the Asia 21 Young Leaders Class of 2008

CHALLENGES BEYOND BORDERS
SOLUTIONS BEYOND CULTURES
ASIA 21 YOUNG LEADERS SUMMIT
Tokyo – November 14-16, 2008
Profiles
AHMAD NIZAM ABBAS
Ahmad Nizam Abbas is a lawyer at Straits Law LLC. He has been a lawyer for 14
years and handled cases involving the death penalty. Mr. Abbas has a keen interest in
inter-religious issues, having studied in a Christian Mission school for 10 years. He
served on Statutory Boards as diverse as the MUIS (the Islamic authority in
Singapore) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Mr. Abbas received
the Public Service Medal at last year's National Day Honours for his voluntary
contributions to the Community Development Council, National Youth Council, and
Programme Advisory Committees for the TV media, among many others. He is
involved in several non-governmental organizations, mainly in the social service sector.
AMADOR DEAN AGUILLEN
Amador Dean Aguillen is the Senior Vice President of Ogilvy Government
Relations. Named one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the U.S. in 2007 by
Hispanic Business magazine, Mr. Aguillen joined Ogilvy Government Relations
after serving as a senior advisor and Director of Member Services in the Office of
Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In this role, Mr. Aguillen was one of the Speaker's primary
advisors on matters pertaining to members of Congress and played a key role in the
formulation of the Speaker's agenda. He joined Congresswoman Pelosi's staff in
2002 after her election to House Democratic leadership as Democratic Whip. Besides
his work in Congress, numerous campaigns and various political and governmental
organizations, Mr. Aguillen had the privilege of working for the Clinton Administration. On July 5, 1999,
President Clinton appointed him to the position of Special Assistant in the Office of Congressional and
Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor and later promoted him to Director of
Intergovernmental Affairs and Chief of Staff for Congressional Affairs. A native Texan, Mr. Aguillen
received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas,
with double majors in Political Science and Communications, Radio-Television. He later went on to
complete his Master of Arts degree in Public Communication at the American University in Washington,
DC.
HANA SHAMS AHMED
Hana Shams Ahmed is a researcher, journalist, and human rights activist, working
for The Daily Star. She graduated in International Journalism from The University of
Westminster, London. Her investigative reports focus on gender, child labor, migrant
and minority rights. She has written numerous cover stories as well as special reports
for The Star. Past reports include stories on Bangladeshi migrants in Bahrain,
Malaysia and Kuwait, as well as a report on child smuggling. Her other research
articles have included citizenship legal limbo of UN Geneva camp-based Urduspeaking minorities, sexual harassment at nation's top universities, abuse of domestic workers, medical
negligence at private hospitals, and human rights abuse of indigenous people in the hill tracts. Ms. Ahmed
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is also a freelance researcher and translator for local NGOs. She is a member of Drishtipat.org, a global
network of Bangladeshi human rights activists.
SHEILA G. ALGABRE
Sheila G. Algabre is the Vice-President for Identity and Mission of the Notre
Dame University, the Philippines. Her mission is to help uplift the lives of
Filipinos who continue to live in poverty in Mindanao. She accomplishes this
by spearheading technical education programs and alternative learning
programs for out-of-school children and youth, as well as providing capacity
building seminars and trainings for cooperatives and peoples organizations.
Aside from these initiatives, she continues to promote the rights of women in
Mindanao by serving as commissioner-at-large of the Mindanao Commission
on Women. She is also a founding member of the Political Caucus of Women Leaders in Mindanao, a
non-profit organization aiming to get more women elected in public office. Ms. Algabre actively
promotes peace in Mindanao as a member of the Youth Peace Circles and the Mothers for Peace
Movement. She is the head of the operations unit of the National Movement for Free Election
(NAMFREL) in Maguindanao and Cotabato City, and continues to promote transparency and good
governance by serving as lecturer and resource person to youth organizations and non-government
organizations in these regions. She earned a Bachelors degree in Management and her Masters Degree in
Business Management at Notre Dame University.
SURYANI SENJA ALIAS
Suryani Senja Alias is Senior Vice-President, Research & Investment
Strategy at the Malaysian Government's strategic investment arm,
Khazanah Nasional. She is interested in public policy reform, effecting
developmental change and the promotion and preservation of art, culture
and heritage. Ms. Alias spent some time at the policy unit of the current
Malaysian Prime Minister's office and at Khazanah, where she spearheaded
a nation-building project called the Khazanah Merdeka Series, which
included creating the Khazanah Global Lecture series on Development that successfully procured Nobel
Laureates like Kofi Annan, Muhammad Yunus and Joseph Stiglitz to address the Malaysian public,
network with focus groups and live casted to several public universities. The project was recently
documented in book form. Ms. Alias currently looks at investment strategies and formulating policies for
the Creative Industries and forming successful Creative Clusters in a country like Malaysia. She also
serves as a trustee for a royal foundation, Yayasan Tuanku Nur Zahirah, which is committed to improving
lives through promoting heritage-related social businesses, and is currently working on a project to revive
and re-brand a traditional embroidered and woven textile called "Songket" from Terengganu, a state on
the east coast of Malaysia. Ms. Alias is also a member of Sisters in Islam, a movement to promote reform
in Islamic family law and the rights of Muslim women. Prior to this, she practiced international law from
1997 to 2001 at the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva, Switzerland where she was
assessing international law claims of damages in the 1990 Gulf war. From 2001-2003, she practiced
corporate law in London, UK in an American law firm specializing in cross-border energy transactions,
Vinson & Elkins RLLP. She earlier trained in London and Singapore as a telecoms equity analyst at
Banque Paribas (now BNP), a French bank. She returned to Asia and became the Group General Counsel
of AirAsia in 2005 and was heavily involved in aircraft financing and the aviation business. Ms. Alias
read law at the International Islamic University, Malaysia and the London School of Economics and
Political Science, UK.
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FAIYSAL ALIKHAN
Faiysal AliKhan is Senior Advisor Public Policy for DHL Pakistan. He is a member
of Pakistan's International Chamber of Commerce and chairs the Customs and Trade
Regulation Commission. He founded FIDA (www.fida.com.pk), a development
organization based in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. The organization is focused on rural
development, sustainable livelihood and engaging disenfranchised youth. He is also a
board member of the Rural Support Programmes Netwok (www.rspn.org).
MANIRA ALVA PINTO
Manira Alva Pinto is an Executive Director with Miditech Private Limited, a
leading television production house which is now partnered by Turner
International. A Delhi University graduate, she has been associated with all forms
of media, ranging from print journalism and radio to new media and television.
Over the years, Ms. Pinto has specialized in developmental documentary filmmaking and made several films for donor agencies like the UNDP. At Miditech,
she set up the news and current affairs division and produced several unusual
series for BBC World, including "Commando" and "Take Off." Apart from the
professional, she is passionately interested in the global women's movement with specific reference to
political empowerment, and is actively involved with the U.S.-based NGO Vital Voices. Her
developmental media background was recognized by the Government of India when the Union Ministry
of Rural Development nominated her to the CAPART (Council for the Advancement of People and Rural
Technologies)-South India Board in 2005. She is actively involved with Karuna, an all-India NGO
working with the empowerment of women in the legal and political sphere. At Karuna, she is currently
working on an ambitious plan to build a centre to train women for political participation under a
Constitutional reservations scheme for women. She is a Member of the Press Club of India and the India
Habitat Centre.
IVA AMINUDDIN
Iva Aminuddin is currently serving in the Singapore Public Service as a Manager in
the Civil Service College (CSC), Singapore. Her work focuses on sharing
Singapore's governance experience with governments from the ASEAN and South
Asian regions. Ms. Aminuddin has also been actively involved in local and
international volunteerism. She is currently on the Advisory Panel on the Youth
Expedition Project (YEP) with the Singapore National Youth Council and had
previously led a YEP Project with the Young Sikh Association (Singapore) to India
where she focused on breaking down social and cultural barriers among youths from
different walks of life. Ms. Aminuddin has also been involved with organizations from different ethnic
backgrounds such as the Mendaki Club (focusing on upliftment of Malay youth in Singapore), the Malay
Youth Literary Association (4PM), and the YMCA (Young Men Christian Association). As a former
theatre practitioner, she was also the President of an ethnic Malay non-profit theatre group, Teater
Ekamatra, and has been active in utilizing theatre techniques and experiences to reach out to youths. She
has written and spoken extensively on the role of youths in the Malay Muslim community in Singapore.
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SUTAPA AMORNVIVAT
Sutapa Amornvivat is currently Executive Vice President and Head of Risk Analytics
and Research at TMB Bank in Thailand. Prior to that, she was an Economist at the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC. She had also served as
Advisor to the Thai Senate Committee on the Economy, Commerce and Industry, as
well as Director, Macroeconomic Analysis Section at the Fiscal Policy Office, Thai
Ministry of Finance. She has lectured at various universities in Asia including
Hitotsubashi University, the Indian Institute of Technology, Chulalongkorn
University, and Thammasart University. She conducted research on regional
economic policy issues at the World Bank in Washington and the Harvard Institute for International
Development. Dr. Amornvivat received an undergraduate degree in Applied Mathematics from Harvard
University and a PhD in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
PAOLO BENIGNO A. AQUINO IV
Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV is the Co-Founder and President of Microventures,
Inc., a social business enterprise that services microfinancing organizations and their
clients. After having ended his stint in government, he has recently been involved in
a number of entrepreneurial efforts. In 2007, he joined the board of Rags2Riches,
Inc., another social business enterprise that helps underprivileged women with
livelihood projects. Previously Mr. Aquino was made Chairman of the National
Youth Commission (NYC), the main youth policy-making arm of the Philippine
Government from 2003 to 2006. Previous to this, he was Commissioner-at-Large for two years. He was
the youngest person in Philippine history to head a government agency. He also hosted Breakfast, a
youth-oriented TV morning talk show aired over ABS-CBN's Studio 23 from 2001 to 2006, and Yspeak,
from 2006 to 2007, another youth-oriented show on the same channel. He is currently one of the
ambassadors of the Haribon Foundation and is the current President of the TAYO (Ten Accomplished
Youth Organizations) Awards Foundation, the country's premier youth award-giving body for youth
groups. His first publication, Young Southeast Asia, a book that focuses on young achievers in the region
and commissioned by the ASEAN, has recently been released in leading bookstores across ASEAN.
JUMAATUN AZMI
Jumaatun Azmi is the Founder and Managing Director of KasehDia Sdn Bhd, a niche
communication and consultancy firm focused on the application of Islamic concepts.
Under Ms. Azmi's leadership, the company has created world renowned events and
publications and consulted the government on Halal matters. KasehDia Consultancy
was involved in the drafting of the Halal Chapter of Malaysia's 3rd Industrial Master
Plan after being appointed as consultant by the Ministry of International Trade and
Industry in 2006. It also developed the initial framework of the Halal Industry
Development Corporation for the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office. Ms. Azmi is the
Editor of The Halal Journal, a trade publication on the Halal industry currently
distributed in over 35 countries. She also founded the award winning Halal Food Guide series which to
date has covered eight countries. Ms. Azmi's other accomplishments in the related industry include the
creation of The World Halal Forum, Halal Journal TV, Halal Journal Award, Halal Restaurant Awards
and the Halal Journal Workshop Series. Due to her prolific and cutting edge work, Ms. Azmi has been
featured in various international mainstream media including the Asia Wall Street Journal, The New York
Times, International Herald Tribune and Bloomberg. She holds a degree in Communications (Honours)
from the University of Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
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LIDA BALOCH
Lida Baloch is a women’s rights activist working on promoting civil society
activities and the promotion of women's role in Afghan society. In May 2004, Ms.
Baloch was selected as a board member for the Afghan Civil Society Forum. She
has attended several conferences and summits, such as the Women Global Summit
2007, to raise the voices of Afghan women in different sectors. At the age of 26,
she is working full time with the Asia Foundation, and is a student at the American
University of Afghanistan (AUAF). She is pursuing a major in International
Business and minor in Political Science, with a focus on advocating the
empowerment of women.
SHARIF BHUIYAN
Sharif Bhuiyan is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh practicing in the
areas of commercial law, energy, international arbitration, international trade and
regional integration. He is a founding member and the Acting Director of the South
Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (SAILS), which has
been established recently as a regional centre of excellence for research and
education in law and human rights from a South Asian perspective. Mr. Bhuiyan
teaches a course in the MA in Governance and Development programme of BRAC
University designed for and taught to civil servants. He received LL.M. and Ph.D.
degrees from Cambridge University, UK. His most recent publication is National Law in WTO Law:
Effectiveness and Good Governance in the World Trading System (New York and Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2007).
WEN BO
Wen Bo is Pacific Environment's Beijing-based China Program Co-Director. Mr. Bo
graduated from the China School of Journalism in Beijing, and earned his master's
degree in international relations at the KDI School of International Policy and
Management in Seoul, South Korea. He is a founder of the China Green Student
Forum, which is now a network of more than 100 student environmental groups. He
was a journalist at China Environment News from 1996 to 1998, and studied for a
certificate course at the Center for Environment Education in India in 1997. In 2000,
Mr. Bo set up a Greenpeace office in Beijing, and is currently on the China Advisory
Board of Global Greengrants Fund to facilitate the growth of environmental communities in China.
VINCENT BRANIFF
Vincent Braniff is a student of International Relations and Humanities at St Paul's
College in Sydney University, where he is also a tutor. He graduated from
medicine and surgery at the University of Adelaide in 1993. His interest in
international affairs was evident early, traveling through Eastern Europe as a
student during the collapse of soviet communism and joining other students
protesting in the 'Prague Spring'. Dr. Braniff’s medical career has included
service for the Australian military and UN peacekeeping, in areas such as East
Timor and Bougainville. In addition, he has worked as a doctor in the Caucasus,
West Africa, and Asia, and undertaken surgical training in Australia. In recent years, he has developed his
own international businesses as a young entrepreneur, engaging the international community in commerce
through trade, medical tourism, housing projects, and international start-up incubation. In addition to
medicine and business, Dr. Braniff has a view toward the field of international security and a future career
in public service at the national and international level.
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NEEL BROKER
Neel Broker is Principal and India Head for Laureate Education and Sterling
Partners, both part of one of the world's largest private education groups. He is
responsible for leading the group's effort to setup world-class post-secondary, K-12
and other education institutions in India. Previously, Mr. Broker was a Director
with Merrill Lynch's Principal Investing group in Hong Kong focused on private
equity investments in India. Neel has worked with McKinsey in East Asia and the
US, and with Deutsche Bank in the US and Europe. He has an MBA from The
Wharton School, and an undergraduate degree from BITS Pilani in India.
PAUL BUENCONSEJO
Paul Buenconsejo is the Senior Program Manager of the Metrobank Foundation. Mr. Buenconsejo has
played an instrumental role in developing Metrobank Foundation's various programs, having been with
the organization for the past thirteen years. He conceptualized the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence
(MADE), Country's Outstanding Policemen in Service (COPS) and The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers
(TOPS) programs, and currently manages the Foundation's Grants Excellence Awards Program and
Healthcare (GEAPH) Unit. He is concurrently Assistant to the President at the Manila Doctors Hospital –
in which the Foundation has a majority share – and oversees the implementation of its CSR program. He
is a member of and was the immediate past Chair of the Health Committee of the League of Corporate
Foundations. Mr. Buenconsejo has a degree in Philosophy from St. Louis University in Baguio.
