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A systems-minded changemaker
decoding nature's blueprint to rebuild trust in our food and our future.
From humble beginnings, driven by a deep curiosity for the nature of life and the science
I was born and raised in Burma, a country of immense natural abundance but fractured institutions. Early in life, I witnessed how power and ideologies can dictate the very lives of people and their future. I began my journey as someone who is deeply curious about nature, biological life and how systems hold — or fail — communities. What started as a entrepreneurial pursuit became a lifelong mission to rebuild systems from the soil up.
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My academic journey in biological sciences taught me to see life not as isolated parts, but as living systems bound by flow and feedback on delicate balance — principles I carried into the founding of Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (MILS) in 2012. What began as helping livestock farmers combat Anti-Microbial Resistance with sustainable solutions led to witnessing the lack of food safety technical infrastructure hindering the growth of agri-food sector in Myanmar. As I saw myself how a systemic issue can have nationwide impact, I began to play a small part in improving how things work in broader food systems by leveraging on science. The pivotal moment is a national level tri-sector dialogue on food safety where I saw the power of discourse, dialogue and collaboration.
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That insight led me to launch the Center for Sustainable Agri‑food Initiatives Development (CSAID) and, more recently, to chair Myanmar’s chapter of the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network. Whether facilitating climate action dialogues with the Obama Foundation’s Climate CoP or advocating global South's food security at Aspen Ideas Festival, I’ve found that catalyzing multi‑stakeholder collaboration is as much about listening — as it is about leading.
Today, I am extending the impact of my work beyond food by constituting Trust as Infrastructure — a foundational architecture that enables the pathways of shared understanding, the circulation of compassion, and the relational tissue needed for any complex system, from food systems to Democracy, to remain whole under stress.
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From local actions to global conversations
Affiliations
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Founder and CEO​
Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (MILS)
2012 - Present
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Founder and Director
Center of Sustainable Agri-food Initiative Development (CSAID)
2023 - Present
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Chair
Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network (SBN), Myanmar
2022 - Present
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Member of Strategic Advisory Group (SAG+)​
UN Nutrition, Myanmar
2022 - Present
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Co-Facilitator
Climate Community of Practice, Obama Foundation
2023 - 2024
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Recognitions, Awards & Fellowships
ASEAN Under 40
2023
Obama Foundation
Asia-Pacific Leader
2022
Media, Interviews and Public Talks
Interview with The Aspen Institute
" Our global economy is the most sustainable and equitable when it is inclusive. Developing countries, including those with predominantly agricultural economies, must be part of the conversations of the post-pandemic economic recovery and building resilience for future economic shocks. By working with developing economies via smallholder farmers, we are building resilience for future food security shocks from geo-political conflicts and polarities. "
TEDxUM1 2019, Yangon
Public Exposure & Involvements
Local, regional and global involvements
o Food Systems Quality Infrastructure (FSQI): As Private Sector Signatory.
Food Systems Quality Infrastructure (FSQI) is a 3.5 year project signed between US Government’s USAID Feed The Future Agriculture and Food System Development Activity and Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (MILS) | 2020
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o Private Sector Participant - National Multi-stakeholder Workshop on Developing of Food Safety Policy in Myanmar, in
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and FDA Myanmar | 2017
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o Panelist – Horasis Asia Meeting, Valuing Start-ups and Entrepreneurship, in Kolkata, India by Horasis | 2017
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o Participant – NIKKEI ASIA 300 Summit, Managing Disruptive Innovations, in Singapore by The Nikkei | 2018
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o Participant – AVPN Social Impact Forum in Yangon by AVPN | 2018
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o Panelist – Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Livestock and Aquaculture by OIE and FDA Myanmar | 2018
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o Participant – Invest Myanmar Summit 2019, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar | 2019
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o Panelist – Fireside Chat: Food Safety Challenges, in Yangon by Impact Hub Yangon | 2019
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o Private Sector Representative – Workshop on National Export Strategy by International Trade Center (ITC) | 2019
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o Food Safety Forum 2019, Producers Assembly: Lead Organizer | 2019
A tri-sector dialogue convening more than 500 private sector actors, regulatory bodies and development organizations to
discuss food safety and security related issues hindering Myanmar agri-food sector’s growth. More Information
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o Panel Moderator – A Glance at Myanmar’s Food Security Status During COVID, Virtual, by MILS | 2020
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o Panelist - In the Loop, Breaking Limits and Rising from COVID-19, Virtual, by AIA | 2020
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o Panelist - Insights from The Inside, Myanmar’s Rising Agri-food and Other Sectors, Virtual, by Republic Polytechnic,
Singapore | 2020
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o Judge - Innovate to Nourish (I2N) Challenge, in Yangon, by SBN Myanmar and WFP | 2021
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o Moderator – Conversation with Leaders, Virtual, by The Obama Foundation | 2022
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o Panelist - Social Business and Youth Summit, Virtual, by Yunus Center and Impact Hub Dhaka | 2023
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o Roundtable Discussion – Designing Decarbonization, in Aspen, Colorado by The Aspen Institute and Deloitte | 2023
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o Participant - Invite-only TED Countdown 2023 in Detroit, United States, by TED | 2023
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o Keynote Speech – World Food Safety Day Event: Leveraging on Food Safety to Improve Market Access, in Yangon
by MILS and Mekong Institute | 2023
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o Keynote Speech – Annual Meeting of Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network Myanmar by SBN Myanmar | 2023
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o Awardee Business Leader – ASEAN Climate Forum 2023, in Jakarta by ASEAN Business Advisory Council | 2023
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o Awardee Business Leader – ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum 2023, in Jakarta by ASEAN Business Advisory Council | 2023
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o Event Host – From Individual to Collective Climate Justice Leadership, Virtual by The Obama Foundation | 2023
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o Keynote Speech: Scaling Up Climate Technology Through Law - High-Level Plenary III
As part of the event: Engaging Global Stocktake through Legal Lens, during UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai, UAE by The
University of Cambridge, University of Dubai and Middlesex University Dubai (Invited, not able to present in-person due to
travel issues)
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o Participant – Skoll World Forum 2023, Oxford, United Kingdom via a delegation of Obama Leaders | 2023
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o Round Table Host – Asia-Pacific Agri-food Innovation Summit 2024, Singapore: “Understanding Myanmar’s
challenges through a climate and nutrition security lens”.
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o Food Systems Game Changers Lab: As core members of Cohort 7 – Innovating Protein
Involved as the core contributing member of Innovating Protein cohort of The Food Systems Game Changers Lab, a global
program to build a better food future together, held in support of the UN Food Systems Summit.
My contribution to The Action Agenda can be viewed (on page 62) HERE.​​
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o Project signatory – USAID Women Entrepreneurship Program (WEP) | 2019
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o Private Sector Representative in Myanmar delegation: Mekong CREATES Regional Launching Workshop | 2025
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o National Coordinator – Mekong CREATES and Mekong CONNECT national launching meeting | 2025
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o Convener – Food Systems Forum 2025, a multi-stakeholder dialogue co-organized with World Food Program (WFP)/SUN Business Network (SBN Myanmar) and Mekong Institute, supported by Embassy of France in Myanmar.