KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific is an independent, not-for- profit think tank dedicated to improving socio-economic wellbeing through the development of public policy ideas, research, public in- teraction, and strategic insight. We provide policy advocacy, leader- ship development, and strategic planning to policymakers and busi- ness leaders. We are the leading curator of impactful and innovative high-level conferences and forums, providing platforms for the best minds to meet, interact, and discuss issues and trends impacting business and competitiveness
Global One 2015 is a UK-based, Muslim women-led international development NGO. Our approach is unique – we use faith and culture as tools for increasing knowledge and promoting positive behavioral change in communities. We also partner locally to create sustainable development solutions in Global Health, Agriculture, Livelihoods, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). We believe the answer to global inequality lies in leadership from all sections of society, including women. Global One is therefore proud to have a majority-women board, and a platform that gives diverse women from all backgrounds the opportunity to lead the organization. We actively train and support women leaders of the future through our projects, consultancy services, and within the organization.
The Influencing the Corridors of Power (ICOP) project is hosted by SOAS University of London. The project aims to promote the impact of ongoing university-based research. The project is led by Prof Alison Scott-Bau- mann and former students and staff of SOAS. We are proud of SOAS’s political engagement and student activism record and wish to improve the impact of university staff and students in government. By bringing researchers and Westminster closer together, we address the democratic deficit that we believe results from encroaching government control on freedom of speech and assembly at SOAS and other campuses. The project is born out of the five-year AHRC/ESRC-funded project, “Representing Islam on Campus”, and the follow-up project, “Voices of Dissent”. We intend this project to serve as a model for the higher education sector and democracy in general. Our peer-reviewed university-based research aims to make independent expertise a hallmark of sound policymaking.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther (“Datuk Seri Iqbal”) is the Group Deputy Chairman of Farlim Group (Malaysia) Berhad and Pro-Chancellor of Binary University. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and an MBA from the University of Malaya, with additional certificates from Birmingham and Harvard. He is an Emeritus Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, London. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at University Utara Malaysia and is involved with UNESCAP and the East Asian Business Council. He also holds leadership roles in the Malaysia-Japan Economic Association and the Malaysia Global Business Council.
Prof. Husna Ahmad OBE is the CEO of Global One 2015, a faith-based NGO focused on women. She is an Honorary Professor at University College London and an Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham. She advises the Global Muslim Business Forum and serves on several UN and World Bank committees. Prof. Ahmad is a Board member of Faith for the Climate and Palmers Green Mosque, and an Executive Committee member of Barnet Faith Forum. An international speaker and author on faith, gender, and the environment, she was awarded an OBE in 2010 for her services to disadvantaged communities and social justice.
Tan Sri Michael Yeoh is a public intellectual, social entrepreneur, author, and international speaker with over 35 years of corporate management, consulting, and boardroom experience. He is President of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific and Deputy Chairman of the Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur. He serves on the boards of MUI Properties, Pan Malaysia Corporation, and Kashtec Holdings, and is a Trustee of the OSK Foundation and Yayasan Wesley. He has held government roles, including Malaysia’s Representative to the ASEAN High-Level Task Force, and has spoken at global forums. He holds an Economics degree from Monash University and an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Nottingham.
Inès Belliard is an International Development graduate from King’s College London. She is the Programme Manager of Global One 2015, an international NGO that uses faith and culture as tools for increasing knowledge and promoting positive behavioural change in communities. She has been working tirelessly to build the Alliance of NGOs and CSOs for South-South Cooperation and is very proud to have developed the membership to 500 members. She is driven by a passion to build communities in the global south sustainably and with dignity, with a focus on gender and youth. Her journey reflects a deep-seated passion for sustainable development, cultural understanding, and effective global collaboration.