MYRISH CADAPAN-ANTONIO
Myrish Cadapan-Antonio is a Faculty Member of the Silliman University College of Law in Junior
Partner, EDLaw Office. She is a distinguished academician teaching corporate law, legal and judicial
ethics, and international human rights at Silliman University. She was elected the lone woman councilor
of Dumaguete City from 2001-2007. As councilor, she chaired the committee on Women and Family
Life, and drafted legislation on Public Order, Women and Development, Gender Non-Discrimination and
Public Safety. Since 2004, she has provided pro-bono counsel for victims of spousal and parental abuse.
Ms. Cadapan-Antonio received her LL.B, cum laude, from Silliman University in 1999 and her LL.M in
George Washington University Law School – where she also received the Thelma Weaver Memorial
Award (for outstanding international LLM student) and Lifetime Feminist Award (for excellence in
feminist legal practice) – in 2007.
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AASMANI CHAUDHARY
Aasmani Chaudhary is the Founder and Chairperson of the Rural Women
Development Center, which she has chaired for the last 14 years. The Rural
Women Development Centre (RWDC) is a Non-Governmental Organization based
in Dang District, Nepal, working on women's and children's empowerment. A
young, enterprising and dynamic community leader, Ms. Chaudhary is well-known
for her commitment and fight against domestic violence in rural and marginalized
communities, and for improving their livelihood through income-generating
activities. She has involved thousands of women in the process of promoting
reproductive health (RH) rights, advocating for their right to parental property, and
raising awareness against sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. She has strongly advocated
for women's RH rights and gender parity working through line agencies at the district level.
FIZA CHAUDHRY
Fiza Chaudhry is an Executive Director at the Worldwide Group of companies in
Pakistan. Worldwide Group is a family run Logistics and Automobile conglomerate
(OCS Pakistan, Logex, APL, WWM). Ms. Chaudhry has been managing the
companies since 2001 and she is actively involved in restructuring, strategy, and
monitoring of the Group's core functions. She has over 7 years experience in
International Negotiation, Finance, HR, Legal, and has been involved in
consolidation and expansion strategies concerning the Group Real Estate. She has
organized several relief operations during the earthquake and flood disasters in the
last 5 years. Her current social initiative is a project (Tabdeel) which focuses on
providing sustainable solutions for urban low to medium income individual
households. Ms. Chaudhry is a member of KCC, PGBF, PJBF, PFBA, PCC, and has a B.A in
Government from Cornell University (Class of 2003).
GEORGE CHEN
George Chen is Private Equity Correspondent for Reuters Asia, a position he was
appointed to in September. He will be relocated to Hong Kong in December. Prior to
this position, he was Senior China Financial Services Correspondent, based in
Shanghai for Reuters News Agency. Mr. Chen joined Reuters in 2005 from Dow
Jones Newswires where he covered China's banking industry reform. He started his
journalist career at China's official newspaper Liberation Daily in 2002. Mr. Chen is
the winner of DJN Asia-Pacific Star Award in 2004 and 2005. He was named Reuters
Company News Reporter of the Year in 2006 and won Reuters Asia CEO Award in
2007, Reuters Business Story of the Year Award in 2007. He is also a winner of U.S. journalism award
"30 Under 30" in 2007. He is the founding chairman of the Sino-Foreign Media Club, one of the biggest
foreign media groups in China since 2004. News and in-depth analysis reports by George Chen are
frequently published on major global media outlets like International Herald Tribune.
CHEY CHUL WON
Chey Chul Won is the CEO of M&M corp., a logistics company covering
transportation, satellite DMB and telecommunication parts. Mr. Chey was Executive
Director of SK Global before joining M&M corp. He graduated from Korea
University in Seoul.
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SU YEN CHIA
Su Yen Chia is the Vice-President of Public Policy at Credit Suisse, Asia-Pacific. Ms.
Chia’s responsibilities include crafting policy positions in matters pertaining to the
development of financial markets, writing policy papers, and managing sustainable
development issues for Credit Suisse's APAC operations. She has spent the majority
of her career as a banking professional. In her personal life she is deeply involved in
matters related to minority and women's rights. Ms. Chia underwent an attachment
with UNDP based in New York where she helped draft the APAC Gender Policy
Report for 2005 and developed UNDP's reporting framework for the Millennium
Development Project. Currently Su Yen is working on crafting a financial awareness program that ties in
with career development objectives targeted at teenage girls incarcerated by the Singaporean judicial
system. Su Yen has also been nominated to participate in Georgetown University’s (Washington DC)
prestigious Georgetown Leadership Seminar in the spring of 2009. She is a graduate of the Columbia
University School of International and Public Affairs and a Sasakawa Fellow.
MITSURU CLAIRE CHINO
Mitsuru Claire Chino is General Manager in the Legal Department at ITOCHU
Corporation, an international trading company that she joined as a corporate counsel in
2000. Ms. Chino was born in the Netherlands and spent her formative years in England,
Japan and the U.S. She received her B.A. (cum laude) from Smith College and her J.D.
from Cornell Law School. She was admitted to the California bar in 1991. Ms. Chino
worked for an international law firm in its Newport Beach (California), Hong Kong,
Tokyo and San Francisco offices, specializing in cross-border transactions. She became
the firm’s partner in 1999. The World Economic Forum selected her as one of the “100
Global Leaders for Tomorrow” in 2003 and as a “Young Global Leader” in 2005. In her spare time, she
lectures at Keio University Law School and Hitotsubashi Business School. Ms. Chino is an Advisory
Council member of Cornell Law School and a member of the President’s Counsel of Cornell Women of
Cornell University. She is co-chair of the Corporate Counsel Sub-Committee of the American Chamber
of Commerce in Japan, and is active in promoting women’s interest in corporate Japan.
HYUN-JIN CHO
Hyun-Jin Cho is a journalist, head of the news division, and Special Assistant to the
President at Arirang TV based in Seoul, Korea. He started out his career at YTN, a
24-hour news channel, and mainly covered business and finance news. Mr. Cho
also worked as an executive consultant at Invest KOREA, Korea's investment
promotion agency, where he handled investment and promotion activities. He
participated in the European Union's Visitor Program in 2003 and CNN
International Professional Program in 2002. He also served as a marketing
consultant for the Seoul Metropolitan Government from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Cho
studied economics at Clark University and received his MBA from Yonsei University.
SIDDHARTH CHORARIA
Siddharth Choraria is Senior Associate with Merrill Lynch, Asia-Pacific. He has five
years of global capital markets experience working in Washington DC, New York, and
now Hong Kong. Leading the establishment of the Hong Kong Chapter for Pratham,
India's largest education-focused NGO, he has a deep commitment to education issues
and their critical importance in sustaining growth and development in Asia. He is also a
founding partner of MeiPort, an Internet startup connecting outstanding Asian students
with the international business community. At Merrill Lynch, Mr. Choraria led the
formation of New York South Asian Professional Network. He holds a MSc. in Financial
Engineering from The George Washington University and is President of the University's Alumni
Association in Hong Kong.
NAZIM FARHAN CHOUDHURY
Nazim Farhan Choudhury is the Managing Director at Adcomm Limited, a leading
advertising agency in Bangladesh. After returning to Bangladesh following college
education abroad, Mr. Choudhury joined the family’s advertising business and has
worked tirelessly to developing communication for some of leading commercial brands
in the country as well as bringing the slickness of advertising and marketing to socially
oriented messages and activities. Over the last 14 years he has taken their advertising
agency Adcomm to a leadership position in the country as well as diversified the
business into other areas including IT services, human resource development and
tourism. He plays an active role in the AdClub Dhaka as a joint convener and with the Bangladesh
Association of Software and Information Services (www.basis.org.bd) as a Director. His role in
encouraging youths to participate in the political process is well documented through his writings in
leading newspapers and a personal blog [http://nazimfarha.blogspot.com]. He is one of the founding
trustees of Phiriya Ano Bangladesh (Take Back Bangladesh), a youth organization aimed at providing a
platform for future leaders of the country. He was named by the national daily newspaper New Age as one
of the "Faces of the Future" in their 2006 annual "Heroes" compilation. Mr. Choudhury received his
degree in Economics from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi.
EDMON CHUNG
Edmon Chung is the CEO of DotAsia Organisation and serves as the Vice Chair
for the Internet Society Hong Kong. He is also an elected member of the Election
Committee of the HKSAR (http://www.eac.gov.hk/en/ecse/function.htm) and the
ICANN GNSO Council (http://gnso.icann.org). Mr. Chung is an inventor of patents
underlying technologies enabling multilingual domain names and email addresses
for the Internet. In 2000, The Globe and Mail recognized him as one of the Young
Canadian Leaders. In 2001, Mr. Chung led his company to win the Most
Innovative Award in the Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurship Award.
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STEVE WOO-SUNG CHUNG
Steve Woo-Sung Chung is the Chief Strategy Officer for CDNetworks, Inc., a
publicly traded company on Korea's KOSDAQ providing Internet content delivery
network (CDN) services, which is Asia's #1 provider. He is responsible for corporate
strategy, M&A and the company's global businesses in US, Europe, Japan and China.
Previously, Mr. Chung was a venture capitalist for BlueRun Ventures in Silicon
Valley, a $1 billion venture capital fund initiated by Nokia. Prior to that, he was the
COO for Pan Media Corporation in Beijing and analyst for Goldman Sachs in NY.
He received his A.B. from Harvard and his MBA from Stanford.
MATTHEW CLARKE
Matthew Clarke is a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Deakin University
(Australia) post-graduate program in International and Community Development.
This program teaches over 400 students in the Asia-Pacific region how to engage
with communities to better improve the lives of the poor. In addition to teaching, Dr.
Clarke’s research interests include climate change, aid effectiveness, HIV/AIDS and
the Millennium Development Goals. He has published five books, edited four, and
presented or published over 80 journal papers, book chapters and conference
presentations. Prior to Dr. Clarke’s academic career, he worked for the international
organization “World Vision” and was responsible for managing and designing development projects in
South-East Asia.
JANE COOMBS
Jane Coombs has been serving as New Zealand's Ambassador to Korea since
January 2006. She is concurrently New Zealand's Ambassador to the Democratic
Peoples Republic of Korea. She is delighted her first Ambassadorial assignment is
in Asia. Indeed, it seemed critical to her to experience this dynamic region first
hand. She has extensive prior diplomatic experience: in New York, where she
represented New Zealand from 1989-93 on the Third Committee of the United
Nations dealing with human rights, social and cultural issues; in Moscow as
Deputy Head of Mission, from 1995-1999, where she witnessed the first
democratic elections of the newly formed Russian Federation and its early economic and social upheavals
following the collapse of the Soviet Union; in Canberra, from 1999-2003, working on taking forward the
closer economic relationship (CER) and exploring the "behind the border" issues that arise when forging
closer economic integration; and in the arena of international environmental negotiations, where she was
lead negotiator for New Zealand during 2004-05 in the international bodies dealing with biodiversity and
biosafety, oceans and forestry.
NITIN DAS
Nitin Das is the Director of Filmkaar Productions and is an independent filmmaker
based in Mumbai, India. He is currently making a feature length children's film in
the slums of Mumbai that combines community development, education and the
creative arts in an unusual way. Mr. Das has a degree in marketing from one of
India's leading business schools, and was working as a brand manager for India's
largest selling news magazine before he turned to filmmaking. He also completed a
filmmaking course in New York. On returning to India, he set up a film production
house to make "extraordinary films with ordinary people." The United Nations
environment programme recently selected one of his films on Global Warming. Mr.
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Das won a special award from the British Council for creative entrepreneurship in the social sector. His
next venture is to connect exceptional filmmakers from around the world with social entrepreneurs
working in fragile ecosystems to create a collection of entertaining films called "Tales from Enchanted
Lands."
SONAM DHONDUP
Sonam Dhondup is a Field Director for Machik, a U.S.-based nonprofit
organization founded by Tibetans and dedicated to strengthening
communities on the Tibetan plateau through education, capacity-building and
social entrepreneurship. Mr. Dhondup and Machik seek to find innovative
pathways toward a healthy and sustainable Tibetan future, addressing the
urgent challenges Tibet faces. Previously, he was a Tibetan student leader in
Beijing, organizing major events and launching a magazine. He then served
as the principal of the largest middle school in the Tibet Autonomous Region, where he instituted
management reforms that improved the school system. Mr. Dhondup also started the first Chineselanguage Tibetan website.
KANAE DOI
Kanae Doi is the Tokyo Director of Human Rights Watch and works to encourage the
Japanese Government to prioritize human rights in its foreign policy and practices.
Prior to joining Human Rights Watch in 2006, she worked as a practicing attorney,
based in Tokyo. Her practice included refugee and immigration law, constitutional law
and criminal defense. Ms. Doi received her law degree from the University of Tokyo
and her Master's degree in International Legal Studies from the New York University
School of Law. As a student at the University of Tokyo, she spent one year in Africa
as a legal volunteer.
RITWICK DUTTA
Ritwick Dutta is an environmental lawyer and Founder of the Legal Initiative for
Forest and Environment (LIFE). Mr. Dutta and his team at LIFE, based in New
Delhi, provide legal support to communities, individuals and civil society groups
across the country struggling to protect their land, forests and livelihood against
dams, mines and mindless industrialization. He is the author of 11 books on
environmental law. Besides litigation, he is involved in environmental law training
to communities as well as to officers of the Government, and serves as legal
advisor to various civil society groups. Mr. Dutta is a recipient of the 2005 Carl
Zeiss Honor Roll, and the Sanctuary ABN Ambro Wildlife Service Award 2007, for his work on using
law to protect forests and wildlife habitat. In 2008, he was selected as an Ashoka Fellow – a network of
leading social entrepreneurs in the world. His current mission includes protecting nature by democratizing
environmental decision-making for which he leads "The Access Initiative Himalayan Coalition (TAI
Himalayas)” and the EIA Response Centre.
MING FAN
Ming Fan is an award-winning TV producer for News Probe, the only indepth investigative reporting program at China Central TV Station (CCTV).
Her work, The Unnatural Death of a Cat, investigated one of the most
infamous incidents in China's powerful Internet culture, and received the
2006 Special Jury Award from the China Documentary Association. Another
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piece, In the Name of Life, was the first show to cover the real life of homosexuals in China, and
won the 2006 Chinese Academic Award for best TV documentary. She has also won numerous
Golden Awards at CCTV (the highest awards given by the station) for her investigation into
sensitive news issues and scandals, including high ranking corruption, child suicide, medical
malpractice, environmental pollution, and social injustice. She served on the executive
committee of the Chinese Youth League of CCTV from 2005 to 2007. From September 2007 to
July 2008, she studied under the auspices of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University. She
also participated in the Tallberg Forum in Sweden in June 2008.
