Developing Medicine with Machines, Delivering High Quality Healthcare, and Addressing Mental Health: Meet this Year’s Change-makers

Published
11 Mar 2020
2020
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Aylin Elci, Public Engagement, +41 75 404 10 95, aylin.elci@weforum.org

  • From revamping health systems to investigating corruption, the 115 individuals announced by the World Economic Forum represent 52 countries and the power of the under 40s to change our world.
  • They join the Forum of Young Global Leaders, whose members have gone on to become Nobel Prize recipients, UN Goodwill Ambassadors and chief executive officers of Fortune 500 Companies.
  • The class of 2020 includes Megan Rapinoe, the co-captain of the US women’s football team, JR, a world-renowned street artist, Golriz Gharhaman, New Zealand’s first refugee parliamentarian, Sanna Marin, Finland’s youngest prime minister, Larry Madowo, the BBC News Africa Business Editor, and Chew Shou Zi, the president of Xiaomi’s international business.
  • Discover the new YGL Class on wef.ch/ygl20 and #YGL20

Geneva, Switzerland, 11 March 2020 – This year’s 115 most promising artists, activists, academics, executives and political leaders under the age of 40 today join the World Economic Forum’s community of Young Global Leaders. They are pushing boundaries, achieving firsts, innovating and breaking traditional rules to improve the world.

The Forum of Young Global Leaders was founded in 2004 by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of the World Economic Forum, to create a world where leaders take responsibility for a sustainable future, while meeting increasingly complex and interrelated challenges. Today, the Forum counts 1,300 members and alumni, representing more than 115 countries. Notable members include Yao Chen, actress, Amal Clooney, lawyer, Hilary Cottam, author, Wanuri Kahiu, Filmmaker, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica, Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba, and Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia.

YGLs are active in today’s most exciting and dynamic fields and work with a focus on impact. In the past year, they have collaborated together to accelerate refugee entrepreneurship to unlock local talent and inject an estimated GDP of $56 million from Kenya’s Kakuma camp into the global economy. They have worked to solve waste management challenges by focusing on improving treatment capacity in Indian plants, and more broadly, they have equipped young generations with the tools to effectively influence politics and policy.

This year, over half the new members are women, and nearly half of Young Global Leaders are from emerging economies. They represent a diverse group with an ability to enhance understanding and promote action.

Members of the new class will take part in a five-year programme that includes executive education courses, group expeditions and opportunities to collaborate and test ideas with a trusted network of peers. This will also be an opportunity for them to identify ways in which their ground-breaking work can advance new models of innovation and make a difference in their communities.

“By championing these promising and accomplished leaders we hope to create positive ripple effects that benefit entire communities. In response to a startling decline in trust in leadership over the past decade, these Young Global Leaders inspire the world through their dynamism, passion and integrity,” said Mariah Levin, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders at the World Economic Forum.

Academia

Lamya AlHaj, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman Assistant Professor

Qiaomei Fu, Chinese Academy of Sciences Head of ancient DNA lab at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology

Ying Jiang, Peking University, Professor

Manuella Kaster, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Assistant Professor

Emi Nakamura, University of California, Berkeley Chancellor’s Professor of Economics

Yetnebersh Nigussie, Light for The World Director, Advocacy and Rights

Banking

Aslihan Denizkurdu Citigroup Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer of Risk Management

Barbara (Maul) Mulvee, Credit Suisse AG Managing Director, Head of Global Markets Strategy and Head of Global Marketing

Vinati Mutreja, Vinati Organics Limited, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Kush Saxena, Mastercard, Chief Technology Officer, Markets and Transformation

Christian Zeinler, UBS Managing Director, Head of Strategy and Business Development

Civil Society

Matthew Caruana Galizia, Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Director

Alicia Garza, Black Lives Matter, Co-Founder

Rebecca M. Heller, International Refugee Assistance Project Director of the International Refugee Assistance Project

