Charu Fernando

Charu has 39 years of investment experience and has been managing institutional assets since 1987. Prior to founding Edgbaston in 2008, she spent over 21 years at Pyrford International Plc where she was appointed the Head of Asian Equities in 1993. Charu has practiced a value-based investment philosophy in the Asian region for over three decades. She was born in India but grew up in Calgary, Canada. Charu received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary in 1984 and a Master of Arts from the University of Warwick in 1985. She attained the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1990. Charu resides in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham, UK.

Benj Gershman

Benj Gershman is a dynamic musician, podcast host, and community activist committed to improving lives through music, storytelling, and advocacy. As an original member of the band O.A.R., Benj has spent three decades touring and performing in legendary venues around the country. Beyond music, he founded impactful initiatives like the Heard the World Fund, which has donated over $1 million to youth and education programs. Through his podcast, What Could Be Bad, Benj sparks powerful conversations that challenge stigmas around mental health. His work bridges creativity and social impact, inspiring individuals and communities to embrace healthier, more meaningful lives.

Patricia Llabres de Prada and John Stover

John Stover is the Managing Partner of the Tribeca Asia Credit Fund, which he founded in 2019, and has served as the lead Portfolio Manager since its inception. He is also the CEO of Tribeca Investment Partners Pte Ltd (Singapore), a licensed MAS entity. 

With over two decades of investment experience, John spent 12 years at Farallon Capital Management in San Francisco and Singapore, where he deployed capital across a diverse range of core strategies, including liquid credit, direct lending, equity long/short, and direct equity investments. During his tenure at Farallon, he also served on the Executive Committee and Audit Committee of PT Agincourt Resources.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Certificate in Environmental Studies from Princeton University, where he graduated With Honors. A former athlete, he was Princeton University’s all-time leading scorer in water polo for 20 years and played one season professionally in the Australian National Water Polo League.

Patricia Llabres de Prada is the Strategic Marketing & Business Development Manager for the East Asia Pacific region at Doka in Singapore, where she drives market expansion, strategic partnerships, and growth initiatives in the region.

Prior to joining Doka, Patricia gained extensive experience in both engineering and business development. As an EPC Civil Engineer at Grupo OHL in Oslo, she played a key role in the construction of the Follo High-Speed Railway Line, Norway’s largest transportation project. Before her engineering role, she built a dynamic career in business development and international trade. She worked as a Business Development Consultant at OHL in Singapore, focusing on market growth strategies, and as a Business Development Engineer at OFITECO in Bogotá, where she specialized in infrastructure and engineering solutions. Additionally, she served as an International Trade and Investment Advisor at ICEX in Johannesburg, providing strategic insights on trade and investment opportunities.

Patricia holds a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and an MBA in International Management from Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo.

Kristin Biggs

Kristin Biggs is an accomplished retail operations executive and certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with deep expertise in global merchandising, inventory planning, and organizational transformation, managing budgets up to $300M. She is recognized for her ability to drive operational excellence through data-driven methodologies, achieving a 71% reduction in inventory days while maintaining revenue targets across 30+ countries. Beyond process optimization, she is known for scaling organizations and developing high-performing teams with a 50% internal promotion rate and 85%+ retention.

Kristin is an influential business partner, change catalyst, and complex problem-solver with talent for integrating advanced retail operations acumen with strategic planning expertise to revolutionize business processes and drive sustainable growth across wholesale and DTC channels.

Sandeep and Sonia Gupta

Sandeep is a Managing Director at Broad Peak Investment Advisers in Singapore.  He has more than 25 years of experience in the Asian credit markets, having started his career with UBS Singapore in 1997. Following that, he worked with the Citadel Investment Group in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2008, and since 2008, Sandeep has helped build and manage Broad Peak's credit investments across Asia Pacific.

Sandeep is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and holds a Chartered Accountancy and a Chartered Financial Analyst degree.

Both Sonia and Sandeep are passionate about supporting social causes and in addition to U-GO, they have also been active contributors to and supporters of Ashoka University in India, the EMPower Emerging Markets Foundation, and Vidya and Child in India.

Sonia is a seasoned strategist and collaborative leader with over 25 years of experience across industries globally. She is known for her relentless focus on growth and innovation and a strong bias for action. In her role, Sonia works closely with the C-suite and Boards of companies across industries to deliver their growth agenda using data and AI.

Sonia specializes in business model innovation, data and AI, and leadership. She is passionate about shaping growth at the intersection of creativity, insights, emotion, and technology. She is an advocate and champion of Inclusion and Diversity within her organization and works closely across many organizations to enable inclusion at the workplace, creating empowering environments, supporting and growing women through transition points, and accelerating the growth of women leaders. Sonia is a seasoned design thinker and practitioner. She is also the author of several articles, including her most recent work in Harvard Business Review, entitled "How Global Brands Can Respond to Local Competitors."