DENNIS ECLARIN
Dennis Eclarin is the Founder of Hometown Corporation, a company whose aim is to
alleviate poverty in geographically-isolated highland and island towns. After
graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Major Dennis
Eclarin served as a combat commander in the elite Scout Ranger Regiment of the
Philippine Army. While in the war zones, he authored two books on combat
techniques. Convinced that he had to fight another war, he soon advocated social
entrepreneurship. Thus, he founded Hometown Corporation, a microfinance company
solely dedicated to serving the hard to reach areas.
DAN FELDMAN
Dan Feldman is a Partner and Co-Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at
the law firm Foley Hoag LLP, the only Corporate Social Responsibility legal practice
in the U.S., where he advises multinational corporations on international human
rights and labor rights standards. He previously served as Director of Multilateral and
Humanitarian Affairs at the National Security Council in the Clinton Administration,
and as Counsel to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Committee. Mr. Feldman has worked in Asia and Africa on human rights and
democratization issues, been awarded a White House Fellowship and a Henry Luce
Scholarship. He holds degrees from Tufts, Columbia, and Princeton Universities.
VAHID FOTUHI
Vahid Fotuhi is the Head of Middle East Analysis for British Petroleum. He is also
the founder of the Dubai Literary Society which promotes critical thinking among
youth in Dubai. In his previous role, Mr. Fotuhi spent three years living in North
Africa where he led BP's corporate social responsibility projects in Algeria. He played
a key role in initiatives ranging from providing 600 local artisans with technical and
marketing assistance (www.illizi.uk.com), to helping promote a world-class CO2
carbon sequestration project deep in the Saharan desert. Mr. Fotuhi has held senior
positions with several distinguished NGO's, including Transparency International,
where he pioneered an in-depth review of corruption in Iran. He has also worked with the World
Economic Forum's Global Leaders of Tomorrow in Davos from 2000-2002. Mr. Fotuhi holds an MS in
International Relations from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
(SAIS), where he studied under the Olin Fellowship. He received his BA in Political Science from McGill
University, and has also completed executive leadership training at the Dale Carnegie Institute.
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PATRICIA ISABEL GALLARDO
Patricia Isabel Gallardo is currently the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Manager at the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in the Philippines. She has more than
five years of NGO experience, having worked for The Asia Foundation, Figaro
Foundation, UNDP Special Projects and the Office of the President of the
Philippines. She has set up the Birmingham (UK) Chapter of the United Nations
Association and continues to work with the Asia Europe Young Leaders and ASEF
University program of which she is an alumnus. She speaks Italian, German and
Spanish, is vegetarian and a yoga practitioner/teacher. She holds a joint MA in
Globalization & Governance on scholarship from the University of Birmingham and
the London School of Economics where she graduated with Distinction.
SU-LIN GAN
Gan Su-lin has led Republic Polytechnic's (RP) Centre for Culture and
Communication since 2004 and concurrently served as the Founding Director of the
School of Technology for the Arts from January 2005 to October 2007. Prior to RP,
she was a tenured professor at Nanyang Technological University's School of
Communication and Information, serving as Sub-Dean from 2001-2003. A media
psychologist by academic training, Dr. Gan gained professional experience in
journalism and public relations through work in Singapore, Brunei, London, and the
United States, including at CNN. Since returning to Singapore in 1996, she has
become a familiar face in Singapore's youth development scene. Her public service
appointments include the National Youth Council and the North West Community Development Council.
Her vision for youths is “Heads that understand, Hearts that empathize, Hands that freely give.” Two
values most often manifest in her youth development work are a definition of wealth that extends far
beyond material possessions, and the belief that hang hang chu zhuang yuan (Mandarin for "every field of
work can produce a top scholar"). In 2006, in recognition of her community contributions, Dr. Gan was
awarded the Public Service Medal by the President of Singapore.
23
RAJ GOYLE
Raj Goyle is in his first term representing the 87th District in the Kansas House of
Representatives. Called a "rising star" by the Wichita Eagle, Mr. Goyle defeated a
three-term incumbent and is committed to a bipartisan, common sense approach to
lawmaking. Goyle serves on the Tax, Judiciary, and Veterans/Homeland Security
Committees and co-wrote the recently enacted law protecting families from picketers
at the funerals of Kansas' fallen soldiers. Mr. Goyle is a lecturer at Wichita State
University and an attorney. A native Wichitan, he graduated from Duke University and
Harvard Law School.
TAMAO GUNN
Tamao Gunn has been an investment banker at Merrill Lynch since 1998. For the last 10 years, she has
worked in the investment banking division covering Japanese financial institutions including Japanese
mega banks. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, she was an attorney in New York for Skadden Arps and
Milbank Tweed, mainly focusing on corporate finance and project finance that originated in emerging
markets. She has truly enjoyed investment banking work at Merrill Lynch as it has provided her with the
opportunity to work on business origination in addition to transaction execution. In particular, the recent
financial turmoil and the drastic change in the financial landscape globally via consolidation has been very
interesting for her as a banker, and has given her the opportunity to reassess the importance of global
financial stability and the role that Japanese financial institutions could play in this event. She holds an
LLB from Keio University and Sydney University and was admitted as an attorney in the state of New
York and the state of New South Wales in Australia.
ANSHU GUPTA
Anshu Gupta is the Founder and Director of GOONJ. Popularly known as the Clothing
Man, he studied Mass Communication apart from pursuing his Masters in Economics.
After a few years in the corporate sector, he founded GOONJ in 1998 with a mission
to make clothing a matter of concern and get it acknowledged as a subject in the
society. An Ashoka Fellow and a member of Ashoka's think tank, Mr. Gupta is
creating a mass movement for recycling and reuse of tons of urban waste by
channelizing it as a resource for rural development. A well respected public speaker
and motivator, he is also a keen writer, traveler and photographer. Under his effective
leadership, GOONJ has won many prestigious awards including the most recent ones: the India NGO of
the Year award, Changemakers award and the DM award from the World Bank.
MENAKA GURUSWAMY
Menaka Guruswamy is an advocate in New Delhi, India. She has practiced law at the
Office of the Attorney General of India, the highest office that represents the federal
government of India in the Supreme Court of India. Ms. Guruswamy has also
practiced law in New York, as an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell, a large
American law firm, where her primary area of practice was commercial law. In
addition, she has worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development
Program and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM),
advising both on law reform. This past year she was an Assistant Professor at New
York University's School of Law. Ms. Guruswamy presently lives in New Delhi, where she practices law,
and focuses on Constitutional Law scholarship and litigation. She was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford
University, a Gammon Fellow at Harvard Law School, and a gold medalist from the National Law School
of India. She has law degrees from all three schools, with a focus on Constitutional Law and Public
International Law.
24
ALAMDAR S. HAMDANI
Alamdar Shabbir Hamdani is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Kentucky. Before that he was in private practice in Houston where his
practice involved civil rights and liberties work. Over the past few years, Mr.
Hamdani has dedicated a significant portion of his free time to civil rights issues
facing Muslims, South Asians, and Arabs in a post 9-11 environment and in that
regard has defended many individuals in voluntary FBI interviews, debated
Department of Justice officials, and published several opinion pieces in The Dallas
Morning News and The Houston Chronicle. He is also a contributor to the American
Bar Association's Supreme Court Preview. Much of Mr. Hamdani’s community
work has come as the President-Elect of the North American South Asian Bar Association, and as the first
South Asian or Muslim board member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. This work has
culminated in several awards including recognition by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
as one of Houston’s top 40 people to make an impact on civil rights, and by the Texas Law Foundation as
a top civil rights attorney. Mr. Hamdani received his BA from The University of Texas at Austin, and JD
from the University of Houston, where he served as an editor on the University of Houston Law Review.
PIYA HANVORAVONGCHAI
Piya Hanvoravongchai is a Lecturer in Health Policy at the London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. His interests span the areas of health systems,
health economics, international health policy, and global development. Mr.
Hanvoravongchai has over 12 years of work experience in the public health sector.
He started his career as a clinician and later a hospital director at a rural hospital in
Thailand. He then expanded to health policy and health systems research with
previous professional experiences as researcher at the Health Systems Research
Institute and research fellow at the International Health Policy Programme in Thailand, research scientist
at the World Health Organization in Switzerland and research associate at Harvard University in the
United States of America. He was also the Co-ordinator of the Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human
Resources for Health (AAAH) from 2006-2008. He received his M.D. from Mahidol University and his
M.Sc. in International Health Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
KIYONO HASAKA
Kiyono Hasaka is the Vice President of Sales, Global Payments & Cash
Management at HSBC in Japan. She is responsible for promoting cash
management solutions to financial institutions and multinational and local
corporations in Japan. Prior to joining HSBC, she worked for the Bank of
America Global Treasury Services in Tokyo and Singapore where she was
responsible for providing treasury management and trade finance solutions for
multinational corporations, local corporations and government agencies in the
Asia Pacific region. Earlier in her career, Ms. Hasaka worked for a number of
years at the then Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi marketing cash management solutions in Singapore. She
holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree (with honours) from the City University in the UK and her
MBA from Deakin University in Australia. Ms. Hasaka takes an active interest in the equality of women
in the corporate work place.
25
IVAN ANTHONY HENARES
Ivan Anthony Henares is a trustee of the Heritage Conservation Society and
member of the International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC) of the
International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), as well as a staunch
advocate of cultural heritage. He was Program Director of the Preserving
Heritage for Progress Program of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga and
subsequently served as City Tourism Officer and later, the local government's
consultant for Tourism and Heritage Conservation. The program was named
one of the League of Cities of the Philippines Top 10 Best Practices (2004) and
a Trailblazing Project at the Gawad Galing Pook (2004). Mr. Henares has received numerous recognitions
for his work in heritage conservation, including Most Outstanding Kapampangan for Youth Leadership
(2001), Most Outstanding Fernandino for the Preservation of Heritage and Promotion of the Arts (2006),
and the U.N. Association of the Philippines Outstanding Youth Leader Award (2005). His blog
www.ivanhenares.com was also judged the Best Travel Blog at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards. Mr.
Henares graduated from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, where he received his BA in
Economics (2002), MBA (2006), and Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning (2008). He currently
works as the Marketing Operations Manager of the North Philippines Visitors Bureau.
LISA HEYDLAUFF
Lisa Heydlauff is the Founder & Director of Going to School (GTS), a
creative non-profit media trust based in New Delhi, India. GTS makes
media (movies, books, radio) for children in India to make going to school
relevant to children's lives and, most importantly, lots of fun. It was
founded in 2003 with the belief that creative media could act as an agent of
social change. GTS creates compelling stories about the power of
education, and is committed to working with private and public sector
partners – from schools to TV channels – to ensure that as many children as possible see its media free of
cost. Going to School began with a children's book called Going to School in India that celebrated what
school can be, and its most recent project, Girl Stars, created icons out of everyday women and girls who
have changed their lives by completing their education. Girl Stars movies have been aired on national
television and have been seen by over 750 million people in India. GTS is working on its next project, Be!
an Entrepreneur – a multimedia project to inspire millions of young people from low-income groups to
choose to become entrepreneurs and to create businesses that solve the social, economic and
environmental problems they face in their lives. Ms. Heydlauff believes inspiring stories can change the
way children see their lives.
SARA HOSSAIN
Sara Hossain is a lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (High Court Division),
practicing constitutional and public interest law. She is a Board Member of Ain o
Salish Kendra (the Law and Mediation Centre), a leading national human rights
organization and is also associated with other legal services groups. She regularly
writes, lectures and comments on human rights law and practice. Earlier, Ms.
Hossain served at the Legal Officer for South Asia at the International Centre for the
Legal Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS), based in London, where she
worked with lawyers and judges across South Asia on the process of incorporating international human
rights law in national courts. She has written and lectured on public interest law, domestic application of
international human rights law and on women's human rights. Her most recent publication is 'Honour'
Crimes Paradigms and Violence against Women (Zed 2005), co-edited with Lynn Welchman.
26
CHRISTOPHER HOWARD
Christopher Howard is the Vice President for Strategic & Leadership Initiatives at the
University of Oklahoma, where he also serves as the Director of the Honors College
Leadership Center and a President's Associates Presidential Professor. He has worked
in various management roles at both Bristol-Myers Squibb and General Electric and is
the Chairman of the Impact Young Lives Foundation and a Senior Advisor at
Stonebridge International. A Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Howard was called to active duty
during 2003 in Afghanistan where he was awarded a Bronze Star and currently serves
as the Reserve Air Attaché to Liberia. He has also served as the Managing Director of
Endeavor South Africa. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the US Air Force Academy.
A Rhodes Scholar, he earned his doctorate at Oxford University and an MBA with Distinction from the
Harvard Business School.
BI-KHIM HSIAO
Bi-khim Hsiao is Vice President of Liberal International, an organization of liberal
political parties around the world. She was previously a Member of Taiwan’s
Legislative Yuan. Although she was one of the youngest members, Ms. Hsiao has
been active in Taiwan politics for over a decade. She was also Chair of the Foreign
Relations Committee in the Legislative Yuan. Ms. Hsiao has been the Director of
International Affairs for the governing Democratic Progressive Party, Consultant to
the Mainland Affairs Council, spokesperson for Chen Shui-bian’s 2000 and 2004
presidential campaigns, Advisor to the Office of the President, Secretary General of
the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, and President of the Taiwan Association for Women in
Sports. In addition to foreign policy issues, she continues to be outspoken on immigrant rights, gender
equality, sports, human rights and other issues in Taiwan.
DAISUKE IWASE
Daisuke Iwase is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Lifenet Insurance
Company, a web-based life insurance company that started operations in May 2008
with the aim of revolutionizing Japan's $380 billion life insurance industry. Lifenet
received more than $120 million in equity funding at its inception from leading
Japanese firms such as The Monex Group, Mitsui & Co., Seven & I Holdings,
27
Shinsei Bank, and Recruit, as well as global financial investors such as Farallon Capital Management.
Before co-founding Lifenet, he worked as a private equity investor with Ripplewood Holdings and as a
strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Daisuke is a graduate of the Harvard Business
School (MBA with High Distinction) and the University of Tokyo (LLB).
ZAHID U. JAMIL
Zahid U. Jamil is a Barrister-at-Law and Senior Partner at Jamil & Jamil Barristersat-Law. He is a specialist in Banking, International Law, Property Law,
Constitutional, Conflicts of Laws, Corporate Finance, Securitization, International
Law of Trade (WTO), Privatization, Petroleum Law, Recovery of Loans,
Transportation Law, Corporate and Commercial matters. Mr. Jamil has been, as a
member of the Information Technology Law Forum, Ministry of Science &
Technology, responsible as the core drafter of the Electronic Transactions
Ordinance, 2002 and is currently working on the drafts of the Cyber Crimes Law, the
Electronic Banking Law, Telecommunication & Convergence Law and the Anti-Trust Law relating to the
Information Technology Industry of Pakistan. At present he is advising the U.S. Government on a major
project based in Pakistan, the State Bank of Pakistan on various regulatory issues and advising the first
Pakistani Export Finance Agency Ltd. (PEFGA) on issues from incorporation to treaty reinsurance,
Export Credit and Trade Law. He is a Professor of U.S. Constitutional Law at the Sindh Muslim Law
College, University of Karachi, and also lectures in U.K. Constitutional Law for the LL.B. (Hons),
University of London at L'Ecole, Karachi. He graduated from University College, London with an L.L.B.
