Steward Leadership Summit 2023

Mr Rajeev Peshawaria

CEO, Stewardship Asia Centre

Rejecting platitudes and theoretical models, Rajeev combines 22 years of global Fortune 100 experience with research-based insights to provide unique and practical approaches to personal leadership, ethics, governance, sustainable business growth, and stewardship. A sought-after speaker and consultant, he is the CEO of Stewardship Asia Center, Singapore, and President of Leadership Energy Consulting, Seattle, WA, USA.

Author of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestseller Open Source Leadership (McGraw Hill), Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders (Simon & Schuster), Sustainable Sustainability (Penguin Random House), co-author of Be the Change (McGraw Hill) and a regular contributor for Forbes, he constantly challenges conventional wisdom on leadership, management, stewardship, sustainability, and corporate governance.  He has pioneered unique practical concepts such as Leadership Energy and Emotional Integrity for personal growth, the Brains-Bones-Nerves model for enterprise leadership, and the Steward Leadership model for driving sustainable business growth in the 21st century.

Rajeev is a high-energy, inspirational speaker who provides coaching, consulting and advisory services to corporate and public sector clients globally. He also serves as guest faculty at leading US, Europe and Asia business schools.  He has been widely featured in international media such as CNN, Bloomberg TV & Radio, National Public Radio, Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Fast Company, Leader to Leader, American Management Association magazine, Leadership Excellence magazine, The Times of India, The Straits Times, Business Times, and many more.

Before joining SAC and starting LEC, he was the CEO of the Iclif Leadership & Governance Centre.  He was formerly the Chief Learning Officer of Coca-Cola and Morgan Stanley and has also held senior positions at American Express, HSBC, and Goldman Sachs. At Goldman, Rajeev helped found Pine Street − the firm’s acclaimed leadership academy − and headed Pine Street for Europe and Asia. In his early career, he was a banker and currency trader.

In 2014 and 2017, he was named one of the Top 100 Global Thought Leaders for Trustworthy Business by ‘Trust Across America.’  

A few of Rajeev’s videos and articles can be found on the links below:

1. CNBC Interview
2. Overview
3. Interview on CNN’s Quest Means Business
4. Forbes Article: Will G Save Us from E and S Challenges
5. TED Talk
6. TED Talk

Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara

Executive Director & CEO, Temasek

Dr Vinika D. Rao

Executive Director, INSEAD Emerging Markets Institute, Gender Initiative & Africa Initiative; Asia Director, INSEAD Hoffmann Global Institute for Business & Society

Dr Vinika D. Rao is Executive Director, INSEAD Africa Initiative & Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society, Asia. She is also Adjunct Professor, Singapore Management University. She sits on several Boards and Advisory Boards, including TiE Singapore, European Women on Boards, LiveWithAI, Nine by 9, and Hearth Ventures. She advises & trains global organizations on Diversity & Inclusion and Sustainability initiatives. She is also Ambassador, Power Women of India; International Advisory Committee, Mody University for Women & SP Jain Return to Work Programme; Ambassador, She2030 (Europe) and Advisory Council, Board MatchUp (Asia).

Vinika’s research is in diversity & inclusion in leadership, allyship and inter-generational influences on the future of work. She is frequently invited to speak on related topics and is quoted/ published in leading business publications. She started her career with an MNC bank and went on to become Managing Director of an Asian conglomerate, before making a serendipitous transition to education. Prior to joining INSEAD she was Associate Professor of Strategy at S.P. Jain School of Global Management. She has taught MBA, EMBA and UG students and conducted specialised programmes for corporate clients. She is an alumna of INSEAD (International Directors Programme), Singapore Management University (DBA, award-winning doctorate in leadership diversity), IIM Bangalore (MBA), and has completed various business management programs at INSEAD and CEIBS.

Vinika believes that business has the potential to be a force for good, led by managers who value social impact and are committed to the UN Sustainability Development Goals. She is passionate about supporting women managers to make fulfilling work-life decisions, aiming to do this through active sponsorship rather than mentorship alone. She strives to engage all genders in the effort to foster DEI in their organizations and communities. 

Prof Ilian Mihov

Director, Stewardship Asia Centre; Professor of Economics, Visiting Scholar, Stanford University GSB; Former Dean, INSEAD

Professor Mihov is the longest serving Dean at INSEAD and will be stepping down in August 2023 after completing two successful five-year terms. During his ten years in the role, he has overseen a remarkable period of transformation for the school, which has included the expansion of the Singapore campus, the opening of a San Francisco outpost in 2020 and the launch of a new Master’s in Management program in 2019. INSEAD has been ranked number 1 three times by the Financial Times for its MBA programme during this decade and the school has also become the second largest provider of Executive Education courses in the world.

