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.

Freddy Castro

Chief Executive Officer, Banca de las Oportunidades, Colombia

Freddy Castro is Chief Executive Officer of Banca de las Oportunidades, a government entity responsible for designing and implementing financial inclusion policy in Colombia. At Banca de las Oportunidades, he has led projects that benefit women and the rural population, bringing digital payments to market squares in Bogota, helping to remove entry barriers to the financial system for Venezuelan migrants, promoting the financial innovation ecosystem, expanding a banking agency model using local shops to reach the rural population, and generating evidence and data for public policy decision-making. Before joining Banca de las Oportunidades, he worked in the Central Bank of Colombia and served as Secretary of Economic Development of Bogota. He also worked as a journalist and professor, and has held executive roles in a business association. Castro studied economics at Universidad Nacional de Colombia.

Jesús "Chuy" Cepeda

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, OS City, Mexico

Jesús “Chuy” Cepeda uses web3 identity to build better public sector experiences in Latin America. He earned his PhD in Artificial Intelligence in 2012 and foresaw the immense power that AI would hold within a decade. Recognizing the risks to personal privacy and democracies, since 2017 he started implementing blockchain-based projects in Latin American governments, exploring the transformative potential of decentralization and serving it into the urgent need to upgrade our institutions. After the pandemic, he has delved into the world-changing capabilities of web3 digital identity and govtech, confident that this combination can become a foundational gateway to digital trust, economic growth and strengthened democracies. Chuy is widely recognized as one of the Agile 50, the most influential individuals driving government revolution. Additionally, he has been featured as an Ethereum Foundation Fellow for his active contributions to onboarding the next billion into web3, and he has been honored as a WEF Young Global Leader.

Luis Cervantes

Managing Director; Head, Mexico Office, General Atlantic, Mexico

Luis Cervantes established and leads General Atlantic’s Mexico office, focusing on the firm’s growth investments in Mexico and across Latin America. Luis co-led General Atlantic’s investments and is a member of the Board of Directors of Justo (online supermarket), Kavak (used-auto ecommerce), Axo (fashion omnichannel retailer), Clip (payments platform), Laboratorios Sanfer (pharmaceutical lab), Hospitales MAC (hospital network), Incode (authentification platform), Klar (digital bank) and Crehana (Edtech platform) and previously participated in the Board of Directors of Sura Asset Management and Santander Asset Management Mexico. Luis also serves as a member of the board of directors of Endeavor Mexico (entrepreneurship non-for-profit) and of Ordas-Howden (insurance brokerage), is a member of YPO and was an Adjunct Professor at Universidad Iberoamericana. Prior to joining General Atlantic, Luis was at Advent International where he concentrated on investments across sectors in Latin America. Previously, he worked in the Investment Banking team at UBS in the Latin American group based in Mexico City. Luis graduated as an Industrial Engineer, with honors, from Universidad Iberoamerica and has an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Matthew Chamberlain

Chief Executive Officer, London Metal Exchange, United Kingdom

Matthew Chamberlain is the CEO of the London Metal Exchange and a member of the Management Committee of HKEX Group. In this role, Matt is responsible for an organisation of 500 colleagues, who collectively and responsibly steward the annual trading of 3.5 billion tonnes of base metals around the globe. Matt’s passion is sustainability in business, and believes strongly that leaders have an obligation to use their corporate platforms as vehicles for positive change. Under Matt’s tenure, the LME has introduced ethical standards for the metals traded on its exchange, including working closely with the OECD to give industry effect to metals supply chain standards, ensuring that metal arising from child labour or conflict financing cannot find its way to the global market. Matt is particularly interested in digital solutions for enhanced transparency, and is sponsoring the introduction of the LMEpassport system to provide full disclosure of sustainability credentials (such as carbon footprint) across the metals supply chain. Matt believes that culture sits at the very heart of an organisation, and is particularly proud to have championed the introduction of the LME’s Code of Conduct, which has driven standards of respect, inclusivity and diversity across the global metals trading industry.

