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.

Enass Abo-Hamed

Chief Executive Officer, H2GO Power Ltd., United Kingdom

Enass Abo-Hamed is the Chief Executive Officer of H2GO Power, an award-winning pioneering company developing hydrogen energy storage technologies. Abo-Hamed is a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellow, Chair of the Sustainability Interest Group at the Royal Academy, advisory board member at General Atlantic's BeyondNetZero $4Billion growth equity climate fund, and a technology expert consultant to the European Commission.

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.

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.

Rafat Al-Akhali

Fellow of Practice, Strategic Projects, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Rafat is a thought leader and practitioner passionate about addressing political and economic challenges in situations of fragility and conflict. He has over 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors in Yemen and internationally, including in senior government positions. Since 2016, Rafat has been a fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford where he has led the school’s multiple initiatives in the field of state fragility including the LSE-Oxford Commission on State Fragility, the Council on State Fragility, and the DFI Fragility Forum. He has previously served as Minister of Youth and Sports in the Government of Yemen, and prior to that was leading the Policy Reforms team at the Executive Bureau for Acceleration of Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms.

Rafat has successfully led multiple large-scale social and economic research studies in Yemen, and is an advisor to Yemeni and international stakeholders on political, peace building, and economic issues in Yemen. He previously held senior positions with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM in Canada.

Rafat earned his second Master degree in Public Policy (MPP) at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, UK. His first Master degree was in Business Administration (MBA) from Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) Montréal, Canada.

Alberto Alemanno

Founder, The Good Lobby, Belgium

Alberto is the Jean Monnet Professor of Law & Public Policy at HEC Paris, and permanent visiting professor at Tokyo University School of Public Policy and the College of Europe, Bruges. Due to his commitment to bridge the gap between academic research and policy action, he is the founder of The Good Lobby, the leading advocacy movement democratizing lobbying as a legitimate, healthy practice of democratic life capable of equalizing access to power.

Alberto is Schwab Foundation Social Innovators of the Year (2022), Ashoka Fellow (2019), WEF Young Global Leader (2015), European Young Leader (2014) and BMW Responsible Leader (2018).

He regularly provides advice to governments across the world, leading and emerging philanthropies, nonprofits, progressive companies, as well as grassroots movements as well as international organizations, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, the OECD, the World Health Organization.

Alberto is a regular contributor to The Guardian, Bloomberg, Politico Europe, Le Monde, Le Grand Continent and a frequent commentator on Euronews, France24, Al-Jazeera, and TV5Monde.

He has been involved in dozens of campaigns, ranging from the first European Citizen Initiative putting an end to international roaming to the drafting of the EU whistleblower directive, mandatory plain-packaging for tobacco products, and designed the Ukraine Corporate Index aimed at tracking businesses' responses to Russian invasion so as to make them re-assess their engagement with the Russian market.

Originally from Italy, Alemanno is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the College of Europe. He holds a PhD in International Law and Economics from Bocconi University. Prior to entering academia fully time, he clerked at the Court of Justice of the European Union, worked as a Teaching Assistant at the College of Europe in Bruges and qualified as an attorney at law in New York.

Among his latest books, 'Citizen Participation in Democratic Europe' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), 'Lobbying for Change: Find Your Voice to Create a Better Society' (Iconbooks, 2017), 'Nudge and the Law' (Hart Publishing, 2016) and 'Regulating Lifestyle Risks - Europe, Alcohol, Tobacco and Unhealthy Diets' (Cambridge University Press, 2015).

Alberto's MOOC Understanding Europe is available on Coursera. Launched in 2014, it gathered more than 300k participants from all over the world in its first edition.

Alberto lives in Bilbao, with his family, teaches in Paris and advocates from Brussels all across the EU and beyond.

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.

Poppy Allonby

Head, Environmental, Social and Governance Enablement, T. Rowe Price, United Kingdom

Poppy Allonby is a senior financial services executive with a passion for management, finance, the energy transition and sustainability.

Poppy is currently Head of ESG Enablement for T. Rowe Price, a leading global asset manager. She is responsible for the Company's ESG strategy and its execution.

Previously Poppy spent 21 years as a senior executive at BlackRock where she held a number of roles. Most recently she was head of the Global Product Group in EMEA & APAC. As such she is responsible for driving product strategy, pricing, product development & structuring and ongoing oversight of Blackrock's investment products across all asset classes. Previously, Ms Allonby was a portfolio manager and member of BlackRock's Natural Resources Team where she was responsible for multi billion dollar global Energy investment funds. She managed investments in both the oil & gas sector and in businesses that are facilitating and benefiting from the transition to a lower carbon economy (for example: clean tech, renewable power, energy efficiency and sustainable mobility). At BlackRock, Poppy was a member of several senior leadership committees: the EMEA & APAC Executive Committees, Enterprise Risk Committee, Global Human Capital Committee and Product Development Committee (Chair).

Poppy has previously served as the Vice Chair of EFAMA's Fund Regulation, Asset Protection and Service Providers Standing Committee and as a Commissioner on the Energy Transitions Committee.

