Conference Schedule
19 November 2025
Join us for an exclusive conference where thought leaders gather to share insights and innovations.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Registration
Registration
10:00 AM – 10:07 AM
Featuring
Reach Alum, University College London
Opening Remarks
Featuring
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Poppy Pierce
Reach Alum, University College London
Poppy Pierce
Reach Alum, University College London
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Reach Alum, University College London
This agenda block will feature an artistic performance, an Emcee welcome, and a Land Acknowledgement.
10:07 AM – 10:13 AM
Featuring
Artistic Performance
Featuring
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Qara Rosa
Qara Rosa
Bio
Qara Rosa marks the rise of the second-generation Samba scene in Singapore.
Their name translates to ‘black rose’ – a powerful symbol of change and forward momentum. With a bold fusion of eclectic rhythms and captivating performance artistry, Qara Rosa brings a fresh twist to traditional Samba, reimagined for a new era.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Qara Rosa marks the rise of the second-generation Samba scene in Singapore.
Their name translates to ‘black rose’ – a powerful symbol of change and forward momentum. With a bold fusion of eclectic rhythms and captivating performance artistry, Qara Rosa brings a fresh twist to traditional Samba, reimagined for a new era.
Get ready to experience the pulse of Samba like never before!
10:13 AM – 10:20 AM
Featuring
President and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor, Singapore Management University
Host Welcome
Featuring
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Lily Kong
President and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor, Singapore Management University
Lily Kong
President and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor, Singapore Management University
Bio
Professor Lily Kong has been President of Singapore Management University since 2019, the first Singaporean to lead the institution and the first woman to head any university in Singapore. She also holds the Lee Kong Chian Chair Professorship of Social Sciences, with a courtesy appointment at the College of Integrative Studies. She is an interdisciplinary scholar, with disciplinary roots in Geography. She is widely known for her research on urban transformations, and social and cultural change in Asian cities. In particular, she has published a large body of work on inter-communal relations (including religious and racial relations), social cohesion, national identity, cultural policy and cultural industries, creative cities and creative economy, urban heritage and conservation, smart cities, migration and education. She has sat on multiple editorial boards of major international journals and is well-sought after as keynote speaker.
An award-winning academic, Professor Kong has received multiple international awards and fellowships, including the Victoria Medal from the Royal Geographical Society, the Robert Stoddard Award from the Association of American Geographers, the Commonwealth Fellowship, the Fulbright Fellowship, the Geographical Society of China Fellowship (Foreign), the SR Nathan Fellowship, and the British Academy Fellowship. She is consistently ranked in the top 1-2% in her field in studies by Stanford. She has also been conferred an Honorary Degree by Loughborough University.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
President and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor, Singapore Management University
About the Session
The Reach Conference will commence with a formal welcome from Professor Lily Kong, President of Singapore Management University.
10:20 AM – 10:50 AM
Featuring
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Social and Family Development
Reach Researcher, Singapore Management University
Opening Keynote
Featuring
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Eric Chua
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Social and Family Development
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Caroline Hui Xuan Cheng
Reach Researcher, Singapore Management University
Eric Chua
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Social and Family Development
Bio
Eric is the Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Law, and the Member of Parliament for Queenstown SMC.
Before entering politics, Eric spent 17 years with the Singapore Civil Defence Force, where he led frontline operations as Division Commander, and later directed the national SGSecure Programme, helping to build stronger, more resilient communities.
But what truly sets Eric apart is his long-standing commitment to the ground. For over 15 years, he’s been deeply involved in youth work, community building, and supporting vulnerable families. long before he ever stepped into Parliament.
Since being elected in 2020, Eric has continued to focus on issues that matter deeply to people, from mental wellness and active ageing, to social mobility and inclusion.
In government, he co-chaired the Enabling Masterplan 2030, setting out Singapore’s vision to be a more inclusive society. He led Singapore’s first dialogue with the United Nations on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and played a key role in refreshing the Disability Sports Master Plan.
Closer to home in Queenstown, Eric launched SafePod, a ground-up mental wellness initiative, and has championed efforts like dementia-friendly neighbourhoods, and senior employment initiatives.
