GIFT Team - Global Institute For Tomorrow

The Team

Chandran Nair

Founder and Chief Executive

Chandran leads what he believes is a "first" - an organisation focused on the relationship of Asian society and values with those of the rest of the world. He is a renowned international speaker, writer and facilitator, and leading expert on globalisation and development in Asia.

Since 2004 Chandran has led GIFT to becoming a leading provider of experiential learning for the private, public and academic sectors. His role as Chairman of the Asia-Pacific region of Environmental Resource Management Consultancy, a position he held for over a decade, and his reputation as a provocative speaker, has attracted corporations and governments to seek his advice on a variety of leadership and business challenges in Asia. He has addressed many of these issues at forums around the world, and is a popular panelist on economic policy and sustainability platforms such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, APEC Summit and the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society.

He has served as an adjunct professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where he taught MBA students and continues to provide strategic management advice and coaching to business leaders. In addition, he is co-founder and Chair of Avantage Ventures, a boutique social investment advisory firm based in Hong Kong and author of Consumptionomics: Asia’s role in reshaping capitalism and saving the planet (published in January 2011).

Email Chandran Nair at: cnair@global-inst.com

Eric Stryson

Director

Eric was a participant on the 5th GIFT programme in Cambodia in 2008 and joined the GIFT team soon after. Since then he has been involved in designing and facilitating 17 programmes. In addition to working with participants and partners onsite, Eric leads the dynamic Hong Kong GIFT office and works on the expansion of programmes into new formats and content areas which bring together executive talent and new social investment opportunities in the region.

Prior to joining GIFT, Eric spent a number of years managing multi-stakeholder partnerships between global brand companies and civil society groups around a range of social and environmental issues both in the US and in China. For two years ahead of the Beijing Olympics he advised executives on risks and opportunities arising in China related to climate, energy, water, supply chains and other critical development issues.

He writes and speaks on topics related to the changing role of business in society and new approaches to leadership development.

Email Eric Stryson at: estryson@global-inst.com

Mei Cheung

Head of Operations

Mei was one of the founding team members during the start-up of GIFT and was instrumental in overseeing the administrative requirements that comes with company formation.

Mei rejoins GIFT in her capacity as Head of Operations and oversees the operational management of the GIFT office, and supports the business development function through identifying new programme opportunities.

Prior to joining GIFT Mei was Manager of CSR and Systems Auditing, TUV Rheinland Hong Kong Ltd and Greater China Regional Business Field Manager for TUV Rheinland STAR services. Mei had a key role in the establishment of CSR service offerings in particular areas related to supply chain, social audits and training and development. Mei graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business Studies from Westminster University, London. Mei is fluent in English and Cantonese.

Email Mei Cheung at: mcheung@global-inst.com

Karim Rushdy

Head of Programmes

Karim was a participant on GIFT’s 17^th Global Leadership Programme in 2010 and joined the company as Business Development Manager shortly thereafter. In his current role as Head of Programmes Karim is responsible for overseeing GIFT’s programme offerings. These include the flagship Global Young Leaders Programme (YLP), Customised Experiential Leadership Programmes, High Impact Learning for senior executives and Executive Seminars tailored for clients’ needs. He also works to expand the programme portfolio into new project areas and regions.

Prior to joining GIFT Karim spent a decade in Mainland China where he played a key role in growing a small restaurant company into one of the country’s leading fresh food and beverage providers. Today Element Fresh is a thriving brand with over a dozen outlets across three cities.

Karim is motivated by the vision of a world that is evolving toward a recognition of its unity and interconnectedness and that promotes and celebrates the ‘unity in diversity’ of its peoples and cultures. He sought out GIFT because he believes a key factor to realise this vision is a more sustainable and equitable approach to creating economic prosperity. Karim has an MBA from the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing. He has a strong command of spoken Mandarin.

Email Karim Rushdy at: krushdy@global-inst.com

Tingting Peng

Communications Manager

Working closely with the entire GIFT team, Tingting is responsible for a variety of communications areas, including management and production of research content, programme materials, and sales, marketing, and press pieces. She also works to leverage past and future projects, research and ideas, to develop new original content, methods of delivery, and other content applications based on GIFT's core themes.