Delfina Irazusta, Asociacion Civil Red de Innovacion Local (Local Innovation Network) Founder and Director

Pradip Pariyar, Samata Foundation, Executive Chairperson

Viridiana Rios, México ¿Cómo Vamos?, Founding Director

Fainy Sukenik, Ba'asher Telchi, Founder and Chairperson

Education

Henry Motte-Muñoz, Edukasyon.ph, Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Faraja Nyalandu, Shule Direct, Founder and Executive Director

Electronics

Chew Shou Zi, Xiaomi Corporation Chief Financial Officer and President, International

Environment

Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates

Gregg Treinish, Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, Executive Director

Energy Technologies

Carlalberto Guglielminotti, Electro Power Systems, ENGIE Eps Chief Executive Officer

Food and Beverage

Cherrie Atilano, Agrea Agricultural Systems International Inc., Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Krasna Cham, SOMA Group, Chief Executive Officer

Mette Lykke, Too Good To Go, Chief Executive Officer

Leland Maschmeyer, Chobani, Chief Creative Officer

James Rogers, Apeel Sciences, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Shani Senbetta, Kidame Mart, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Governmental

Faisal Alibrahim, Ministry of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia Vice-Minister

Shauna Aminath, Office of the President of the Republic of Maldives Policy Secretary

Ines Arrimadas, Catalan Parliament Opposition Leader

Gabriel Attal, Ministry of Education and Youth Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education and Youth

Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Ministry of Finance and Revenue of Pakistan, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs

Annalena Baerbock, Federal Assembly of Germany (Bundestag), Member

Ugyen Dorji, Minister of Labour and Human Resources of Bhutan

Eduardo Figueiredo Cavalheiro Leite, Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul Governor of the State of Rio Grande do Sul

Kate Gallego, City of Phoenix, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona

Golriz Ghahraman, New Zealand Parliament, Member of Parliament

Marga Gual Soler, European Commission for Research, Innovation and Science High-Level Policy Advisor to European Commissioner for Research, Innovation

Niki Kerameus, Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs of Greece Minister of Education and Religious Affairs

Michael Kratsios, Office of the President of the United States Chief Technology Officer

Fumiaki Kobayashi, The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Member, House of Representatives

Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of Rwanda

Caroline Malcolm, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Head of Blockchain Policy Centre

Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland

Maryam Monsef, Government of Canada, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality

Grace Natalie Louisa, IN-Institutional Partai Solidaritas Indonesia - PSI (Indonesian Solidarity Party) Co-Founder and Chairwoman of the PSI

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Government of Ghana, Minister of Information

Rafael Paz, Consejo Nacional de Competitividad Executive Director

Otto Sonnenholzner, VicePresidency of the Republic of Ecuador Vice President

Lauren Underwood, US House of Representatives Congresswoman from Illinois (14th District)

Zhu Xiaoxuan, China Science and Technology Exchange Center, Ministry of Science and Technology Deputy Director

Health and Healthcare

Mei Mei Hu, United Neuroscience, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Elisha London, United for Global Mental Health, Chief Executive Officer

Jeffrey Lu, Engine Biosciences, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

Griffin R. Myers, Oak Street Health, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer

Chinny Ogunro, Africa Health Holdings, Managing Director

Fredros Okumu, Ifakara Health Institute, IHI, Director of Science

Tara Singh Vachani, Antara Senior Living, Chief Executive Officer

Wan Nadiah Wan Mohd Abdullah Yaakob, TMC Life Sciences Berhad, Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer

Information Technology

Niklas Adalberth, Stiftelsen Norrsken Foundation Founder

Aurélie Adam Soule, Government of the Republic of Benin Minister of Digital Economy and Communications

Kate Brandt, Google Inc., Sustainability Officer

Jesús Cepeda, OneSmart City, Chief Executive Officer

Tianshi Chen, Cambricon Technologies Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Hyungu Dave Cho, Classting, Chief Executive Officer