(Honors), is a Barrister of the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, London, U.K and an advocate of the
High Courts of Pakistan.
NATALIE CHRISTINE JORGE
Natalie Christine "Ching" Virata Jorge is the Vice President and Director for Programs
and Research at the Bato Balani Foundation, Inc., a non-profit foundation engaged in
the management and implementation of educational development programs in the
Philippines. Committed to social and youth development, Ms. Jorge is also the
Chair/Lead Convenor for Young Public Servants (YPS), a youth organization that
aims to harness a new generation of young leaders who support and advocate
democratic citizenship and good governance. She is also the Chairperson of the
Research Committee of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF), the leading
proponent of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in the Philippines and the founder of Project
LIA (Love in Action) an advocacy campaign in support of Orphanages and Day Care Centers. Ms. Jorge's
commitment to development work includes original research, consulting and volunteer activities with
various academic institutions and NGO's. She has undertaken lead roles in development and research
programs on CSR, Policy Development and Education. She has over a decade of experience in social
development including work with the Philippine National Museum Foundation, the Policy Center and the
Center for Corporate Social Responsibility of the Asian Institute of Management. Ms. Jorge has also
published a number of articles and research on Education, Youth Development, Governance, and
Corporate Social Responsibility.
GEN KANAI
Gen Kanai is Director of Asia Business Development for Mozilla, a California-based
not-for-profit organization that develops, manages, and freely distributes the popular
Mozilla Firefox web browser. Firefox is the web browser of choice for over 100
million Internet users worldwide in over fifty different languages. Mr. Kanai is also
28
Director of Marketing for Mozilla Japan. Prior to joining Mozilla, he was on the team responsible for the
launch of Technorati Japan, a weblog search engine. In 2003, he co-produced the First International
Moblogging Conference, the first worldwide conference on the topic of mobile weblogs and personal
publishing from mobile phones with over 150 attendees from England, Italy, the U.S., and Japan. Mr.
Kanai has also worked for Sony Marketing of Japan, Sony Electronics Inc., and Toyota Motor Sales,
USA, Inc., on various Internet-related businesses in both the U.S. and Japan. He is a fellow of the U.S.Japan Foundation’s “US-Japan Leadership Program.” Later in October, he will be speaking on trends in
consumer-generated media at the USC Global Conference in Tokyo. He received a B.A. in Geography
from Dartmouth College in 1996. He is proud to be born and raised in New York City and currently
resides in Tokyo.
NEAL KATYAL
Neal Katyal is the Saunders Professor at Georgetown University Law School. Professor Katyal won
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld in the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Court found that President Bush's
Guantanamo tribunals violated the Constitution and Geneva Conventions. Mr. Katyal previously served
as National Security Adviser in the Justice Department and was commissioned by President Clinton to
write a report on the legal profession. He served as Vice President Gore's co-counsel in the 2000 Supreme
Court election dispute, and represented the Deans of most major private law schools in the landmark
affirmative-action case Grutter v. Bollinger (2003). Professor Katyal clerked for Supreme Court Justice
Stephen Breyer. His articles have appeared in virtually every major law review and newspaper in
America. Mr. Katyal was named Lawyer of the Year in 2006 by Lawyers USA, Runner-Up for Lawyer
of the Year by National Law Journal, one of the top 50 litigators nationwide by American Lawyer. He
was also named one of the 30 best advocates before the U.S. Supreme Court by Washingtonian Magazine
(2007), and one of 10 Non-Resident Indian Achievers Worldwide by Hindustan Times. He attended
Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.
VIKAS KHANNA
Vikas Khanna is an Indian chef, restaurateur, food writer, and humanitarian based in
New York City. He is the founder of award winning foundations, "Cooking for Life"
and SAKIV (South Asian Kids Infinite Vision), both based in New York City. New
York Chefs Cooking for Life was founded to organize tasting events with some of the
top chefs of New York to help raise money and awareness for different relief efforts
around the World. Chicago Chefs Cooking for Life and San Francisco Chefs Cooking
for Life are the other chapters of the organization. World Chefs Cooking for Life is a
series of culinary events being hosted at the World Wonders (Pyramids, Egypt in 2006,
Taj Mahal, India in 2008) and many more, to raise awareness and funds for different foundations. Mr.
Khanna is the recipient of several National and International Awards, including New Yorker of the Week,
29
Proclamation from the Council of the City of New York, Access to Freedom Award and others. He
studied at Cornell University, the Culinary Institute of America and New York University and lectures on
food all over the world. He is also an author of several books, including LA Times best book of the
season Modern Indian Cooking.
BORA KIM
Bora Kim is an artist and design researcher for Samsung Electronics, and an art
community activist. She was also an Adjunct Professor at Sookmyung Women’s
University, where she lectured on design and its correlation to art history. Ms.
Kim has exhibited her work in the United States, Korea, and China, garnering
critical acclaim and receiving the Sara Lee and Skowhegan Merit Fellowships.
At Samsung, her area of expertise is analyzing a country’s design heritage and
culture in order to develop innovative product designs. She also had an advisory
position on the Seoul City Project. Ms. Kim holds an MFA from the School of
the Art Institute of Chicago.
JINAH KIM
Jinah Kim is currently a correspondent for KNBC, NBC News Channel and MSNBC
in Los Angeles, California. She is also the co-founder of WorldWiseProductions.com.
Ms. Kim wrote for the Daily Bruin while at UCLA, and then interned at CBS News in
New York City. She has served as the assistant editor of KAGRO, a national Korean
American magazine. Ms. Kim moved on to KCCN, when it was a CBS affiliate, in
Monterey, California, where she produced the 11 pm news. Over the next few years,
she went on to report and anchor at KCBA, the FOX television station in Salinas,
California, KSWB-TV Channel 5 in San Diego, California, and KUSA-TV, Channel 9
in Denver, Colorado. Ms. Kim has a passion for languages and speaks, reads and writes German, Korean
and Spanish. She is the current president of the Asian American Journalists Association's Los Angeles
chapter, and was Co-President of the national Korean American Journalists Association. She is a national
board member for the ALS Association and a founding member of the San Diego Asian Film Festival.
She has served in leadership roles for many non-profit organizations. The winner of the prestigious Wirth
Chair Awards while at KUSA-TV for three segments on the significance of recycling, Ms. Kim has also
been nominated for several Emmy awards and received two Golden Mikes, an Associated Press Award
and RTNDA Award for her reporting. She attended UCLA, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and
Phi Beta Kappa.
ANDREW KLABER
Andrew Klaber is the President and Founder of Orphans Against AIDS, a non-profit
organization that provides 500 AIDS orphans with academic scholarships and basic
healthcare throughout seven Asian and African countries. He has worked at Goldman
Sachs, McKinsey, and the United Nations. For his commitment to public service and
leadership, Mr. Klaber presented at the 2008 World Economic Forum and was named a
Goldman Sachs Global Leader, a First-Team USA-Today Academic All-American,
and a Truman Scholar. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Yale (summa cum laude),
his Master of Science from Oxford (Marshall Scholar), and is pursuing a JD/MBA at
Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.
30
STEFAN KRATZ
Stefan Kratz is Managing Director in China for the German solar company Q-Cells,
the leading producer of solar cells in the world. He worked for many years in the
non-profit sector in China, including rural health in the Tibetan plateau, Fairtrade
certification of tea worker collectives, and biodiversity protection in northwest
Yunnan Province. Born in the US to Chinese-German parents, Mr. Kratz has spent
his life negotiating across cultures and disciplines. He attended Duke University as
an Angier B. Duke Scholar, completed his Master's in Political Science at Freie
Universitaet in Berlin, and was a Blakemore Freeman Fellow at Tsinghua
University, Beijing.
VIVIAN LAU
Vivian Lau is the CEO of Junior Achievement Hong Kong, an educational nonprofit organization, and Hong Kong Petrochemical Co Ltd, a for-profit US$200
million turnover company. She has twenty years of international experience
spanning the educational non-profit, petrochemical, leadership development, IT,
airlines, advertising, online, and telecommunication industries. In 1999, she was
elected one of 12 Internet Superstars of the Year by Advertising Age International.
Ms. Lau was the Chairman of the Hong Kong Chapter of the Interactive
Advertising Bureau from 2001 to 2003, and the Founding Chairman of the Hong
Kong 4A’s Interactive Committee. In 2006, she was selected by the International Women’s Forum as one
of the 16 Leadership Foundation Fellows for its 2006-2007 Global Program.
DONGWOO LEE
Dongwoo Lee is the Chairman and CEO of bookseminar.com. He had founded the
bookseminar.com corporation 2004. He concurrently holds a number of other
positions including: Columnist of chosun.com, TV program's anchor and a student in
Graduate School of Journalism & Mass Communication Yonsei University. Mr. Lee
previosly worked as a reporter in the Korea Economic Newspaper and Strategic
planning manager in the Miraenet, JCMBA and Baeksang Economic Research
Institute. Mr. Lee had winned a prize of Korea publisher's Marketing awards and
Innovation & Service awards of Korea Culture Institute. Mr. Lee received a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Law from Hallym University, 1997.
DANNY LEVINSON
Danny Levinson is the CEO and Founder of BDL Media Ltd, a multimillion dollar
digital direct marketing, publishing, and advertising business started in China five
years ago. He has been working in China for over 11 years and at BDL Media he
helps runs the companies divisions, including CharityInChina.org – a service that
links NGOs to companies and individuals who can provide necessary funding and
volunteer hours; and ChinaCSR.com, a daily Chinese news website that covers
corporate social responsibility in China. He is currently the Chairman of the I.T.
Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, as well as the Chief
Representative in China for Spamhaus, which with over 650 million users worldwide is the largest opensource anti-spam organization around the globe. He has presented at various conferences and forums
including Harvard China Review, Internet Society of China, Kenan-Flagler Business School, CEIBS, and
Merrill Lynch Asia Rising Stars. Originally from the United States, he graduated from the College of
William and Mary in the US with a BA in English literature, and also studied both Japanese and Chinese,
starting in high school.
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QINGCHUAN LIAN
Qingchuan Lian is a columnist for the Bond Pictorial Shanghai. He started his
career working as a reporter and editor for the Southern Weekend in Guangzhou,
and wrote hundreds of reports concerning social chaos in rural China,
governmental corruptions and malfunctions, as well as stories on cultural issues.
Later he was transferred to be editor of Read Magazine and in 2002 became the
Editor of the 21st Century World Herald, nominated the best newspaper of the
year. He then worked as a research fellow in Columbia University in New York,
first at the East Asian Institute and later at the Journalism School. During that
period of time, Mr. Lian helped the Open Society Institute develop several
programs in China, including a two month long training program for Chinese
journalists on covering AIDS issues. In 2006, he returned to China focused mainly
on building an internet journalist network, as well as working as a columnist on international issues for
various Chinese publications.
ROBIN LOON
Robin Loon is currently an Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies at the National
University of Singapore. He actively researches and participates in the local and global
theatre scene. He is the Prorgramme Advisor for Theatre for the Singapore
International Arts Festival and is also a commissioning dramaturg for the Festivals
Young Director's Programme entitled "Full Frontal.” Mr. Loon is also a member of the
Arts Resource Panel and the Grants Assessment Panel at the National Arts Council of
Singapore. He is also an Associate Artistic Director of TheatreWorks Singapore Ltd,
the premier Singapore English Language theatre company, in charge of the company's
writers' incubation programme - Writers' Laboratory. His recent works include 120, a site-specific
collaboration commissioned by the National Museum of Singapore in 2007 and his latest collaboration
with TheatreWorks artistic Director, Ong Keng Sen, an intercultural work entitled GEISHA, has travelled
to the Lincoln Centre in New York, Goteborg Dance & Theatre Festival in Sweden and the New Visions
Festival in Hong Kong in 2006. In 2008, he was also dramaturge for 2 Singapore International Arts
Festival Commissions: "Rhinoceros" as part of FULL FRONTAL and "Temple" by Cake Theatricals
which also travelled to the Napoli Teatro Festival Italia. His current research project includes a book on
intercultural performance; an international collaboration on an electronic video-streaming archive on
Asian Shakespeare Performance and also the use of creative practice as research. He is currently working
on three new plays which he hopes to complete by end of 2008.
NGOC LUONG
Ngoc Luong is the Regional Liaison Officer of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations
International, where she helps regional agricultural producers market their products
to consumers in developed nations under the recognized and certified Fairtrade label.
She works throughout Laos, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Ms. Luong is
also a Project Management Consultant/Trainer for international and local NGOs.
She was previously a Rural Economic Development Project Officer at Oxfam
Quebec. She has a B.A. from the Institute of International Relations (Vietnam). She
also holds graduate diplomas from the McRae Institute of International Management
(Canada) and the East-West Center (USA). She completed her MBA at INSEEC (France).
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PARDIS MAHDAVI
Pardis Mahdavi is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Pomona College. She received her Ph.D at
Columbia University in the departments of Socio-medical Sciences and Anthropology, focusing on
gender and sexuality in the Middle East within a medical anthropological context. Her research interests
include sexuality, human rights, transnational feminism and public health in the context of changing
global and political structures. Professor Mahdavi is also a consultant to the International Women's Health
Coalition and the United Nations Fund for Population Advancement. She has published in the
Encyclopedia of Women in Islamic Cultures; Culture, Health and Sexuality; Anthropology News; and the
Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World Review. Her book, Passionate Uprisings: Iran's
Sexual Revolution was published this Fall with Stanford University Press.
RAYYA MAKARIM
Rayya Makarim is a screenwriter at Ecco Films Indonesia. She has been a
scriptwriter since 1998 when the first film she wrote swept all awards at the
annual Television Awards Ceremony. She has written two TV films that
have been nominated for and won awards, and four feature films which have
traveled the international film festival circuit. Her latest script "Jermal" won
the top award in the Open Doors segment of the Locarno International Film
Festival. It also received funding from the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Berlin
International Film Festival. The film "Jermal" will have its World Premier at the 2008 Pusan International
Film Festival. Ms. Makarim worked as a film curator, organizing discussions and screenings of world
cinema as well as banned films at Teater Utan Kayu – a cultural pocket dedicated to the freedom of
expression through monthly programs of alternative art, thought and journalism. She has also been
regularly involved in the Jakarta International Film Festival since its founding in 1999. In 2002, she was
selected as a Salzburg Seminar Fellow for the session "From Page to Screen: Adapting Literature to
Film." She holds her BA in Film from Vassar College, and was granted the British Chevening Award
Scholarship to do her MA in Twentieth Century Literature and Its Intellectual Context at Goldsmiths
College, University of London.
UMESH MALHOTRA
Umesh Malhotra is the Founder and Chief Executive Director of Hippocampus
Reading Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that promotes reading to children.
Mr. Malhotra has been nominated to be an Ashoka Fellow for his work at
Hippocampus. He also chairs the board of Dream-a-Dream, a not-for-profit
organization that is involved in developing life skills of underprivileged children.