Sonia spent the first several years of her career in the Consumer Goods and Retail Industry. Through her consulting career, she has worked across a range of industries including consumer goods, government ministries and bodies, mining and industrial products, technology, financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, and retail.

Sonia is passionate about social change and supports organizations focused on education, enabling elders to live with dignity, and organizations that improve the lives of those less fortunate. She works closely with several social impact ventures in APAC.

Jenny Yeo

Jenny Yeo is a strategic communications and public affairs specialist who has worked in leadership positions with some of Asia’s most well-known companies.  She is currently the Asia Corporate Communications Director for Asia at SEPHORA, where she drives regional communications and brand engagement and is also the Purpose Lead.  Prior to this, she served in leadership positions with DHL as Regional Lead and Head of External & Internal Communication, with Bloomberg in APAC Corporate Communications, where she managed media strategy across the region, and as a Director at Brunswick Group.

Jenny holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honors, majoring in Economics from the National University of Singapore, and completed the Squared Online Digital Marketing program. Her expertise in thought leadership, stakeholder engagement, and corporate storytelling positions her as a key player in shaping impactful communications strategies.

Jason Rosenblatt

Mr. Rosenblatt is a Partner and Head of Southeast Asia Private Equity in Ares Asia. Prior to joining Ares in 2023, Mr. Rosenblatt was a Partner at Crescent Point, where he managed private equity investments across Southeast Asia. Previously, he was the Global Head of Special Situations and Single Credit at Standard Bank and the Head of Principal Strategies at DKR Oasis. In addition, Mr. Rosenblatt was an Associate at McKinsey & Company and Bank One. Mr. Rosenblatt serves on the Board of Directors of LBC Express Holdings, Axelum Resources Corporation, New Lifestyle Service Corporation and Hospitality Holdings Ltd. Mr. Rosenblatt holds a B.A. from Duke University in Economics and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Stephanie Balois Guerrero

Stephanie has over 20 years of experience in marketing and sales, specializing in digital marketing, brand development, customer marketing, and operations across the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the U.S. She has worked in both established corporations like Unilever and Citibank and dynamic start-up environments such as Uber and Tim Hortons.

Currently, she is the Vice President – Head of Marketing at Bounty Plus Inc. and an Adjunct Faculty of the Asian Institute of Management, where she serves as Program Director for Digital Marketing programs at the School of Executive Education and Lifelong Learning.

Beyond her professional career, Stephanie is a dedicated mom of two and an active parent representative at her children’s school, balancing leadership at work with engagement in her kids’ education and community.

She is on the Advisory Board of U-GO Philippines. Additionally, she is a member of the Harvard Club of the Philippines and the Management Association of the Philippines.

Stephanie holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Kashmira Daryanani

Kashmira Daryanani is a strategic business leader with over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently the Head of Marketing Activation for Asia Pacific at EQT Partners.

Prior to joining EQT, Kashmira spent more than a decade at BlackRock across New York and Hong Kong. She held a number of roles, including Head of Brand and Chief Operating Officer for APAC Marketing. She also led the firm’s philanthropy efforts in Asia for several years. 

Born and raised in Curacao, Kashmira’s global experiences across the Dutch Caribbean, U.S.A., and Asia have deepened her understanding of diverse communities and the possibilities that arise when given opportunity. She is passionate about education and the role it plays in driving positive societal change, and is actively involved in social impact programs in Hong Kong. 

Kashmira holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from HKUST Business School.

Jason Karas

Jason Karas is a business builder, international lawyer, company director and creative problem solver.  With over 30 years of experience, Jason is a trusted adviser to individuals, companies, investors, trustees, family offices, receivers, charities and government. He has been involved in the management and resolution of some of the most complex disputes and investigations in Asia Pacific and pioneered dispute financing solutions in the region. Jason established his own law firm focused on dispute resolution in Australia in 2004 and in Hong Kong in 2009 and has been on the board of arts, legal and philanthropic organizations. He was recently recognized by Asian Legal Business as one of the Top 15 Litigators in North Asia and is considered by peers as ‘the best litigator in the market’, having built one of the leading dispute resolution teams in Hong Kong. Jason is also a startup investor in the technology and healthcare sectors and in his spare time enjoys collecting art and playing, coaching and watching tennis.  

Saniya Kazmi Bloomer

Saniya Kazmi Bloomer is a seasoned marketing professional with extensive expertise in devising and executing transformative brand and consumer engagement strategies for multinational corporations across diverse industries.

During her tenure with a Tokyo-based agency, she led global assignments spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Prior to transitioning to the agency world, Saniya held various sales and marketing roles in the hotel industry.