Outside of his official roles, Eric is a proud husband and father, and a lover of music, especially jazz and classical. A former student conductor, he still enjoys picking up the baton when the opportunity arises. Mr. Eric Chua is married with a son.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Social and Family Development
Reach Researcher, Singapore Management University
Caroline Hui Xuan Cheng
Reach Researcher, Singapore Management University
Bio
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Social and Family Development
Reach Researcher, Singapore Management University
Bio
10:50 AM – 11:20 AM
Featuring
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Utilizing Blockchain for Social Impact and Empowering Vulnerable Communities Against Climate Shocks
Featuring
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Dilip Soman
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
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Ellie Moriearty
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
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Rumee Singh
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
-
Omnath Dhakal
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
-
Kamal Al-Alwan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Dilip Soman
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Bio
Dilip Soman is a Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science and Economics at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He has degrees in behavioral science, marketing, and engineering, and is interested in the applications of behavioral science organizations more generally, and for welfare and policy in particular. He is the co-author of Managing Customer Value (2022), author of The Last Mile (2015) and co-editor of The Behaviorally Informed Organization (2021) Behavioral Science in the Wild (2022), Cash Transfers for Inclusive Societies (2023), and What Works, What Doesn’t (and When) (2024). Dilip serves as the director of the Behaviourally Informed Organizations partnership (see https://www.biorgpartnership.com/). He has taught in the U.S.A, Hong Kong and Canada, and has worked with several corporations, governments, international organizations and start-ups. His non-academic interests include procrastination, cricket, travel, and taking weekends seriously.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Ellie Moriearty
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
Bio
Ellie Moriearty is the Program Lead of MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar, where she leads open innovation challenges with a mission to bridge opportunity gaps and empower communities to thrive. Driven by a belief that ingenuity and innovation exists everywhere, Ellie works alongside supporters and experts to identify exceptional changemakers and scale their impactful solutions. Previously, she served as Senior Officer for Solve’s Learning Pillar, where she helped run eight innovation challenges aimed at improving outcomes for learners worldwide.
Before joining Solve, Ellie was Vice President of Program Development at Mindr, a social enterprise that runs programming and a SaaS platform to foster a sense of belonging at leading global organizations across finance, technology, and law. She has also consulted for organizations such as Innovations for Poverty Action and development consulting firm Kantar Public, advising on projects related to the economy, education, health, gender, and governance.
Ellie holds an MPA in Development Practice from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in Economics and Human Rights from Barnard College.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Rumee Singh
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Bio
Rumee Singh is the CEO and Co-Founder of Rumsan, a digital innovation firm dedicated to empowering businesses that create meaningful solutions for society. With a passion for leveraging frontier technologies to drive social change, Rumee focuses on bridging opportunity gaps and uplifting communities through innovation. Backed by over 20 years of experience leading production teams and developing transformative digital solutions, she brings a unique blend of technical expertise and social entrepreneurship to her work. An engineer by training, Rumee’s diverse background spans corporate communications, journalism, education, and impact-driven ventures. Her commitment to social innovation has earned her international recognition, including being featured among 25 changemakers in the Women for Change 2024 global campaign in Paris, and celebrated as one of ten women making a difference with technology in Nepal.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Omnath Dhakal
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Bio
Om Nath Dhakal is the Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person at Punarbas Municipality, Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal, where he plays a vital role in coordinating disaster risk reduction efforts by connecting local government, communities, and stakeholders for effective preparedness and response. His key contributions include leading the implementation of local disaster management plans, capacity-building trainings, awareness initiatives, and strengthening early warning systems. During disasters, he serves as the primary contact for mobilizing relief and rescue operations, and for ensuring smooth communication with higher-level authorities.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Kamal Al-Alwan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Bio
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science & Economics, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Program Lead, MIT Solve’s Economic Prosperity Pillar
CEO and Co-Founder, Rumsan
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Person, Punarbas Municipality, Nepal & Community Collaborator, Rumsan
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
About the Session
This moderated conversation brings together diverse stakeholders for an in-depth discussion on using financial and technological innovation to help hard-to-reach populations facing the threat of climate change, all grounded in recent Reach Alliance research. Through an “in-conversation” format, panelists will share perspectives from policy, practice, and research, exploring the implications of the findings and identifying pathways for action and collaboration.
