Maimunah Sharif is the first Asian woman to serve as executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Dedicated to promoting sustainable urbanisation, the United Nations entity implements programmes in over 90 countries to help communities create socially and environmentally sustainable cities and towns. In 2023, the second United Nations Habitat Assembly ended on a high note, with member states renewing their commitment to prioritise housing. “Almost all countries are struggling to ensure their citizens have access to affordable and adequate housing. Globally, 1.6 billion people continue to live in inadequate shelter. We must act now to create a better urban future for them,” Sharif said in a statement. 

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“Not everything will be accepted by the public, but if we believe this is the right direction, we should be brave enough to try,” said Stephanie Ho to Tatler about overcoming obstacles. The CEO of YFY Biotechnology has introduced numerous sustainability projects in Taiwan, foremost of which is Green & Safe, the food platform that promotes the farm-to-table lifestyle, with products such as seasonal kabayaki eel and wild red mackerel. There are also her restaurants, Farm Table and Mountain and Sea House, both of which highlight the use of organic and sustainable ingredients, with Mountain and Sea House awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021. Always moving forward, Ho has also ventured into green buildings with The Greenhouse, a place where people can gather to grow and cook organic ingredients. 

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Dr Santitarn Sathirathai, whose background includes roles in Credit Suisse, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and Chulalongkorn University, is a transformative force in global economics. The three-time winner of the Consensus Economics Outstanding Global Economic Forecast award has helped shape economic policy as one of the leading economists invited by the World Economic Forum to design a future economy and an honourary committee member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of Thailand. The sought-after strategist also speaks regularly on the subject, recently joining his father Dr Surakiart Sathirathai at the Prachachat Business Forum 2024 to explore the future of Asean in the global landscape. 

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As president of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), Anita Fam, the public services veteran who has been involved in healthcare, disability and palliative care services for decades, leads the umbrella body of over 500 social service agencies in its mission to provide effective social services in Singapore. Apart from philanthropy, the NCSS is engaged in initiatives that encourage volunteerism in the community, as well as social research designed to improve its policy and programmes, In February 2024, the organisation launched its Transformation Sustainability Scheme with an allocation of more than S$100 million to support the capabilities and talent of social service agencies. 

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Tatler Asia’s Most Influential is the definitive list of people shaping our world today. Asia’s Most Influential brings together the region's most innovative changemakers, industry titans and thought leaders who are driving positive impact in Asia and beyond. View the full list here.

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