Filipino student chosen Young Global Leader 2012

A Filipino scholar in the United Kingdom has been chosen the 2012 Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum.

A statement from the British Embassy in Manila said Benedict Carandang, 30, was one of the youngest selected for the prestigious honor from thousands of nominees across the world and joins the 191 other honorees of the YGL Class of 2012.

Carandang, a graduate of De La Salle University in Manila, is currently in the United Kingdom pursuing an MBA at the University of Westminster under the Chevening Scholarship Program of the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Creative industries

He was nominated for the Young Global Leaders scheme for his work promoting the creative industries in his home country.

The Young Global Leaders are selected by the World Economic Forum each year to recognize the world’s most distinguished leaders under the age of 40.

At just 24, Carandang co-founded Tuldok Animation Studios, a social enterprise that aims to promote creative talent in the Philippines through animation. Since then, he has become a champion of the country’s creative industries and has been recognized for his work through awards in 2008 from the British Council’s International Young Creative Entrepreneur for Screen scheme and in 2009 he was awarded the Most Inspiring Young Entrepreneur by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship. Most recently, he was the recipient of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship awarded by the UK FCO which enabled him to pursue his postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom.

Of the Young Global Leader title, Carandang said, “I have a lot to thank the United Kingdom for opening my horizons about the positive impact of the creative economy, on how it can help effect change and perhaps even become a catalyst in my country by creating more jobs using the talent and entrepreneurship of my countrymen.”

Carandang is now hoping to use his knowledge from the Westminster MBA to continue his work to help support his social enterprise and as part of his commitment to help shape the global future with the Young Global Leaders community around the world.

The honor, bestowed each year by the forum, recognizes up to 200 outstanding young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. Past YGLs include Maria Bartiromo, anchor and managing editor, Wall Street Journal Report, CNBC, USA; David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Esther Duflo, professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA; Larry Page, cofounder and Chief Executive Officer, Google, USA; Zhang Xin, Chief Executive Officer, SOHO China, People’s Republic of China.

19 Southeast Asians

For 2012, the forum has selected 192 YGLs from 59 countries and all sectors of society, including business; civil society; social entrepreneurs; politics and government; arts and culture; and opinion and media. The new class originates from East Asia (38), South Asia (19), Europe (46), Middle East and North Africa (15), sub-Saharan Africa (18), North America (37) and Latin America (19). –Philippine Daily Inquirer

http://ukinthephilippines.fco. gov.uk