International Women’s Day – 2024 Speakers

Juliana Adam

Juliana Adam is the CEO and a founding partner of Biji-biji Initiative, Malaysia’s pioneer impact-driven enterprise focused on championing sustainable living and practices. Having a strong passion for sustainability and the creative field, Juliana has also co-founded Me.reka, an alternative education space nurturing creativity and sustainability in STEAM-centric education, Taboo Enterprise -an events-based enterprise focusing on sustainable event management and Tick Talk, a sustainability consultancy and impact reporting company. Juliana is also an Acumen Fellow, part of the inaugural Malaysian cohort, and have made it to Prestige Malaysia’s 2020 Top 40 under 40, and also listed as Prestige Malaysia’s Women of Power, 2022.

Melis Aslan

Melis Aslan is a Policy Analyst at the OECD team working on social economy and innovation. She specialises in data on social economy, social impact measurement, internationalisation of social economy entities and social enterprise policy. Prior to joining the OECD, Melis worked at UNDP on impact investing and private sector contribution to international development.

Amal Chevreau

Amal Chevreau, Acting Head of Unit Social Economy and Innovation at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities.
Amal has extensive expertise in the social economy and social enterprises, social innovation as well as regional development. She has authored numerous publications and leads many projects and programmes in these fields. Prior to joining OECD, she held senior positions in regional development agencies in Morocco and in think tanks in Paris, France. She holds a BA in public law and political science from Mohammed V University (Morocco), an LLM in comparative law from the University of Miami, School of Law (US) and an MA in international relations and international law from Keele University (UK).

Annalisa Contini

Annalisa Contini is a Senior Social Entrepreneurship Expert with over a decade of experience in community development, public-private partnerships, social inclusion and the internationalisation of social enterprises. She has been involved in both the Italian and international development cooperation. Since 2016, her focus has been on transforming international development approaches through social entrepreneurship, fostering sustainable growth, social justice and market innovation. She has pioneered incubation programmes in emerging social enterprise ecosystems across the Balkans, Lebanon, Syria and Mozambique. As the founding member and director of COSV’s social economy unit and board member of Co-Profit Benefit Company srl, she is an expert in human-centered design and action research.

Maeve Curtin

Maeve is passionate about increasing opportunities for enterprises that put people and planet first and leveraging these business models for economic inclusion. She has worked on public sector economic development projects and for NGOs, social enterprises and third sector intermediary organisations around the world. Her most recent work focused on policy advocacy and strengthening the global evidence base for social enterprise. She holds a PhD in Public Management and Social Policy, where her research examined policy co-production in the context of social enterprise strategy development. Currently, she is strengthening opportunities for impact enterprises through cross-sector collaboration at the Clinton Global Initiative.

Azima Dhanjee

Azima Dhanjee is a Child of Deaf Adult (CODA), Co-founder and CEO of ConnectHear, Board Member of the Social Enterprise World Forum C.I.C and a member of the National Youth Council (an initiative by the Prime Minister of Pakistan). She is a Diana Award winner and has been invited as a speaker on various platforms. She is an alumna of the Institute of Business Administration (Class of 2020), with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Azima is raised by Deaf parents and Pakistani Sign Language (PSL) is her mother tongue. Growing up, she was always concerned by how simple communication was a challenge for the Deaf due to the language barrier. The lack of awareness and accessibility led her to start ConnectHear at the age of 19 with her high school friends. ConnectHear is a social enterprise that strives for sign language accessibility and Deaf inclusion by using technology.

Rebecca Dray

Originally from the UK, Rebecca has been developing social enterprise businesses since 2005. Most recently she is Executive Director for Purchasing with Purpose, a network of networks in the United States, supporting businesses, government and other institutional buyers to purchase their everyday goods and services from verified social enterprise sellers.

Manie Grewal

As REDF’s head of Policy, Manie promotes employment social enterprise growth and employee earning power through the development and execution of federal, state and local public policy. She also supports the development and implementation of employment social enterprise ecosystems across the country through coalition building, strategic partnership and public policy. Throughout her career, Manie has worked with a diverse set of stakeholders including governmental entities, nonprofits, advocacy organisations and clients, strategically developing and successfully implementing affordable and supportive housing, economic development and reproductive health programs both large and small. Manie obtained her BA in Sociology and Gender Studies from Indiana University and her MPH in Community Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Birgit Heilig

Birgit Heilig is the co-founder of SEND, Project Manager of different projects and Lead of advocacy work in several federal states in Germany.

Dena Hirschberg

Dena Hirschberg is President & CEO of HHPLift, a Chicago-based NFP and a People and Planet First Verified social enterprise. HHPLift serves the b2b space by providing third-party fulfilment services, as well as the sale and distribution of branded products, including their own line of products produced by associates in their LiftWorks Program, as well as those produced by their global social enterprise partners. Dena’s primary focus includes establishing and strengthening strategic partnerships, educating companies about increasing ways they can source products for their programmes in a socially sustainable way and expanding the impact of its LiftWorks Program.

