EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation

We’re delighted to welcome Finbar Cooke as our newest UK Board Director! 🎉 Finbar is a Co-Head of European Credit Trading and a Managing Director at Barclays, based in London. Since joining Barclays in 2012, he has led teams across financial, sovereign, and Latin American credit trading and stepped into his current leadership role in 2021. With a BSc in Mathematics from Dublin City University, Finbar combines deep knowledge of global markets with a spirit of leadership and a strong commitment to making a positive impact. We know his experience and passion will be a tremendous asset as we continue to grow and deepen our work with young people across emerging markets. We’re truly excited to have you with us, Finbar — welcome to EMpower! 💫

Last week, we shared a glimpse of “Apni Raah, Apni Pehchaan—Reimagining Quality of Life through a Youth-Centric Lens,” our national conclave celebrating the voices and vision of young people across India through the #YouthKeBol movement. Today, as we wrap up the week, we want to leave you with a powerful note from young people themselves, a reminder that youth leadership isn't just the future, it's the now. One of the standout moments of the conclave was our first panel: “Our Future, Our Voice: Shaping the Quality of Life We Deserve!” A bold, honest, and deeply moving conversation led by youth, for youth. 🙌 Here are some resonant insights from the discussion: 👉 Young people flourish when surrounded by supportive spaces and people who let them ask questions, express themselves freely, and challenge the status quo. 👉 Relatable role models matter. When youth see their journeys reflected to them, it sparks belief and possibility. 👉 Unlearning shame is a form of resistance. Reclaiming voice and dignity is deeply tied to community freedom. 👉 Self-expression and personal power aren’t isolated. They feed into collective strength and a shared sense of liberation. This conversation wasn't just about shaping the future. It was about young people actively building it with courage and clarity of what they want and need. Next week, we’ll bring you highlights from Panel 2—a thought-provoking fireside chat on “Media’s Role in Inspiring Behavioural Change for Improved Quality of Life.” 🎙️ Until then, let this reminder sit with you: when young people rise, entire communities rise with them. 💫 #YKB #YKBConclave2025 Yuvaa, The YP Foundation, Pravah, YuWaah India at UNICEF, Vikalp Sansthan, Dasra.

#ThrowbackThursday: 2008 – The Night That Sparked a Tradition ✨ It was Tuesday, September 16, 2008. The world was in turmoil, markets were in freefall, and uncertainty gripped the global economy. Yet, in the midst of it all, something extraordinary happened that evening. At Café Royal in London, 132 leaders from the EM finance community gathered for EMpower UK’s very first Annual Dinner. There were no auctions, no raffles, just a quiet, powerful show of solidarity. That night, over $400,000 was pledged to support the world’s most marginalised youth. This wasn’t just a fundraiser. It was a statement. Since then, the Annual Dinner has become a cornerstone of EMpower’s journey—a place where finance professionals and changemakers unite to give and reaffirm their belief in equity, opportunity, and the potential of youth. Fast forward to last month, where our Hong Kong and Singapore Annual Dinners, celebrating EMpower’s 25th Anniversary, raised more than a million dollars. And we’re not stopping there. Our US Annual Dinner is coming up this May, and we know this community will show up again, just as it has for all these years. Swipe through as Jeremy Llewelyn, EMpower Chair, Global Executive Committee, takes us through how one night in 2008 sparked a global tradition that continues to grow stronger every year. Also, to everyone who’s ever pulled up a chair at our table, thank you. 💙 #EMpowerTurns25 #25YearsOfImpact In picture: Swatee Deepak, Kunal Shah, Marta Cabrera, Aasha Pai, James Donald, Rekha Nair, Patricia Ahn.

We’re #hiring! 📢 EMpower is looking for a Development and Events Specialist to join our UK team in London. If you're passionate about youth development, thrive in a collaborative environment, and are ready to support impactful fundraising and other events, we’d love to hear from you. From stewarding donors and coordinating inspiring events to managing data and operations, this role is ideal for someone who’s organised, creative, and ready to grow. 🗓️ Apply by 30 April 2025 📍 London-based role (in-person collaboration required) Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/g_t4X4SU

