Dhun is Chief of Programmes and Deputy CEO at AVPN where she leads Thematic Platforms (Climate, Gender, Health and Nutrition) and Capital Mobilisation. As a member of the leadership team, Dhun supports AVPN’s overall strategic direction developing and implementing organisational strategies to maximise impact.
Dhun is a recognised expert and thought leader in impact and philanthropy and has held several leadership positions in the past including as CEO, COO, and board member. Prior to joining AVPN, she was at UBS as the Head of Social Impact & Philanthropy for Asia-Pacific and Head of Social Finance, and she was a member of the management team for the bank’s foundation network - the UBS Optimus Foundation. Dhun has spearheaded several first-of-a-kind programs in education including development impact bonds, innovative finance mechanisms and a blended finance fund.
Dhun holds degrees in Economics and Development and is a strong proponent of impact economy.

Claudia Zeisberger is a Professor at INSEAD and one of the most well-connected figures in the private capital space, with over 35 years of experience in financial markets. She founded INSEAD’s Global Private Equity Initiative (GPEI), shaping the school’s global reputation in private equity and venture capital, and has been widely recognized for her teaching excellence, winning INSEAD’s Best Teaching Award for her Private Equity elective three years in a row.
An active investor across startups, private equity, and venture funds, Claudia also advises boards, leadership teams, and governments, often describing herself as a “Professional Devil’s Advocate.” She serves on advisory boards including Standard Chartered Ventures, Linzor Capital, Kaizenvest, and S4Learning, and is a founding member of KKR’s Sustainability Expert Advisory Council.
Claudia is also the founder of 5 Quadrants, a research and risk advisory firm, and the author of the best-selling book Mastering Private Equity. A sought-after speaker at the intersection of finance, innovation, and risk, she brings seasoned judgment, candour, and a global perspective to every platform she engages with.

Roisin Pelley is Chief Partnerships Officer at Leverage, a leading tech-driven marketplace that connects young adults from 15 emerging markets to higher education and early career opportunities worldwide. She leads global strategic partnerships, identifying new study destinations for students and working with universities to drive high-quality international recruitment. Based in London, Roisin brings 15 years of experience across education, technology, and international expansion, including roles with AWS, Pearson, and Parthenon-EY. She holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Bachelor's of Science from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Raman is the CEO of Octava Foundation ,where she stewards foundation’s investment in Education, Technology in Education and Social Innovation. She’s spent over a decade, supporting social purpose organisations, social innovators, philanthropic institutions and individuals become effective and evidence informed in solving for complex inequity challenges in learning and livelihoods across diverse contexts. Amongst other appointments, Raman is the Chair , for Steering Committee of the International Education Funders Group, and Board Director at Ideas Academy. Before joining Octava Foundation, Raman led Lorinet Foundation as Executive Director.
She is a passionate advocate of collective impact, and firmly believes in the potential of building shared purpose amongst private, public and social development actors to solve complex societal and systemic challenges.
Raman holds an MBA and BA in Commerce and Accounting, and has lived in Singapore, United Kingdom and India.

Mike Michalec is the Founder and Managing Director of EdTech Group, a leading education market intelligence, business development, and research consultancy focused on emerging markets across Asia and the Middle East. With nearly 20 years of experience in education, technology, and international development, he has supported investors, businesses, and governments in scaling impactful education and skills solutions. His work bridges the public and private sectors, with expertise in evidence-based EdTech, education investment, and workforce development. Mike is recognized for his insights into the role of AI in education innovation and for his commitment to advancing sustainable human capital development across the region.
He holds a Master of Education degree from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado.

Devi Sahny, CEO and Founder of two ed-tech companies The Edge and Ascend Now, is on a mission to democratise entrepreneurship and life skills for students aged 6-18.  Her mission is to help students become future-ready by equipping them with the right toolkit of skills that will help them thrive in an uncertain future. Her curriculum supports 270+ schools till date and thousands of students. Prior to starting her businesses 8 years ago, Devi was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in the M&A group for three years, which is where I met her. Currently, she serves on the Board of Governors of several international schools (Dukes Education and HIS International School), and is on the Board of Governors of Georgetown University (The Baratta Centre for Global Business founded by Joe Baratta).  At a young age of 31, she has accumulated accolades like Forbes 30 Under 30, Prestige 40 Under 40, and is the winner of a prestigious innovator award from Sequoia Capital called Spark Fellow. In addition to this, Devi is a TedXSpeaker (her Ted talk was about how students should have more autonomy and more of a say in what they learn) and a St Gallen Symposium Leader of Tomorrow.