She currently sits on the Board and Assets Committee for the Church Commissioners, one of the world's largest charitable endowments and a global leader in responsible investments. She also sits on the external advisory board for MIT's Energy Initiative (MITEI), MIT's hub for energy research, education and outreach. MITEI's mission is to develop low and no carbon solutions that will efficiently meet global energy needs while minimizing environmental impacts and mitigating climate change.

Poppy has a degree in Physics from Imperial College, London

Nikolina Angelkova

Chairwoman, Center for Empowerment of Women in Politics, Bulgaria

2003, Master's and Diploma (Hons) in Law, University of National and World Economy, Sofia; 2010, graduate, Harvard Business School, Boston; finance management; certificates in regional policy and management of the European Union structural funds and European policy. Formerly: lawyer; CEO, international companies in the real estate and infrastructure sectors; at the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, the European Commission and the European Parliament; Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works; Adviser to the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works; Member of the Managing Board, National Road Infrastructure Agency; Adviser to the President of the Republic, in charge of European regional cooperation, transport and environment, as well as other international and European issues. Former Co-Chair and Founder, Bulgarian-Romanian Committee for inland waterway transport and connectivity of the common BG-RO Danube region. Chairwoman, non-profit foundation Friends of Sport, dealing with the integration of disabled children through sport. 2014, Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communication. In 2019 became political coordinator for Sofia district in our PP Gerb, responsible for all the political and election campaigns.in May 2018 was awarded by the Italian President with Stella d’Italia medal-the highest award for foreigners. Minister of tourism 2014-2020; Member of Parliament (2017 - 2022)

Steve Arora

Chief Executive Officer, Alpine Re, Switzerland

Degree in Economics, Muhlenberg College; GE Capital Financial Management Program (FMP); Swiss Re Group Management Development Program; STARS Symposium for Leaders of the Next Generation. Diverse track record of experiences; has held roles in various financial services industries, geographic locations, and with various functional responsibilities. Has lived in the US, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Japan and Saudi Arabia. Currently, Member, Reinsurance Executive Committee, Swiss Re; Division Head, Casualty Reinsurance. Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum (2015).

Ida Auken

Member of Parliament, Parliament of Denmark (Folketinget), Denmark

Ida Auken is the former Minister for the Environment in Denmark (2011-2014). She is a Member of the Danish Parliament (2007-) for The Social Democratic Party. Ida Auken held the position of President of the European Environment Council and was Head of the EU Delegation at the Rio+20 conference, where the UN Sustainable Development Goals were agreed. Ida Auken was nominated a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and has also been elected as one of the 40 most promising young leaders in Europe. With her 15 years of experience in the Danish Parliament, Ida Auken has been key in fostering the green transition in Denmark. She was one of the architects of the Danish Climate Law that has one of the world’s most ambitious climate change targets and recently she introduced the paradigm shift in the approach to offshore wind by establishing energy islands. Ida Auken is the author of several books and in May 2022 “Believe it – climate, hope and vigour” was published.

Gwenaelle Avice-Huet

Executive Vice-President, Europe Operations, Schneider Electric, France

Gwenaelle Avice Huet has been Schneider Electric’s Executive Vice President of Europe Operations since September 4, 2023 and serves on its Executive Committee. She is responsible for Schneider Electric’s full business portfolio across Europe Operations, representing the company’s contribution to the development of the EU’s agenda to accelerate Europe’s green and digital transformation.

Gwenaelle joined Schneider Electric in 2021 as Senior-Vice President of Corporate Strategy, before entering the Executive Committee as Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer.

Before joining Schneider Electric, Gwenaelle worked at ENGIE (formerly GDF SUEZ) in various roles, from Senior Vice-President of European and Regulatory affairs, to leading the Renewables energy business. In her last role, she was on the Executive Committee of ENGIE, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of ENGIE North America and in charge of the Global Business Line on Renewable Energies.

Gwenaelle started her career at the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the French Atomic Energy Commission on nuclear energy before joining the World Bank in Washington D.C. as a consultant. She also worked for the service of the French Prime Minister within the General Secretary of European affairs with responsibility for energy and competitiveness matters, and as the advisor on energy and climate change for various ministers.

Gwenaelle also serves on the Board of Air France – KLM. She holds a degree in Physics and Chemistry from the Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, a post-graduate diploma in Molecular Chemistry from France’s Ecole Polytechnique and an engineering degree from the Corps des Ponts et Chaussées. She has also been nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She is based in Europe.

Dilek Ayhan

Special Adviser, BI Norwegian Business School, Norway

CEO of The Conduit Oslo. Former Special Adviser to the President/Management of BI Norwegian Business School (Jan 2018 - Jan 2023). Former State Secretary, Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (Oct 2013- Jan 2018). As State Secretary she was responsible for international/bilateral relations and trade policy, export financing, industrial research and innovation, the maritime industries including shipping and the travel and tourism industry. She was responsible for the following policy papers:

Industry White Paper (chapters covering RD&I, competence),
Ocean Strategy,
Maritime Strategy,
Bioeconomy Strategy,
The National Entrepreneurship Plan,
Tourism White Paper
and the Export Strategy.

Entrepreneur. Has served on the board of several organizations working with diversity management and intercultural communication.