The webinar link will be emailed to all successful registrants at 6:00PM on Wednesday, April 27, 2022

ABOUT THE SERIES

The ‘Unspeakable Series’ is a thought leadership series on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. CanChamHK is pleased to partner with Manulife, a leading Canadian company in Hong Kong that is driving DE&I. Colliers, a global leader in real estate services and investment management is our Supporting Ally. Through a series of panel discussions, we aim to bring awareness to DE&I topics in the workplace and in the community. By sharing experiences we can support and encourage change around us.

”DIVERSITY is having a seat at the table, INCLUSION is having a voice, and BELONGING is having that voice be heard.” 

- Liz Fosslien & Mollie West Duffy

 

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Join CanChamHK in partnership with Manulife and supporting ally, Colliers, for the launch of our ‘The Unspeakable Series: Conversation about DE&I'.

Episode 1: Communities Seen As ‘The Other’ will highlight voices from different community groups who share common values that empower them to overcome different sets of challenges.

We will also speak with three representatives who will share their challenges and the opportunities that DE&I presents, along with best practices and tips on how you or your business can create a fairer, more balanced and inclusive workplace. 
Baby steps can create big impact to ensure ALL are heard AND included.

100% of proceeds from this event will be donated to HELP for Domestic Workers, Resolve Foundation & Hong Kong Unison for their support.

 

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

 

SHAMAN CHELLARAM
Senior Director 
Colliers 

Shaman has 18 years’ experience in the real estate industry across Asia and Europe. As a Senior Director of Valuation & Advisory Services | Asia at Colliers, he advises clients across the hotel & commercial real estate sectors in Hong Kong and key international markets. He works with developers, hotel owners and operators, family offices/UHNWIs, PERE fund and other major investors. He serves as Vice-Chair of BritCham’s Real Estate Committee and is a member of the ULI Hospitality Development Council and the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong & International Chapter. He is licensed under the Hong Kong Estate Agents Authority and qualified in 'Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management’. He is co-founder and Board member of YAMA Foundation (yamahk.org) – a Hong Kong registered charity focused on serving Hong Kong’s more vulnerable communities.

 

 

 

 

PHYLLIS CHEUNG
Executive Director 
Hong Kong Unison

Phyllis Cheung is the Executive Director of Hong Kong Unison, a local NGO that upholds racial equality and the rights of ethnic minority residents in Hong Kong. She leads Unison to lobby for amending the Race Discrimination Ordinance as well as for inclusive and equitable education opportunities for ethnic minorities. She is particularly concerned about the Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum in the public education sector. Without a working proficiency in Chinese, it is difficult for economically and socially marginalized ethnic minority children to lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in the society. Phyllis has extensive experience working with communities and civil society organisations in Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

 

 

 

 

SHARIFA LEUNG
Managing Director 
3 Hani Enterprises Limited

Sharifa co-founded 3 Hani Enterprised Ltd (HANI Halal) in 2018, a company advocating the concept of halal via food and education amid the booming global halal economy. 
A third-generation Muslim born to a Chinese family with edication in both Canada and Australia, Sharifa has a strong connector personality. Her company has maintained an active network of key stakeholders in the halal industry in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan. Along with Malaysia's Halal Development Corporation, her company hosted the first halal industry awareness seminar in Hong Kong in 2019. In 2020, her company co-organized the first halal info kiosk with the local halal certification body at the annual LOHAS Expo. Since then, her initiative has been recommended by InvestHK, EOC and local institutions. Her effort earns HANI Halal the award of "Manpower Developer 2020-22" by the Employees Retaining Board.
Intrigued by the exciting halal scenes abroad, Sharifa has the ambitions in opening here own certified halal kitchen and hosting the first halal food festival in Hong Kong. Currently she is cracking into a mini version of the festival - "Halal Friday" - which is also a call to action towards a Muslim-friendly Hong Kong. As simple as providing halal snack treats on Friday's Jumah, corporates and organizations can express appreciation to their Muslim co-workers. 
Sharifa has spoken at talks and seminars hosted by Baptist University, The Education University of Hong Kong, Equal Opportunities Commission, The Law Society of Hong Kong, LOHAS Expo and Macao Institute for Tourism Studies. 

 

 

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

 

 

SUDESH THEVASENABATHY
AVP, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Asia
Manulife

Sudesh Thevasenabathy brings with over 20 years of experience specializing in customer experience, process efficiencies and change management across multiple industries in Malaysia and Hong Kong. Shifting his career towards his passion for inclusion, he is currently Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Asia at Manulife Financial Based in Hong Kong responsible for driving the DEI agenda across the region for employees and minority communities. Sudesh was the founding member of the AXA Hong Kong Diversity & Inclusion Council, and won the 2019 LGBT+ Hong Kong Ally Award by Community Business and was named 2019 Global Top 50 LGBT+ OUTstanding Role Model (Involve.org) through his work for the LGBT+ community. He is also Vice Council Chair of the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School for Special Needs Children in Hong Kong, Advisory Council member of SENsational Foundation and LGBT+ Mentor for Community Business's Mentorship Programme. Sudesh is a true believer and advocate of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and with customers, and actively works and speaks in supporting inclusion of all forms - disability, race, gender, sexuality and multi-generational employees.

 

 

Event Organizers

 

 

Supporting Ally

 

 

Co-hosting Chambers

 

 

 

 

Special Thanks

 

                               

 

Cancellation Policy: Payment is non-refundable unless the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong cancels the event. If you are unable to attend, cancellations must be received in writing 72 hours prior to the event. No shows will be charged. 
Photography/Filming: By taking part in this event, you grant the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong full rights to use any images resulting from the photography/video filming.