Paul leads Save the Children Global Ventures, the dedicated, in-house team at Save the Children responsible for taking innovative finance and new technologies to scale.
He brings a unique mix of private sector, government and NGO experience to this initiative, including: as a corporate lawyer, founder of technology start-ups, adviser to two Australian Prime Ministers and CEO of Save the Children Australia.
At Save the Children Global Ventures, his mission is to re-imagine how the world funds and scales innovative solutions for children.

Ms Carina Lim is the Chief Executive Officer of Keppel Education Asset Funds and Managing Director of Keppel Fund Management Limited (KFM). She has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, having worked in investment, asset management, leasing, sales, and marketing before taking on her present role in January 2019.
Ms Lim joined Keppel in 2008 as Senior Manager and later assumed the role of Head of Asset Management in 2013, where she oversaw asset management in Asia Pacific for a series of closed-end private funds across different risk spectrums (including core, core-plus and value-add) and asset types. In KFM, she led the implementation of various asset strategies including asset optimization, development, refurbishment, ESG and other value-add initiatives for the funds and was instrumental in the successful transactions undertaken by the funds. To date, she has been involved in more than US$8 billion worth of transactions across key cities in Asia Pacific.
Prior to joining Keppel, she worked in the government sector as well as with large private developers in the areas of policies, leasing, marketing, investment and asset management.

Professor Winn boasts a distinguished career in higher education leadership and currently serves as Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor’s University, Malaysia. As the Vice-Chancellor of Sohar University in Oman from 2015 to 2022, Professor Winn led transformative efforts, resulting in a substantial growth of the student numbers, expansion of Masters programmes and the granting of PhD awarding powers. Prior to this he held key positions at renowned institutions, serving as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bradford and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Hull. Professor Winn's has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and has a been a reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency (UK) and the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA). He has served as external examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate programs as well as PhDs at various universities worldwide. He remains committed to driving higher quality university education appropriate for the digital age.

Dr. Vicki Phillips is CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), a global nonprofit that partners with countries, states, districts, and education leaders to design systems that meet the demands of a shifting economy while enriching civic life and expanding opportunity across generations. Under her guidance, NCEE translates global research into local impact, helping communities build education systems that are inclusive, future-fit, and rooted in the aspirations of the people they serve.
Her career spans classrooms, state capitals, and the global stage. From teacher to superintendent, policymaker to international advisor, she has led with a resolute belief in the extraordinary potential of every learner. Her work challenges conventional limits and invites bold thinking—mobilizing communities to design learning environments that are academically rigorous, human-centered, adaptive, and capable of preparing young people to thrive in a world defined by change.

Paul Blackstone is the Chief Executive Officer of SummitLearn, a leading management consultancy specializing in education across Greater Asia, the Middle East, and North America. With over two decades of leadership experience in the global education sector, he has guided organizations through growth strategies, international expansion, and operational transformation.
Previously, Paul served as CEO of Pearson Asia’s Wall Street English business in China, where he scaled the company from 10,000 to 65,000 students, growing it into one of Pearson’s fastest-expanding operations with over $250 million in annual sales and 3,500 employees. He has also held leadership roles in the U.S., Australia, and Argentina, contributing to the development of some of the earliest digital learning programs.
A regular speaker at global education forums including SXSW EDU, the EdTech Asia Summit, and the Global EdTech Awards, Paul brings a wealth of expertise in innovation, digital learning, and organizational strategy. He holds a BA in Economics from Flinders University and a CELTA in English language teaching

Phil Psilos is an Asia-based U.S. expert on economics, innovation, and human capital with more than 25 years leading evidence-based reforms and public–private partnerships in the U.S. and across the region. He most recently directed USAID’s Higher Education Development Support and Partnership for Higher Education Reform in Vietnam, advancing IR4.0 talent pipelines in semiconductors, AI, and digital transformation. Previously at FHI 360 and RTI International (the Research Triangle Institute), the National Governors’ Association, and Deloitte he led research and programs shaping policy and investments to strengthen university–industry linkages, innovation, U.S. community colleges, and workforce development, working with USAID, the World Bank, and the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, among others. Phil holds a BA from The Johns Hopkins University and a MSc with Distinction from the London School of Economics.