Komal Dadlani, Lab4U, Chief Executive Officer

Gaurav Gupta, Zomato Co-Founder

Tunde Kehinde, Lidya Founder

Kristo Kaarmann, TransferWise, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Veronika Linardi, Qerja, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Fang Miranda Qu, Xingyin Information Technology (Shanghai) Co, Founder

Akshay Naheta, SoftBank Group, Managing Partner

Akiko Naka, Wantedly, Chief Executive Officer

Katsuya Uenoyama, PKSHA Technology, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Yasui Yoshiki, Advisor, New Industrial Structure Committee, Japan

Infrastructure and Urban Development

Bernardo Asuaje, Grupo Attia (Colombia), Co-Founder and Managing Director

Stephanie Lo, Shui On Land, Executive Director

Investment

Sarah Chen, The Billion Dollar Fund for Women, Co-Founder and Managing Partner

Noor Sweid, Global Ventures, General Partner

Insurance and Asset Management

Pamela Chan, BlackRock Inc., Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of BlackRock Alternative Solutions

Ludovic Subran, Allianz SE, Head of Macroeconomic Research

Nicole Vogrin, The Western Union Company Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer

Media Entertainment and Information

Johana Bahamon, Fundación Acción Interna, Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Jack Conte, Patreon Founder

JR, Artist

Larry Madowo, BBC News Africa Business Editor

Mayur Patel, Kwesé iflix, Chief Executive Officer

Megan Rapinoe, United States Women's National Team, Captain

Byju Raveendran, Byju Classes, Founder

Atika Rehman, Dawn.com, Managing Editor

Veronica Ruiz del Vizo, Mashup Interactive Agency Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer

Kabir Sehgal, Music for Tomorrow Productions, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Sally Shin, CNBC San Francisco Bureau Chief

Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York, Photographer

Elisa Vegas, Fundación Orquesta Sinfónica Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho, Artistic Director – Orchestral Conductor

Nancie Zhu, Phoenix Satellite Television Co., Anchor

Mining and Metals

Vivek Salgaocar, Vimson Group Director

Private Investors

Jason Camm, Thiel Capital, LLC Managing Director and Chief Medical Officer

Joelle Faulkner, PI-Private Investors Area One Farms, President and Chief Executive Officer

Karen Karniol-Tambour, Bridgewater Associates LP Head, Investment Research

Professional Services

Jin He, Maimai, Co-Founder and Vice-President

Jukay Hsu, Pursuit, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

David Ikkersheim, KPMG, International Cooperative Partner

Gabriel Marcolongo, Incluyeme.com, Chief Executive Officer

Swapan Mehra, Iora Ecological Solutions, Chief Executive Officer

Bhavin Shah, Deloitte, Partner Middle East Financial Services Industry Leader

Susana Sierra, BH Compliance Partner and Executive Director

Anahita Thoms, international trade partner, Baker McKenzie

Weiwei Xing, Bain & Company, Partner

Retail, Consumer Goods and Lifestyle

Stacey Tank, The Home Depot Vice-President, Corporate Communications and Global Affairs

Raya Yusuf-Sbitany, Derma Beauty Lab, Mineraline Chief Executive Officer

Fabio Ziemssen, Metro/ NX-FOOD, Director Food Innovation

Notes to Editors

Find information about the YGLs on https://wef.ch/ygl20

Read the Forum Agenda at http://wef.ch/agenda

Become a fan of the Forum on Facebook at http://wef.ch/facebook

Watch our videos at http://wef.ch/video

Follow the Forum on Twitter via @wef and @davos, and join the conversation using #YGL20

Follow the Forum on Instagram at http://wef.ch/instagram

Follow the Forum on LinkedIn at http://wef.ch/linkedin

Learn about the Forum’s impact on http://wef.ch/impact

Subscribe to Forum news releases at http://wef.ch/news

All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas.

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