Besides his work as a social entrepreneur, Mr. Malhotra is also very active as an
investor and director in Idenizen Smartware, an IT company aiming to empower
educational institutions; Tusker Entertainment, a hospitality company that runs
restaurants in Bangalore; and People Health, a company that empowers and enables
smaller hospitals to remain profitable in spite of large corporate hospitals. He graduated from IIT Madras
and has been fortunate to be involved in the pioneering days of the Indian IT industry. He has worked
extensively in IT across the U.S. and Europe and was one of the early employees at Infosys Technologies
Ltd. After a stint at Infosys he set up his own firm called Bangalore Labs which he sold in 2002.
33
MICHAEL MANGA
Michael Manga is a professor of Earth and Planetary Science at UC Berkeley. His
research focuses on understanding how volcanoes erupt, the ways in which water in
the Earth's crust interacts with earthquakes, and the evolution of the interior of
planets. Most recently, Professor Manga has studied the Sidoarjo mud flow in
Indonesia (erupting since May 2006) to evaluate whether this disaster was natural –
caused by an earthquake – or the result of drilling operations. His work has been
recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship, and medals from the Geological Society of
America and American Geophysical Union. Dr. Manga received his undergraduate
education at McGill University in Canada and his graduate education at Harvard. He served on the faculty
at the University of Oregon prior to relocating to Berkeley.
AARON MANIAM
Aaron Maniam is currently Senior Assistant Director of the Futures Unit at
Singapore's Strategic Policy Office, where he leads a team that analyses
long-term inter-agency issues. From May 2006 to January 2008, he served
as First Secretary at Singapore's Embassy to Washington, DC. In his
community work, he has served as a resource person for Singapore's
National Youth Council and a Member of the Executive Committee of
Mendaki Club, a group of young Muslim professionals in Singapore. He was Director for Fundraising and
Special Services with the Washington DC chapter of the Hugh O' Brian Youth Foundation, a 501(c)(3)
youth leadership body. As Vice President (2003-2005) and President (2005-July 2006) of the Debate
Association (Singapore), Mr. Manian was active in promoting debating among Singaporean youths. He
continues to judge debating competitions and conduct workshops for schools. He will be one of the Chief
Adjudicators at the 2008 World Schools Debating Championship, to be held in Washington, DC. He won
the First Prize for English Poetry in the 2003 National Arts Council-Singapore Press Holdings Golden
Point Award. His first collection of poems, Morning at Memory's Border, was shortlisted for the biennial
Singapore Literature Prize in 2007. He graduated from Oxford and Yale on a Singapore Public Service
Commission scholarship.
ORANART MATANGKASOMBUT
Oranart Matangkasombut is an Assistant Professor in Microbiology at the Faculty of
Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, and researcher at Chulabhorn Research
Institute. After obtaining her D.D.S., she was awarded the prestigious Anandamahidol
scholarship to pursue her Ph.D. at Harvard. She later received the Harvard Dental
School Dean's Scholar Award for postdoctoral research at the Whitehead Institute for
Biomedical Research. While in Boston, she founded the "Thai Health Science
Forum", which has become one of the largest and most active Thai student groups in
the U.S. Since returning to Thailand, she has devoted herself to research and higher
education development. She also regularly volunteers in the Royal Mobile Dental Service to serve the
underprivileged in rural areas and helped coordinate the post-tsunami forensic dentistry efforts in 2004.
34
NAMI MATSUKO
Nami Matsuko is an investment banker at Nomura Securities Co., providing
corporate advice for major Japanese companies. Hoping to directly contribute to
building fair rules for M&A activities, she is also dedicated to several governmental
committees such as the Corporate Value Study (Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry), and M&A Study Group (Cabinet Office). Ms. Matsuko is also active in
speaking on these topics to enhance understanding of the Japanese business
environment, for example, as a panelist for “Japan's New Legal Framework for
Corporate Governance” (Japan Society, San Francisco, 2006), and as a speaker on
“Hostile Takeovers, Takeover Defenses, Triangular Mergers and Beyond: WHAT NEXT in 2006?
(American Chamber of Commerce Japan, Tokyo, March 2006). She received her B.A. from Sophia
University in Tokyo and a LL.M from Georgetown Law Center and New York University School of Law,
and is admitted to the New York Bar Association. She enjoys playing the violin in her orchestra on
weekends.
MOHD AZMYL MD YUSOF
Azmyl Yunor (born Azmyl Md Yusof) is a communication and cultural studies
lecturer at Taylor's University College Malaysia and co-artistic director of
Troubadours Enterprise, a collective set up by independent musicians to support and
highlight local musicians and organizers of the annual KL Sing Song singersongwriter festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A critically acclaimed and popular
independent folk singer-songwriter who composes and performs in English and
Malay languages (both as a solo artist and with various band projects), he is also a
founding member of the Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-operative Malaysia
(EMACM). He holds an MA in Communication from RMIT University, Australia. His academic research
interests include the media's misrepresentation of local music subcultures in contemporary Malaysia.
ADITYA MEHTA
Aditya Mehta is a senior correspondent at CNN-IBN, India's leading Englishlanguage news channel. Prior to joining CNN-IBN in 2005, he was an anchor with
In Mumbai TV News. He has also worked in radio, including WIN 94.6, during
which time he won RAPA awards in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Mehta began his
journalism career in 1999, writing for the Bombay Times and Mumbai Newsline. He
35
comments on foreign affairs for IBN Live and has previously contributed to the opinion pages of Tehelka
and the Hindustan Times. Recently, Mr. Mehta gained policy experience at the United Nations, New
York, at the Department of Political Affairs, where his focus was the Palestine Question. He received the
Griffith Award for Academic Excellence in 2001, during his Masters degree in Journalism and Mass
Communication. Mr. Mehta has just completed a Masters in International Relations from the University
of New South Wales, on an Australian government scholarship (Australian Leadership Award 2007)
given to a leader or those with potential to assume leadership roles to 'influence social and economic
policy reform.'
WESTLEY MOORE
Wes Moore is an investment banker for Citigroup. A Former White House Fellow, Mr.
Moore served as Special Assistant to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. As a
paratrooper and Captain in the United States Army Reserves, he served a combat tour
of duty in Afghanistan and spearheaded the American strategic support plan for the
Afghan Reconciliation Program that unites former insurgents with the new Afghan
Government. He completed an MLitt in International Relations from Oxford
University as a Rhodes Scholar. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins
University in 2001 with a degree in international relations, and currently serves on its Board of Trustees.
He is authoring a book entitled Elevate: American Journeys into Manhood published by Random House,
for a highly anticipated 2009 release.
MEE MOUA
Mee Moua is the nation's first Hmong American elected to a state legislature. She
was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in a special election in January 2002.
Senator Moua chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary and is a member of the
Tax Committee, Public Safety Budget Division, and the Transportation Budget and
Policy Committee. In addition to being a member of the Senate, Senator Moua is
an attorney. She has degrees from Brown University, a Masters of Public Policy
from the University of Texas-Austin, and a law degree from the University of
Minnesota. She is a member of the Democratic National Committee and a board
member on the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum. Born in Laos, Senator Moua
immigrated to the U.S. in 1978 and currently lives in St. Paul with her family.
ABDUL MULTHALIB MUSA
Abdul Multhalib Musa is regarded as one of Malaysia's leading contemporary
sculptors. Besides Malaysia, he has exhibited in Australia, China, Japan, Singapore,
and Spain among others. In 2001, he was selected for the Rimbun Dahan Residency
and the following year was awarded the Award of Excellence at the 6th Oita Asian
Sculpture Open Competition in Japan. He was the recipient of the Australian High
Commission Residency in 2004, and was commissioned through an international
competition by the Beijing Olympic Park City Sculpture Project 2008 to create a major
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outdoor sculpture for the Beijing Olympics, China. Mr. Musa is currently doing sculptural work in an
architectural manner. An architect by training, he pursued his Bachelor's Degree in Design Studies from
the University of Adelaide in Australia, thereafter obtaining his Bachelor of Architecture from MARA
University of Technology in 2000.
FAWAD AHMAD MUSLIM
Fawad Ahmad Muslim is the CEO and President of Jahaan Technology
Corporation, an IT company he started in 2006, after resigning from the
Afghan government. Jahaan Technology Corporation is a software
development company with over 150 employees and also is the main partner
of Microsoft in Afghanistan. He returned to Afghanistan in December 2001,
and worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan as a DirectorGeneral of Communication & Archives. There, he built the first IT department and training center at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and trained over 2600 employees of the government at that training center.
Mr. Muslim received a degree in Computer Science from George Mason University, Virginia.
HTOO MYINT NAUNG
Htoo Myint Naung is CEO of Technomation Studios, a leading IT company in Myanmar. He is also a
well-known IT innovator and inventor who did extensive language research that produced an input system
for mobile phones and computers, which allowed computers to communicate in Myanmar language. His
works achieved a number of local awards including two National ICT Awards and an Asia Pacific ICT
Award in 2004. Currently, among many services and products being offered by his company, mobile
software produced with his language technology embedded has made his company the top mobile
software vendor in Myanmar. He graduated with a B.A. in Computer Science from the University of
Computer Studies inYangon.
AHMAD NADER NADERY
Ahmad Nader Nadery is a Commissioner at the Afghan Independent Human Rights
Commission. He represented Afghan Civil Society at the UN peace talks for
Afghanistan in the Bonn Conference 2001. Mr. Nadery works also as the
Chairperson of Fair and Free Election Foundation of Afghanistan, he is a member
of the Steering Committee of Citizens Against Terror and member of advisory
board to Open Society Institute (OSI) Afghanistan programs. He has written
extensively on politics and human rights in Afghanistan and is a member of Board
of Editors of the Oxford Journal on Transitional Justice. He served as Spokesperson
for the national assembly (Loya Jerga) in 2002. Prior to his appointment at the AIHRC he worked as
country director for the international human rights law group (Global Rights). Mr. Nadery won several
international awards and was recognized as an "Asian Hero" by Time Magazine in 2004. Mr. Nadery was
recognized as Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum in 2008. He studied law and
political science at Kabul University and earned his masters degree in International Affairs from George
Washington University.
NAVNEET SINGH NARULA
Navneet Singh Narula is Director of United Sikhs, a United Nations (U.N) mandated
global civil rights and humanitarian relief NGO, where he focuses on humanitarian
relief, public policy affairs and community empowerment programs. He has spent
over nine months onsite providing disaster relief in Asia and the United States. Mr.
Narula is also the President & CEO of nBrilliance, an international strategic
consulting firm specializing in building high performance people, businesses, nonprofits and nations. He was named one of the Top 30 Consultants in America in 2008
37
by Consulting Magazine and was selected as the American Marshall Memorial Fellow. Previously, he
was a Management Executive at Accenture. He works with US Senators regularly to bridge gaps between
law makers and common citizens. He serves on the Board of Directors for The Civic League for Regional
Atlanta, National Association of Asian American Professionals, Minorities in Business Foundation and is
an Executive Advisor to Michigan State University. Mr. Narula was honored by Senator Hillary Clinton
as "Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business", recognized by International Stevies as "Top
Management Executive", selected as an "Outstanding Atlantan" of the year in 2008, lauded as "Best
Finance Executive" at the American Business awards and bestowed Georgia's "Top 40 under 40" - Best
and Brightest Leaders in America award. He was honored as Humanitarian of the Year by MIB
foundation, recognized as "Community Change Visionary" in Atlanta, honored with Seva - Service
Leadership Award by Centennial foundation and awarded "Guru Nanak Benediction Award". He
graduated from Michigan State University with high honors in International Business Marketing and was
named Distinguished Alumni of the Year in 2007. He has also studied abroad in universities in the UK,
Russia, and Poland and recently completed his Executive Masters from Georgetown University's Public
Policy Institute.
ADITYA NATRAJ
Aditya Natraj is the Founder Director of the Indian School of Education, an
initiative that trains rural government school principals in India to turn around
their failing schools. Earlier in his career, Mr. Natraj worked as a Programme
Director at Pratham, India's largest educational non-profit focused on literacy
improvement across 3,000 villages in the Western Indian state of Gujarat. He has
also worked as a World Bank consultant in Afghanistan. Mr. Natraj is a
National Talent Search Scholar and was recently awarded the Echoing Green
fellowship for 20 of the world’s most promising social entrepreneurs. He has an
MA in Economics and an MBA from INSEAD.
CHUCK NG
Chuck Ng Chuck is Managing Director of Hambrecht Suma Capital and is
involved in investments across the life science and other emerging technology
sectors. Its current portfolio includes a number of biotechnology companies in
therapeutic discovery, CRO, CMO, and other innovative technology companies
with cross border strategy between U.S. and China. Prior to Suma, Mr. Ng
worked for eBay Inc. and had responsibilities in international expansion and
financial strategy of eBay's PayPal business unit. In this role, he led the
expansion of PayPal's global footprints to Singapore (APAC HQ), Australia,
China, Europe and the formation of PayPal Bank. As a result of his leadership,
he won the "PayPalian" Award, the highest award at PayPal as well as four MVP Awards. Prior to eBay,
he worked for Chiron Corporation (now Novartis), the second largest biotech company by revenue after
Genentech in San Francisco Bay Area, where he managed the global hedging program as well as the
strategic investment at Chiron. Mr. Ng has also dedicated a considerable amount of time and commitment
in community services. He is currently the Head of Venture Capital Group at HYSTA, the leading
entrepreneur group for Chinese Americans in Silicon Valley as well as a co-founder and CFO of the
Berkeley Chinese Alumni International Association (BCAIA). Most recently, Mr. Ng is the co-founder
and CFO of the US China Green Energy Council (www.ucgef.org). He is also the 2008 recipient of the
prestigious Bradford King Award in Excellence (given to outstanding Berkeley alumnae within first 15
years of graduation). He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and also studied at
Tsinghua University in China. He is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and English, and is conversant in
Japanese.
38
SHARMEEN OBAID CHINOY
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is a journalist and documentary filmmaker for
Channel 4 (U.K.). She is the first non-American journalist to be awarded the
prestigious Livingston Award and the youngest recipient of the One World
Media broadcast journalist of the year award in the United Kingdom. In the
last seven years she has produced and reported on thirteen films for networks
in the United States and Britain including CNN, PBS, Channel 4 (U.K.) and
the Discovery channel. Her work has earned her major awards in broadcast journalism including the
Overseas Press Club Award, The American Women and Radio and Television award, The Cine Golden
Eagle Award, The Banff TV Rockie award and the South Asian Journalist Award. Ms. Obaid Chinoy is
also the founder and President of The Citizens Archive of Pakistan, a non-profit organization dedicated to
creating Pakistan's first national archive of oral history and photography and building the country's first
"Living History Museum."
ARMEN ORUJYAN
Armen Orujyan is the Founder and President of Athgo International since 1999, and
also serves as a member of the UN e-Leader Committee on Information and
Communication Technologies and Youth. He has consulted for various U.S.
Presidential candidates and currently serves as a high-level Advisor to the UN
Global Alliance for ICT and Development. He is a certified presenter of former Vice
President Al Gore's Climate Project. He earned his BA degree with Honors in
Political Science from UCLA, and received his MA degree in International Studies
and PhD in Political Science from Claremont Graduate University, California.