Huda Jaffer

Huda is a product/service/systems designer with a keen interest in user centric design specifically for sustainability and developmental issues. She has an undergraduate degree in design from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore and a Masters of Science in Engineering and Business (Integrated Design and Management) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

Huda has been critical in building the necessary processes of SELCO Foundation, which has led to it being known as a pioneer in the field of building the ecosystem for sustainable energy access for the poor.

Amanda Kiessel

Dr. Amanda Kiessel is a co-creator of Good Market, a digital commons for social enterprises, cooperatives, responsible businesses, civic organisations and changemakers working to create a 21st-century economy that’s “good for people and good for the planet.” It currently includes nearly 4,000 enterprises and networks across 110 countries. Amanda spent 20 years in Asia working with local organisations on agroecology and sustainable food systems, organisational development and social enterprise. She has a PhD in Environmental Studies, a Master’s in Sustainable International Development, and a degree in biology with a speciality in ecotoxicology. Amanda is an Ashoka Fellow.

Veerle Klijn

Veerle is a committed social economy policy expert with over 8 years of experience in the social impact space in Europe and globally. At the European Commission, Euclid Network and now the World Economic Forum and Social Enterprise World Forum she works with leading social entrepreneurs, corporates, governments and international institutions to advance policies for a more social economy. She holds a double-degree master’s in European Governance with a specialisation in social entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Adele Laughton

Adele Laughton is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history spanning the Social Enterprise, Not-for-profit and Agriculture sectors. Adele brings a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on leadership to her roles, driving strategy development, revenue diversification and sustainability frameworks.
Steering Queensland Social Enterprise Council, Adele focuses on driving social innovation through strategic leadership and fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems. In parallel, as Head of Government Relations at Social Enterprise Australia, she advocates for policy that benefits both communities and the economy while building strong connections between the social sector and government.
When not at QSEC, Adele is a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Ability Agriculture, a charity that provides opportunities, pathways and access for people with disabilities in Agriculture.

Hélène Malandain

Hélène currently serves as the Chair of SEWF. She is part of Pocketknife, a collective of impact-driven professionals who bring their passion for systemic change to initiatives that build bridges to better futures for the communities of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Hélène is a strategist, a coach, and a weaver and works with entrepreneurs, community groups, local anchor organisations, charities, corporates and government bodies. Her facilitation process and methodology incorporate strategic thinking, coaching, co-design and action planning. She is committed to supporting communities, places and organisations to thrive – meaning that prosperity and wellbeing are intertwined and nourishing each other.

Shortly after moving to Aotearoa New Zealand, Hélène left her corporate job to join the Ākina Foundation and begin a journey growing social enterprise. She led the team that hosted the Social Enterprise World Forum in Christchurch in 2017, a 1600-person event that catalysed the social enterprise movement at a very auspicious time.

Nthabi Modjadji

Nthabi Modjadji is a social justice activist, intersectional feminist and Rhodes University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political and International Studies. She co-founded the Breaking Down Borders Africa (BDBA) Initiative in 2016, a pan-African youth engagement and social justice programme that has connected youth from over 60 African states and the diaspora. Before joining the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), Nthabi was the Programmes Manager/Administrator at BDBA. Nthabi has received several accolades, including the Sunday World Unsung Heroes Award and participation in the Nasser Fellowship for International Leadership and the World Youth Forum.

Jess Moore

Jess Moore is the CEO of Social Enterprise Australia – the national body for social enterprise in Australia. Before this, Jess was CEO at Community Resources, one of Australia’s largest jobs-focussed social enterprises, employing over 650 people. She led social enterprise Green Connect through startup and scaleup, to employ over 100 former refugees and young people each year. Jess came into social enterprise from a background in public policy, advocacy and community development and has led collaborations that shaped government policy and decisions.

Mirabelle Morah

Fascinated by the power of digital media and storytelling, Mirabelle Morah is the Founder of BlankPaperz Media and also the Community & Communications Manager at the Social Enterprise World Forum. Through BlankPaperz, Mirabelle and her team began Z’axis Magazine to encourage young, African social entrepreneurs in 2020. And in 2021, also started the BlankPaperz GC Fund to support the education-based needs of individuals and organisations in Nigeria. So far, 4 organisations and 6 individuals have benefited from the funds in support of school tuition and training fees.

Jessica Oyarbide

Jessica Oyarbide is an expert in social enterprise, actively engaged in developing impact ecosystems across Latin America and India. She co-founded EKHOS, an organisation that connects these regions to tackle pressing social and environmental issues and is the regional partner for People and Planet First. Jessica also sits on the advisory council of Impact Latam Network, which has over 250 members across the region. She founded the branding agency Marcas que Marcan (MQM), offering consulting, workshops and creative projects. Additionally, she provides consultancy for international organisations and mentors social and impact entrepreneurs.

Selyna Peiris

Selyna Peiris, an Attorney-at-Law and social entrepreneur, is the Director of Business Development at Selyn, Sri Lanka’s only fair trade handloom company. She also directs the Selyn Foundation and co-created the #BleedGood Movement, a collaborative initiative to end period poverty in Sri Lanka. As a policy specialist, she co-founded Positive Impact Consultancy and The Institute for Future Creations. Selyna has worked with the Government of Sri Lanka and advises numerous organisations, including the World Fair Trade Organization as an Independent Director. As a committed youth activist, she advocates for equitable development and supports movements for a racism-free Sri Lanka.