An advocate of the potential of business to act as a force for good, he was the founding Academic Director of the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society, which was launched in 2018, and was the Chair of the Board at the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a United Nations Global Compact initiative from 2020-2023. Professor Mihov has also continued the tradition of championing diversity at INSEAD. During his deanship the number of female faculty increased by 80%, the MBA programme reached a record 38% female intake in 2022 and the school recently achieved a gender balanced board as part of the commitments made when INSEAD became a HeForShe champion in 2022.

Professor Mihov is concurrently the Rausing Chaired Professor of Economic and Business Transformation. His expertise is in macroeconomics with a focus on monetary policy, fiscal policy and economic growth. He joined INSEAD in 1996 and has taught macroeconomics and econometrics in the MBA, EMBA, PhD and for many executive education programmes. He has been recognised several times with the Outstanding Teacher Award.

He holds a PhD from Princeton University and a BSc in business administration from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. In 2018, he received the UN Women (Singapore Chapter) HeForShe Leader Award for his outstanding service and contributions towards gender equality at INSEAD. Professor Mihov is on the Stewardship Asia Centre (SAC) board of directors and sits on the advisory panel of the Home Team Academy (Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore). He was also formerly a board member of the American School of Singapore and Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

Ms Khim Yin Poh

Global Lead Lifebuoy, Unilever

Khim Yin is a proud Singaporean, and her career spans over two decades. Today, Khim Yin is the global lead for Lifebuoy, which is the 4th most consumed brand in the world according to Kantar. Khim Yin's primary role is to craft purposeful, sustainable brand marketing strategies that perform and drive growth.

Within Unilever, she is known for being a fearless female leader, creating long-term strategies to improve the planet and communities. She has led the team on Telehealth, which saw the brand provide access to healthcare to millions, particularly in Asia. The brand's telehealth partnerships have helped democratise healthcare in the region and helped nearly 30million people during the height of the pandemic. Today her focus is on ensuring sustainability and behaviour change programs remain a priority for the brand.

Khim Yin is responsible for the award-winning campaign called H for Handwashing which helps educate audiences on the importance of handwashing and reached millions of educators and children in 2021.

She believes in the power of collaboration, nurturing Asian talent and purpose for business impact. Outside of work, she can be found working on a significant home renovation project whilst also helping her kids with homework.

Ms Sandra Suppa

Head of Corporate Communications, Faber-Castell AG

Sandra Suppa is an accomplished professional and visionary leader in global corporate communications and journalism. Throughout her career, she has strategically guided international family-owned and brand-name companies in the consumer and luxury goods industry to build a value-driven reputation. For Condé Nast Germany and other renowned publishing houses, she researched and wrote as an editor and freelance writer on groundbreaking developments in the fields of medicine, nutrition, cosmetics and on a wide range of social and health issues. Since 1999, Sandra Suppa has headed the corporate communications department of Faber-Castell, the world's largest producer of writing instruments. With her unwavering commitment to sustainability, Sandra has played a central role in establishing FaberCastell as one of the thought leaders in the field of CSR and environmental responsibility. In 2023, Sandra Suppa represented the company as a delegate at the United Nations in New York.

Sandra Suppa is convinced that "leadership in sustainability means being a catalyst for change and inspiring others to act". For her, the company’s transparency and the ability to engage are prerequisites for the authenticity and credibility of a brand. In order to be sustainably successful, it takes long-term thinking, "staying power", and the vivid commitment of all stakeholders.

Ms Lucita Jasmin

Director for Sustainability & External Affairs, APRIL Group

Lucita Jasmin is the Director for Sustainability and External Affairs at APRIL Group where she leads the advancement and implementation of APRIL’s sustainability commitments, policy and programmes, including stakeholder engagement and communications.

Lucita has a global base of expertise in strategic and corporate communications in the intergovernmental and private sectors. She has led cross-cultural teams providing communications counsel to senior leadership, strategised and executed advocacy initiatives and campaigns, led stakeholder outreach programmes on sustainability agendas and mobilised partners networks. Prior to her current role at APRIL, Lucita served at the United Nations Environment Program headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya where she led strategy development, planning and execution of global communication programs and campaigns focused on resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production.

