190 young leaders from 65 countries are honoured for their outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments and commitment to socie.
Of the selected young leaders, 50 are from East Asia
Young Global Leaders are selected from a variety of sectors, such as business, government, academia, media, non-profit and arts and culture from all regions of the world
Young Global Leaders engage in task forces that address specific challenges of public interest with the objective of shaping a better future
Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum has announced its Young Global Leaders (YGLs) for 2011. The honour, bestowed each year by the Forum, recognizes and acknowledges up to 200 outstanding young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
For 2011, the Forum has selected 190 Young Global Leaders from 65 countries and all stakeholders of society (business, civil society, social entrepreneurs, politics and government, arts and culture, and opinion and media). The new class represents all regions: East Asia (50), South Asia (18), Europe (42), Middle East and North Africa (13), sub-Saharan Africa (14), North America (37) and Latin America (16). This year’s selection has more gender parity than ever, with 44% women.
"The challenges faced by the next generation of leaders are more daunting and intractable than ever and cannot be mastered with the current set of strategies, institutions, standards and attitudes. To address these challenges in a meaningful and sustainable way requires fresh thinking, multistakeholder engagement and dynamic new ways of collaborating to develop innovative solutions that are truly global. Recognizing this need, in 2004, I created the foremost platform for young leaders to engage in global affairs to shape a more positive, peaceful and prosperous society. Within the World Economic Forum community, the Young Global Leaders represent the voice for the future and the hopes of the next generation. I am particularly proud of this year's honourees who make up the most diverse class of YGLs ever," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.
Drawn from a pool of almost 5,000 candidates, the Young Global Leaders 2011 were chosen by a selection committee, chaired by H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and comprised of respected international leaders from business, government and media.
The Young Global Leaders 2011 reflect different kinds of leadership in different parts of the world and different parts of society. Those from East Asia include Chew Seow-Chien, Partner, Bain & Company SE Asia, Singapore; Kala Mulqueeny, Senior Counsel, Asian Development Bank, Australia/Philippines; Naoko Yamazaki, Astronaut, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan; Pan Haidong, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Hudong.com, People’s Republic of China; Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Executive Officer, Gree.jp, Japan; and Zhou Xun, Actress, People’s Republic of China.
“I was delighted to be selected as a Young Global Leader. I look forward with eager anticipation to meeting the other honourees – to be inspired by their contributions to society and to learn from their extraordinary experiences. It will be a great privilege to be in the company of so many who have made a difference to our world”, says David Hill, Partner, Deloitte, Australia. Another recently selected YGL, Kanae Doi, Director, Human Rights Watch, Japan, explains her reaction to becoming a Young Global Leader as follows: “As a long-time human rights activist, I believe my nomination represents the aspiration that human rights must be our top global priority, including in Asia. I will use this opportunity to discuss with other young leaders how our generation can convince current global leaders to ensure, beyond the usual rhetoric, basic human rights and dignity for all”.
A third honouree, Mitchell Pham, Co-Founder and Director, Augen Technology, New Zealand, explains his excitement as follows; "Being honoured as a Young Global Leader has made my life journey seem even more surreal: starting with my childhood in Vietnam, through refugee camps in Indonesia, to a new home in New Zealand and finally into the business and social environmental work that I do today in the Asia-Pacific region. I feel even more energized and look forward to connecting with and working alongside others in the Forum."
The 2011 honourees will become part of the broader Forum of Young Global Leaders community that currently comprises 668 outstanding individuals. The YGLs convene at an annual summit which this year will be held in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, on 12-16 September 2011. Young Global Leaders are actively engaged in the community, integrating into events organized by the World Economic Forum, holding events of their own as well as launching and leading a number of innovative initiatives and impactful task forces. See www.redesignourworld.com for the latest list of YGL initiatives. These activities enable YGLs to learn from each other, and with each other, to build knowledge and engender a better understanding of global challenges and trends, risks and opportunities, as well as to further enhance their unique role as leaders within their own organizations, the World Economic Forum and the broader global community.
"The YGL community is a fountain of inspiration. I often find myself standing back in awe and admiration for my fellow YGLs who not only work hard to better themselves, but better the lives of the people around them and the global community,” says Ellana Lee (YGL 2008), Managing Editor Asia Pacific, CNN International, Hong Kong.
"We are very pleased to welcome the new cohort of Young Global Leaders into our community and encourage them to embrace the opportunity fully. The YGL community helps its members make the transition (as one YGL told me) ‘from success to significance' and strives to move from a collection of successful individuals to a community of collective impact. YGLs hold each other accountable to a higher standard of global leadership in their professional and personal lives, so it really is about making the world a better place, one leader at a time," said David Aikman, Head of The Forum of Young Global Leaders.