Roselyne Chambrier

Chief Executive Officer, Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), Côte d'Ivoire

Roselyne Chambrier is an entrepreneurial, result-driven leader, with an extensive track record in West and Central Africa spanning finance and infrastructure sectors.

Connecting the dots between governments and institutional investors to vet new partnerships and licensing opportunities in large-scale projects, she aims to set new benchmarks building and managing a solid industrial and logistics portfolio, contributing to local economic empowerment, creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs and attracting FDIs.
She was previously Managing Director of the Industrial Bulk Multipurpose Terminal of San Pedro.

She firmly believes that global challenges can be addressed from Africa and is a founding member of A new ROAD (Round-Table on African Debts) the first think tank dedicated to African public debts and financing of economies, calling for the establishment of a Responsibility Pact from governments, large private companies and financial institutions.

She has a passion for education and is the Founder of Sename Foundation, a philanthopic organization. Her vision is to create a transformative path through educative curricula and trainings to empower girls and underserved communities to become thriving success stories of their own.

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.

Arvan Chan

Chairman of the Board, Vivent Health, USA

Arvan Chan is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and Board Chair of Vivent Health. He has over 20 years of experience in strategic investments and finance, including his major role in working with CEOs and other C-suite executives on strategic planning, digital transformation, and international expansion. Most recently, as an officer of the company, Arvan served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of International for Centene Corporation, a Fortune 25 company that partners with local governments to ensure people receive the highest quality of health and social care through government-sponsored programs. Throughout his tenure at Centene, he held roles in a variety of disciplines, including corporate development, international M&A, strategy, enterprise project management, performance & strategic finance, and international operations. Arvan actively holds Board positions for several public, private and not-for-profits. Internationally, he continues serving on multiple global task forces as a repeated speaker and a discussion leader. Arvan received his bachelor's degree in biological science from University of California of Los Angeles (UCLA), a Master of Health Administration from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, and a Master of Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis Olin Business School with expertise in entrepreneurship, finance, and strategy.

Pamela Chan

Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Lingotto Investment Management LLP, United Kingdom

Pam Chan, Managing Director, is Chief Investment Officer and Head of Direct Private Opportunities (DPO) at BlackRock. She is Chair of the Direct Private Opportunities Investment Committee and Chair for the BlackRock Impact Opportunities (BIO) Fund Internal Investment Committee. She is also a member of BlackRock's firmwide Global Operating Committee, the Alternatives Executive Committee, BlackRock's Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and the BIO Executive Investment Committee. Ms. Chan's service with the firm began in 2012. She co-founded Alternative Solutions (predecessor group to Direct Private Opportunities) in 2013 and prior to becoming CIO of that group, she served as a senior portfolio manager and primary deputy to the CIO. Prior to joining BlackRock, Ms. Chan worked as a senior research analyst for the Financial Stability Board, as a Senior Investment Associate at Bridgewater and as a member of the Financial Institutions Group at Goldman, Sachs & Co., first as an investment banker and subsequently, in their Capital Markets group, focused on private placements and structured finance. Ms. Chan was recognized in 2020 by the World Economic Forum ("WEF") as a Young Global Leader and presented at Davos in 2022. Additionally, she is a member of the WEF's Women in Finance community and has been appointed to the Global Future Council on the Future of Responsible Investing. She was previously nominated as a WEF Global Shaper in 2012, serving as curator for the New York City hub in 2014. She currently co-chairs the Harvard College Schools and Scholarship Committee of New York City and has previously served on the Board of the Harvard Club of New York Foundation and the Harvard Business School Alumni Board. She is also an incoming member of the Board for the HBS Club of New York. She serves on the Boards of Forbright, Inc. and Macro Media, Inc. She has previously served as a Board member for Home Partners of America. She is also a member of Extraordinary Women on Boards and Chief. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with a joint concentration in Philosophy and Government and, earned an MBA with high honors from Harvard Business School. She loves to golf and enjoys reading, mega-former pilates and contemporary art (including creating some pieces of her own). She currently lives in Nomad with the two Texan loves of her life (Allen, her partner, and Socrates, their very charismatic and curious beagle).

