Malaysian Social Entrepreneur Announced as Obama Leader 2022

Kuala Lumpur — Today, Obama Foundation announced that Ir. Kuhan Pathy from Malaysia is among the 35 emerging leaders selected to join the Obama Foundation Leaders Asia-Pacific program. The program will train participants in leadership development and community engagement to help build their skills and scale their work across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This year’s cohort represents 23 nations and territories across the region.  

Ir. Kuhan Pathy, a chartered engineer by background is the co-founder of Pepper Labs, an award-winning and accredited social enterprise founded to empower marginalized communities through long-term economic empowerment and digital transformation. Pepper Labs is known for its previous work with Masala Wheels, a social enterprise that focuses on at-risk youths. 

Ir. Kuhan also co-founded the Malaysian Chamber of Social Entrepreneur Development, an advocacy group that encourages public and private institutions to embrace social entrepreneurship models to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. Building off his own experience as a social entrepreneur, Ir. Kuhan has worked closely with the Malaysian government and other organizations to build a more enabling social entrepreneurship ecosystem through effective public policy. 

He is currently serving as the Chair of Catalyst 2030 (Malaysia), a global organization officially launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020. Ir. Kuhan has been recognized with OTC (Houston) 2021 Top 10 Emerging Leaders, ASEAN Business Awards 2021, Gen.T Asia  2021, Prestige 40 Under 40 2019 and The Star Golden Hearts Awards 2018 among others. 

As part of the six-month, non-residential program, these dedicated changemakers will convene virtually each week for interactive sessions designed to help them drive change by honing their leadership skills, building deep relationships with their peers, and engaging with thought leaders and members of the Obama Foundation community. They will also have an opportunity to participate in various virtual experiences and special events, including one-on-one conversations with experienced mentors in the Foundation's global network.  

President Obama’s familial ties to the region, his time in Indonesia as a young man, and his upbringing in Hawai`i have informed his values and his faith in the passion of this generation of changemakers across the Asia-Pacific. Launched in 2019, the program is creating a network of leaders who drive positive, innovative change in their communities throughout the continent and across the globe. The 2022 class of Asia-Pacific Leaders are working across a broad range of issues and focus areas, including climate change, indigenous rights, education, and more.  

The Obama Foundation Leaders program is designed to further inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe to change their respective communities and the world. To learn more, visit obama.org/leaders.

To learn more about Pepper Labs, visit www.pepperlabs.my.

This content is provided by The Obama Foundation.

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