JASPREET (RICK) PAL
Jaspreet (Rick) Pal is the CEO of AirGenerate, a manufacturer and distributor of
patented energy saving devices with offices in China and the U.S. Mr. Pal is an awardwinning serial entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder of EkDisha Non-Profit, Inc. that helps the needy in India. He has also created, 'Pal - Make a
Difference" endowment at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin, to award
an annual scholarship to students making a difference in their community. He is a
board member of Texas Union Advisory Council, Indo-American Chamber of
Commerce, and Indo-American Forum. He also regularly writes for his Business
Forum section in Voice of Asia and Minority Executive Report. His other charity involvement includes
UNCF, Red Cross, Goodwill, United Way, Daya, and Pratham. Mr. Pal’s recent accolades include Asian
Chamber's Outstanding Entrepreneur, MLK Foundation's "Keeping the Dream Alive,” and AABDC's
Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award.
DIOSDADO PAMBID
Diosdado Pambid is the Deputy to the Assistant Chief of Academy Staff for
Education, Plans, and Programs, Philippine Military Academy (PMA). A graduate
of the PMA in 1996, Captain Pambid served with the elite Special Forces Regiment
of the Philippine Army immediately upon graduation until being assigned as the
Aide-de-Camp to the PMA Superintendent in 2005. Most of his assignments are in
the different units of the Special Forces deployed in Central and Southern Luzon and
in Northern and Southern Mindanao. He also became part of the Philippine
Contingent in East Timor in 2001, as part of the UN Transitory Administration in
East Timor. At present, he is currently involved in strategic planning and in the crafting and enhancement
of the Cadet Leader Development System and other key leadership development courses in PMA. A
39
graduate of the Infantry Captains Career Course in the United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning,
Georgia, he is presently pursuing his Masters of Arts in Social and Development Studies at the University
of the Philippines, Baguio.
RAHUL PANDIT
Rahul Pandit is a practicing physician and partner at Medical Center
Ophthalmology in the Texas Medical Center and serves as Clinical Assistant
Professor of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He
actively lectures and teaches in ophthalmology, and has served on educational
committees of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Texas Medical
Association. An advocate at heart, Dr. Pandit is the past-President and current
board member of the Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF, www.iakf.org), a
non-governmental organization dedicated to highlighting the plight of the
displaced Hindus of Kashmir in India. In 2005, Dr. Pandit became a founding
director of Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT, www.factusa.org), a non-profit
organization dedicated to supporting victims of terrorism in South Asia. In these capacities, he has spoken
at briefings in Washington, D.C., and maintains continual communication with Congressional offices,
State Department personnel, and think tank officials. Dr. Pandit believes that the key to success is to
maintain a physical, mental, and spiritual balance in life. In that regard, he holds a Black Belt in Tae
Kwon Do, a Korean martial art, and is an avid performer on the tabla, an Indian classical drum.
RASHNEH PARDIWALA
Rashneh Pardiwala is an ecologist and the Founder and Director of the Centre for
Environmental Research and Education (CERE), a young non-profit organization
that works to promotes environmental sustainability through formal education, public
awareness, corporate partnerships and legal advocacy. In a period of five years since
establishment, CERE has successfully completed many rural and urban research and
development projects, been consultants to different government departments, helped
integrate environmental education into mainstream curriculum, published 25 titles
and conducted teacher training workshops across India. In 2005, Dr. Pardiwala was
recognized as a social entrepreneur for change and was awarded the ASHOKA Fellowship.
GI TAE PARK
Gi Tae Park is the Founder and Chairman of VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of
Korea), a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 22,000 volunteers,
including 6,000 foreign members founded in Korea. He has a Master’s in Theological
Studies (MTS) from Torch Trinity Graduate School of Theology. He is currently a
member of the Image Korea Development Committee in the Prime Minister’s Office and
serves as goodwill ambassador for the Seoul Metropolitan Government. He is also a goodwill ambassador
for Jikji, the oldest existing metal printed book. Mr. Park has a keen interest in formulating strategies to
improve the national image, particularly through providing assistance and cooperation.
JOHN PARK
John Park is a Senior Research Associate at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) where
he focuses on Northeast Asian security, economic, and energy issues. He is director
of USIP's Korea Working Group, co-director of the U.S.-China Project on Crisis
Avoidance & Cooperation, and co-director of the Trilateral Dialogue in Northeast
Asia (U.S., ROK, Japan). He is also a research associate with the Harvard Kennedy
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School's Managing the Atom Project, which examines the military and civilian applications of nuclear
energy. Prior to joining USIP, Dr. Park worked in Goldman Sachs' public finance group. Prior to that, he
was the project leader of the Harvard Kennedy School's North Korea Analysis Group. During the postAsian Financial Crisis period, Dr. Park worked for Goldman Sachs and The Boston Consulting Group
focusing on South Korean economic restructuring. In 2008, he was selected as a Next Generation Project
Fellow by The American Assembly. His writings have appeared in The Washington Quarterly, The Wall
Street Journal Asia, and the International Herald Tribune. He has commented on the Six-Party Talks on
BBC, CNN, CNBC Asia, and Bloomberg TV. Dr. Park received his MPhil and PhD from Cambridge
University. He completed his pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training at the Belfer Center for Science and
International Affairs at Harvard University.
QUINTIN JOSE PASTRANA
Quintin Jose Pastrana is Senior Associate at Chevron Geothermal and Power. His work in the energy
sector has placed him in a strategic position to advocate key reforms in energy legislation, such as the
Electric Power Restructuring Act (2001) and the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol (2003). He is now cofounder and core member of the multisectoral Renewable Energy coalition lobbying for the bill in
Philippine Congress. Prior to working in the energy sector, he served under then Congressman (now
Senator) Manuel Roxas II and the late Senator Raul Roco. He was selected as a Fellow of the Global
Institute of Social Innovation of the London Business School in 2007. He founded the Leaders for Asian
Progress organization at Georgetown, and leads the Library Renewal Partnership program in
collaboration with Synergeia Foundation. He is also a published poet and author, and amateur
photographer. Mr. Pastrana majored in Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University and holds an
international MBA from the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University. He also
participated in the International Management Programme of Oxford University.
LOVE GREGORIE PEREZ
Love Gregorie Perez is Executive Director of Gifts & Graces Fair Trade Foundation
(G&G), where she champions fair trade products made by disadvantaged groups. Ms.
Perez leads G&G in improving the lives of street children, former prisoners, the urban
poor, persons with disabilities, indigenous groups, former migrant workers, and special
needs individuals through product development, market access, and capability building
for their livelihood programs. Through their livelihood, these groups become
empowered and contributing members of society who find dignity in every product they
make. Ms. Perez's mission to pursue social justice led her to the social development
sector in 2004 when she joined FCED Foundation as Livelihood and Microfinance
Program Manager. While with FCED, Ms. Perez organized women's groups in 13 poorest-of-the-poor
baranggays in Manila, and provided livelihood technical assistance and marketing support to these
groups. She also improved their access to microfinance products and designed and conducted Financial
Literacy and Entrepreneurship Modules especially for urban poor women.
MITCHELL PHAM
Mitchell Pham is the Founder and Director of the Augen Software Group.
Born in Vietnam, he went through a series of refugee camps and arrived in
New Zealand at the age of 13. After university studies, he co-founded the
technology group which now encompasses a number of software companies in
both NZ and Vietnam. He also works as a strategy advisor to a number of NZ
companies with high-growth potential, and advises in a number of NZ-Asia
government initiatives, trade missions and research projects. Mr. Pham is a
keen supporter of the Asia New Zealand Foundation and a member of the
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Action Asia Advisory Group – a team working to advise the NZ government on policies for furthering
engagements with Asia. He is actively involved in bridging the cultural and knowledge gaps in the
business community, and encouraging NZ organizations to engage more with Asia. He supports not-forprofit organizations in the community healthcare & disability services sector as well as the fitness
industry.
TRUC PHAM-DINH
Truc Pham-dinh is the Head of the Department of Power Machines and Equipment
for the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Vietnam National
University. After living and studying in Australia and the UK for 10 years, Dr.
Pham-dinh went back to Vietnam with a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering. He
now teaches at Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City and was the
youngest Head-of-Department at a Vietnamese university when appointed in 2006.
Dr. Pham-dinh is an energetic leader, educator and scientist. He has facilitated
international collaborative relationships between Universities as well as multinational
industries, such as the collaboration with Emerson Network Power (USA), for an on-campus engineering
design centre, the first of its kind in Vietnam. He established the National Committee for Vietnam's Open
Courseware, a project for modernization of higher education in Vietnam, funded by the Vietnam
Education Foundation USA (www.vef.gov). He also pioneered an international project to develop a
research and education centre for sustainable energy in the Indochina region.
JIA PING
Jia Ping is Chief Executive Director and Founder of Global Fund Watch (China
Initiative), a watchdog nongovernmental organization that combats AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria. He is also the Chief Lawyer for the Project of Friends,
which is the leading MSM Network on the Chinese Mainland and just received the
UNAIDS award for its contributions to fighting AIDS. He also served on the experts’
committee for HIV/AIDS of China’s Center for Disease Control. Mr. Ping is a tireless
advocate for the rights of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, sex workers,
migrant people, drug users, and homosexuals. He aims to bring the rights of these socially marginalized
groups under Chinese constitutional law into accord with international standards. Mr. Ping also served as
executive director of Tsinghua University’s human rights and constitutional law center, and as the lawyer
responsible for health education at the Beijing Ai Zhi Xing Institute. He graduated from Renmin
University and East China law schools and was a visiting scholar at the Columbia University Center for
the Study of Human Rights in 2005.
TONY PUA
Tony Pua is a Member of Parliament, Malaysia, serving the constituency of Petaling Jaya Utara under the
Democratic Action Party. The party won a historic 28 parliamentary seats (out of 220) in the last general
elections. Mr. Pua was the economic advisor to the DAP Secretary General, who is currently the Chief
Minister of Penang state. He was also recently elected into the party's Central Executive Committee and
appointed the National Publicity Secretary. He previously held positions as CEO and founder of a
Malaysian IT company for ten years. The company was successfully listed on the Singapore Exchange in
2001. He holds degrees in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.
KAMAL QUADIR
Kamal Quadir is the Founder and CEO of CellBazaar which builds electronic
platforms for market information via cell phones. CellBazaar won the Best Use
of Mobile for Social and Economic Development Award 2008 from GSM
42
Congress and Asia's Innovation of the Year 2008 Award. Previously, Mr. Quadir led the business
development division of Occidental Corporation's energy initiatives in South Asia, worked in the New
York City Chamber of Commerce and Insight Venture Partners. He received the Tech Award 2007 for
applying technology in benefiting humanity. He is also a founding member of Open World Initiatives, a
Lausanne, Switzerland-based organization of young thinkers. He is involved with AQ Foundation which
recognizes innovations in developing countries. He has a B.A. from Oberlin College and an MBA from
the Sloan School of Management at MIT.
PRITI RADHAKRISHNAN
Priti Radhakrishnan is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Initiatives For
Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK), a team of lawyers and scientists
working with governments, scientists, procurers, and suppliers to strengthen patent
systems. The team conducts pharmaceutical patent analysis to encourage innovation
in new medicines while also assuring broad access to the best and latest treatments.
Her recent accomplishments include working with the Clinton Foundation
HIV/AIDS Initiative and the World Health Organization on issues of intellectual
property and access to treatment. In 2008, Ms. Radhakrishnan was awarded the
Echoing Green Fellowship for social entrepreneurs and was named a Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellow.
Along with her Co-Director at I-MAK, she has worked on issues impacting several countries, including
India, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Nigeria and Mexico. Prior to founding I-MAK, she served
as the Senior Project Officer of the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit in India. She obtained her law
degree from the New York University (NYU) School of Law and has worked as a health attorney in the
U.S., Switzerland and India. Her work as a public health advocate has merited recognition: she recently
coordinated the efforts of TEAM VINAY – a movement that registered 25,000 new bone marrow donors
in the South Asian American community, which received the National Marrow Donor Program's
Lieutenant General Frank E. Peterson Jr. award for innovation and commitment to minority recruitment &
retention of bone marrow donors.
ANITA RAMASASTRY
Anita Ramasastry is a law professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. She
is an international expert on the role of businesses in conflict zones and their
accountability for human rights violations in conflict. Professor Ramasastry is
currently advising John Ruggie, the United Nations Special Representative on
Business and Human Rights. During 2008-09 she will be a Fulbright scholar at the
Irish Center for Human Rights, National University of Ireland – Galway. She was
previously an attorney at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an associate at the
international law firm of White & Case in Budapest, Hungary, and professor of law
at the Central European University in Budapest, founded by financier George Soros. In 1998-99, she
served as a senior attorney and advisor to a claims resolution tribunal in Zurich, Switzerland, established
to resolve claims to World War II-era bank accounts. She has been a visiting professor and Atlantic
Fellow in Public Policy at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary Westfield College, and
University of London. In 1996, she founded a nonprofit organization, the Immigrant Families Advocacy
Project (IFAP), which assists immigrant women and children who are survivors of domestic violence.
IFAP now in its 11th year also represents immigrant juveniles and victims of human trafficking. She
received the 2007 Amicus Award from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project for her work with IFAP.
43
WILLIAM RANDALL
William Randall is an Executive Board Member and Director of the Noble
Group Limited (NGL) an executive board that reports to the main board. This
small group is the managing body of NGL, responsible for operation of all
aspects of the Group's global business, and is driven by the principle of long
term sustainable increase in company and shareholder value. In his role as the
Director at Noble Energy Inc, Mr. Randall is responsible for the global
operations of the Coal and Carbon division. Noble Energy is a major supplier
of energy coal to Power Stations and carbon products to Steel Mills in Asia
and globally. Mr. Randall has been heavily involved in the Asian energy markets over the last decade. He
has a detailed working knowledge of the economic, industrial, as well as the political and important social
issues surrounding long term energy supply and related environmental issues throughout Asia. He has had
involvement in both the supply side from Australia, Indonesia, India, countries in southern Africa, and
China, while also being active on the consumption side in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Philippines,
Hong Kong, North America and Europe. He oversees the operation and development of coalmines and
infrastructure projects across Australia and Indonesia. Mr. Randall works closely with consumers and
governments around the region on long term energy supply and related issues (such as carbon trading and
emission programs). He is involved in developing alternative energy solutions, varying from exploring
new technology to developing community sustainable development programs for each project. Mr.
Randall graduated from ACU, Sydney, Australia with his Bachelor of Business (International Finance and
Marketing).