Nicholas Booker is the Co-Founder and CEO of IndoGenius and a leading expert on Indian higher education, research, and innovation. A British citizen with Overseas Citizenship of India, he has lived and worked in India since 2007, building extensive networks across government, academia, and industry. Through IndoGenius, he has delivered large-scale study abroad programs backed by the U.S., U.K., Australian, New Zealand, and Indian governments, engaging more than 1,700 students worldwide.
In addition to IndoGenius, Nicholas is the CEO of Realversity Technology, an AI-driven platform for student services and learning tools. He has partnered with institutions including the U.S. Department of State, British Council, European Commission, and dozens of universities to advance global education collaboration. A regular speaker at international conferences and campuses, he was also the lead instructor of the U.S. State Department’s Coursera course The Importance of India, completed by over 15,000 learners.
With more than 500,000 social media followers, Nicholas is a widely recognized commentator on India’s history, culture, innovation, and technology. He brings a unique perspective as both a practitioner and thought leader at the intersection of education, technology, and cross-border collaboration.

Mashael brings over two decades of experience in investment banking, financial advisory, and business development across the MENA region. A trusted and visionary leader, she is recognized for her strategic mindset, rigorous execution, and high ethical standards. Over her career, she has originated, negotiated, and closed complex transactions for private investors, family offices, institutional clients, and sovereign funds.
She is the founder of JEO Capital Management, a holding company overseeing a diversified portfolio across key sectors, and leads JEO Partners, a Central Bank of Bahrain–regulated firm raising capital for global education and healthcare funds. Mashael also chairs Safa, a Mumtalakat portfolio company and leading carbon-offset platform.
She serves on the boards of two international schools, driving initiatives to strengthen and elevate the education sector across the region. She holds degrees from Hult International Business School and the University of Strathclyde, with executive education at Harvard and London Business School.

Rishabh Khanna is the Founder and CEO of Suraasa and the International Teachers University, leading global efforts to transform teacher education and professional development. A visionary in the field, he has pioneered initiatives to develop national professional standards for teachers, implement large-scale skilling projects, and drive country-level education reforms.
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At the forefront of shaping the teacher workforce in the age of AI, Rishabh is redefining how educators are equipped with the skills, adaptability, and growth pathways needed to thrive in rapidly evolving classrooms. His work also extends to global teacher mobility, where he is creating pathways for educators to build international careers while ensuring their professional standards are globally recognized.

Driven by the belief that when teachers succeed, nations succeed, Rishabh continues to inspire policies, frameworks, and innovations that elevate teachers as catalysts of societal transformation in a changing world.

Dr. Avantika Tomar is a Partner and L&D Head for EY-Parthenon India, and she leads the Education sector practice. Avantika has strategy and organisational consulting experience in India, Australia, Saudi Arabia and UK. After 7+ years of living in Sydney and London, Avantika has recently relocated to India to follow her passion for the education sector - her focus areas are K-12 and Higher-education, and she has a personal ambition to support policy related transformation, especially in India, Middle East, South East Asia, and North Africa. Avantika is also a passionate academic with a focus on practical business learning and is currently Guest Professor at IIM Calcutta, Udaipur, Tiruchirappalli, Masters Union and BITSoM.
In the past, as a part of the Leadership Team, she was responsible for establishing and managing Mercer’s global Future of Work (FoW) solution focusing on establishing the practice in key markets (UK-Europe, China-Singapore-India, and US-Canada). She has extensive experience in business development, project delivery, driving internal collaboration and building stronger market presence across Financial Services, Public, Education, and Sports sectors.
Avantika is a two-time TEDx and keynote speaker and has presented on ‘Future of Work’ related topics at many notable global conferences including World Economic Forum’s industry conventions, Corporate Research Forum, Global Youth and Apprenticeship Networks, to name a few.

Dr. Michael Golden is a proven education leader committed to education reform. He brings expertise in the convergence of business, technology, and education. He leads Catalyst@PennGSE, an endeavor to design innovative practices and scale actionable solutions to advance opportunity for all learners. Prior, he co-founded Educurious, a non-profit corporation dedicated to motivating students to become purposeful and successful. Dr. Golden served as Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, where he set strategy, policy, programs, and legislation. He also served in senior executive positions at Pearson and Microsoft, directing the company’s global efforts in education. Dr. Golden holds an Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a B.A. from Williams College.

Shin Gee is passionate about creating lasting impact through education, sustainability and innovation.
With over 20 years of leadership experience in philanthropy and public service, she has a track record of translating strategy into meaningful impact. At Temasek Foundation, Shin Gee leads the Next Generation Programmes team, shaping initiatives that nurture future-ready learners and changemakers. Previously at Temasek Trust, Shin Gee steered strategy, mandates and impact, advancing sustainability and catalysing positive change across its ecosystem.
Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles as Chief Transformation Officer and Chief Learning Officer at the Land Transport Authority, and policy and industry development positions at the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance, and the Economic Development Board. Across these roles, she built and led strong teams to deliver transformative outcomes in complex systems.
Shin Gee has a Masters of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, a Masters of Science in Applied Finance from the Singapore Management University, and a Bachelors of Science in Economics from University College London.
At the heart of  her work is a commitment to building teams and communities where people and ideas can flourish.

