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.

Nadia Ahmad Samdin

Counsel and Associate Director, Member of Parliament, Tri-Sector Associates, Singapore

Nadia Ahmad Samdin is the youngest member of Singapore’s 14th Parliament, representing Ang Mo Kio GRC. She speaks on various environmental and social issues, such as nature and marine conservation, mental health, public housing, youth empowerment and gender equity. She has 18 years of experience in community development and currently serves on various boards and committees, including SHE, a non-profit that strives to empower women and girls through public-private partnerships and tackles online harms. As Counsel and Associate Director at social impact intermediary Tri-Sector Associates, she contributes her expertise to innovative outcomes-based social financing models and catalytic capital. Notably, she has structured and launched a project supporting employment transitions for individuals with differentiated abilities, developed a social impact guarantee for a youth skilling programme and implemented an outcomes amplifier model for income stability in lower-income households. Samdin has co-authored articles in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, where she shares practice-led insights. She is an Adjunct Fellow with the NUS Centre for Pro Bono & Clinical Legal Education, and was recognized on the 2020 Straits Times 30 and Under Singaporeans to Watch list, Singapore Business Review’s 21 Most Influential Lawyers 40 and Under, as well as 2021 Prestige 40 Under 40. Previously, Samdin practised corporate law, specializing in mergers & acquisitions, and was a current affairs producer with regional news channel, Channel NewsAsia.

Cherrie Atilano

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Agrea, Philippines

Cherrie Atilano has 26 years of experience in sustainable food systems and inclusive agribusiness as an advocate of women and youth in agriculture, agri-technology, malnutrition eradication and the responsible production and consumption for the future of food. She is a multi-awarded entrepreneur and ambassador on agricultural issues.

Fridtjof Berge

Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer, Antler Innovation Pte Ltd, Singapore

Fridtjof Berge is the Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer of Antler, the global venture capital firm backing the world’s most driven founders from day zero. With offices in 28 startup ecosystems across six continents, Antler rethinks how to support and back exceptional people from the earliest stages - regardless of their geography or background. Since 2018, Antler has invested in more than 750 portfolio companies, and it receives more than 100,000 applications annually to its residencies. A Norwegian native based out of Singapore, Fridtjof obtained his MBA from Harvard Business School and started his career in McKinsey & Company, where he focused his work on the retail, consumer goods, financial services and social impact industries. He is a Forbes 30 under 30 honouree.

Cham Krasna

Chief Executive Officer, SOMA Group, Cambodia

Krasna Cham is the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Soma Group, believing private sector to be an effective means to influence development in Cambodia and acting as an active proponent of gender equality and female leadership in the corporate sector of ASEAN. She represents a new generation of leadership in Cambodia and is outspoken on female representation in the corporate world. As CEO of one of Cambodia’s leading locally owned companies, Krasna manages the corporate direction and strategy of the group aiming at high impact sector toward the development of Cambodia.

Francesca Chia

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, GoGet, Malaysia

Francesca Chia is the Co-Founder and CEO of GoGet, an on demand workforce technology platform that connects businesses to trust and reliable part timers, called ‘GoGetters’. Francesca is pushing boundaries in the technology industry and the traditional labour market of Malaysia. She brings with her insights on the future of work, how businesses will adjust models to suit new labour requirements and how empowerment is possible through technology innovation. Francesca graduated with a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and was inspired by social enterprises because they redefined traditional ways of doing business and running a non-profit. Prior to launching GoGet, Francesca was a Management Consultant in The Boston Consulting Group for 4 years. GoGet was also invited as a one of the selected ASEAN start up to speak in the World Economic Forum, Hanoi 2018 to discuss the Future of Work. Francesca is also an Alibaba eFounders Fellow from the program jointly created between Alibaba and UNCTAD. Most recently, Francesca was invited to speak at a summit in conjunction with United Nations General Assembly 2019 about the platform and how it is specifically addressing the Sustainable Development Goal #8: To promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive.

Clarissa Delgado

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Teach For the Philippines, Philippines

Clarissa Isabelle Liboro Delgado is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Teach for the Philippines. She began her career with research and impact measurement, managing a Randomized Control Trial for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL) on Teach for the Philippines’ predecessor organization, Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation. It was from the results of this survey that Teach for the Philippines was born. Delgado received an MA in Educational Administration from Ateneo de Manila University and a BA from the College of William & Mary. She is an inaugural 2018 Obama Foundation Fellow and a member of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOWN), Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service (TOWNS), Ramon V. Del Rosario Siklab, and Asia Society Asia 21 Young Leader networks.

Vidhya Ganesan

Managing Partner, McKinsey and Company, Malaysia

Vidhya Ganesan is Managing Partner of McKinsey and Company’s Malaysia office and was previously Co-Founder and Co-Leader of McKinsey's Sri Lanka office. Ganesan has steered several transformative government programmes in the social, economic and financial sectors with a special focus on digital government and digital economy. Her focus on leveraging technology in low and middle-income nations has enhanced education and healthcare outcomes while fostering transparency and efficiency. As a McKinsey Center for Government fellow, she contributed to global research and innovation in government digitization and performance. Her expertise extends to advising apparel manufacturers, particularly in sustainable practices and digital manufacturing. Notably, Ganesan collaborates with a leading apparel manufacturer on their ambitious goal to become the world's first traditional apparel manufacturer World Economic Forum lighthouse. She also provides strategic counsel to high-tech and telecommunications clients on digital business development and impact investing. Ganesan was also Co-Founder of McKinsey’s All In, Diversity and Inclusion initiative in South-East Asia and she is passionate about advancing women in the workforce at McKinsey and beyond. Ganesan regularly conducts training sessions for women entrepreneurs; she is a mentor and coach for women and publishes and gives talks on the topic.

