovo CSR Network, founder and board member of the Kosovo Retail Association, and a signatory of WEPs (Women's Empowerment Principles).

In 2018, Agon led Meridian to become a New Champion at the World Economic Forum. Agon is currently the CEO of two retail companies in Kosovo (Meridian Express and SPAR) with more than 1000 employees and concrete plans to further expansion locally and regionally.

Alexander Geiser

Chief Executive Officer and Partner, FGS Global Europe GmbH, Germany

Alex is Chief Executive Officer of FGS Global. He joined the firm in 1998 and advises clients on communicating M&A transactions, on CEO transitions, as well as Corporate Strategy launches. Alex has advised on more than 100 M&A transactions and leadership changes.

With his international background, Alex is ideally placed to advise clients on the development and implementation of cross-border strategies. Throughout his career Alex has worked in New York, London, Düsseldorf, and now calls Frankfurt his home office.

Alex studied Politics and Economics at Western University in Canada. He completed post-graduate studies at INSEAD and Harvard University. In 2014, he was named “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum (Geneva). He is happily married to the love of his life, with whom he has three wonderful children. His passion for hiking adventures has seen him explore the most remote regions of places like the Andes, Iceland, Tibet, and Yukon.

Laura Gersch

Member of the Board of Management; Chief Financial Officer, Allianz Lebensversicherungs-AG, Germany

Laura is CFO of Allianz Versicherungs-AG, the market leader of the German P/C insurance market serving more than 10 million customers. She is a strong advocate of the societal role of (life) insurance striving to contribute to the reduction of the gender pension gap in Germany by advocating financial literacy for women. She is a purpose-driven leader, who played an instrumental role in developing the purpose for Allianz Group while she was running the Group CEO Office of Oliver Bäte. Before joining Allianz, she worked for McKinsey & Company. She holds a double degree in International Business from European School of Business in Reutlingen, Germany and from Northeastern University in Boston, USA.

James Gifford

Senior Fellow at Centre for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Dr James Gifford is the Head of Impact Advisory for Credit Suisse. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth at the University of Zurich, where he teaches a joint program with Harvard on impact investing for the next generation of ultra high net worth family members. He was the founding Executive Director of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment and led the organisation from inception in 2003 until 2013. Other roles include Head of Impact Investing at UBS and Director of Impact at TAU Investment Management. James has published numerous articles and book chapters on responsible investment, and has a PhD from the University of Sydney on the effectiveness of shareholder engagement in improving corporate sustainability performance.

Mack Gill

Chief Operating Officer and Board Member, Torstone Technology, United Kingdom

Mack Gill is COO & Board Member, Torstone Technology, a leading global cloud platform for financial markets. Previously he was CEO of MillenniumIT, a capital markets software company and subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange Group. Previously, he was President of SunGard Global Technology, responsible for managing SunGard's technology strategy and operations with more than 5,000 employees worldwide. Joining SunGard in 1994, Gill was also President of SunGard Global Services, where he managed SunGard's consulting business worldwide. Additionally, he served as Corporate Vice-President of Alliances, responsible for developing SunGard's business and technology partnerships. Gill serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Quantitative Finance (IAQF). Before joining SunGard, he worked at the United Nations Department of Political Affairs. He holds a BA from the University of British Columbia and a Master's degree from Yale University.

Sadiq Gillani

Chairman, Condor, United Kingdom

Sadiq is Chairman of the advisory board for Condor, the second airline of Germany and also sits on the board of eTraveli, a large online travel agency. He is also an executive coach, applying the tools of Carl Jung. He was formerly a Senior Vice President with Emirates Group and a Lecturer in Management at Stanford, where he started an MBA course on the Travel & Airline Industry in 2014. He was also previously a Senior Vice President with Lufthansa Group, serving as Chief Strategy Officer. He began his career with Bain & Co. in London. He is a Young Global Leader and on the WEF's Global Future Council for Sustainable Tourism. He graduated from Cambridge University with First Class honours and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Ian Glasner

Group Head of Emerging Technology, Innovation, and Ventures, HSBC, United Kingdom

Ian Glasner is Group Head of Emerging Technology, Innovation, and Ventures at HSBC, where he leads the global teams covering AI, digital assets, quantum, venture capital, product incubation and digital partnerships. Previously he served as Managing Director and Chief of Staff for the Global Technology and Operations division at HSBC. Glasner has also held key product and sales roles at Google Cloud, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Apple. Early in his career, he founded a technology company in the restaurant space. Outside work, Glasner is dedicated to philanthropy and has launched two non-profit efforts in Haiti. He currently serves as a Board Member for Global Fund for Children. He holds two BSc degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Business Administration.

Ayla Göksel

Chief Executive Officer, Ozyegin Social Investments, Türkiye

Ayla Goksel is CEO of Özyegin Social Investments, a network of non-profit organisations, including ACEV (Mother Child Education Foundation), Hüsnü M. Özyegin Foundation and Iz Child. These organisations work in the fields of education (infrastructure, programs and policy), early childhood and parenting, womens empowerment, rural livelihoods and post-disaster rehabilitation. The programs and investments have reached 1,4 milion people across Turkey. ACEV’s award winning programs have also been implemented in fourteen other countries in the Middle East, Europe and most recently Asia and Latin America. Goksel is also Trustee of Ozyegin University and serves on the boards of the Education Reform Initiative and Tohum Foundation for Autism. She has been selected a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Senior Fellow of the Synergos Institute, Qatar Foundation WISE Laureate and World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council member. She holds a BSc from University of Bath, MSc from London School of Economics and has conducted fellowships on civil society and non profit organisations at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University.

Elissa Golberg

Ambassador of Canada to Italy, Ambassador of Canada to Albania and San Marino, High Commissioner to Malta, and Permanent Representative of Canada to, Embassy of Canada in Italy, Italy

Ms. Elissa Golberg was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister - Strategic Policy at the department of Global Affairs Canada in September 2017. In that role she is responsible for developing, leading and coordinating Canada's emerging foreign, economic and international development policy agendas. She is also Champion for Innovation and Experimentation. From February 2015 to September 2017, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister - Partnerships for Development Innovation, where her team programmed some $330 million annually in development aid to reduce poverty in 126 countries, working with international and Canadian civil society, academic, professional associations and the private sector. From September 2011 to February 2015, Ms Golberg was Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and to the Conference on Disarmament. Prior to that, she held several other responsibilities within the Canadian government including Director-General - Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force (START), and Representative of Canada in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Ms. Golberg has a Master's degree in International Relations. She is a member of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Disarmament. She is a recipient of the NATO ISAF General Service medal, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Public Service Award of Excellence, and several Ministerial Awards for Foreign Policy Excellence. She was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2010, and served on the WEF's Global Agenda Council on Violence and Fragility, and Global Future Council on Global Governance, Public-Private Partnerships and Sustainable Development.