Stockholm and New York, November 5, 2025—The Tällberg Foundation proudly announces the selection of 15 outstanding emerging leaders for the 2026 Tällberg Leaders Mentoring Leaders (TLML) program. Lead support for TLML is provided by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
Chosen from an exceptionally competitive pool of 408 applicants representing 96 countries, these leaders will embark on a year-long journey of growth and collaboration through a one-on-one mentorship with accomplished global figures from the Tällberg network. The program kicks off in Tirana, Albania, from January 27–29, 2026, hosted in partnership with Albania’s Social Contract Institute.
“The leaders selected by the jury stand out for their creativity, persistence, and recognition that our world is at an inflection point,” said Alan Stoga, Chairman of the Tällberg Foundation. “We need new solutions for new challenges–and that requires new kinds of leadership. That is what TLML is all about, and why we are so excited about this extraordinary group of people.”
The TLML program, now in its third year, identifies and nurtures high-potential leaders from around the world, connecting them with experienced mentors for a transformative, year-long process of reflection, learning, and collaboration. Participants come from fields as diverse as education, technology, health, agriculture, and human rights—but share a belief that only leadership grounded in values can drive systemic change.
The 2026 TLML Mentees are:
- Aline Telles Coelho (Brazil) — Founder and Executive Director of the Agbara Fund, Brazil’s first philanthropic fund for Black women, supporting over 4,000 women through programs in economic justice and well-being.
- Aman Tripathi (India) —Automotive strategist and sustainability advocate driving business transformation at Nissan Europe and championing diversity and inclusion across global teams.
- Aysha Siddiqua Tithi (Bangladesh) — Student activist recognized internationally for her leadership in her country’s 2024 anti-discrimination movement and her advocacy for human rights and climate justice.
- Gaurav Mehta (India) — Founder and CEO of DharmaLife, a social enterprise empowering rural women entrepreneurs to deliver market-based solutions across clean energy, health, and livelihoods.
- Hadijah Nankanja (Uganda) — Founder and Executive Director of the Community Women’s Enterprise Network Uganda, building entrepreneurial capacity among women and youth for inclusive economic growth.
- Hanna Poikonen (Finland) — Neuroscientist, dancer, and founder of WiseMotion Community, pioneering cross-disciplinary research at the intersection of movement, neuroscience, and mental health.
- Hanna Valynets (Belarus/Lithuania) — Journalist and media innovator focused on human rights, disinformation, and independent media, leading a cross-border network of freelance reporters.
- Jubilian Ngaruwa (Nigeria) — Documentary filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer using ethical storytelling to amplify local voices and preserve African cultural narratives.
- Lili Sára Balogh (Hungary) — Agronomical engineer and President of the Hungarian Agroecology Network Association, advancing regenerative and equitable food systems through research, advocacy, and practice across Europe.
- Nitesh Kumar Jangir (India) — Engineer and social innovator whose medical technologies for emergency and critical care have saved thousands of lives across Asia and Africa.
- Sakina Bakari Mwinyimkuu (Tanzania) — Director of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Tanzanian government, co-founder of Emerging and Senior Women Leaders Tanzania, and a national mentor for young professionals.
- Samah Hadid (Lebanon) — Global Executive Director of Musawah and human rights advocate focused on advancing gender equality and justice across Muslim-majority countries.
- Sohini Bhattacharya (India) — Senior advisor and former CEO of Breakthrough, with three decades of leadership in gender justice, philanthropy, and movement-building in South Asia.
- Surya Karki (Nepal) — Global Pathbuilders Fellow and founding CEO of Christel House Nepal, transforming and leading efforts to build sustainable schools and expand access to quality education for underprivileged children.
- Umama Fatema (Bangladesh) — Youth leader and women’s rights advocate who helped lead Bangladesh’s 2024 student reform movement and continues to mobilize youth for social change.
“Our mission is to help leaders navigate complexity with courage and empathy,” said Michael Niconchuk, TLML Program Director and Tällberg Foundation Board Member. “This incredibly diverse cohort includes leaders early in their journeys as well as individuals with a track record of accomplishment. TLML aims to give them all the space and support to grow faster.”
Each mentee will be paired with a mentor from the Tällberg Foundation’s global network of accomplished leaders for a one-on-one mentorship experience over the course of 2026.
“True leaders forgo facile ‘answers’ to seek real solutions,” said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos. “Knowing that emerging leaders like these, grounded in universal human values, are at work around the world with border-transcending support from the Tällberg network is reason for optimism for the future.”
***
