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.

Kow Abaka Essuman

Legal Counsel to the President, Office of the President of Ghana, Ghana

Kow Essuman is an international lawyer in every sense, who specializes in corporate and commercial litigation and arbitration. He is currently serving as counsel at the office of the President of Ghana. He is licensed to practice law in England & Wales (2008), New York (2010) and Ghana (2011). He holds a Master of Laws degree with Honors in International Mergers and Acquisitions and Financial Institutions from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (2009). He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from BPP Law School, London (2008) and is a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws from University of Westminster, London (2007) and was previously a Global Shaper at the Accra Hub.

Jonathan Fantini Porter

Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Partnership for Central America, USA

Jonathan Fantini Porter is a government official and executive in the private and social sectors. He currently serves as CEO of the public-private Partnership for Central America and previously held leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The White House, U.S. Congress, and McKinsey & Company.

Under his tenure, the Partnership raised $4.2 billion in foreign direct investment, procurement, and lending in 18 months for projects in the region and delivered programs to 5 million individuals across environmental, social, and governance programs to address the economic roots of migration in frontier and emerging markets. The Partnership has been cited by the President of Microsoft, Administrator of USAID Samantha Power, and the President of the World Bank as a case study on how to mobilize private sector investments for public-private economic development partnerships.

Jonathan previously served as an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company; advisor on national security and private sector engagement to the Presidential transition of Joe Biden; a White House advisor on transnational security during the Presidency of Barack Obama; as a senior congressional aide in the U.S. Congress; and Chief of Staff in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where he oversaw management operations of a $6 billion homeland security budget supporting 22,000 personnel in 48 countries.

He was named a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and has served on advisory bodies to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, World Economic Forum, Amnesty International, and as a consulting fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Jonathan is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Georgetown University and was awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship. He speaks Spanish, French, and German.

Anielle Franco

Minister of Racial Equality of Brazil, Ministry of Racial Equality of Brazil, Brazil

Anielle Franco is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was born and raised in Favela da Maré.

She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism and English from North Carolina Central University and a bachelor's and a license degree in English literature from the State University of Rio de Janeiro. She has a master's degree in Journalism, English, and Ethnic-Racial Relations from Florida A&M University and CEFET-RJ, and she is currently a Ph.D. student at the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro Applied Linguistics.

Anielle has published two books about her sister, "Letter to Marielle" and "My sister and I," and has participated in many other books, including the Brazilian edition of Angela Davis' autobiography. She is the Minister of Racial Equality in Brazil and the former Executive Director of the Marielle Franco Institute.

On the frontline of the fight for justice and a legacy for her sister Marielle Franco, Anielle uses her voice to inspire other women, girls, and poor black people in Brazil and around the world to keep moving society's structures.

Paula Ingabire

Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda, Rwanda

Holds a crucial and strategic portfolio in one of Africa's leading technological powers. Through passion and expertise, has propelled Rwanda forward in its adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution tools.

Wafaa Jemali

Secretary-General, Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, Morocco

Wafâa Jemali has been secretary general to the Head of Government since November 2021. Following the directives of the Head of Government and in collaboration with the ministerial departments, she coordinates cross-sectoral policies to ensure the proper implementation of the governmental program. Previously, and for five years, she was chief of staff to the president of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) party. She contributed to the reorganization of the RNI and the development of its campaign strategy, before being appointed national campaign coordinator of the party, which succeeded in winning the legislative and local elections of September 8, 2021. Until 2017, Wafâa Jemali held the position of adviser to the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Rural Development. She participated, among other things, in the evaluation of the Green Morocco Plan and the launch of the national program to fight against social and territorial disparities. A graduate in corporate finance and business law from ISCAE in Casablanca and in public policy management from Sciences Po Paris, Wafâa began her career in investment banking in 2007, before becoming strategic planner for a leading Moroccan energy group, from 2010 to 2014.

Danae Kyriakopoulou

Co-Head, Climate Hub, Bank of England, United Kingdom

Economist. Co-Head of the Bank of England’s Climate Hub, setting the strategy for ensuring the UK economy and financial system are resilient to the risks from climate change and managing the implications for the macroeconomy and financial stability. Previously a Distinguished Policy Fellow at the London School of Economics working with Lord Nicholas Stern, leading policy work for the G7, G20, COP and Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action on the intersections of climate change, international finance and economic development. Also served as Chief Economist and Director of Research of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum and as Senior Economic Adviser to the ICAEW and Managing Economist of the Centre for Economics and Business Research. University of Oxford BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and an MSc in Economics for Development. Selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader in 2022.

Eduardo Leite

Governor of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Eduardo Leite is 37 years old and is the first re-elected governor in the history of Rio Grande do Sul. He was born in Pelotas, on March 10th, 1985. He was the youngest governor in Brazil during his first term. At the beginning of the 2019-2022 term, he promoted a series of structural reforms to counter the public budget deficit in the state. With an agenda focused on dialogue and on opening up the State to the private initiative, he approved the privatization of state-owned companies, highway concessions, a new Environmental Code and a gradual reduction in taxes. With the result of the reforms carried out, he promoted, through the Avançar program, investments in all areas of the State, totalling BRL 6.5 billion in resources. Mr. Leite was mayor of the municipality Pelotas between 2013 and 2016. Before his term of office, he was municipal secretary, councilor and president of the municipal council. He ended his term as mayor with 87% popular approval in opinion polls. The governor holds a bachelor's degree in Law, he studied Public Policy at Columbia University, in New York, USA, and attained a master's degree in Public Management at Fundação Getúlio Vargas.

Sanna Marin

Strategic Counselor, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, United Kingdom

The first in her family to attend university, Sanna Marin became the youngest Prime Minister in Finnish history and the world’s youngest female state leader. She has encouraged new approaches to the future of work, social services and gender equity in her country and the world.

H.R.H. Prince Mateen of Brunei Darussalam

Prince, The State of Brunei, Brunei Darussalam

He is the tenth child and fourth son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei and a Major of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. He accompanies his father to numerous events, such as during the US-ASEAN special summit.

Miguel Medina

Minister of Investment, Office of the President of Honduras, Honduras

Miguel is a young public leader that is currently the Minister Investment and the Executive Secretary of the National Investment Council. Before joining the Government of Honduras, Miguel worked as a General Manager for the second largest gas retail company in Honduras and Guatemala. He was also the Director of Corporate projects for Grupo Montecristo, a Honduran family owned conglomerate with investment in renewable energy. Miguel has a MBA from Georgetown University; and a bachelor of Arts in Business Leadership from the University of Dallas.

Nomasonto Evelyn Motaung

Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Government of South Africa, South Africa

Nomasonto Evelyn Motaung is a distinguished South African politician currently serving as Deputy Minister in the Presidency. Elected MP in 2019 at the age of 33, she quickly rose to prominence as one of the youngest MPs in South Africa. Motaung actively contributed to discussions and decision-making processes on the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry. Her dedication to public service and notable achievements have garnered respect, establishing her as a prominent figure in South African governance.

Lelise Neme Sori

Director-General, Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, Ethiopia

Lelise Neme, Director-General of the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, has embarked on a remarkable journey marked by a rapid ascent to leadership. She has served as Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission. Neme’s leadership potential blossomed early, when she was a student at Jimma University. Aged 24, she was CEO of the Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) in Ethiopia. Prior to her IPDC tenure, she was Director-General of the Oromia Industrial Development Agency and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Oromia Industrial Park Development Corporation. Neme consistently demonstrates her capability and drive as a leader, remaining undeterred by challenges. She showcases her ability to thrive in high-stakes environments with resilience and proficiency.