11:20 AM – 12:15 AM
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
The Role of Universities In Creating Impactful Change
Featuring
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Adrian Little
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
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Geraint Rees
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
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Jeff Murugan
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
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Mariana Mota Prado
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
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Patrick Gyimah Awuah Jr
Founder and President, Ashesi University
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Sun Sun Lim
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Adrian Little
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Bio
Adrian Little is Professor of Political Theory and Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne. Born in Belfast, he moved to the University of Melbourne from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2004. Little’s disciplinary expertise is in political science and to date he has published seven monographs, three co-authored or co-edited books, thirty two international refereed journal articles, and fifteen book chapters. At the University of Melbourne, he spent ten years as the Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences (2007-2017) and also served on the Executive Committee of the Australian Political Studies Association (APSA) for five years including a year as President of APSA in 2011-2012. In 2018 he became Pro Vice Chancellor (International) at Melbourne with responsibility for leading the university’s efforts in building strategic international collaborations. Further responsibilities include serving as a Council member of Asialink and also being a member of the Board and Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Association of International Education. He has also led the development of an Indigenous Knowledges Network within the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. In 2017 his work was recognized by winning APSA’s Academic Leadership in Political Science Award having been cited for his work advancing women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academics and early career researchers in his discipline. In 2020 he was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Geraint Rees
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Bio
Professor Geraint Rees is Vice Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) at UCL, a global top ten university with 43,900 students and over 300,000 alumni in 190 countries worldwide. He is accountable for a research portfolio of £2.8bn in grants; a rapidly growing innovation community attracting £2bn of external investment in spinouts in the last five years; and international relationships with major corporate, education and government partners in education, research and innovation across the world. He founded the Academic Careers Office at UCL and the Experimental Medicine Academy at the UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, which jointly deliver highly creative nationally recognised training to some of the UK’s largest academic and clinical academic training programmes. He is a non-executive Director of UCL Business, one of the UK’s most successful technology transfer companies, and was a Senior Scientific Advisor at DeepMind from 2018-2020. A neurologist and neuroscientist, his personal research seeks to understand human cognition and to apply AI to real-world problems. He has published over 400 research papers that have been cited over 48,000 times, and was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2010.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Featuring
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Jeff Murugan
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Bio
Jeff Murugan is Professor of Mathematical Physics in the Department of Mathematics & Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town. A former Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science, he is also a Simons Associate at the International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, a former member of the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and a current member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. His research interests lie primarily in understanding emergent phenomena, from spacetime itself to the properties of quantum matter and information. His most recent focus has been on low-dimensional quantum field theories, topological quantum matter and quantum chaos in disordered systems where he has made seminal contributions to low-dimensional dualities and disordered conformal field theories. He is also a recipient of a Distinguished Teachers Award of the University of Cape Town.
Jeff Murugan is currently serving as Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Mariana Mota Prado
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Bio
Mariana obtained her law degree (LLB) from the University of Sao Paulo, and her master’s (LLM) and Doctorate from Yale Law School. She is currently a Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. She has published extensively on law and development, including three co-authored books with Michael J. Trebilcock: Institutional Bypasses: A Strategy to Promote Reforms for Development (Cambridge University Press, 2019), Advanced Introduction to Law and Development (Edward Elgar, 2014), and What Makes Poor Countries Poor (Edward Elgar, 2011). A Brazilian national, she has taught courses at Centre for Transnational Legal Studies in London, Direito Rio – Getulio Vargas Foundation Law School in Brazil, ITAM Law School in Mexico, Los Andes Law School in Colombia, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Argentina and University of Puerto Rico School of Law in the United States. Her scholarship focuses on law and development, corruption and comparative law.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Patrick Gyimah Awuah Jr
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Bio
Patrick Gyimah Awuah Jr is the Founder and President of Ashesi University, a private, not-for-profit institution in Ghana. He was educated at Swarthmore in 1985, and in 2001, Patrick, a Program Manager at Microsoft, returned to Ghana to found Ashesi University. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Engineering and Economics from Swarthmore College, an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and honorary doctorates from Swarthmore College, Babson College, the University of Waterloo, Connecticut College, the University of Toronto, and South Korea’s Sun Moon University. Patrick has won many awards, including the Order of the Volta by His Excellency President J.A. Kufuor, the Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award, an Elon Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership, the McNulty Prize, and the MacArthur Fellowship, and was named one of the 50 greatest leaders in the world by Fortune Magazine. Patrick was recognized by Africa Leadership Initiative – West Africa (ALIWA) as a “Genius Fellow”, an honour reserved for only 20 people worldwide. The Qatar Foundation named Patrick the 2017 WISE Prize for Education Laureate. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Patrick to a new 16-member International Commission as part of UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative. He is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the Tau Beta Pi honor society for excellence in engineering. He received the Africa Genius Awards Outstanding African Achiever 2024 for his transformative contributions to education and leadership development. In 2025, the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation named Patrick a 2025 Laureate for his impact in Education.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Sun Sun Lim