Saba Zaman is an award-winning Radio and Pod- cast Producer / Broadcast Journalist specializing in Religion and Ethics, Current Affairs, Social Issues, Education, and History, for the BBC and other major networks. Saba completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Comparative Religions at SOAS
Sanjana Deen, Research and Programme Consultant at ICOP, SOAS University of London, facilitates dialogue among politicians, lawyers, and academics. She is an ICOP Secretariat Member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Communities of Inquiry Across the Generations, addressing democratic deficits and polarised debate. A former vocational lecturer and journalist, Sanjana worked for government and NGO initiatives promoting female visibility in the Middle East, Bangladesh, and Britain. She has contributed to BBC Asian Network and is a trustee of Kijana Kwanza, a Tanzanian youth charity. Sanjana holds a degree in Economics and History from SOAS and was awarded an Aziz Foundation Scholarship for a masters in Global Public Policy.
Dr. Hisham Hellyer, specializing in geopolitics, security studies, and political economy, has over 20 years of experience in governmental, corporate advisory, and academic environments across the West, Middle East, and South- east Asia. He is a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI. He served as Deputy Convenor of the UK Government’s Task force on radicalization and was the first ESRC Fellow in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Dr. Hellyer has held positions at Brookings, Atlantic Council, and various universities. He has authored seven books and frequently contributes to major media outlets like CNN, BBC, and The Washington Post.
Caroline Cheong is currently the Chief Operating Officer & Executive Director, Research & Programmes of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific (KSI) and Senior Programme Director for the Global Chinese Economic & Technology (GCET) Summit. She is also the Head of Secretariat for the Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur, the ASEAN Economic Club (AEC), and the World Digital Chamber (WDC). Her interest in healthcare issues arose when she was the Chief of Staff to the former Minister of Health Malaysia. She also had considerable experience dealing with SMEs when she was assisting the Chairman of the MCA SME council and IT industry experience when she was with the Global Knowledge Partnership. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Malaya.
Mr. Nathan Nagal has 26 years of experience in medicine, surgery, pharma, biotech, and med-tech, including 15 years at the executive level. He works globally, particularly in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. An international speaker and chairman, he lectures on enter- premiership at Cambridge, Oxford, and Warwick. He is passionatee about accessible medical educatio; he has dedicated over a decade to training healthcare professionals in low to middle-income countries and fostering multi-faith community collaboration.
Zaim Mohzani is the Senior Director of External Relations at KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, a Malaysian think tank. With over 10 years of public policy experience, he founded Impact Integrated and three non-profits impacting 30,000+ youths. Zaim has established platforms like the ASEAN Economic Club and World Digital Chamber. He’s been selected for fellowships including Dalai Lama Fel- lows, Acumen Academy, and YSEALI. He holds an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy from LSE and a BA in Political Science from Monash University. A Chevening scholar, he’s led Chevening Alumni Malaysia and founded the Chevening Alumni Southeast Asian Network.
Dr. Hanaa Al-Banna specialises in SDGs, CSR, and sustainability, and lectures at Northumbria University London and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. With a PhD from Cardiff Metropolitan University, she is CSR MENA Region Representative and member of the executive committee for the Alliance of NGOs and CSOs for South-South Cooperation. Awarded the International CSR Excellence Award in 2020, she was also listed among the 100 most influential people in the MENA region in 2020 and 2021. With over 17 years of experience, she serves on several boards and has judged the King Abdullah Award and the International Excellence CSR Awards.
Dr Abdullah Faliq is the Managing Director at The Cordoba Foundation, a Founder Member and President of the Euro- pean Network on Religion and Belief (ENORB), and a re- searcher for the Dimensions for Strategic Studies. An Hon. Research Fellow at the London Metropolitan University, he has an MA in Middle East Politics (Durham University), a PhD (SOAS, University of London) in Arab political Islam. He studied Arabic Language and Islamic Studies in Egypt (British Institute, British Council) and Jordan (University of Jordan and Zarka Private University).
Faliq has worked in university, government and policy, publishing and media settings for several decades with a considerable publishing portfolio. He is the founder of the Centre for British-Turkish Understanding; former Policy Advisor for the Turkish AK Party UK; an advisor to Mind- stream-AI (Mayor of London), and Sudan’s Al-Ray al-Aam newspaper.