Kantarin Leelahuta is a Thai novelist who made her writing debut in 2005 at the age of 12. Since then, she has published over seventy titles under her pen name ‘Pretty Princess’ including ONE NIGHT STAND, which was adapted for a TV Series in 2023. On top of that, she has had many more book-to-TV adaptations including Oh My Boss (2021); Girl Next Room (2020); and Boy For Rent (2019). Kantarin graduated from Thammasat University with a Bachelor of Arts, Journalism major. She’s always known writing was her calling, and never hesitated to answer. Her next milestone is to publish her 100th book someday. She is currently residing in Singapore and missing her 20 cats back in Bangkok dearly.
Baison is a novelist in Thailand. Born into a family of readers, she had never known a time that she wasn’t reading. She began writing in 2005 and her first novel was gaining a lot of attention. She is also known for a TV scriptwriter for P.S. I hate you, which was based on her novel. Baison lives in Bangkok with her family.
TULIP graduated from Chiang Mai University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts, English major. Over the years, she has translated seventeen released titles—Four Eng-Thai books and Thirteen Thai-Eng books, such as They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (Eng-Thai) and Cutie Pie by BamBam (Thai-Eng), which has been adapted into a series. She currently enjoys working from home as a freelance translator while feeding stray cats.
Earl Valencia is a venture-backed startup founder, investor and corporate innovation executive that has worked in Silicon Valley, New York and Southeast Asia. In 2023, he was appointed by the President of the Philippines as an Executive Member of the National Innovation Council representing the Business Sector.
He spent his time in Wall Street in the data team of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, and a Managing Director of Digital at Charles Schwab. He also spent several years in enterprise tech working at the Emerging Technology and Innovation teams at Cisco, VMWare and Dell EMC.
He was the VP of Corporate Development and Innovation at Smart-PLDT at 29, and became one of the youngest executives in the entire Philippines during his time. He also co-founded IdeaSpace, the leading incubator and accelerator based in Manila and QBO, the public-private innovation center of the Philippines, both with a combined 100+ incubated companies.
For his contributions to emerging market innovation, he was honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, and awarded by the President of the Philippines as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women of the country. He was also featured in the NASDAQ Times Square Billboard for being selected in NASDAQ Centers Milestone Makers program.
Earl started at the University of the Philippines and completed his degree in Electrical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, from Boston University. He also has a Masters in Systems Engineering from Cornell University, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is currently an adjunct faculty for global leadership at the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and the Asian Institute of Management.
Dan Gonzales is a writer by nature with venture capital and startup experience. Fascinated by how entrepreneurs think and what gets them to perform, Dan developed close ties with the Silicon Valley founders and venture capitalists at VU Venture Partners. He holds a BA in English from University of California, Riverside. He hosts The Startup Mindsets Podcast, a platform that dives deep into how entrepreneurs make decisions and can run successful businesses.
Dan has invested in several early stage startups including Akash Systems, Contraline, Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment.
Dan worked as an executive assistant to Kaila Methven, an award winning fashion designer and celebrity.
Syed Hamid began his career in the Judicial and Legal Service as a magistrate pursuing a career in the financial and banking sector.
He began his political career as Member in the Malaysian Parliament from 1990 to 2013, during which time he held various ministerial positions including Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Minister of Justice, Minister of Defence, Minister of Home Affairs and most notably, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
From 2010-2013 Syed Hamid Albar served as Chairman of the Land Public Transport Commission of Malaysia (SPAD)
Tan Sri Dr. Syed Hamid is currently an Adjunct Professor of three (3) universities, namely, University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), University Malaya (UM) and University Melaka (UNIMEL) as well as Chairman of the OIC Study Group (OICSG).
Syed Hamid Albar has contributed books, essays and articles to national, regional, and the international media as well as academic journals. He has appeared in many political and current affairs programmes, including on BBC, CNN, ALJAZEERA as well as with local TV channels. He is also actively involved with regional and global humanitarian activities. He was the founder and President of HUMANITI Malaysia, an NGO involved in humanitarian activities and served as a Special Envoy to Myanmar for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Since July 2020 he has been Advocate and Solicitor and Managing Partner in Noor Amran & Co since July 2020.
Syed Hamid Albar is presently Chairman of the World Islamic Economic Forum.
Eileen R. Tabios has released over 70 collections of poetry, fiction, art, essays, and experimental writings from publishers around the world. Translated into 13 languages, she also has edited, co-edited or conceptualized 15 anthologies which has involved hundreds of other poets and writers. Recent releases include an autobiography, THE INVENTOR; a poetry collection Because I Love You, I Become War; an art monograph, Drawing the Six Directions; a flash fiction collection (in collaboration with harry k stammer), Getting To One; a novel DoveLion: A Fairy Tale for Our Times (with a Filipino translation, KalapatingLeon, by Danton Remoto); two French books, PRISES (Double Take) (trans. Fanny Garin) and La Vie erotique de l’art (trans. Samuel Rochery); and a Spanish edition, Uno, dos, tres: Selección de Hay(na)kus (One, Two, Three: Selected Hay(na)ku Poems) (trans. Rebeka Lembo). Her body of work further includes a first poetry book, Beyond Life Sentences, which received the Philippines’ National Book Award for Poetry, as well as invention of the hay(na)ku, a 21st century diasporic poetic form; the MDR Poetry Generator that can create poems totaling theoretical infinity; the “Flooid” poetry form that’s rooted in a good deed; and the monobon poetry form based on the monostich. Her writing and editing works have received recognition through awards, grants and residencies. More information is at http://eileenrtabios.com
Rueben Dass is a researcher by day and a novelist by night. Born in Kuala Lumpur, he spent most of his youth in the bustling city before moving to London for studies and thereafter Singapore for work. He began creative writing whilst a student in London, in between classes and during his free time. He regularly publishes short stories and poetry on his website, https://ruebendass.com/ and other literary platforms.
He is also the author of The Number Four, a prequel to Skin and part I of the Inspector Aly and Raj series.
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD). He was a Roman emperor who ruled from 161 AD to 180 AD and is known for his Stoic philosophy and his book Meditations which is a collection of his personal reflections on life and his philosophy. He was educated in philosophy, rhetoric, and literature by some of the best teachers of his time including the famous Fronto. The writings of Epictetus, a famous Stoic philosopher greatly influenced him. His main ideology of life was to live a virtuous life and he emphasized the importance of reason, self-discipline, and moral responsibility.
Patrick Tsang is the Chairman of Tsangs Group and the Hong Kong Ambassadors Club (“HKAC”). Tsangs Group is an innovation-focused global family office that bridges East and West with the mission to invest in global opportunities that allow us to exert positive influence and drive positive impact in Hong Kong, Asia and beyond.
Patrick is a graduate of the College of Law in England, and a qualified solicitor in Hong Kong, England, and Wales. As a philanthropic advocate, he is the past President of the Rotary E-Club of Hong Kong and has supported charities across Asia and the UK. Currently, Patrick is studying at the Owner/ President Management Program (OPM) at Harvard Business School. He is also the Founding Member of the Hong Kong-Israel Collaboration Working Group, Monaco Private Label Young Leaders, and a member of the Global One Chapter YPO (Young Presidents’ Organisation). Notable acknowledgments include being awarded the China Economic Person of the Year during the China Economic Development Forum in 2014 and an international keynote speaker on finance, technology, fintech, blockchain, AI, and leadership.
Patrick’s life motto is ‘Anything is Possible’, the same title as his podcast series featuring some of the most influential people worldwide, who generously share their insights on their road to success. The mission is to share positivity, overcome challenges, and create One World together.