Nirvana Chaudhary

Managing Director, Chaudhary Group, Nepal

Nirvana Chaudhary, a versatile entrepreneur and philanthropist, stands as the Managing Director of CG Corp
Global, a multinational conglomerate valued at over $3 billion, with 136 companies and 76 brands in 30
countries. His entrepreneurial journey started at 19 with the founding of CG Finco.
A multifaceted personality, Nirvana is also a musician, a seasoned adventurer who has scaled Kilimanjaro and
trekked to Everest Base Camp, and a former member of Nepal's National Squash team. His engagement in
thought leadership is reflected through his podcast “Making It Bigger” and articles in notable business
magazines, coupled with frequent appearances at global leadership events.
As an author, Nirvana has penned “Araaya’s Fables,” a children's book focusing on moral values, and "Beyond
Wonder Woman," a work celebrating women's successes and advocating gender equality. In philanthropy, he
serves as the Vice Chair of the Chaudhary Foundation, contributing to disaster relief, education, and
healthcare, especially for children. His efforts have been recognized with prestigious awards like the YPO's
SEN Sustainability Award for Philanthropy and the President's Award for Social Contribution from Lions
Club International.
In the banking industry, Nirvana is the Vice Chair of Nabil Bank, Nepal, and Chairman of Union Bank, Sri
Lanka. His global business influence extends as Chairman of the ASSOCHAM Nepal Chapter, Vice
President of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, and a member of various UN business advisory
groups. An alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School's Global Leadership Program, Nirvana has been
honored as one of Tatler's New Faces of Asia, Asia's most influential, and a Young Global Leader by the
World Economic Forum.
Nirvana's personal life is enriched by his wife Ashrayata and their two children, Araaya and Arhaan.

Sarah Chen-Spellings

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women), USA

Based in Washington DC, award-winning investor & entrepreneur Sarah Chen is Co-Founder of Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women), the world's first and largest global consortium of over 100 venture funds and limited partner investors that have pledged to invest beyond $1B towards women-founded companies. To date, the consortium has deployed $638M and counting into close to 800 female-founded companies, of which 14 were recognized as unicorns. Previously, she was on the pioneer team of a corporate venture capital unit within a $13B publicly traded Asian conglomerate, investing in later-stage biotechnology companies. Since then, she has been at the forefront of multi-million cross border investments, structuring and executing commercialization plans with her portfolio companies.

Determined to see more women at the helm, she sits on multiple boards, including 131 & Counting, a bipartisan effort to fete the unprecedented number of women serving in the House and Senate, encouraging more women to run for office in the US; and Lean In Malaysia, which she co-founded, a platform accelerating women into leadership in Muslim- majority Malaysia. Named Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and Forbes Under 30 VC, Chen is a recognized speaker, strategist and commentator on venture capital, startups and women in leadership, having been featured on Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, Der Spiegel and at the United Nations, and is a celebrated host on the show and podcast #BillionDollarMoves backed by the Hubspot Podcast Network. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Laws, LL.B (Hons.) from King’s College London.

To find out more: www.beyondthebillion.com
@sarahchenglobal on all handles; www.sarah-chen.com

Shou Zi Chew

Chief Executive Officer, TikTok, USA

Shou Chew is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TikTok where he is responsible for partnering with the company's management team to drive global growth and lead corporate governance. Shou has been a member of the TikTok family since its inception, first having led a team of ByteDance's early investors. Previously, Shou served as the Executive Director, President-International & SVP at Xiaomi Corp. In the past, he held the position of Partner at DST Global (Mgmt). Shou received an undergraduate degree from University College London and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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.