Global Council

Global Council at Global Chamber®

Our Global Council of Ambassadors is made up of global, iconic leaders who are impacting the world and helping guide our global impact, including how we grow and support members worldwide. Special thanks to Dr. Sanjeev Khagram for recommending many of the first Ambassadors, and to our long-time members including Tarun Chopra and Linzi Boyd for stepping up to support our purpose and progress.

Purpose of the Council:

• Strategic support and insight
  
• Strengthening partnerships and influence
  
• Representing industries, regions and innovation sectors
• Developing and communicating our purpose
• Contributing to growth and progress

Global Chamber® Global Council Co-Chairs:

Dr. Sanjeev Khagram. Dr. Khagram is Vice Chair of the Board at Altos Bank and Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution (link). He's also the co-leader of the Global Chamber® Global Council, an advisory board of global leaders supporting the success of Global Chamber®. Dr. Khagram is a world-renowned scholar and practitioner in globalization, sustainable development, leadership, strategic management, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He has been a serial entrepreneur and investor across the private, governmental, and civic sectors.

Dr. Khagram has founded ventures such as Innovations for Scaling Impact, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, and the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre prior to Altos Bank. He has spent the other half of his career in premier higher education institutions including Stanford, Harvard, and most recently as Director-General and Dean of the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

Dr. Khagram is currently a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University's Technology Venture Program, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Center for Sustainable Development and Global Competitiveness, and Hoover Institution. He is also an Executive-In-Residence at the Plug and Play Technology Center. He completed all his degrees (undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate) from Stanford University. He was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2008 among many other awards and honors.

Francis Tesmer. Francis is an economic senator of the German Senate of Economy, a global entrepreneur, and a philanthropist with over 25 years of leadership in international business, education, and social impact.

Her career began in her family’s oil, shipping, and logistics companies, where she was often the only woman in leadership—fueling her lifelong commitment to women’s empowerment. As President of the United Nations World Trade Point Federation (WTPF) in Hamburg, Tesmer has helped companies expand globally through strategic partnerships.

Driven by her passion for education and economic equity, Tesmer has launched the first-ever Associate and Bachelor of Applied Science degrees focused on beauty, wellness, and innovation. Her leadership is transformational, and her work has already opened opportunities to the 8 million-strong beauty industry workforce, 90% of whom are women.

In collaboration with L’Oréal and leading universities, her programs are creating global pathways for women’s leadership, economic mobility, and self-empowerment. Tesmer believes the beauty industry must go beyond aesthetics to uplift inner confidence and create lasting social impact.

Francis actively supports international development through partnerships with numerous global charities, working to solve pressing economic, environmental, and social challenges through education, collaboration, and innovation. More... and there's A LOT more!

Global Council Ambassadors:

• Africa - Samba Bathily
• East Asia and Australia - Colin Christie
• East Asia, China and N. America - James Huang
• China - Catherine Lu
• Central Asia ex China - Terbit Widjaja
• Europe and ASEAN - Linzi Boyd
• Middle East - Mohammed Al-Rashid
• Latin America - Ricardo Vanella
• Americas and Asia - Chris Yap
• North America - Tarun Chopra, Ken Flechler
• Co-Chairs Dr. Sanjeev Khagram and Francis Tesmer

Linzi Boyd is an inspirational businesswoman who has successfully launched, developed, and sold multiple businesses throughout her career. She was able to start her first business at 18 and before the age of 25, had built up and sold two of her own companies. In 1991, Linzi became the Managing Director of her first business, Accent Ladies and continued to open a second business four years later. Both businesses were greatly successful and her second business, Stride was later sold to Caterpillar group.

Linzi is currently the Founder of One Earth and Race to Impact the World, where she continues to help businesses work together and educate others about the business industry, including the culture within it. She continues to expand her career with purpose. She's a best-selling author of the best-selling book ‘Brand Famous’, and is also speaking to groups around the world, sharing her knowledge and unique approach.