KATHLEEN REEN
Kathleen Reen is the Vice President for Asia, Environment and New Media
Programs with Internews, an international non-profit media development
organization devoted to increasing access to information for people worldwide. She
oversees projects across Asia countries including China, Thailand and Afghanistan
and has worked on media and development projects throughout Asia since 1998,
when she founded Internews’s media support program in Indonesia. She has led
research, training, and grant-giving initiatives including efforts to support the
rebuilding of Timor’s devastated media environment and the establishment of a
national media assistance program in Pakistan. In 2005 she worked with dedicated teams of professionals
and volunteers providing urgent information via radio and satellite to populations affected by the tsunami
in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Ms. Reen’s first overseas assignment was in Cambodia in 1993, where she
was the youngest registered journalist to cover the U.N.-sponsored elections. She was deployed in the
Balkans with the UN Peacekeeping (UNPROFOR) in 1994 and reported on the war in Bosnia. She was a
founder-coordinator of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and in 2007 became a fellow
of the Flow Fund, a 3 year program in “venturesome philanthropy” that aims to increase the number of
philanthropists worldwide.
ROBERT REFFKIN
Robert L. Reffkin is a Vice President in the Principal Investment Area of Goldman
Sachs. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, he worked at Lazard Frères where he was
an Associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions group and at McKinsey & Company
where he was a Business Analyst. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of
USI Holdings Corporation, XLHealth Corporation, the National Foundation for
Teaching Entrepreneurship and the Summer Search Foundation. From 2005-2006,
he was a White House Fellow serving as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury. He received a
B.A. from Columbia University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. His primary
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philanthropic undertaking includes running 50 marathons – one in each U.S. state – with the goal to raise
$1 million for youth education and enrichment programs (RunningToSupportYoungDreams.com).
KIREN RIJIJU
Kiren Rijiju is the National Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the
largest political party in India. He is also a member of the Parliamentary Standing
Committee for Energy; Consultative Committee on Ministry of Petroleum &
Natural Gas, and Youth Affairs & Sports; and Parliamentary Forum for Youth in
India. He is the Vice President of the Archery Federation of India, and an active
student leader. He became a member of Khadi & Village Industries Commission,
Government of India from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Rijiju won the Lok Sabha
(Parliamentary) election in 2004 and became one of the youngest MPs. He
obtained his BA, LLB from Delhi University.
.
ALIA SABUR
Alia Sabur is a faculty Professor at the Konkuk University in Korea. She is
the youngest ever to receive fellowships and awards from the Department of
Defense, NASA, GAANN and NSF, and the youngest scientist to do research
at Edwards Air Force Base. Professor Sabur is working in the Department of
Advanced Technology Fusion and hopes to take advantage of the
interdisciplinary nature of the faculty to continue her groundbreaking work
towards developing nanotube-based sensors for use in the trace detection of
materials and apply it in the different fields. Multi-talented, Professor Sabur
has been performing with orchestras since her solo debut at 11 years old with the Mozart Concerto. As a
Juilliard School student, she was mentored by some of the world's greatest musicians and is the winner of
45
several celebrated awards. Her highest priority is trying to influence other young people to help them
realize their full potential. In 2005, she became one of Teen People's "20 Teens Who Will Change The
World." She has been setting records and making history starting with reading at 8 months old. She went
from 4th grade to college, earning a B.S. in Applied Mathematics summa cum laude from the Stony
Brook University at age 14. She then earned an M.S. and Ph.D. (ABD) in Materials Science and
Engineering from Drexel University.
ASIF SALEH
Asif Saleh is currently the Founder and Executive Director for Drishtipat, a
global human rights organization focusing on Bangladesh. He is also a
writer, human rights activist and a technologist, as well as an executive
director at Goldman, Sachs. In 2001, he started Drishtipat (Take Notice),
an Internet based organization which became an umbrella of concerned
diaspora expatriates that lobbied for and ran campaigns on human rights
issues in Bangladesh, focusing on stories that deserved larger attention. After its initial success, the
organization was launched as a physical one. Currently it has 9 chapters in the USA, Australia, UK,
Canada and Bangladesh with over 3000 members who focus on rights and development issues. Mr. Saleh
writes regularly for leading dailies in Bangladesh and in international magazines on society and politics.
His write ups have been published in The Guardian, Himal, Daily Star, and New Age, among others. The
group blog of Drishtipat which he started is the most popular Bangladeshi blog in English. Mr. Saleh
received his BSc in Computer Science from North Carolina State University and his MBA from New
York University.
OLIVER SAN ANTONIO
Oliver San Antonio is the Presidential Assistant for Public Relations, Integrated Bar of the
Philippines. Prior to his current designation at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, he was Chief of Staff
of Congresswoman Leonila Chavez, the party-list representative of BUTIL, a sectoral organization for
farmers and fisherfolk (2005-2007). He was also Chief Political Communications Officer of the Office of
Senator Francis Pangilinan from 2003-2005. He considers communication as one of his key strengths,
and has served in various editorial capacities since his days with the Philippine Collegian. His most
recent posts include Associate Editor of the IBP Journal and Editor-in-Chief of the IBP Newsletter. Mr.
San Antonio received his Political Science and Law degrees at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
46
ASIM SARODE
Asim Sarode is a human rights advocate and practices law in India, trying to
introduce socio-legal practices into the system. Mr. Sarode was recognized by
the Ashoka Fellowship For Innovators for the Public (Washington) and is
currently an Ashoka Fellow. His goals are to increase the participation of the
common public into the judicial system. He has successfully secured the
rights of many individuals and continues to create social change through past and present success stories.
Mr. Sarode writes consistently on socio-legal issues in newspapers and magazines to promote awareness.
In his law practice, he holds to the principles of Mahatma Gandhi by advocating for non-violent ways of
communication, the concept of trusteeship rather than ownership, and the decentralization of government
in favor of a public-centric development approach. Mr. Sarode is also working towards establishing a
pro-bono culture in the Indian legal system. He received his diploma in Communication and Journalism
before pursuing his law degree.
AAKASH SETHI
Aakash Sethi is the Executive Director of the Quality Education & Skills Training
(QUEST) Alliance, a multi-stakeholder partnership that works to promote innovative
and effective uses of ICTs in education. It brings together public, private and NGO
partners to create, pilot and institutionalize technology tools for improving the quality
of education at all levels in both formal and non-formal settings to better reach
disadvantaged youth populations. Prior to joining the QUEST Alliance, Mr. Sethi
worked with Microsoft's regional office in Istanbul covering the Middle East and
Africa. He was the Community Affairs & Citizenship manager where he developed a
three-year regional plan for digital inclusion programs with a strong focus on IT
Skills development for employment. He also worked on integrated rural development programs and
creating a long term vision for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Ambuja Cements. He was an
active member of AIESEC, the world's largest youth organization that helps young people gain vital
leadership & cross cultural experiences, for over 4 years where he held various local, national and global
leadership positions. He conceptualized and executed AIESEC's first International Development Congress
and a learning network on CSR for youth leaders from around the world. He is passionate about exploring
the role of business in poverty alleviation and the role of Sport in Youth Development. He is on the
boards of Foundation for Development Initiative and Science Dharma. Mr. Sethi has a graduate degree in
Economics from St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad.
BANDITA SIJAPATI
Bandita Sijapati is a National Civil Affairs Officer with the United Nations
Mission in Nepal, the organization responsible for assisting in Nepal's peace
process through the management of the arms and armies, assistance to the
constituent assembly elections, and monitoring of the ceasefire. She is a founding
member and General Secretary of the Social Science Baha, a non-profit
organization devoted to social science research and teaching in Nepal. With the
goals of combining research with advocacy, Ms. Sijapati has done extensive
research, delivered lectures and published on Nepal's Maoist movement, student activism, social
movements, ethnic conflict, peace-building, and migration.
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MARIE TZE KWAN SO
Marie So is the co-founder of Ventures in Development, a non-profit that catalyses
creation of social enterprises in the Greater China region. Ms. So graduated from
Harvard Kennedy School's Masters in Public Administration/International
Development program, received her Masters in International and Public Affairs from
Hong Kong University, and Bachelors in Economics, Engineering and Management
Science from Northwestern University. She has worked for the United Nations; Dubai
Development and Investment Authority; Procter and Gamble, Merrill Lynch. Ms. So
is a Board member of the Chen Yet Sen Family Foundation, Bright China Group Social Enterprise
Steering Committee. She is an award recipient of Echoing Green Fellow 2008, Outstanding Chinese
Entrepreneur Award 2008, Business in Development (BID) 2006.
ZAFAR SOBHAN
Zafar Sobhan is the Opinions Editor for The Daily Star, the biggest English language
newspaper in Bangladesh. He also writes a weekly column and edits a monthly
political magazine, Forum. Prior to returning to Bangladesh to take up these positions,
he worked in New York, first as a corporate attorney and then a public high school
teacher in the Bronx. In addition to Bangladesh and the U.S., Mr. Sobhan has also
lived in India, UK, and Canada, and is a firm believer that all the peoples of the world
must either sink or swim together.
SEAGULL SONG
Haiyan (Seagull) Song is a consultant with Arnold & Porter LLP, a top-tier law firm in
the U.S. She has been practicing Intellectual Property law for more than 10 years in
China. She was a former partner in China's largest law firm (King & Wood) and during
2005-06 headed its Shanghai IP Group. She is actively involved in the legislation
reform of the Chinese Copyright Law and Trademark Law. Ms. Song was named an
"AsiaLaw Leading Lawyer" in the IP field for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008, and she
was selected by the Asia Society to participate in its Asia 21 program, which identifies
outstanding young leaders from around the Asia/Pacific region to meet and collaborate on public service
projects. One of the projects that Seagull has been working on is the US-China Green Energy Conference,
which is to be held in China in November 2008. Seagull obtained her second LL.M at U.C. Berkeley
School of Law and her first LL.M degree at Hong Kong University. Seagull is fluent in Mandarin,
Cantonese and English.
NICOLE SWAN
Nicole Swan is a Senior Director at Merrill Lynch Equities, based in Sydney Australia who has spent
most of her career in Equities Research. She started her career in the Securities Industry in Equities
Research as a junior anayst at James Capel. Following this, she was a Small Companies Analyst with a
small Australian broking firm, which was taken over by Merrill Lynch McIntosh Securites. There, she
continued her role as an analyst before taking on the role of Research Business Manager for Australia. As
Business Manager, she manages a team of 42 analysts on all facets of the business from strategy to report
writing, financial data collation, and monitoring of internal and external clients. This role is focused on
Australia but works closely with the Pac Rim Regional to ensure that the Australian business runs
consistently with Merrill Lynch around the globe. She is Head of the Women's Professional Network for
Merrill Lynch in Australia, representative for Australia on the Regional Research Women's network, and
sits on the Australian Charities Committee.
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TOSHIYUKI TAKASAKI
Toshiyuki Takasaki is Co-Founder, Vice President, and Chief Technology
Officer of NPO Pangaea, a Japan-based independent nongovernmental
organization. The aim of NPO Pangaea is to create an innovative ICT platform
where children worldwide can foster bonding and learn to respect cultural
diversities, regardless of their language and distance. He was inspired to launch
this project after witnessing the events of September 11th while working on
communication and technology at the MIT Media Lab. Mr. Takasaki aims to use his strong ICT insight
and technical skills to continue expanding NPO Pangaea to incorporate Peace Engineering.
WINNIE S.M. TANG
Winnie S. M. Tang is the Founder and CEO of ESRI China (Hong Kong) Limited. She is a frequent guest
speaker and guest professor for various universities in Hong Kong and China, grooming future IT talents.
While Dr. Tang is passionate about her profession in GIS, she cares about society and has taken up
various advisory roles with the Hong Kong Government. Her achievements and contributions are widely
recognized. She received the 'Ten Outstanding Young Digi Persons' Award in 2001, 'Women of Influence
Young Achiever of the Year Award' presented by Amcham in 2004, and the Hong Kong "Ten
Outstanding Young Persons' Award in 2006.
HsuHSU-MING TEO
Ming Teo is a lecturer in the Department of Modern History at Macquarie University
in Sydney, Australia. She has published in the area of cultural history and is currently
completing a book on Orientalism in western women's popular culture. In 1999,
she won The Australian Vogel Literary Award for her first novel "Love and Vertigo"
(2000), which was also short-listed for several other literary awards. It has been
translated into German, Italian, Chinese and Thai. Her second novel, "Behind the
Moon" (2005) was shortlisted for the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
in 2006. She is working on her third novel. From 2003-2005, Ms. Teo was a
committee member of International PEN, Sydney Centre. She worked on the New
South Wales Premier's History and Literature Committee in 2004, and was a judge of the New South
Wales Premier's Literary Awards in 2007. Since 2007, she has served as a member of the Hong Kongbased Man Asian Literary Prize advisory panel, and she is a representative of the Chinese Australian
Forum in Sydney.
SUMITRA THINAGARA SUNDRAM
Sumitra Thinagara Sundram is a Management Analyst with the United
Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Regional Centre for Asia and the
Pacific in Sri Lanka. She has split her nine-year career between working with
the private sector (environmental consulting with Environmental Resource
Management in Malaysia) and the international development sector (with the
UNDP). She previously worked with UNDP's Africa-Asia Eco-Partnership
Programme and the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme Malaysia. As part
of her volunteer work with civil societies, she was Vice-President twice for the Environmental Protection
Society of Malaysia, Founding Vice President for AsiaWorks Foundation, a mentor with the AsiaWorks
Leadership Programme, and a tutor/mentor with Fresh Youth Initiatives in New York. She holds a
Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering (double major in Spanish) from Carnegie Mellon University,
and a Master's in International Affairs (Environmental Policy) from Columbia University. Ms. Sundram
was also a Fulbright Scholar in Residence at Westshore Community College, Michigan.
49
JOHN TIEN
John Tien is the Director for Counterinsurgency Operations for Iraq and
Afghanistan at the National Security Council, The White House. As a Colonel in
the U.S. Army, he commanded a battalion in Iraq and helped start the Al Anbar
Awakening in early 2007. He is a Rhodes Scholar, member of the Council on
Foreign Relations, and was a White House Fellow. He holds a BS from West
Point, an MA from Oxford University, and was a National Security Fellow at the
Harvard Kennedy School. In 1987, he was the first ever Asian-American to
graduate as the number one ranked military cadet at West Point.
CHUNG TO
Chung To is Founder and Chairperson of Chi Heng Foundation, a charitable
organization founded in 1998 in Hong Kong, China. Utilizing innovative and
pragmatic approaches, Chi Heng has excelled in education and care for children
orphaned by AIDS and HIV prevention among vulnerable groups. It won Asia 21's
inaugural Public Service Award in 2006. Viewed by many as a best practice model
of its kind, the program has become the largest non-governmental effort focusing
on helping children impacted by AIDS in China. Chung is also involved in HIV
education and prevention while working with vulnerable groups. In collaboration
with Fudan University, Chi Heng has been the sole sponsor and co-organizer of the
first accredited university course explicitly on homosexuality in China for the four
consecutive years. In addition to its direct service programs, Chi Heng has also raised significant
awareness of AIDS in the public through organizing exhibitions, launching media campaigns and giving
talks in universities. Named as "Ten Future Leaders of China" by People Magazine and "Ten Model
Citizens in China" by China’s Phoenix TV, Mr. Chung has been contributing to the development of civil
society in China through constructive dialogue with government leaders. Prior to moving to Hong Kong
in 1995, he resided in the United States for 13 years, where he received a bachelor's degree at Columbia
University and a master's degree at Harvard University. Before taking his 6 year sabbatical to work full
time for Chi Heng on a pro bono basis, Chung worked in investment banking in New York and Hong
Kong for ten years. Chung was a recipient of "Ten Outstanding Young Persons" of Hong Kong in 2003
and of the World in 2006, "Rotary Club Centennial Service Award for Professional Excellence" in 2005,
the "Ramon Magsaysay Award" and Hong Kong's First "Humanity Award" in 2007.