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Bio
Sun Sun Lim is Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University. She has extensively researched the social impact of technology, focusing on technology domestication by families, future of work and AI ethics. She has over 100 academic publications including Transcendent Parenting: Raising Children in the Digital Age (Oxford University Press, 2020) and articles in top journals like Nature, Journal of Computer Mediated Communication and Big Data & Society. From 2018-2020, she was Nominated Member of the 13th Parliament of Singapore, raising issues such as governance of big data, priorities in digital literacy education, and digital rights for children. She is an honoree of the inaugural Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders Award 2024 and Singapore 100 Women in Tech 2020 list and is a Fellow of the International Communication Association and the Singapore Computer Society. She frequently offers her expert commentary in international outlets including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Bloomberg, Guardian, Scientific American, South China Morning Post and writes a monthly technology column in Singapore’s largest circulation broadsheet The Straits Times. She has won eight awards for excellent teaching. See www.sunsunlim.com.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
12:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Featuring
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Special Announcement
Featuring
-
Geraint Rees
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
-
Marin MacLeod
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Geraint Rees
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Bio
Professor Geraint Rees is Vice Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) at UCL, a global top ten university with 43,900 students and over 300,000 alumni in 190 countries worldwide. He is accountable for a research portfolio of £2.8bn in grants; a rapidly growing innovation community attracting £2bn of external investment in spinouts in the last five years; and international relationships with major corporate, education and government partners in education, research and innovation across the world. He founded the Academic Careers Office at UCL and the Experimental Medicine Academy at the UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, which jointly deliver highly creative nationally recognised training to some of the UK’s largest academic and clinical academic training programmes. He is a non-executive Director of UCL Business, one of the UK’s most successful technology transfer companies, and was a Senior Scientific Advisor at DeepMind from 2018-2020. A neurologist and neuroscientist, his personal research seeks to understand human cognition and to apply AI to real-world problems. He has published over 400 research papers that have been cited over 48,000 times, and was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2010.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Pro Vice Chancellor International at the University of Melbourne
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Internationalisation, University of Cape Town
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, International Student Experience, University of Toronto
Founder and President, Ashesi University
Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Communication and Technology at Singapore Management University
Featuring
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Marin MacLeod
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Bio
As the Executive Director, Marin leads strategic development and scale up of the Reach Alliance, including managing relationships with Reach’s global partners and broader insights community. Marin was a member of the Reach team that investigated the world’s first iris-scanning cash-assistance program for refugees in Jordan. Prior to joining the Reach Alliance, Marin led Grand Challenges Canada’s approach to impact measurement across their maternal, newborn and child health innovation portfolio. Her focus was on the systems and processes used to capture results, and to share knowledge generated by grantees through the organization’s unique innovation platform. Marin has experience with program design, delivery and evaluation, having worked across a range of public health issues in several countries. Marin holds a BA (Hons) from Queen’s University as a Loran Scholar, and a Master in Public Health degree from the University of Toronto.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Vice Provost, Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, University College London
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch
Lunch
1:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Featuring
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Digital Transformation to Advance Financial Inclusion: Breaking Barriers to Access and Equity
Featuring
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Paul Cadario
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
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Renée Marie Gott Suárez
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
-
Gavriella Flores
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
-
Julieta Lomelí Lugo
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Paul Cadario
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Bio
Paul Cadario is the University of Toronto’s Distinguished Fellow in Global Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Before his appointment to U of T in 2012, Paul spent his 37-year career at the World Bank, where he played a number of diverse roles worldwide, starting with the Bank’s frontline development programs for Western Africa and for the People’s Republic of China, and then on public sector reform in Asia. In 1998, he began working on the Bank’s efforts to modernize and streamline its business for the digital age of transparency and accountability, with the renewal of the Bank’s global information systems. Focusing on results, quality assurance and compliance, from 2001 he oversaw the multi-billion dollar trust fund portfolio of grants managed and disbursed by the World Bank as a trustee for its development partners. Over the course of his career, his work took him from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, from Guinea to Indonesia, from Guinea-Bissau to China, and from Burundi to Bhutan.
Cadario earned his BASc in civil engineering from the University of Toronto in 1973. A Rhodes Scholar, he received a BA and MA in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford. In 1999, he earned a master’s degree in organization development from American University. In 2013, UofT awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Laws in recognition of his career in international development and his service to the University.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Renée Marie Gott Suárez
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Gavriella Flores
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Julieta Lomelí Lugo
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Reach Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey
About the Session
Featuring newly launched Reach Alliance research on financial inclusion and increasing access to financial infrastructure, this session opens with expert framing, followed by brief presentations from Reach researchers. A moderated discussion and audience Q&A will explore shared insights, challenges, and opportunities for impact.