Originally from Pakistan, Saniya’s life and travels across many developing countries where U-GO operates have fueled her deep passion for uplifting marginalized communities. Committed to philanthropy, she has taken on leadership roles in educational, human rights, and healthcare nonprofits. She has also participated in service missions to Sri Lanka, Ghana, Malaysia, and Peru, underscoring her ongoing commitment to supporting communities in need.

After more than 25 years of expatriate life in Bangkok, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, Saniya and her husband, Kavin, now reside in Southern California, dividing their time between Los Angeles and Del Mar.

Joe and Elizabeth Pomerenke

Joe and Elizabeth became best friends in college where they both studied civil engineering,  later got married, and began their lives together in Chicago. Elizabeth went on to pursue a Masters in Non-profit Business Administration and Joe furthered his education with a Masters in Architectural Engineering.

Elizabeth has stayed home to raise their four children, Michael (12), Susan (10), Thomas (8), and Matthew (6).  In her spare time, she works with non-profit organizations to review grants.  She is also an avid reader.

Joe pursued a career in design-build construction at ARCO/Murray National Construction company. Over 18 years, he and his partners grew the business to be a top 10 firm in the United States. In 2022, the partners sold the business to the associates, and Joe now serves on the Board of Directors. Joe continues to work with his numerous private investments in real estate, design and construction technology, location based entertainment, and hospitality.

In July 2021, they decided to pursue their family's dream of living in the mountains and they moved to Golden, Colorado. They like to bike, hike, ski, fish, and spend time outdoors with family and friends.  

Mayumi Brenner

Born in Japan, Mayumi studied in the UK, where she realized that the world extends far beyond Japan. This led her to make the bold decision to move to Hong Kong alone for a career transition. She spent 22 years in Hong Kong, serving as the head of a recruitment company in both Hong Kong and China.

During her time in Hong Kong, she met Brian Brenner, got married, and together they raised three children. She relocated to the U.S. in 2017 and initially became actively involved in the local Japanese community, volunteering and serving as a PTA board member at her children’s school.

Mayumi then launched her own company Cross Border Connect LLC , dedicating herself as a career coach to supporting Japanese professionals who aspire to work overseas. With a client base spanning 25 countries, she provides hands-on, goal-oriented coaching to help professionals successfully transition to international careers.

Mayumi is passionate about supporting U-GO as it relates to her journey and the importance of helping so many young women with their education.

Lauren Lin

Lauren Lin is a Public Relations, Marketing and Business Development professional with 20+ years of experience in the hospitality, luxury retail, and entertainment industries.

Her experience in the Hospitality sector includes managing headliner entertainment at the Encore Theatre at the Five Star Five Diamond Wynn & Encore Resort in Las Vegas (NYSE:WYNN). She also managed partner marketing for PLAYSTUDIOS, a social games startup which ultimately scaled to become a top-8 global revenue leader as a public company (NASDAQ:MYPS).

While living in Hong Hong Kong for seven years, she co-founded PIVOT, a boutique recruitment firm focused on connecting companies with highly skilled professional women seeking flexible work arrangements. She was driven by a deep understanding of the evolving professional landscape and a passion for empowering women. Recognizing a significant disconnect between the talent pool of highly skilled women and the traditional hiring practices of companies in Hong Kong, Lauren envisioned a recruitment firm that would bridge this gap.

Lauren has consistently demonstrated a deep engagement with organizations that champion the cause of women's empowerment, and has previously held leadership roles within organizations including Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong, Joy Prom Las Vegas, and Shade Tree.

She currently lives in Mill Valley, CA with her four children, and husband, John. Lauren holds a B.S. in Marketing and an International Business Certificate from Arizona State University and is passionate about travel, yoga and pilates, and hiking.

Laura Howard

Laura recently retired from Morgan Stanley after working for 27 years in the Healthcare Group within the Investment Banking Division. She spent 11 years with MS in Asia working across the region in Southeast Asia, Korea, China and Japan and 16 years working in Morgan Stanley’s European business. She is currently spending her time on a number of volunteer opportunities and also getting more involved in Golden Seed, a venture capital group supporting women owned and run businesses. 

In addition Laura is a member of the APAC board for Room to Read where she was co-Chair from 2021-2024 and also sat on the board of the Chelsea & Westminster Healthcare Trust. Laura is a keen trail runner, skier and reader. She also loves classical music and opera. She also thoroughly enjoys being a mother to her twin boys Max and Sebastian (currently 15). 

Kirsten Sansom

Kirsten Sansom has over 20 years of non-profit experience in Asia and the U.S., advocating for quality education for children in developing countries. For nearly two decades, she lived and traveled throughout Asia, witnessing the barriers to education firsthand. In Shanghai, she led fundraising efforts for Operation Smile, Habitat for Humanity, The Jane Goodall Institute, and the Li Ming Migrant School. In Singapore, she was the Executive Team Leader for Room to Read’s gala, raising millions for literacy and girls' education. Subsequently, she served as a consultant for Room to Read’s events in Hong Kong and New York. 