Sheinal Bhuralal is the Co-founder of Agora Colearning, a vibrant community that goes beyond being a preschool, student care, or enrichment centre. Agora brings together physical spaces, programmes, and technology to empower families and help children learn, develop, and thrive, with parents staying connected every step of the way.
Previously, Sheinal served as Senior Portfolio Director at JG Digital Equity Ventures (JG DEV), the venture capital arm of JG Summit, where he led investments in fintech, supply chain, new retail, and e-commerce. His career spans leadership roles in financial services and fintech.
He holds an MBA from MIT (Sloan Fellow), a PGD in Finance from the London School of Economics, an M.Sc. in Chemistry from King’s College London, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Yvette Yeh Fung is the Chair of Yeh Family Philanthropy (YFP), a Hong Kong-based
family foundation dedicated to reimagining learning systems to unlock the potential of
youth through collaboration. YFP focuses on social-emotional learning in Hong Kong
and early childhood development in China, applying evidence-based global best
practices and innovative models to create lasting impact at scale. In 2024, YFP
became one of six founding funders of the China Early Childhood Development
Collaborative, Greater China’s first funders collective. Yvette’s leadership of YFP
builds on her family’s ethos, “to whom much is given, much is expected,” and reflects
her commitment to youth empowerment as a tribute to her father’s legacy.
Beyond her role at YFP, Yvette serves as a director at Yeh Capital International Ltd., a
family office, and contributes to the community through public service. Her past and
present roles include board and advisory roles at The Hong Kong University of Science
& Technology , The Education University of Hong Kong Foundation, Stanford Law
School, and Bai Xian Asia Institute. Yvette holds a B.A. and J.D. from Stanford
University and an M.B.A. from UCLA. She received an honorary fellowship from HKUST
in 2021.

Ratnesh Jha is the Institutional Products and ETS Solutions Global General Manager at ETS, overseeing TOEIC, TOEFL ITP and TOEFL Young Students. He also chairs Edusoft. With over 12 years of experience as a CEO in the Asia Pacific region, he has led companies like Burlington Group, Cambridge University Press and Assessment, and Wiz-learn. Ratnesh has also held senior roles at Telecom Private Banking, GE Capital, Citibank, and Cambridge University Press and Assessment. He holds degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University, the University of Cambridge, and an MBA from Kellogg Business School.

Mitsue Uemura is the Regional Education Adviser at UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok. She brings over 20 years of experience in international development and humanitarian education programming across Asia, the Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
Prior to her current role, Mitsue served as Chief of Education with UNICEF Myanmar and has held various education-focused positions with UNICEF in Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Viet Nam, Bhutan, and Ecuador. She also previously worked with the World Bank in Iraq.
A Japanese national, Mitsue holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from American University in Washington, D.C., and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Nihon University in Tokyo.

Steven Ehrenberg is the Project Director of Next Engineers, a global college and career readiness initiative implemented by FHI 360 and funded by the GE Aerospace Foundation through 2034. He has spent much of his 20-year development career directing and supporting programs that focus on the school-to-work transition, higher education, teacher education, education technology, workforce development, and civil society. He has worked in two dozen countries, including much of Southeast Asia, and his current interest is to replicate and scale STEM career pathway programs.
Dr. Ehrenberg received a B.A. from Williams College, an M.S. from the Columbia School of Journalism, and an Ed.D. from Teachers College Columbia University in International Educational Development, where he researched educational policy in post-conflict environments. He lives in Boston.

Esther is a corporate banker with more than 25 years of experience in the industry. Throughout her career, she has provided client coverage for corporates ranging from SMEs and mid-caps companies to large corporates across various sectors. Esther brings extensive experience in structuring solutions across a comprehensive suite of corporate banking products, along with corporate finance advisory expertise, particularly in leveraged acquisitions and buyouts.
She currently heads the Industrials and Services Industry Groups within DBS. Previously, Esther was a founding member of DBS Automotive Industry Group, established in 2016, where she oversaw the development of the Bank’s Greater China, North American and European automotive portfolios.
Esther holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore.