Under her stewardship, APRIL launched its APRIL2030 commitments and targets in November 2020. APRIL2030’s 18 measurable science-based targets span four commitment areas – Climate Positive, Thriving Landscapes, Inclusive Progress and Sustainable Growth – reflecting global sustainability imperatives, national sustainable development goals, as well as building on the company’s Sustainable Forest Management Policy 2.0.

The rigourous process to defining APRIL’s APRIL2030 commitments and targets were highlighted in the 12th United Nations Global Compact-Accenture CEO Study that was published earlier this year and APRIL was also recognized at the 2022 Singapore Apex Corporate Sustainability Awards held by Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS). APRIL was one of three winners in the Sustainable Business category, acknowledging the company’s progress in implementing its APRIL2030 commitments and excellence in embodying the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of environment, human rights, labour and anti-corruption.

About APRIL Group: Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd (APRIL), or APRIL Group, is one of the leading organisations in the forest products sector, offering a range of bio-based fibre products with sustainable forestry plantations and manufacturing operations in Sumatra, Indonesia. Please visit https://www.aprilasia.com/en/ for more information.

Mr Shai Ganu

Managing Director; Global Leader – Executive Compensation & Board Advisory

Shai Ganu is passionate about embedding ESG priorities, building better boards, combating climate change, and driving behavioural change through innovative incentives and human capital governance.

Shai is the Global Leader for WTW’s Executive Compensation & Board Advisory business. He leads a team of over 500 exceptional consultants, across 40 countries, who are trusted advisors to clients on issues related to board and executive compensation, performance management and incentives, board effectiveness, organisation design, culture transformation, and human-capital governance.

Based in Singapore, Shai has extensive experience working closely with the Boards and management teams of some of the largest companies in Asia Pacific and globally. He is a trusted advisor to more than a hundred Boards, Remuneration Committees, Nomination Committees, and Sustainability Committees.

Shai is a member of the Governing Board of the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) and chairs its ESG Committee. He is faculty member at NED associations in the region – and teaches courses related on Remuneration, Nomination, Talent Management, and ESG matters.

He also serves on the boards of leading companies and not-for-profits in the region and chairs the HR and Compensation committees. He is a member of the Global Governing Board of Climate Governance Initiative (CGI); and is a co-founding member of the Singapore chapter and ASEAN network. He was recently inducted into the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Climate Governance Global Community of Experts.

Mr Lim Boon Heng

Chairman, Temasek Holdings

Mr Lim Boon Heng was appointed Chairman of Temasek Holdings on 1 August 2013, after having served as its Director since 1 June 2012.

Mr Lim is the Chairman of NTUC Enterprise Co-operative Ltd. He was previously a Cabinet Minister within the Prime Minister's Office. Mr Lim’s career spans the private and public sectors, having led Singapore’s National Trade Union Congress, and having served as a Member of Parliament (1980 to 2011) and Cabinet Minister for Trade and Industry. Before entering the public sector, Mr Lim spent a decade at NOL (Neptune Orient Lines).

Mr Lim holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Naval Architecture from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.

Mr Teymoor Nabili

Journalist

Teymoor Nabili is a veteran international journalist and broadcaster, based in Singapore. Over a 30-year career he has anchored, reported and produced news and programmes for the BBC, Al Jazeera, CNBC, CNN and Channel News Asia.

His present activities include anchoring news on CNBC and a media consulting for the Asian Development Bank. He has covered major international events like, 9/11, the Asian tsunami, the Arab Spring, the Japan earthquake and nuclear meltdown, the Thailand riots and the Iran Presidential election of 2009. Teymoor was awarded the “Best News Presenter” at the Asian Television Awards in 2006, and shared the award for “Best News Story (Sports)” from the Royal Television Society in 2000.

Mr Mauro Porcini

Senior Vice President and Global Chief Design Officer, PepsiCo

Mauro Porcini is PepsiCo's first ever Chief Design Officer. He joined the corporation in 2012 and in said role he is infusing design thinking into PepsiCo’s culture and is leading a new approach to innovation by design that impacts the company’s product platforms and brands.  His focus extends from physical to virtual expressions of the brands, including product, packaging, events, advertising, fashion and art collaborations, retail activation, architecture, and digital media.

Mauro is the host of his own successful video podcast “In your shoes - with Mauro Porcini” on Apple podcast, Spotify and YouTube, where he interviews inspiring personalities from the creative community worldwide. Since 2020, he has been a presenter and judge on the TV show New York by Design and America by Design, airing on CBS and Amazon Prime Video.

