5 Pinoys make it to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Five Filipinos made it to this year’s Forbes “30 Under 30 Asia” list, which features 300 “change makers” – all under the age of 30 – from all over Asia.

They are Francis Plaza, founder of PayMongo; Louise Mabulo, founder of The Cacao Project; Breech Asher Harani, multimedia Artist at Alexandrite Pictures; gymnast Carlos Yulo and skateboarder Margielyn Didal.

Forbes released its fifth annual “30 Under 30 Asia” list yesterday, noting that the Class of 2020 features “bright and innovative leaders who are ready and equipped to adapt to whatever the future may hold.”

Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia editor Rana Wehbe said individuals in this year’s list inspire optimism in what is promising to be a tough year ahead.

“They are a resilient and energetic bunch who are facing challenges head-on and actively working for a future that matches their aspirations,” Wehbe said.

Among those featured on this year’s list are Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Kyaw Soe Oo from Myanmar and South Korea’s K-pop girl group Twice and actress So-dam Park, best known for her role in Oscar-winning film Parasite.

Also in the list are female tennis player Ashleigh Barty and the founder of MyraSwim Bianca Anstiss from Australia; 14-year-old racing prodigy Juju Noda from Japan; Bain Wu, CEO of AI startup, INFIMIND, from China; Justin Lim of Fish & Chicks from Singapore; Ajeesh Achuthan, co-founder of Open from India and sisters Isabel and Melati Wijsen, co-founders of Bye Bye Plastic Bags from Indonesia.

There are 10 categories and 30 honorees have been selected from each: The Art and Style, Food and Drink; Entertainment and Sports; Finance and Venture Capital; Media, Marketing and Advertising; Retail & E-Commerce; Enterprise Technology; Industry, Manufacturing and Energy; Healthcare and Science; Social Entrepreneurs and Consumer Technology, according to Forbes.

Wehbe said young women under 21 stand out in the 2020 list.

“From Malaysia’s hijab-wearing wrestler to Bangladesh’s first female comedian and a social entrepreneur helping farmers in the Philippines improve their livelihoods – these fierce game-changers are shattering gender, age and cultural stereotypes across industries,” Wehbe said.

In all, the 2020 list features a diverse set of 30 Under 30 honorees, with 22 countries and territories represented across the Asia-Pacific region. India leads the region with the highest number of honorees of 69 on this year’s list, followed by China with 41.

The honorees were selected from over 3,500 nominations and researched by Forbes journalists from across the region.

They were also vetted by industry veterans.

Forbes 30 Under 30 is comprised of “relentless individuals who are disrupting industries and tackling major global issues,” the global business publication said.

“The criteria for honorees making the list include their demonstration of leadership, how they embody the entrepreneurial spirit that is synonymous with Forbes, and their potential of success in their industry. Other factors like innovation, disruption – and size and growth of their ventures in some categories – play a role in making the final decision,” Forbes said.