Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
As the founder and CEO of The Mekong Club, Matthew Friedman is a global expert on modern slavery and human trafficking. An award-winning filmmaker, author and philanthropist, Matthew regularly advises heads of governments and intelligence agencies. Matthew is considered the leading catalyst of the anti-slavery movement in Asia’s business sector by captains of industry. He has managed and directed tens of millions of dollars to major humanitarian portfolios impacting millions of people for the World Bank, the U.S. State Department and the United Nations. Matthew has a unique and powerful speaking style that inspires people and helps them reach their fullest potential. Matthew provides a range of inspirational keynote speeches to teach and motivate people from all walks of life to step up and take a stand in life. He has shifted the mindsets of many, even the most resistant detractors. His is always a message of hope. Keynote Speaker: I am an award-winning inspirational and motivational speaker. Over the last 7 years, I have given more than 900 presentations including 129 keynote speeches. I have reached over 90,000 people at more than 2,000 corporations, 167 schools and 78 faith-based events. These talks have taken place in 20 nations. Corporate Events over the last 7 years: • Keynote Speeches: ACCAMS; American Express; Adidas; Asia Society; BNY Mellon; Bravest Conference; Crimestopper International; CSR Denmark; Elevate Conference; EY; Geographical Society; Harmony Conference; HSBC; Intercontinental Hotel; KPMG; Mandarin Oriental; McKinsey Institute; MGM; Reuters Antislavery Summit; Singapore Marketing Society; Standard Charter Bank; Stop Slavery Summit; and United Nations Asia Pacific Regional Conference. • Corporate Headquarter Presentations: Amazon; AmeriCares; Bank of America; Commonwealth Bank of Australia Cathay Pacific; Clarks; Clover; Coca Cola; Columbia Sportswear; Crayola; David Jones; Disney; Hallmark; Kodak; Li and Fung; Lululemon; Macquarie; Mandarin Oriental; Microsoft; Nissan; Phillip Morris International; Reuters; Scotia Bank; Swire; Vatican etc. Media: • More than 400 articles and interviews. BBC; CNN; Forbes; Economist; National Geographic; New York Times and more. If you would like to learn more about my speaking engagements & workshops, please contact me on LinkedIn. Testimonials: “Great presentation and a refreshing change” Fleishman Hillard “Thanks again for another informative and inspirational presentation today” Adidas-Group “Powerful and passionate presentation” Salvation Army
Responsibilities include the provision of overall technical and management support to the Mekong Club (Hong Kong). The Mekong Club represents a not-for-profit organization based in Hong Kong made up of highly committed business professionals (senior executives from businesses such as Edelman, Kodak, Western Union, Ernst & Young and Winston & Strawn) whose goal is to uncover and stop the business of human slavery. The Mekong Club is the first organization of its kind in Asia to bring together the immense skills and resources of the business community, channeling them into targeted efforts that will directly disrupt the human slavery trade. The Mekong Club is fighting slavery ‘business-to-business’ to disable its economic and structural viability. We do this through general awareness, targeted trainings for business on how to ensure slave-free supply chains, and through the use of innovative technology to identify slavery and shut it down. Our approach is to partner with experienced anti-slavery field-experts who have the understanding, networks and resources to deliver measurable change. Our geographical focus is Asia (including Hong Kong), where it is estimated there are 11.7 million victims. A core value of our work is using voluntary support available among private sector partners.
Responsibilities included the provision of technical and management support to three counter trafficking organizations including: Freeland Foundation (Thailand), Liberty Asia (Hong Kong) and the Mekong Club (Hong Kong). The major initiatives included: training and technical assistance to corporations related to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, adaptation of smartphones to act as translation units by law enforcement officers, development of a regional hotline to assist migrants in human trafficking situations, and the development of school-based curriculum and supporting materials for educating students on the issue of human trafficking. The position required close collaboration with private sector corporations, donor agencies, high-level government officials and other development partners. Responsibilities also included the development and implementation of a comprehensive, long-term strategic technical plan for each agency that supported the respective project initiatives and overall project fundraising. The countries covered include: China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar.
I am an award-winning inspirational and motivational keynote speaker with 30 years of delivering powerful speeches that change lives. For booking information, please visit my website: www.MatthewSFriedman.com
Responsibilities included the overall management of a comprehensive, six-country regional human trafficking project within the Mekong Region that linked government, UN, bilateral and NGO partners together with a joint plan of action (seven offices with 45 staff). The countries included: China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. The position required close collaboration with donor agencies, high-level government officials and development partners. Responsibilities included the development and implementation of a comprehensive, long-term strategic technical plan that supported prevention, prosecution and protection needs, and overall project fundraising (raised over $15 million over a four year period). This project was designed to follow a highly consultative process, with an emphasis on achieving sustainable, transparent, measurable impact and results. Thus, a major component of the plan of action focused on the operationalization of standardized protocols and guidelines, including a prototype monitoring and evaluation (M&E) design that was being used across multiple countries. Impact in this project was measured by “real persons receiving relevant support.”
Responsibilities included the day-to-day management and supervision of USAID’s activities throughout Asia and the Pacific (15 countries with an annual budget of $100,000,000) related to counter-trafficking, HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases (ID). This included co-management of all major administrative operations; oversight of planning, budgeting and forecasting processes; development of effective management systems and tools; and capacity building of staff through on-site coaching/mentoring. The position required close collaboration with donor agencies, high-level government officials and development partners. Responsibilities also included the development and refinement of comprehensive, long-term strategic technical plans for the counter trafficking, HIV/AIDS and ID sectors. Each of these programs were designed using a highly consultative process with all relevant stakeholders, with an emphasis on achieving transparent, measurable impact and results.
Responsibilities included the day-to-day management and supervision of USAID-supported activities related to counter-trafficking, HIV/AIDS, adolescent reproductive health, maternal mortality reduction, rational use of drugs, and infectious diseases ($22,000,000 annual budget). The position required close collaboration with government, NGO and private sector officials to strengthen policy, management, planning, budgeting, training and logistics capabilities. Responsibilities also included the development of comprehensive, long-term strategic plans and budgets for a national counter trafficking program (Bangladesh), a national HIV/AIDS program (Bangladesh) and a regional counter trafficking program for South Asia (Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). A detailed, multi-year monitoring and evaluation structure was developed in collaboration with all stakeholders to measure program impact and results. A major element of this position focused on problem solving among partners to ensure effective, transparent implementation and improved coordination.
Responsibilities included the day-to-day management and supervision of USAID's counter trafficking, population, family planning and HIV/AIDS portfolios, (e.g. logistics, voluntary surgical contraception, family planning training, social marketing, and institutional development). This included providing technical and administrative monitoring and supervision of activities carried out by the Family Health Division of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the following programs/contractors: Population Council, AVSC, RAPID, CEDPA, JHU/PCS, SOMARC, JHPIEGO and AIDSCAP. The job required close collaboration with government, NGO and private sector officials to strengthen policy, management, planning, budgeting, procurment, training and logistics capabilities. Responsibilities also included carrying out extensive fundraising and design exercises to put in place one of Nepal’s first counter-trafficking and HIV/AIDS programs.