In the fall of 2022, Mauro published his first book in English, The Human Side of Innovation. The Power of People in Love with People (Berrett-Koehler), which focuses on innovation, design and leadership. The book was named a Gold Winner of the Better Future – New York Design Award the month of its publication. In the spring of 2021, he published his first book in Italian L’età dell’eccellenza – Come innovazione e creatività possono costruire un mondo migliore (Il Saggiatore). It is now in its fifth reprint.

Prior to joining PepsiCo, Mauro served as the first ever Chief Design Officer at 3M, where his mission was to build and nurture a design sensitive culture in a technology driven global corporation.  His teams, based in the U.S., Italy, China and Japan, won many of the world’s most prestigious design and innovation awards. Mauro began his professional career at Philips Design and then created his own design firm, Wisemad Srl, in Italy with the celebrated entertainment producer and music star Claudio Cecchetto. His work on wearable technologies has been showcased at the Louvre in Paris as well as the Seoul Art Center.

Over the years he has been on the board of directors for several organizations. Currently, he is the President of the Politecnico of Milan Foundation in the United States (Fellows of Politecnico), sits on the board of directors of the Design Management Institute, and on the advisory council of other design, art, innovation and business institutions. 

Dr Christine Chow

Managing Director, Active Ownership Credit Suisse Asset Management; Vice Chairperson of the Board, International Corporate Governance Network

Throughout her 26-year investment career, she has been specializing in technology and sustainability. Her PhD thesis on responsible investment was short-listed for a United Nations award in Sweden for industry relevance and academic excellence. She is a board member of the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), an organization led by investors responsible for assets under management in excess of US$ 77 trillion from over 40 countries and territories. She was appointed an honorary adviser to the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council (AFRC) Hong Kong in 2021, and the Convenor (Chair) of the AFRC Sustainability and Climate Action Task Force (SCATF) in 2022.

She is an Emeritus Governor of the London School of Economics (LSE), following the completion of her six-year term as a Member of Court and Investment Committee. She was a member in the Data Governance Task Force of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Artificial Intelligence; and an Adjunct Professor in Finance at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where she established the first tri-modal graduate course on social entrepreneurship and impact investing, supported by funds from family foundation and the Hong Kong government. She was named top 30 Inspirational Women in the City of London in 2019; Investment Management Leader of the Year (Asia), Finance Monthly Women in Finance in 2021; and the Sustainable and ESG Investment Woman of the Year, Women in Investment Award (large firms) of InvestmentWeek in 2022. Christine is a graduate of the London School of Economics and the University of Melbourne. She completed an executive education course on financial engineering at Stanford University.

Prior to joining Credit Suisse, she was the Global Head of Stewardship at HSBC Asset Management and a board member of HSBC Asset Management UK Limited. She previously worked at asset managers such as Federated Hermes and Schroders.

Ms Ilaria Chan

Chairperson, Tech For Good Institute

Ilaria Chan is the Chairperson of the Board at the Tech For Good Institute, a non-profit founded by Grab (Southeast Asia's leading superapp), to encourage and enrich dialogue on social, economic, and policy trends accelerated by the digital economy. She also serves as the Group Advisor on Tech & Social Impact for Grab, focusing on advancing diplomacy, thought leadership and social impact reach for the Technology Decacorn startup.

Prior to assuming this role, she served as a Corporate Finance executive and helped drive Grab's historical Series H fundraise - the largest in the history of Southeast Asia. Ilaria was formerly an Executive Director at the Sales & Trading division of Goldman Sachs New York where she was a top quartile performer at the bank, focusing on Asia Equities.

She is currently a global keynote speaker, a private investor, serves on the Board of Trustees of humanitarian organizations CareForChildren and Emancipaction, an Operating Advisor to Owl Ventures (largest Education Tech focused venture capital fund in the world), an advisory committee member to GlobalSF's Women Empowerment Initiative, and serves on the advisory board of British real estate development firm Kinrise.

Ilaria holds a B.A. from Stanford University. She is also a freelance singer, concert pianist, food critic & restaurant judge, culinary school graduate, actress in musicals & plays and an avid scuba diver.

Dr Jasmine Begum

Regional Director, Legal & Government Affairs, Microsoft ASEAN & New Markets

Jasmine, based in Kuala Lumpur, leads Microsoft's Corporate External and Legal Afairs for the ASEAN region and emerging markets. With over 27 years of award-winning experience, she brings extensive expertise in legal, policy, regulatory engagement, and communications. Prior to Microsoft, Jasmine held leadership positions at Dell, the UNDP, and the United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary-General in New York.