ASUKA TSUZUKI
Asuka Tsuzuki is a Founder and Chairperson of the Tsuzuki International Scholarship Foundation in
Tokyo, which provides financial and social support for both foreign and Japanese students; non-profit and
educational organizations; social ventures; and artists. She had been considered as one of the youngest
founders of a government-authorized foundation. She also organized the "Asia-Pacific English
Presentation Contest," which brought together approximately 300 young Asian students annually to
discuss the co-existence of society in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Ms. Ysuzuki has been a director
of an incubation center for young entrepreneurs in Tokyo since 1999. It has been providing facility,
advisory, and investment services for more than forty various start-up companies, which currently include
a green energy venture, and a medical R&D team for cancer treatment. Since 2007, Ms. Tsuzuki has also
been a Chairperson of a private university in Fukuoka, Japan, where she is pushing for a new joint
industry-university program in an effort to build an academia network among Asian countries such as
China, Korea, Vietnam, India, and Fiji. Ms. Tsuzuki obtained a B.A. in law and is a master's and Ph.D.
candidate in Interdisciplinary Information Studies at the University of Tokyo.
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SANDIAGA S. UNO
Sandiaga S. Uno graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Business
Administration from the Wichita State University in 1990 and obtained a Masters
of Business Administration from George Washington University in 1992. From
1992 to 1997, he served as Finance and Accounting Officer in the Summa Group
of Companies in Indonesia, Manager/Financial Analyst in Seapower Asia
Investment Limited (now Pacific Century Regional Developments Limited) in
Singapore, Chief Financial Officer of NTI Resources Limited in Calgary,
Canada. In 1997 he co-founded Recapital Advisors an investment advisory firm together with his high
school friend, Rosan Perkasa. Since 1998, he has been the President Director of Saratoga Capital, a
private equity/direct investment firm he co-founded with Edwin Soeryadjaya. He currently holds
directorships with PT Adaro Energy Tbk (Indonesia’s second largest integrated coal company) , PT Mitra
Global Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telecom Operator – Central Java) and Interra Resources Limited (Oil
& Gas). From April 2005 to July 2008, he served as the Chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs
Association. He also holds the position of Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Small & Medium
Enterprises of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) since March 2004. In 2004,
he was appointed as the Team Manager for the Indonesian Women Basketball Team for the 2005 SEA
Games in Manila. Mr. Uno is Enterprise Asia’s 2008 Indonesian Entrepreneur of the Year.
VIKRAM UPADHYAYA
Vikram Upadhyaya is President and CTO of I.A.P KK, as well as founding board
member of four ventures in India and Japan (Team Pasona, Turbolinux India,
Merinews.com,VoiceofIndia.co.jp). Keizaikai and the Japan Times featured Mr.
Upadhyaya in both 2006 and 2007 as the most up-and-coming foreign entrepreneur
in Japan. As an entrepreneur he is involved in the future Internet Business Modeling.
He specializes in New Venture Turnaround, Start-up Mentoring, Internet Business
Modeling, Japanese Project Offshoring, and Brand-building for Indian/Japanese
Market. Mr. Upadhyaya is the youngest active angel investor of India's Biggest
Angel Investors Network (Indian Angel Network). Mr. Upadhyaya strongly believes
in giving back to society and shows his dedication through contributions to non-profit organizations such
as India Center Japan, as a Founder Director of TIE Japan-Tokyo Chapter, ICT Forum Japan, Global
Industrial & Social Progress Research Institute, and the Japan-India Association. He is a graduate of the
University of Tokyo, and has diversified experience in IT & Consulting Industry, ranging from Japanese
Projects Offshoring to Global Corporate Strategy and New Ventures Turnaround.
STEVEN WANG
Steven Wang is the Director of Dermatologic Surgery and Dermatology at
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New Jersey. He has more than 40
publications in scientific journals and books, and has lectured in the U.S.,
Europe, and China. Aside from his clinical and research work, he has a keen
interest in public health. As the founder and ex-president of the China AIDS
Orphan Fund, he has organized efforts to deliver much needed relief for AIDS
orphans in China. Currently, he serves as the secretary for the China AIDS Fund
in New York City.
51
T. B. NANDASIRI WANNINAYAKA
T. B. Nandasiri Wanninayaka is the CEO of the Horizon Lanka Foundation.
In rural areas plagued by unemployment, isolation, and fractured schools, Mr.
Wanninayaka makes rural youth competitive in the global marketplace. He
has found a way to bring modern technology to isolated communities, link
villagers to outside networks through Internet, and use alternative education
(with an emphasis on the English language) to foster teamwork, creativity and
self-esteem amongst students. Mr. Wanninayaka has been able to initiate Sri Lanka's first village-level
outsourcing venture. Establishing e-commerce so farmers can avoid middlemen and sell their products at
market prices is also being pursued through the already installed mesh Internet community network in the
village. Visit www.horizonlanka.org for more information on his work and www.wanni.info for his
personal website.
TING HWAY WONG
Ting Hway Wong is training to be a general surgeon at the Singapore General Hospital. She was a
volunteer with Doctors without Borders and helps co-ordinate the Doctors without Borders Peer Support
Network in Singapore. She was the first Singaporean to work as a medical delegate with the International
Committee of the Red Cross. Back home in Singapore, she has served as volunteer committee chairman
and council member of HCA Hospice Care, the largest homecare hospice organization in Singapore.
Conversant in several languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish, French and Portuguese, she also
speaks basic Malay, Arabic and Nepali. Nine years after receiving her medical degree from Cambridge
University, she decided to pursue a Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, with an
interest in injury epidemiology and health policy. When not walking around the hospital, she tries to find
time to belly-dance and write poetry.
BINGLAN XU
Binglan Xu is a Senior Editor at Caijing Magazine in China. He recently graduated
from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government with a Master's degree
in Public Administration and is now working with a group of seasoned journalists
setting up a Beijing-based news organization that will target an international
audience. Prior to his time at Harvard, Mr. Xu worked for the China Daily, one of
the country's leading broadsheet newspapers. He was a member of the paper's
editorial group, which decided the paper's views on key domestic and international
issues, and also headed up its economic news and commentary teams. Mr. Xu has
been a strong advocate for economic and political reforms in China, as well as for closer regional
cooperation in Asia. His articles are widely quoted by international and domestic media. In 2002, he won
the China Journalism Award – the top industry award in the country – for his in-depth coverage of
regional economic issues. He was a Media Fellow at the World Economic Forum's China Summit from
2001 to 2006. He won the Washington DC-based Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship and worked in an
American newsroom in 2000. Mr. Xu also holds a MA and a BA from Renmin University in Beijing.
KEIKO YAMAMOTO
Keiko Yamamoto is a journalist who joined NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation),
Japan public Broadcaster in 1995 after receiving her M.A. in International
Development from Nagoya University, Japan. She has covered educational and
social issues including decreasing birthrates, gender inequality, and economic
disparities in Japan. Ms. Yamamoto founded a female journalist's association in
2001 wishing to create a professional networking among female journalists in Japan.
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There are now two chapters, one in Tokyo and one in Nagoya, with a current membership of over 250.
Today, the network has worked to introduce and foster such new concepts to Japanese society as the work
life balance, diversity and supporting non-profit organizations through the positive use of media.
JEFF YANG
Jeff Yang is "Asian Pop" columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. He
began his decade and a half as cultural critic and columnist for Manhattan's
legendary alternative newsweekly, the Village Voice; and his work now
appears in Conde Nast Portfolio, Vibe, Salon.com and the Washington Post.
Mr. Yang is also a recurring correspondent for WNYC, NPR's flagship
station in New York, and founder of aMagazine, Asian America's largest and
most influential English-language media institution. He has authored several books including Eastern
Standard Time; I Am Jackie Chan; Once Upon a Time in China; and the forthcoming Asian American
superhero anthology, Secret Identities, coming in Spring 2009.
RUTH YEOH
Ruth Yeoh is Director of Investments at YTL Corporation Berhad, a US$9 billion
corporation in the power, water, retail, hotel, resorts, construction, cement and esolutions sectors. She currently leads the environmental division at YTL, where she
reports on her organisation's environmental activities through writing its awardwinning Sustainability Reports, published yearly. Ms. Yeoh also pioneered YTL's
highly successful "Climate Change Week", an educational campaign designed to
raise awareness on the important issue of climate change in her nation of Malaysia
and globally. She is a member of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility Malaysia
(ICRM) and researches investments in clean technology and renewable energy. Ms.
Yeoh was appointed to be the youngest Board Member of Rare Conservation in 2008, with
responsibilities in the Governance Committee of this US-based conservation organization. She also helps
to strategise environmental protection and conservation work in Asia through strengthening partnerships
with leaders and practitioners. She was previously affiliated with Credit Suisse, Singapore, where she was
responsible for research into equities, renewable energy markets, commodities, clean technology,
investments and the author of several flagship publications. She has further written for both the Wall
Street Journal Asia and Financial Times, and has authored and co-edited a book on climate change
entitled Cut Carbon, Grow Profits: Business Strategies for Managing Climate Change and Sustainability.
Ms. Yeoh graduated with a degree in Architectural Studies (Hons) from the University of Nottingham UK
and an MSc in Management (Distinction) from Cass Business School in the City of London.
NOVA RIYANTI YUSUF
Nova Riyanti Yusuf is Chairperson for Metaforma Institute (Center for Social
and Community Development), an independent organization that advocates
mental health awareness in Indonesia. The program includes journal publishing,
Ataraxis (The Indonesian Journal of Mental Health) in collaboration with
Indonesian Mental Health Network and CBM International, conducting
international lecture series to broaden the epistemological basis of psychiatry,
mental health tips collaborating with a national television QTV, and various
mental health programs. She is also a lecturer at Paramadina University, JakartaIndonesia, teaching Psychological Physiology and Biological Anthropology. In 1995, Ms. Yusuf took a
course in writing at The Writing School, Singapore and has been a published author since 2003 when she
published her first psychological genre novel that hit bestseller stands, "Mahadewa Mahadewi" / God and
Goddess (published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama). The book was Editor's Choice of Cosmopolitan
magazine Indonesia and a reference novel for the Indonesian Language Advanced Learning at Charles
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Darwin University, Australia in 2003 (formerly known as Northern Territory University). She has
published 2 more original novels, 3 adaptation novels from movie scripts, two books of essays, and her
movie script in 2007 "Merah Itu Cinta" / Red is Love had made the movie nominated for seven categories
in the Indonesian Film Festival 2007. She also won first place for the Fun Fearless Female pageant 2004
held by Cosmopolitan magazine Indonesia. She was a junior tennis player who won several singles tennis
tournaments in Jakarta (age group of 12 and below) but developed more interest in writing. She is
currently preparing for the National Board Exam to obtain her Psychiatrist degree from Psychiatry
Specialization Program in University of Indonesia Medical Faculty. She has just completed her thesis,
"Biopsychosocial Aspects of Suicide: A Case Study of Two Dead Painters in Yogyakarta-Indonesia" She
completed her Medical Doctor degree from Trisakti Medical Faculty, Jakarta-Indonesia, in 2002.
RIDWAN ZACHRIE
Ridwan Zachrie currently serves as Director of PT Recapital Advisors,
Recapital Group, one of the leading Investment Banking in Indonesia. He is
also the current Commissioner of PT Asuransi Jiwa Recapital (Life
Insurance), PT Recapital Securities, and a member of Audit and Risk
Monitoring Committees for a number of companies, including PT Bank
Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional Tbk (National Pension Saving Bank) and PT
Asuransi Umum Recapital (General Insurance). He has worked for the
government as a Foreign Service officer, responsible for handling economic and trade issues. Dr. Zachrie
has served as an Indonesian diplomat in the United Kingdom and New Zealand and has attended many
international conferences, including ASEAN, APEC, WTO, ASEM and other bilateral meetings. Over the
past five years, he has made a significant effort to promote good corporate governance (GCG) in
Indonesia. He is also Chairman of the prestigious Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI).
Dr. Zachrie graduated with Distinction from the School of Law, University Trisakti Indonesia. He was
awarded the prestigious British Chevening Scholarship and successfully obtained two master degrees in
economics from the London School of Economics and a Master of Law from Indonesian Institute of
Business Law with Distinction. He is continuing pursuit of his doctorate and is an active senior lecturer in
a number of Indonesian universities and government institutions.
JIADONG ZHU
Jiadong Zhu (Patrick) is the Head of Retail Risk ANZ China and Senior Risk
Advisor to ANZ's partner bank – Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank. Prior to
joining ANZ, he was an International Manager with HSBC. As a professional
banker, Mr. Zhu worked in a number of Asia-Pacific countries/territories
including Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, HK and Mainland China. In his
leisure time, he is enthusiastic about volunteer work – he taught English at a
middle school in China's Anhui Province as a volunteer teacher, and spent two weeks in Malaysia's rain
forest assisting scientists study and preserve bats as an EarthWatch fellow. Mr. Zhu is a Certified
Financial Analyst charter holder and an advanced scuba diver.
ALI ZUASHKIANI
Ali Zuashkiani joined the Center for Maintenance Optimizations and Reliability
Engineering (CMORE) at the University of Toronto, as the director of educational
programs after obtaining his PhD from the same university. He is Iran's most
distinguished student of 1999. Dr. Kuashkiani is the co-founder and BOD member
of Knowledge Diffusion Network, aiming to promote collaboration of Iranian
academics inside and outside of Iran. He is also the president and co-founder of the
International Association of Iranian Managers with more than 6000 members
aiming to improve management knowledge and practice in the Middle East. These
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non-profit institutions have been providing training and networking opportunities to thousands of
participants with different backgrounds and social classes. Over the last four years Dr. Kuashkiani has
been the chairman of International Physical Asset Management conference, designed to improve physical
asset management knowledge in Iran in order to increase companies' competitiveness and also to reduce
their environmental and safety hazards.
SOOFIAN ZUBERI
Soofian Zuberi is a Managing Director and Co-head of Asia Equity Capital Markets
at Merrill Lynch. In this role, he is responsible for the origination and execution of
all aspects of the firm’s equity, equity-linked and structured equity capital markets
franchise across both the public and private markets. Mr. Zuberi joined Merrill
Lynch in 1993 as a member of the New York Corporate Finance team. From there,
he transferred to Hong Kong where he has held a number of increasingly senior
roles including Head of Asia Equity Syndicate and Head of South East Asia Equity
Capital Markets before being promoted to his current position in 2006. Mr Zuberi
has worked on over 130 transactions and raised over US$90 billion across equity,
structured equity and convertible bonds for both corporate and sovereign clients in Asia. Mr Zuberi is
based in Hong Kong and holds a MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA (Hons.) from Reed
College.
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