Related Information
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Featuring
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
Reach Researcher, University College London
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Harnessing Technology for Inclusive and Preventive Healthcare
Featuring
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Benjamin Kuan
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
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Nana Akua Gyaaba Dickson
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
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Marie Cilliers
Reach Researcher, University College London
-
Khyati Eda
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Benjamin Kuan
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
Bio
Dr Benjamin Kuan is a passionate public health advocate for vulnerable low-wage migrant workers. He first served as a medical volunteer before joining HealthServe in 2020, leading its frontline teams through the COVID-19 dormitory crisis as Head of Medical Services. In 2023, he stepped up as Chief Executive Officer.
A family physician by training and at heart, Ben believes strongly in public-private-philanthropy partnerships as a sustainable way to bridge societal gaps. He holds an MBA from the joint UCLA-NUS GEMBA programme and a Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine from NUS, and is currently pursuing a Master in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Before entering the social sector, Ben spent over a decade in health technology, managed care and workplace health management. Outside of work, he is an avid photographer and motorcyclist—dreaming of a cross-border charity ride one day. He loves both cats and motorcycles, though not cats on motorcycles.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
Reach Researcher, University College London
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Nana Akua Gyaaba Dickson
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
Reach Researcher, University College London
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Marie Cilliers
Reach Researcher, University College London
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
Reach Researcher, University College London
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Khyati Eda
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Chief Executive Officer, HealthServe
Reach Researcher, Ashesi University
Reach Researcher, University College London
Reach Researcher, University of Toronto
About the Session
Featuring newly launched Reach Alliance research on utilizing technology to create inclusive healthcare, this session opens with expert framing, followed by brief presentations from Reach researchers. A moderated discussion and audience Q&A will explore shared insights, challenges, and opportunities for impact.
Related Information
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM
Featuring
Vice-President, International, University of Toronto
Learnings from 10 Years of the Reach Alliance Research & End of Day Remarks
Featuring
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Joseph Wong
Vice-President, International, University of Toronto
Joseph Wong
Vice-President, International, University of Toronto
Bio
Joseph Wong is Vice-President, International, University of Toronto, where he is also a Professor of Political Science. He held the Canada Research Chair in Health, Democracy, and Development for two terms from 2006 to 2016, and the Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy from 2013 to 2023. Prior to being appointed Vice-President in 2021, Professor Wong was the U of T’s inaugural Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, International Student Experience, and before that, the Director of the Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He is the author of many academic articles and several books, including the latest From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia in 2022, published by Princeton University Press. His academic articles have been published in The Lancet, Perspectives on Politics, the Annual Review of Political Science, the Bulletin of the WHO, Comparative Political Studies, Governance, among others. Professor Wong has had affiliations with Harvard, Oxford, Fudan University in Shanghai, Seoul National University and the Institute for Policy Research in Taiwan. He has advised governments on matters of public policy in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, as well as the UN and the WHO. Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals, in collaboration with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Professor Wong founded the Reach Alliance. The Alliance comprises eight university partners, including Tecnológico de Monterrey, University of Oxford, University College London, University of Melbourne, Ashesi University, the University of Cape Town and Singapore Management University.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Vice-President, International, University of Toronto
About the Session
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Featuring
Senior Assistant Director of Jurong District, Ministry of Manpower
Community Service Learning Journey
Featuring
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Alex Teo
Senior Assistant Director of Jurong District, Ministry of Manpower
Alex Teo
Senior Assistant Director of Jurong District, Ministry of Manpower
Bio
Alex joined Ministry of Manpower in February 2020 and currently serves as Senior Assistant Director of Jurong District, overseeing the well-being of over 100,000 migrant workers in his area. Following the collective fight against COVID-19, public appreciation for migrant workers has grown, inspiring numerous ground-up initiatives supporting and caring for this vital community. Working alongside these passionate stakeholders, Alex continues advancing the shared vision of fostering genuine mutual understanding and acceptance between migrant workers and the broader Singaporean community.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring
Senior Assistant Director of Jurong District, Ministry of Manpower
About the Session
A sharing by the Ministry of Manpower on policies and initiatives that support migrant workers in Singapore, followed by a learning journey to Penjuru Recreational Centre to experience and understand infrastructure and support systems in place for migrant workers in Singapore.