Tu Pham is the Founder & CEO of Prep, an EdTech company serving approximately 900,000 students and teachers worldwide, backed by leading global investors.
With a strong background in both entrepreneurship and education, Tu has built Prep into one of Vietnam’s leading EdTech companies, now expanding rapidly into Thailand, Indonesia, and other international markets. Through its AI-driven innovations, Prep is making high-quality language learning more affordable, efficient, and accessible for learners everywhere. Tu holds a PhD and two UK master’s degrees, and is a frequent speaker at British Council events.

Swati is the Country Director for Khan Academy India. Swati has 30 yrs of diverse experience in for-profit and not-for-profit across several countries in South Asia, Far-East, China, and India, and in the US for 11 yrs. Prior to Khan Academy she has served as the COO for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation India office, set up a grad school, Indian School of Public Policy, advised startups including in EdTech, and servs on boards of educational institutions. She has worked for McKinsey, Sleep Number, SYSCO, Schneider Electric, and with Schlumberger as a field engineer on oil-rigs. Swati is an engineer by training from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and an MBA from Chicago Booth

Vikas is the Chief Impact Investing and Blended Finance Officer at AVPN, where he leads the organization’s strategy in advancing impact investing across its four focus areas: climate action, gender equality, youth, and health. With over 30 years in banking, including 25 years at Deutsche Bank, he brings deep expertise in strategic leadership and partnerships. A regular speaker on impact investing, Vikas has presented at more than 15 global events in the past year. He holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Organisation & Leadership for Social Change from SUSS and serves as a pro bono Independent Board Director with Heartware Network.

Ivan Kwong (Singapore) joined KKR in 2017 and is a member of the Global Impact team. He currently serves on the boards of PHINMA Education, Education Perfect and EQuest, and has also been involved in the firm’s investments in GreenCollar, PropertyGuru, First Gen Corporation and 800 Super. Prior to joining KKR, he worked in the investment banking division of UBS in Sydney and Bain & Company in Sydney and Singapore. He received a Bachelor of Engineering (Aeronautical) (Space) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney (with the University Medal) and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (Palmer Scholar).

Prior to launching Varthana Finance Private Limited, Steve was a Senior Managing Director at Gray Ghost Ventures, which invests in early-stage social purpose businesses. There, he conceptualized and incubated the Indian School Finance Company. Steve began his career working with ‘at-risk youth’ and ‘marginalized communities’ in Los Angeles while in university. He later worked with a community foundation in Mexico, where he launched his own successful microfinance institution. After seven years in Mexico, he pursued an MBA at the prestigious Haas Business School at the University of California, Berkeley, to strengthen his entrepreneurial and investment skills. He then joined the nascent impact investment community as one of the first Investment Managers at Omidyar Network’s “Financial Inclusion” initiative, before joining Gray Ghost Ventures. In 2012, Steve left Gray Ghost and moved from the US to India to set up Varthana.

Rob is an international ESG specialist with over 30 years of experience supporting financial institutions and the private sector worldwide. Trained as an ecologist and an agricultural advisor, he focuses on designing and financing nature-based solutions to address climate change and biodiversity loss. A former leader of PwC’s Southeast Asia Sustainability and Climate Change practice, Rob co-founded the Indonesian Association of Low Carbon Business and the UK nonprofit Pure Leapfrog. He is also a renowned trainer, having co-developed training materials used by the World Bank for the rollout of its global Environmental and Social Framework.

Kitty is an impact-driven leader passionate about catalysing system transitions towards achieving net-zero economies at scale. As Vice President, Asia ex-India at GEAPP, Kitty leads a team in identifying and executing opportunities to catalyse investment in critical solutions to decarbonizing the region. Kitty draws on her extensive experience in the private sector and working at the nexus of business, policy and finance to enable disruptive technologies and business models to thrive. Prior to joining GEAPP, Kitty served as Asia Chief Representative for Impossible Foods, a Silicon Valley-based leader in the plant-based meat sector. She earlier launched the China program for the Rocky Mountain Institute’s work in energy transition, and launched a new renewable energy practice at the European Climate Foundation.

Prashant Singh is the Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Planet Environmental Solutions, a Singapore-headquartered company in sustainable waste management. Since 2017, he has transformed the company into one of Asia's fastest-growing players using advanced technologies to build circular, sustainable systems. A Drexel University graduate with over 25 years of leadership experience, including 17 years in the U.S., he now drives Blue Planet’s mission from New Delhi, developing integrated waste ecosystems with Net Positive Impact. He oversees Blue Planet’s 13 portfolio companies, driving growth, partnerships, and sustainability innovation.