Stockholm and New York, November 26, 2024—The Tällberg Foundation proudly announces the selection of 14 remarkable emerging leaders for the 2025 Tällberg Leaders Mentoring Leaders (TLML) program. These selectees were ultimately chosen by a jury with a wealth of experience, diverse perspectives, and valuable insight from an exceptionally competitive pool of 818 applicants from 109 countries. They will participate in a transformative year-long mentoring process aimed at accelerating their development as global leaders. The process begins with a kick-off workshop at the University of Pavia in Italy from January 20-23, 2025.
This year’s cohort reflects the diversity, creativity, and resilience that the Tällberg Foundation seeks to cultivate in leaders who can address the complex global challenges of the 21st century. From entrepreneurs and activists to fintech innovators and environmental advocates, the 2025 mentees embody the courage, persistence, and values-driven leadership the world needs.
Alan Stoga, Chairman of the Tällberg Foundation, remarked, “Our world faces unprecedented challenges, and we need courageous, innovative leaders to navigate these complexities. The TLML program, in its second year, exists to accelerate the growth of such leaders by connecting them with seasoned mentors who have already made a significant impact in their fields.”
- Molade Adeniyi (Nigeria): CEO of Teach for Nigeria, an organization dedicated to empowering Nigerian leadership to ensure that children receive their human rights and can reach their full potential;
- Iffat Zafar Aga (Pakistan): Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of Sehat Kahani, a telemedicine startup bringing healthcare to underserved communities in Pakistan;
- Kidist Amedie (Ethiopia): CEO of Guaro Farms, working to reduce food loss and improve the livelihoods of farmers in Ethiopia;
- Lanka Bandaranayake (Sri Lanka): Founder & CEO of Lanka Cine, a filmmaker and activist committed to social change through film and media;
- Laila Berchane (Morocco): Co-founder of Robots & More, raising awareness of STEM education among young people in Morocco and Africa;
- Áurea Carolina de Freitas e Silva (Brazil): Executive Director at NOSSAS, Brazil’s largest civic engagement platform, and former politician advocating for gender, racial, and environmental justice;
- ElsaMarie D’Silva (India): Founder & Managing Director of Red Dot Foundation and creator of Safecity, using crowdsourced data to combat sexual violence in public spaces;
- Shana Fatina (Indonesia): Founder of Tinamitra Mandiri, leading projects in clean energy, eco-tourism, and waste management;
- Kingwa Kamencu (Kenya): Founder of BlackStar Media, using media and popular culture to drive social change and sustainability;
- Daniel Shin Un Kang (Canada): CEO & Co-founder of Flowbo, a fintech company enhancing financial access for freelancers and creators;
- Edith Ndiwa (Kenya): Founder of Color My Dreams Africa, promoting literacy and fighting gender inequality through education;
- Fajer Rabia Pasha (Pakistan): Executive Director of Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education, advocating for girls’ education rights;
- Collins Santhanasamy (Malaysia): Founder of Youth4DRR, engaging youth in global disaster risk-reduction efforts;
- Peter Ward (Sweden): Co-founder of Enaiblers, focusing on improving health equity with affordable and accessible diagnostics for underserved communities.
Michael Niconchuk, TLML program lead, added, “This cohort includes leaders who are already driving meaningful change. Our goal is to support their growth by connecting them with mentors who understand the demands of global leadership and can help them reach their full potential and make even greater impacts sooner.”
To achieve this, each mentee will be paired with an accomplished leader from the Tällberg Foundation’s global network for one-on-one mentoring and collaborative leadership exploration over the course of 2025.
- Mark Abdollahian (U.S.): CEO, ACERTAS and Professor, Claremont Graduate University and board member, Tällberg Foundation;
- Eduardo Amadeo, (Argentina): Economist, social innovator, rancher, and politician;
- Tom Cummings (Netherlands): Leadership advisor to corporate boards and board member, Tällberg Foundation;
- Rana Dajani (Jordan): Molecular biologist and human rights advocate;
- Vishakha Desai (U.S./India): Asia scholar with a focus on art, culture, policy, and women’s rights and board member, Tällberg Foundation;
- Moneshia zu Eltz (U.S./India): Facilitator and corporate leader in tech, specializing in M&A and venture investment;
- Helena Nilsson Friberg (Sweden): Business leader and organizational development expert;
- Jocelyn Goh (Singapore): Entrepreneur and executive coach;
- Mads Schack Lindegaard (Denmark/Zimbabwe): Humanitarian NGO executive;
- Daniel Martinez Valle, (Mexico): CEO of Grupo Proeza, investor, and sustainability advocate;
- Katherine Milligan (U.S./Switzerland): Social entrepreneurship leader, educator, and board member with extensive involvement in global innovation networks and advisor on social impact initiatives;
- Sitawa Namwalie (Kenya): Poet, playwright and performer;
- Diane Osgood (US): Sustainability strategist;
- Marthe Reinette (Netherlands): Human relations business executive.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is the lead supporter of the Tällberg Foundation. SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos said, “The breadth of this roster of mentees and mentors reflects the Tällberg Foundation’s truly global vision of leadership, a vision that transcends disciplines and traditional frameworks of power. The flood of interest in TLML demonstrates real optimism in the face of global challenges.”