Megan Pepper

Megan is Head of Sustainability at givvable, an AI-powered sustainability intelligence platform that automates supplier diligence and sustainable procurement to meet ESG requirements. Megan leads the delivery of sustainability insights on suppliers and the development of resources to support supplier engagement. With a background in sustainability, social impact, law and corporate governance, Megan is passionate about supporting businesses and governments to create positive impact through their purchasing decisions. Megan’s previous roles include Head of Governance, Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, where she co-authored ASFI’s reports on the Australian Sustainable Finance Roadmap and Head of Governance, Sustainability & Directors, BHP.

Margit Perko

Margit Perko works as a policy officer at the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) on topics related to the social economy. Before joining the European Commission in 2018, she worked at a consultancy in Austria, mainly on projects related to civic participation. Her background is in political science (University of Salzburg, Austria).

Chamindry Saparamadu

Chamindry Saparamadu is the Director General/CEO of the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka, leading SDG-based policy making, budgeting, financing, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and capacity building. She has represented Sri Lanka at regional and international sustainable development conferences, including presenting Sri Lanka’s Second Voluntary National Review on SDGs at the 2022 UN High-Level Political Forum in New York. She spearheaded the national strategy to promote sustainable businesses for SDG achievement. An Attorney-at-Law with over two decades of experience in the development sector, she holds a multidisciplinary background in Economics, Law and International Development and is currently pursuing a PhD in Development Studies at the University of Colombo.

Viviantie Sarjuni

Viviantie Sarjuni is a Malaysian leader with over 15 years of experience at an award-winning government agency focused on social innovation. As a pioneering force in the social enterprise ecosystem in Sabah, where poverty and unemployment rates are the highest in Malaysia, she leads the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC) in exploring alternative economic models to challenge capitalism. In just three years, her agency has assisted nearly 100 social enterprises, mainly in rural areas, in securing essential funding. Her achievements include receiving the Chevening Scholarship from the UK government in 2022, the Chief Minister’s Special Award in May 2024 and being named one of the 2024 Kindness & Leadership, 50 Leading Lights in Asia Pacific.

Mary-Anne Scully

Mary-Anne Scully is a business strategist, facilitator and communicator who specialises in working with people and organisations who want to make an impact beyond the city lights. In 2019, Mary-Anne joined ACRE to lead Breakout Accelerator, a dedicated programme for rural innovators. She continues to devise and lead opportunities for rural social entrepreneurs, including the 2022 SEWF ‘Rural Gathering’ and REJUVENATE – an initiative that connects, guides and supports rural people who want to build and sustain community-led initiatives. Anne is also a driving force for ‘Unlocking the power of rural’ – an international manifesto for rural social enterprise developed in partnership with SEWF.

Tizzita Tefera

Tizzita is the co-founder and a board member of Social Enterprise Ethiopia. Social Enterprise Ethiopia works to raise awareness around the field of social enterprise in Ethiopia as well as undertakes policy advocacy work on behalf of the 55000 social enterprises in Ethiopia. She has also worked with intermediaries such as Social Enterprise Kenya and is a board member at Social Enterprise World Forum. She is passionate about all things social enterprise, having worked in different capacities in the sector. She also works as a principal consultant at We Scale Impact, working to scale the impact of social enterprises.

Alexandra van der Ploeg

Alexandra van der Ploeg is SAP’s Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In this capacity, she is entrusted with shaping the strategic direction of SAP’s CSR initiatives, aimed at fulfilling the company’s overarching purpose of “helping the world run better and improving people’s lives.” She does this through strategic partnerships and programmes that yield both sustainable social impact and long-term business value. Alexandra also manages corporate giving, employee engagement and the development of multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Beyond her role at SAP, Alexandra co-chairs the Corporate Leadership Council of WEF’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship and serves on the Global Leadership Council of Generation Unlimited. She holds an MBA from Henley Business School in Great Britain.

Duygu Vatan

Duygu Vatan is a multiple-award-winning social entrepreneur and business development expert with a background in Business Administration and Product Design. As one of the co-founders of Impact Hub Ankara, she combines creative and strategic expertise to support social enterprises in product enhancement, brand and supply chain development and procurement readiness. With extensive field experience, Duygu works directly with disadvantaged producer communities to improve product resilience and market access. She also designs and implements small-scale matchmaking and bridging programmes to connect cooperatives and producer communities with buyers, fostering sustainable and progressive relationships between these groups.

Hina West

Hina West’s two-decade career spans private, public and NGO sectors across multiple countries, driving forward sustainability and forging transformational partnerships to affect global systems change. She is now focusing on building a global movement for an economy that puts “people and planet first”, recognising the current system is broken and is destroying lives and our home but that there is a growing movement of purpose-led businesses who want to do things differently. Whilst at WWF, Hina led a global initiative called Nature Pays, which created market access opportunities for Indigenous People and local community-led enterprises within global conservation areas.