Previously, Kirsten was an Advanced Systems Engineer at Electronic Data Systems, applying creative IT solutions to solve business problems in the manufacturing, telecommunications, and retail sectors in the U.S. and Europe. 

Now, as Senior VP of Storytelling, she shares compelling scholar stories to inspire donor support, enabling more young women to achieve a university education. 

Kirsten holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is also Vice President of the Black Butte Conservancy, a conservation non-profit she co-founded in Central Oregon. When not crafting inspiring stories, she’s keeping a watchful eye on the plight of western bluebirds in her cherished Ponderosa pine forest. 

Ken Sansom

Ken Sansom has nearly 40 years of global business and technology experience. He is currently developing a GenAI startup, penning a novel, and refining his fly-tying and fishing skills. Most recently, he served as Global Head of Securities Services Technology at Citi in New York. Previously, he spent a decade growing Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he held senior leadership roles in Asia and the U.S. He led global teams that helped customers use the most advanced cloud technology, including AI, Data & Analytics, Blockchain, Internet of Things, and Quantum Computing.

Previously, Ken was CEO of Experian Asia Pacific for seven years and a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Diamond Technology Partners. He began his career in Electronic Data Systems’ (EDS) Systems Engineering program.

A native of Oregon and now a global citizen, Ken has lived and worked in Switzerland, Germany, the UK, Japan, China, Costa Rica, Singapore, and multiple U.S. cities. He spent nearly 20 years in Asia with his wife and two sons.

Ken holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and a B.A. in Business Administration with a minor in Computer Science from Lewis & Clark College.

Kavin Bloomer

Kavin Bloomer is Executive Director and Head of Hospitality Investing at Morgan Stanley based in Los Angeles, California. He is responsible for the group’s hotel asset management and acquisition efforts for funds managed or advised by Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI) throughout North America. Prior to his current role, Kavin was with Morgan Stanley based in Hong Kong and Tokyo with hotel asset management and acquisition responsibility for the Asia Pacific region.

Before joining Morgan Stanley, Kavin held senior management positions with Goldman Sachs Realty Japan Limited and its affiliate, Archon Group L.P., working in Japan, the United States, and Thailand.

Kavin's career in hospitality began with ITT Sheraton Corporation and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he was general manager and held leadership roles in finance and franchise operations.

Kavin earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Master of Professional Studies from Cornell University's Graduate School of Hotel Administration. 

Jodi Morris

Jodi Morris is a modern venture guide. She’s sought as a Success Coach, curates immersive small group Venture Travel and invests in impactful companies and girls’ education non-profits. Her passion is connecting people and ideas globally.

Jodi spent 22+ years in the investment industry, leading U.S. business-building initiatives at JP Morgan and Matthews Asia. Combining her analytical mindset, education-based communication style and connecting prowess, she led teams that raised billions of dollars in innovative investment strategies.

An avid traveler, Jodi is inspired by ideas, passion, grit and goals. She invests in entrepreneurs globally and believes that girls’ education is the best investment of our lifetime. 

Jodi is a member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) and served as President of the IWF Northern California Legacy Foundation. She is a Renew Capital and Portfolia investor and CFA® Charterholder. She invests in global non-profits Room to Read, U-GO, Rise Up, Nurturing Minds/SEGA and SHE-CAN. Jodi graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a degree in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences (MMSS) and Economics. Raised in the Midwest, she spent three decades living in New York City and San Francisco before settling with her husband Bob in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

John B. Lin

John has engaged the development, operations, and marketing of direct-to-consumer businesses since 2002, with concentrations in consumer health data technologies, integrated resort development in Asia, Europe, and the United States; and mobile games development and operations for global audiences. John’s expertise includes product development and operations, corporate & strategic development, marketing and user acquisition, international organizational and resource development, and general C-suite and senior management responsibilities.

John currently serves as the Chief Product Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Paceline, a next-generation wellness and consumer financial services platform creating sustainably transformative health outcomes for individuals at scale.

Prior to Paceline, John was the Chief Operating Officer of PLAYSTUDIOS Inc (NASDAQ:MYPS), a leading developer and operator of mobile games including the myVEGAS franchise of social casino games and TETRIS, where he helped scale the company from a startup to an NASDAQ IPO in 2021.

Previously, as an executive in the land-based casino sector for Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) and Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD), John led greenfield development, legislative and regulatory initiatives, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and design and development of integrated casino resorts from Macau, Singapore, and the UK to regional US markets and the Las Vegas Strip.

John has a Masters degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University and received his Bachelors in Architecture with honors from University of California Berkeley.