She has made significant milestones in her career, including being appointed as the first Malaysian member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Her remarkable achievements have also earned her prestigious accolades such as the inaugural WIM's Tan Sri Napsiah Omar Women Leaders Award and the Global Leadership Award for ICT Excellence. These honors recognize her exceptional contributions to advancing policies on accessibility and promoting women in the field of technology.

Jasmine holds a double degree in Law from the International Islamic University in Kuala Lumpur, pursued post-graduate studies in the UK, and earned a Ph.D. in business and human rights. With admission to practice law in Malaysia and UK, she is currently an Adjunct Professor at the UNITAR International University and has received an Honorary Doctorate for her outstanding leadership and contributions in Public Policy and Governance.

Mr Jaime Ho

Editor of The Straits Times, SPH Media

Jaime is the Editor of The Straits Times, where he is responsible for all aspects of the newsroom's operations and growth.

Before joining SPH Media Group in October 2022, Jaime’s career had spanned more than 25 years across journalism and the Singapore civil service. He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs between 1997 to 2013, overseeing issues such as bilateral relations with Europe and climate change, while also serving in Washington, D.C. and Geneva.

Jaime joined Mediacorp in 2013 as Associate Editor before becoming Deputy Chief Editor. He was appointed Chief Editor of CNA Digital in January 2016, a role he held until April 2022. Under his leadership, the team successfully navigated a period of significant audience growth, and the platform won several accolades. Jaime also wrote extensively at Mediacorp and fronted several broadcast events for CNA.

From June to October 2022, Jaime was also a Partner at FGS Global, a global strategic advisory, where he led its Singapore office and its operations locally and regionally.

Jaime graduated from the National University of Singapore with a BA (Hons) in 1997, and also holds a Master in Public Management from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2006.

Mr Chavalit Frederick Tsao

Chairman, IMC Pan Asia Alliance

Chavalit Frederick Tsao is a fourth-generation steward of IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group, born in Hong Kong in 1957. Since becoming chairman in 1995, he has reformed his family's traditional shipping company into an investment holdings company, working with partners and governments across various markets and cultures for over four decades.

As the Chairman of the Council of Wisdom for the Family Business Network (FBN) International, the business reform initiatives guided by his stewardship include robust research in areas such as business transformation, leadership cultivation and succession planning to inspire family businesses and family offices to serve our shared humanity.

Chavalit has also authored 3 books, 'Dawn of An Era Of Well-being', 'Quantum Leadership' and 'One Choice, One World'. In his latest book, 'One Choice, One World', he shares the role of Quantum Leaders in shifting the consciousness in business and their impact in stewarding the new humanity. These books are part of his anthology of 40 books published under Octave.

Dr Veerathai Santiprabhob

Chairman of the Executive Board, Mae Fah Luang Foundation

Dr Santiprabhob currently serves as the Chairman of the Executive Board of Mae Fah Luang Foundation—a foundation that promotes social enterprises and sustainable development in Thailand and abroad. He also serves as Vice Chairperson of the board of Thailand Development Research Institute, a member of the oversight committee of the World Food Programme, and a board member of leading listed companies in Thailand.

Prior to this, he was the governor of the Bank of Thailand (2015-2020) and had steered rapid digital transformation of the Thai financial system.

Dr Santiprabhob has extensive expertise in macroeconomic policy and extensive financial sector experience. He has also been very active in civil society work to promote sustainability. He received his Ph.D and A.M. in Economics from Harvard University and B.A. in Economics (First Class Honors) from Thammasat University. 

Prof Arnoud De Meyer

Chairman, Stewardship Asia Centre

Professor De Meyer is a global academic leader with more than 35 years of experience in top academic institutions in Europe and Asia. Until December 2018, he served as President of Singapore Management University (SMU). Before joining SMU, Professor De Meyer was from 2006 until 2010 Director (Dean) of the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge.

Earlier on he was a faculty member at INSEAD and assumed several management positions, among others as founding dean of INSEAD’s Asia campus in Singapore. He has additionally been an Independent Director of various international companies and non-profit organisations. He is currently Independent Director of Viva Energy Pty Ltd, Banyan Tree Holdings Limited and upGrad Tech Pte Ltd.

Professor De Meyer is an internationally recognised researcher in the areas of Research & Development and Innovation Management, Manufacturing Strategy and International Management. He has published more than 100 academic articles and 12 books. His most recent books are “Ecosystem Edge: Sustaining Competitiveness in the Face of Disruption” (Stanford Business Press) and “Building Excellence in Higher Education: Singapore’s Experience” (Routledge).