Around Asia

Meet the inspiring people gracing the December 2019 covers of our regional titles

Cover star Charles Chen Yidan reveals why he left behind his high-flying career as co-founder of tech giant Tencent to establish the Yidan Prize, an annual award that celebrates innovators working in the field of education. Philanthropist Nancy Lee and art patrons Nadia and Rajeeb Samdani are also profiled.

Nanette Medved-po, the founder and president of social enterprise Generation Hope, is on the cover. Generation Hope uses the proceeds from sales of its Hope in a Bottle purified water to fund the construction of schools in underprivileged areas of the Philippines.

Natasha Cinta Vinski is the force behind Love for Humanity by NCV, a foundation that works to improve sanitation and reduce forest fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan Tengah province—a region dominated by dense tropical jungle that is a crucial home to endangered orangutans.

Interior designer Katharine Pooley has worked her magic on homes as varied as villas in Kuwait, barns in Oxfordshire and castles in Scotland. She opens the doors to her latest project: The Clarence at St James House in London.

On the cover are mother-daughter duo Lee Jim Leng and Nicole Tham who discuss their respective philanthropic initiatives. Also profiled is Merrill Joseph Fernando, founder of Dilmah Tea, whose foundation helps plantation workers prosper.

Actor, singer, model, author and dancer Terri Kwan appears on the cover. This issue also features the behind-the-scenes photos from the Taiwan Tatler Ball, which was attended by business leaders and celebrities from around the country.