"It’s not about the size of your estate—it’s about the impact your values can have long after you’re gone." In our latest blog, EMpower’s US Director of Development, Robin Barnes, shares a heartfelt reflection on the power of legacy giving. It reminds us that we don’t need a massive estate to make a meaningful difference—just a commitment to the values we believe in. As EMpower celebrates 25 years of championing young people, legacy giving is one way to ensure this impact continues for generations to come. 🌍💙 Curious how your values can shape the future? Read Robin’s powerful piece here: https://lnkd.in/d_Nc9re4

Deadline Extended till 30th April! 💫

EMpower President and CEO, Cynthia Steele, recently spoke with Vivien Teu, Partner and Head of Asset Management & ESG at Dentons Hong Kong, about the ever-evolving ESG landscape, staying grounded in times of uncertainty, and what gives her hope about EMpower’s work and impact. Read the full interview: https://lnkd.in/gXzpMgu7

Yesterday, at the Travancore Palace, something powerful unfolded. In a room filled with some of the most inspiring, generous, and visionary women, we witnessed what collective commitment can look like when it’s rooted in purpose. The energy was electric, filled with stories, solidarity, and a shared dream for a more equitable world. ✨ We’re proud to announce the launch of the EMpower x YFLO Collaborative Fund. A bold, unified step forward in advancing the rights and opportunities of adolescent girls in India. 🎉 This fund is grounded in the belief that patient capital, long-term partnerships, and the power of community are essential to lasting change. And yesterday’s conversations affirmed just that. Our incredible panel: Avantika Dalmia, Vasvi Bharat Ram, Priyanka Agarwal, and Atashi Singhania reminded us that giving takes many forms. Whether it’s closing mental health care gaps, investing in education, preserving traditional arts, supporting rural livelihoods, or simply showing up with time, presence, and empathy—each act has the power to transform. 💫 As our very own Nisha Dhawan said, giving is part of our DNA and even the smallest acts can create a ripple that lasts for generations. We left the room moved, inspired, and more hopeful than ever. This is what collective power looks like. A heartfelt thank you to Aaradhana Dalmia for her unwavering leadership, to everyone who showed up, and to those who made pledges—your belief is what will turn this vision into reality. And in the words of Priyanka Agarwal: “The dream is not for youth to lead tomorrow but to lead today. And to ensure girls are at the very heart of that change.” 💪

We’re so proud to witness this powerful moment: we are here at the iconic Travancore Palace for the launch of a collaborative fund by EMpower and FICCI YFLO, dedicated to advancing the rights and opportunities of adolescent girls! And what better place to mark this milestone than in the company of some of India’s most inspiring philanthropic leaders, each bringing their energy, wisdom, and generosity to the table. A heartfelt thank you to Aaradhana Dalmia, whose belief in our mission and unwavering commitment to girls has made this launch possible.  💫 We are honoured to be joined by an incredible panel of changemakers and past Chairpersons of YFLO—fierce champions for causes spanning education, mental health, rural livelihoods, the environment, and sports: Avantika Dalmia, Co-Chair, Advisory Board, Sabhyata Foundation; Chairperson, Avanee Foundation, Vasvi Bharat Ram, Joint Vice Chairperson, The Shri Ram School; Founding Trustee, India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA), Priyanka Agarwal, Director, OneStepGreener Foundation, Atashi Singhania, JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd. 🙌 And guiding the conversation is our very own Nisha Dhawan, Vice President, Impact and Influence. We couldn’t imagine a more meaningful beginning. ✨ Stay tuned—we’ll be bringing you highlights and a very exciting update from the event soon! 🎉

The truth is, boys have been in crisis for a terribly long time. I finally mustered up the courage to watch #Adolescence. It was brilliant and heartbreaking and unbearably tragic. It's rightly sparked off terribly essential and long overdue conversations about young people and screen-time, and parenting, and andrew tate and his ilk, and..... It's made me think I should resurrect an article I wrote A DECADE AGO based on my many years of working with young people, especially boys, both in the US and here at Aangan Trust. https://lnkd.in/dh-bYXyW I'm tagging Priya Ramani for recognising the crisis boys face even back then and publishing the article despite public opinion that was absolutely hating on boys; Nisha Dhawan, Ph.D and EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation who weren't scared to fund our ground level work with boys back when it was extremely unpopular work that nobody else wanted to touch because they trusted our insights that came from the field; Priya Agrawal and Shailja Mehta, colleagues from the trenches where we together created programming for boys responding to what we were seeing and hearing. Salaams doston!