Karine Lespinasse

Dr. Karine Lespinasse is a language researcher and practitioner with degrees in computational linguistics (NLP) and information science. She specialised in children’s language development through her work in APAC, Europe, and the USA. Karine brings her passion for neurolinguistics and tech, as well as a deep understanding of the diverse reality of today’s global world to parents and schools. A published author, Karine has written on NLP, growth mindset in language education, Third Culture Kids, and storytelling in Asia. Trained by Laughter Yoga founder, Dr. Kataria, Karine also has ten years of experience in laughter therapy and healing, working with children and adults across Asia, the USA, and France. After experiencing challenging times with high stress in her life, Laughter Yoga and Reiki paved the way for her recovery and ultimate well-being. Karine brings warmth and passion to the stage and empowers the audience to feel positive and engaged. About Dr. Karine

Anoushka is the former CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, a leading global youth program. Anoushka speaks six languages, has lived and worked across Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia, with global brands such as la Oreal, Gide Loyrette Nouel. She is the Vice-President of the Australia India Business Council in Victoria and Chair of Women in Business Chapter. As a Board Director, Speaker, Facilitator and Mentor, Anoushka combines her background as a CEO, Economist, Certified Coach with her 20 years of global work experience to help leaders and businesses become future-ready. For Anoushka, the future is diverse and intersectional Recognising that we live in globalised societies, with increasingly diverse talent and consumer, Anoushka helps leaders and businesses build cultural intelligence and inclusive diversity to thrive in the modern world, through GlobalCQ. GlobalCQ has been recognised for its innovative vision and is the winner of the 2018 Westpac 200 Businesses of Tomorrow Award.

Culture

Diversity

Inclusion

Aurelie Saada

Aurelie is currently APAC Risk Lead for Microsoft Asia. She has over 15 years of international experience in risk management and audit, mainly in banking and insurance. Her journey brought her through different risk areas (operational, credit, regulatory, market, and cyber risks) different countries in Europe and Asia, and different sectors (private banking, asset management, corporate banking, and general insurance). Aurelie is also a fervent supporter of women’s professional development and leadership. She’s the former President of PrimeTime Business and Professional Women’s Association, whose vision is to help professional women to achieve their highest potential through training, networking, and events. She also leads the Women at Microsoft Singapore Chapter and is a strong fervent supporter of diversity and inclusion at all levels. Born in France, she discovered Singapore through an exchange programme in 2004. She fell in love with the country its culture and the food and has built her life here with her family and friends.

Diversity

Leadership

Management

Amutha Meyyappan

Amutha Meyyappan is a dynamic lecturer, TED speaker, and researcher specialising in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Education. She brings vitality to higher education through thought-provoking lectures spanning diverse disciplines. With an engaging teaching approach, Amutha breathes life into seemingly mundane subjects. With eight years of leadership in an education services business, she applied neuroeducation pedagogy to impact 300 entities across varied age groups. In 2019, Amutha orchestrated the groundbreaking Neuroeducation Symposium at the National University of Singapore, drawing international speakers and recognition from the Finnish Ambassador to Singapore. Beyond her academic pursuits, she is proficient in Japanese. Currently, her research delves into the pandemic’s impact on mental health, exploring dimensions of life, love, work, and learning for both children and adults. Amutha’s diverse achievements showcase her commitment to innovative education and understanding the psychological effects of the new normal.

Diversity

Inclusion

Neuroscience

Bhavna Toor

Bhavna Toor is the Founder and CEO of Shenomics, a mindful leadership platform supporting women to live and lead with authenticity, mindfulness, and impact. Under Bhavna’s leadership, Shenomics has positively impacted over 100,000 women from all walks of life. As an internationally trained mindfulness and women’s leadership coach, Bhavna has spoken on various platforms including TEDx and has trained and coached high-potential leaders at leading Fortune 500 companies around the world. Bhavna’s prior experience includes mentoring leaders and entrepreneurs as the CEO and Director of the National Social Entrepreneurship Forum and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the GSF Global Accelerator. Prior to that, Bhavna had a 9-year celebrated career on Wall Street, most recently as a Vice President and Client Portfolio Manager for a portfolio of hedge funds at a top investment firm in New York. Bhavna has lived and worked in over 8 countries and has an MBA in Social Impact from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Bhavna is the recipient of multiple awards, including WEF’s “Iconic Woman Creating a Better World for All”

Christine Amour-Levar

Christine Amour-Levar is a French-Swiss-Filipina, Philanthropist, Record-Breaking Adventurer, Best-Selling Author, Human Rights & Sustainability Advisor, and Co-Founder of Investors for Climate. She began her career working for Nike globally and went on to build an international career as a marketing and communications expert and social entrepreneur, focused on addressing some of the world’s most urgent issues. A passionate advocate for female empowerment and environmental conservation, she founded two award-winning non-profit organizations, Women on a Mission (WOAM) and HER Planet Earth, which combine these two passions. Both organizations lead all-female teams on groundbreaking expeditions—WOAM supporting women who have been victims of violence and abuse, and HER Planet Earth raising funds for underprivileged women affected by climate change. Christine authored Wild Wisdom – Life Lessons from Leading Teams to Some of the Most Inhospitable Places in the World, published by Penguin Random House in 2022, and has contributed to international publications such as Forbes, the HuffPost, the Straits Times of Singapore, Thrive Global, and the Manila Bulletin. Her speaking engagements include INSEAD, Nike, TBWA, Microsoft, Unilever, Credit Suisse, TEDx, and more. She has been featured on Tatler Asia’s Most Influential Impact List 2020 and has received multiple international awards, including the GGEF Woman Eco Gamechanger Award 2022, the United Women Singapore Gender Equality Impact Award 2020, Woman of the Future Kindness & Leadership Southeast Asia Leading Lights 2020, and the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award™.

Diversity

Inclusion and Climate.

Sustainability

Katia Melazzi

Katia has extensive experience in marketing, branding and business strategy developed in the two decades working on leading brands in a variety of international positions in FMCG companies. In 2015, she decided to stand up for a higher purpose to make a positive impact on society and she started her journey in the nonprofit sector. Katia currently serves as President for Tabitha Foundation Singapore – a nonprofit dedicated to lifting underprivileged Cambodian families out of poverty- and as President for the Nokor Tep Society supporting the completion of the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital that focuses on women’s health. She is also Vice President of PrimeTime Business & Professional Women Association which helps professional women achieve their highest potential through inspiring talks, professional development, and networking. Katia’s passion is mentoring & coaching people. She enjoys supporting individuals set and achieve their goals, make powerful choices and take effective action that will shape a richer and more meaningful life, both personally and professionally. Having lived and worked in 12 countries, she has an invaluable and diverse perspective on multicultural and gender issues.

Aarathi Arumugam

With her humor, authenticity, and matter-of-factness, Aarathi manages to take a topic that is typically a taboo and uses it to empower other women and couples to be brave on their journey towards building a family. Based on her personal experience of building a family, Aarathi speaks about resilience and finding alternative ways to go after what you want to achieve in life. Aarathi is an entrepreneur and mother, passionate about being in business and connecting communities through causes close to her heart. With a career trajectory that has taken different paths from corporate, volunteer organizations to start-ups, Aarathi sees the knowledge, experiences, and skills gained from these roles as her personal MBA, and harnesses this power to help nurture families and individuals on their journeys, so that they may thrive and celebrate their own growth.