On November 25th 2020 One Earth’s inaugural Unite on Purpose Summit was opened by Lila Karbassi from the United Nations. This was the launch of a 5 year summit series. Every November One Earth brings World, business, societal and industry leaders together to unite the World on purpose. We are committed to kickstart the global economy, leading with purpose.

Linzi believes that traditional institutions are never going to make the change the Earth needs. Change will come from people. There is an unstoppable movement away from traditional authority to the individual collectivising under the banner of purpose – the new trading currency. THE TIME IS NOW. By uniting on purpose we can bring together a purpose-driven movement towards global unity.

Tarun Chopra is a highly accomplished global executive, distinguished by his unique experience of living on four continents and working across six. He is an award-winning transformational leader known for driving corporate growth through strategic insight, innovative perspectives, and a commitment to positive change.

With extensive expertise in leading high-performance teams across diverse geographies, industries, and cultures, he brings a wealth of knowledge to every organization he serves. Tarun holds an MBA, is a Chartered Accountant (CPA equivalent), and has certifications in Blockchain and SAP, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence.

Tarun is a respected public speaker and thought leader, with insights featured in prominent publications such as the Wall Street Journal and CFO Magazine. His career spans roles with Fortune 500 companies and leading organizations, including Clements Worldwide, Fannie Mae, Whirlpool Corporation, Ernst & Young (EY), Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Gallagher.

Chris Yap is the CEO and Founder of Gabtech Global, a rapidly growing remote staffing company that scaled from two team members to one of the Inc. 1000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America. With a background marked by resilience and an unwavering commitment to impact, Chris has built a global organization that empowers businesses through talent, systems, and sustainable growth practices.

Recognized as a Titan 100 CEO and an Outstanding Alumnus of San Beda University, Chris is known for his clear strategic thinking, values-driven leadership, and ability to simplify complex growth challenges for entrepreneurs and executives worldwide. He has helped organizations streamline operations, strengthen culture, and scale without sacrificing the wellbeing of their people.

Beyond business, Chris is deeply committed to mentorship, global collaboration, and building opportunities for emerging leaders across borders. He believes that growth is most powerful when it uplifts both companies and the communities around them.

James Huang is a seasoned and visionary leader in the commercial real estate industry, with over 25 years of experience in brokerage, investment, management, and advisory services. He was the founding president of eXp Commercial, the commercial company of eXp World Holdings, a global cloud-based real estate company that offers 24/7 access to collaborative tools, training, and socialization for real estate professionals.

In his former role, James oversaw, built, and ran the commercial and ancillary services to support the growth of eXp Commercial, both domestically and globally. He leverages his operations experience, having launched and managed several companies from startup to profitability, to create a culture of diversity, collaboration, and teamwork. He is also a shareholder and advisor to real estate syndication firms and start-up technology companies, helping them raise capital, consult, and connect with other private equity investors and family offices.

As a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), he has a strong network and expertise in the global real estate market. James was the national president of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities. Currently, serves on the national board for RPR (Realtor Property Resource).

Samba Bathily is the Founder and chief executive officer of Africa Development Solutions (ADS) Group. A serial entrepreneur and Pan African , Mr. Bathily has managed over $5 billion in projects across Africa. He founded ADS Group in 2004 – with an aim to establish strategic and innovative financial solutions tailored for African businesses, institutions and governments. And with his expertise and network, ADS group company has since grown into a global leader in strategic investment and financing. The company’s mission to help structure and design solutions for businesses and governments has earned Mr. Bathily trusted over the years also naming him as one of the African Champions by the African Union.

Mr. Bathily also serves as an Advisor of the Afrochampions Initiative, a project that seeks to mobilise investment funds to help give rise to African economic champions.

A renowned philanthropist, Samba Bathily is also the founder and President of the non-profit “Fondation Volontaires d’Afrique” which aims to develop youth employment in Africa by helping young people through scholarships to launch their projects and become entrepreneurs.

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