Tingting graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in Management Science and spent over four years working in the finance industry as an M&A investment banker and hedge fund analyst. She then moved onto sustainable real estate development and hospitality management for a start-up company in Hong Kong where she led business development, project management, sales and marketing, investor relations, and property operations in several projects.

Tingting speaks and coaches on topics related to personal growth and development, leadership and activism and how sustainable practices are vital to creating positive change in society. Tingting is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Email Tingting Peng at: tpeng@global-inst.com

Yuyun Chen

Programme Manager

As a programme manager, Yuyun’s responsibilities involve researching projects across Asia for GIFT programmes, coordinating with project partners, designing the content and logistics of these programmes, as well as project management during the planning and running and follow-up stages.

Prior to joining GIFT she spent six years in Germany, first studying for a Masters degree in American Studies from the Heidelberg Centre for American Studies at the Heidelberg University, and then freelancing for several companies.

In addition, Yuyun holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a Masters in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology.

Yuyun is a fluent Mandarin, German and English speaker and she has an intermediate command of Japanese and French.

Email Yuyun Chen at: ychen@global-inst.com

Helena Lim

Programme Manager

Helena has worked primarily in the areas of youth, migration and development in both Asia and Europe. As a researcher and programme manager, she first worked on public policy and intercultural dialogue with the Council of Europe (France) and the Asia-Europe Foundation (Singapore) before conducting extensive fieldwork in Cambodia in the area of migration and human trafficking. She has also recently worked with a social enterprise in Hong Kong in sales and community outreach.

Having worked for several years in the non-profit sector, Helena is developing an interest in initiatives that promote local businesses and civil society activities in ways that are innovative and sustainable. Helena obtained her BA and MA from the University of East Anglia (UK) in International Relations and Development Studies and is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Email Helena Lim at: hlim@global-inst.com

Yuxin Hou

Programme Manager

Yuxin is responsible for planning, designing content, coordinating with partner organisations and the over-all operations of GIFT programmes. He holds a degree of International Business and Global Management (IBGM) from The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Yuxin was voted as the Top Make a Difference (MaD) Role Model in Hong Kong in 2010. He is actively involved in the topics of social innovation and entrepreneurship in Asia Pacific and Europe.

Prior to joining GIFT, Yuxin was Founder and Chief Editor of a cultural bridging magazine for Hong Kong University students from Mainland China and Art Advisor for a major Chinese university. He is also Ambassador for various organisations including L'Association Française Internationale (AFI) in Paris, and the global young achievers’ network Sandbox. Yuxin parkours, climbs and does a variety of other sports. He is also an invited member of China Nationalities Orchestra Society.

Email Yuxin Hou at: yhou@global-inst.com

Feini Tuang

Senior Researcher

Feini is involved in research and developing content for YLP programmes and GIFT publications. She works closely with Programme team to incorporate project insights and learning into various research and publications.

Prior to joining GIFT, Feini spent a decade living and working in Hong Kong and China. She was a researcher, web developer and consultant, working for companies and organisations in the fields of social investment, water purification and environmental sustainability.

Feini received her BS and MS degrees in Biosystems Engineering from Michigan State University. She is a fluent English, Mandarin and Cantonese speaker.

Email Feini Tuang at: ftuang@global-inst.com

Surya Balakrishnan

Research Associate

Surya is involved in researching and writing GIFT’s many publications. He is also involved with the various social venture projects that the GIFT team undertakes.

Surya graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College with a major in philosophy, and spent his junior year abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Surya’s senior thesis was on moral responsibility, and he thinks that he can prove that free will is an illusion, that no one is morally responsible for what they do, and that meaning itself is merely a matter of convention.

Email Surya Balakrishnan at: sbalakrishnan@global-inst.com

Caroline Ngai

Administrative Support

Caroline assists the Head of Operations and supports daily operations at GIFT to ensure the smooth running of the organisation. Caroline has over four years of experience working as a merchandiser, then as a secretary.

Caroline graduated from Jinan University in Guangzhou with a Business Administration degree. She has a passionate interest in environmental and social issues. She is a fluent Cantonese, Mandarin and English speaker.

Email Caroline Ngai at: cngai@global-inst.com