Melissa Ong

With over 25 years of experience across the Asia-Pacific region, Melissa Ong has held senior leadership roles in international trade, brand communications, and market research, with tenures at HSBC, IOI Group, MRCB, and TNS (Kantar). Over her 15-year career at TNS (Kantar), she led regional portfolios across 33 countries, covering Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

As the former CEO of ASLI, Melissa played a pivotal role in advancing public policy reforms, driving international FDI initiatives, co-founding bilateral business councils, and leading high-level trade missions throughout Southeast Asia. She has also held regional positions with the Bahrain Economic Development Board, Invest Hong Kong, and the UK Department for International Trade, where she spearheaded strategic FDI efforts across ASEAN.

Melissa is currently the Group CEO of Impact Circle, an agrifoodtech ecosystem builder and multiplier, where she champions food security, youth and women empowerment, and the growth of sustainable food startups across the region. She is also the Founder and Managing Partner of First Frontier Ventures, where she leads strategic impact investments in agrifoodtech, climatetech, and sustainability.

She holds an MBA from the University of Sunshine Coast, Australia, and was honoured with the Distinguished Australian Alumni Award in December 2019 by the Australian High Commission and the Malaysia-Australia Alumni Council (MAAC), in recognition of her outstanding achievements and global impact. Melissa is also a Certified Executive Coach (University of Malaya) and a passionate advocate for workplace gender equality, women’s empowerment, and inclusive leadership.