Natashya Gutierrez

President, Rappler.com, Philippines

Experienced multimedia journalist with a demonstrated history of working in the online media industry. Skilled in digital reporting, breaking news, editing, management, investigative journalism, and content strategy.

As a leader and editor, Natashya built two newsrooms in Asia-Pacific: the Indonesia bureau of multi-award winning newsroom Rappler, and the Asia-Pacific digital news operations for Vice News. Under her watch, the Vice APAC team won several awards for their reporting on human rights in the region.

As a journalist and correspondent, she is trained in text, video, and social media. Natashya is particularly knowledgeable on Southeast Asia, and has lived and worked in Manila, Jakarta, Singapore and Sydney in the last decade. Her work is largely focused on covering women's rights, politics, democracies and disinformation.

Shahril Hamdan

Managing Director, Watchtower Advisory, Malaysia

With a background in Economics, Shahril has developed a multi sector profile in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

He climbed the political ladder in Malaysia, and was until late 2022 the Head of Communications for Malaysia’s oldest political party. In a career in public life spanning 10 years, he had also served in government as the Economic Director in the Prime Ministers Office (2021-2022).

But Shahril was not a career politician, and has had stints as
• A management consultant with McKinsey serving clients across Southeast Asia (2011-2014)
• A CEO managing the mid-sized Malaysian energy services company Destini Oil with footprint in Southeast Asia and the Middle East (2014-2018)
• A private markets advisor currently, as founder of Watchtower Advisory, alongside a role as Senior Advisor at GP Bullhound, a global tech advisory and investment fund. (2023 - present)
• A communicator as co-host of Malaysia’s current top current issues podcast Keluar Sekejap (2023-present)
• A geopolitical analyst on Southeast Asian affairs as a Visiting Fellow at Singapore’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies (2023)

Since January 2023, Shahril has stepped out of politics, but continues to leverage the varied insights and roles he developed in the past decade to deliver impact via Watchtower and beyond. He actively seeks opportunities to engender cross-cultural and cross-border understanding crucial to meet the global challenges of the moment and capitalise on collaboration opportunities, especially given Southeast Asia’s strategic position in the context of de-risking, multipolarity and Great Power Competition.

Shahril holds a BA in Economics from the University of Manchester (2008) and an MSc in Race, Ethnicity and Postcolonial Studies, LSE (2011) where he also won the Hobhouse Memorial Prize for graduating top of his class that year.

Natasha Latiff

Founder and Legal Director, Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights Inc, Singapore

Natasha Latiff is a highly regarded international human rights lawyer known for her work in Afghanistan and beyond. She has made significant contributions through the establishment of two acclaimed non-profit organizations: Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (SAHR) in 2008; and Women for Justice in 2018. She is also Founder of Fair Future, a Singapore-based enterprise with a mission to combat modern slavery practices in the supply chain by focusing on the "human" in corporate human rights due diligence processes and response. Latiff’s remarkable work has led to transformative changes in law and policy on human rights and access to remedy. She advises and trains lawyers and organizations on international human rights norms and standards. Her efforts have resulted in securing remedies for affected communities and fostering meaningful dialogue between victims, governments and companies. Latiff’s impactful initiatives have left a lasting mark on the lives of countless individuals. She holds a Master of Law degree with Distinction from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.

Veronika Linardi

Chief Executive Officer, Single Family Office, Togs Capital, Singapore

Veronika Linardi, a serial entrepreneur and founder, has carved a distinctive path in the world of business with a profound commitment to sustainability. As the driving force behind her Single Family Office, she has set her sights on alternative investments in high-growth emerging markets. Sustainability is at the heart of her investment philosophy, aligning perfectly with the global shift toward responsible business practices.

At the forefront of her endeavors is the establishment of a highly profitable tech-enabled ecosystem in Southeast Asia. This expansive ecosystem spans critical sectors, encompassing Electric Vehicles, logistics, supply chain management, and commerce infrastructure. Veronika's entrepreneurial acumen shines through in her relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence.

Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, Veronika co-founded one of Indonesia's largest Human Capital development companies. This transformative initiative has not only impacted the lives of millions but has also played a pivotal role in shaping Indonesia's future workforce. Her dedication to talent development and education underscores her commitment to building a brighter future.

Her other accolades also include being named "Forbes Indonesia Powerful Women," "Her World Women of the Year," "Globe Asia Most Inspiring Women of the Year," and the UBS 'Celebration of Indonesian Women' award.

Veronika holds a Master's degree in Strategic Digital Marketing & Management Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University and Bachelor's degree in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin.

Yashovardhan Lohia

Executive Director and Chief Sustainability Officer, Indorama Ventures, Thailand

Yashovardhan Lohia started his career at Indorama Ventures in the Packaging Division, overseeing the company's operations across seven countries. Since 2018, he has also helped guide the fibres business, which is a strong growth area for the company. Lohia was appointed Executive Director of the Board of Directors in 2019 and is a member of the Sustainability and Risk Management Committee. He was also Chief Recycling Officer and later appointed as Chief Sustainability Officer. In this position, he plays an important role to define Indorama Ventures’ path to sustainability.