Australia-ASEAN Emerging Leaders Program

  • Media release

Today I announce the selection of 15 social entrepreneurs from across our region for the Australia-ASEAN Emerging Leaders Program (A2ELP), to be held in Melbourne and Sydney in March.

These young innovators are founders of enterprises that address poverty, health, education, technology and environmental degradation.

This inaugural cohort will participate in an intensive eight day incubator. Working with Asialink, participants will learn new techniques and identify opportunities to scale up, increasing their enterprises' impact. They will be introduced to leading Australian social ventures and industry experts, which will foster connections across our region.

Participants have been drawn from all ten ASEAN countries and Australia:

  • Ms Aiminorhiza Ramlee, Brunei – health, technology
  • Mr Koy Vireak, Cambodia – environment, microfinance
  • Ms Cherrie Atilano, Philippines – environmental sustainability, farming
  • Ms Annisa Arsyad, Indonesia – environmental conservation, education
  • Mr Gigih Rezki Septianto, Indonesia – health, technology
  • Mr Souliyo Vongdala, Laos – entrepreneurship ecosystem, media
  • Ms Wen Shin Chia, Malaysia – environmental sustainability
  • Dr Hsu Myat, Myanmar – health
  • Ms WoeiJing (Emily) Teng, Singapore – education
  • Mr Thanapon Sreshthaputra, Thailand – farming, enterprise
  • Ms Lan Huong (Emme) Dao, Vietnam – technology, education
  • Mr Joshua Gilbert, Australia – environment, farming and conservation
  • Mr Michael Koss, Australia – health, technology
  • Ms Celia Boyd, Australia – enabling women's entrepreneurship
  • Ms Natalie Kyriacou, Australia – environmental conservation and education

I congratulate all participants on their selection for this program which will forge new partnerships with businesses and other organisations, and further enhance Australia's relationships with the countries of South East Asia.

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