Filipino Named New Asia 21 Young Leader
Manila, Philippines — Henry Motte-Muñoz has been named by Asia Society to the Asia 21 Young Leaders Class of 2015, the newest members of the region's preeminent network of young leaders from across the Asia-Pacific, representing the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.
Now in its 10th year, the Asia 21 Young Leaders Initiative has become a robust network of more than 800 young leaders from 30 nations. They are all in their own ways focused on shaping a brighter future for the Asia-Pacific region, and confronting the most vexing challenges facing the region today. Asia 21 Young Leaders are selected through a highly competitive process based on outstanding achievement, commitment to public service, and a proven ability to make the world a better place.
Motte-Muñoz is the co-founder of Bantay.ph, an anti-corruption NGO in the Philippines which, since its founding in 2011, has grown to a budget of US$150,000. In 2013, he founded Edukasyon.ph, a comprehensive online database of higher education courses and scholarships which will launch in the Philippines in 2015.
Motte-Muñoz was born in Paris to a Filipina mother and a French father, and was raised between Paris, London, and Zurich, with yearly multi-month trips back to the Philippines. He earned his BSc in Economics and Economic History at the London School of Economics, after which he joined Goldman Sachs in their Investment Banking Division, covering healthcare from London. Subsequently, he joined Bain Capital’s Private Equity team, investing in a firm with strong strategy consultant roots. After two years, he was sent to Harvard Business School on a company scholarship and graduated with distinction in 2013.
“An effective leader needs to be unwavering in his objective, but pragmatic and flexible in how this can be achieved,” says Motte-Muñoz. “I aspire to these qualities – but it takes years to develop them fully, and I hope Asia 21 will help me in working towards these qualities.” Motte-Muñoz joins a network of 800 Asia 21 alumni who are proven leaders from across the region, representing a variety of professional backgrounds, who will serve as mentors and potential collaborators.
The 32 young leaders who make up this year’s class represent 22 countries and are divided almost evenly between men and women. 50 percent work in the private sector, 44 percent in the nonprofit sector, and six percent in the public sector.
“The new class of Asia 21 Young Leaders is a remarkable group. We are excited to introduce these leaders of the Asia-Pacific region to the Asia 21 Network, where they will find mentors, potential collaborators, and, we hope, new friends,” said Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran. “We welcome this passionate group to the Asia 21 family, and look forward to the contributions they make to the public good in the coming years.”
Asia 21 alumni from the Philippines include Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino IV, Philippine Senator; Arnel Casanova, President and CEO of Bases Conversion and Development Authority; Lesley Cordero, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist at World Bank; Natalie Jorge, Chairperson, LCF Board of Trustees, and Executive Director, Bato-Balani Foundation, Inc.; Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, Co-founder and President of Rags2Riches, Inc.; and Mark Ruiz, Co-founder and President of MicroVentures/Hapinoy Inc., to name a few.
For more information about the Asia 21 Young Leaders Class of 2015, click here.