Michelle de la Harpe, RTCA is a hospitality and marketing expert with over 20 years in multinational companies and C-Suite roles. Being exposed at a tender young age while surrounded by the astounding biota of breathtaking Borneo, she grew up near the coast and would be on the beach almost every weekend with her family while on other days she would sit down and admire her late grandfather's competent skills at boat making and listen to his exhilarating stories of the virgin seas.
As the first female in Sabah and Malaysia to receive a Professional Certification in Technology Commercialisation, she currently specializes in ESG-focused strategies and projects while running her own eco wellness platform MDaat Eco Wellness which earned her recognition as one of Wiki Impact's 100 Malaysian Changemakers. Certified as Malaysia's first Xpert Fitness Flexibility Flow instructor, Michelle advocates wellness and holistic wellbeing.
Michelle represented Malaysia at the US State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in 2025 and is also an alumna of the Duke of Edinburgh's Commonwealth Study Conference which took place in Canada in 2023. She currently serves on the board of CSC Global Alumni and is the first Malaysian to do so.
Graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Economics, Alvin is currently a successful business owner. He has always had a passion for the sea and scuba dives in his free time. A nature lover, Alvin looks for ways to preserve as much as possible be it beauty or life form, from the biggest creature to the tiniest.
A natural born artist, he seizes every opportunity to create or capture art in its most innate state and aspires to empower the water village folks through this same zeal. An aspiring philanthropist, he looks forward to uplift those in need where possible.
Estelle is a certified graphic designer who has been serving the government for the past 10 years. A creative soul who finds her zen in her surroundings to achieve the best in both her work and family life, she helps people find their zen the best possible way. A Thalassophile, she will jump into the ocean at the first opportunity she has. Hoping to heal the environment, she strives with whatever time and energy she can contribute with.
MJ holds a Masters in Business Administration and currently has a career in building relationships within the travel and tech industry. She is an avid diver and does it for conservation and leisure purposes. She looks to doing small things that can help with the sustainability of the Earth and believes this starts with people. While people can be a contributor to the problem, yet the solution also comes from the people.
Megat graduated from Monash University with a degree in Business. He has been sailing since he was a child and has a passion for the sea. Megat currently is captain and team manager of Malaysia's National Keelboat Team. He is a business owner involved in the recruitment and food and beverage industry in Malaysia. He believes that the ocean has opened up a lot of opportunities for him and he therefore wishes to give back.
Roxana stepped on the bar at a tender age and knew she wanted to give back to the community when she returned to Kota Kinabalu. She has served on the executive committee for the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl since 2017 and today is the VP. She loves travelling and can't resist a beautiful white beach and blue ocean. It is with this passion that she hopes to educate the community in preservation of the oceans so that the world could continue to bask in its beauty.
Graduating from the International Hotel and Tourism Management Institute of Switzerland, Fina is a seasoned hotelier. She has served in various international hotels and currently manages the events team at a five star resort. An avid diver, sun and ocean lover, she finds her soul and peace in the serenity of the ocean waves. She gives back generously to the society and environment whenever she can and hopes to salvage what is left for the future generations.
A graduate in business administration from the historical city of Melaka, Diyana worked in the media industry before joining her family in their hospitality and food and beverage business. A lover of all animals both on land and in the sea, she strives to help them with everything she can. Surrounded by water as her element, she hopes to conserve the environment and educate those around her.
Michelle de la Harpe-Germani is a sustainability and ESG project leader with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering large-scale environmental, social, and leadership initiatives across Malaysia and Southeast Asia. She specialises in converting complex development challenges into scalable, impact-driven systems aligned with circular economy principles and inclusive growth.
As Founder of the Meraki Daat Initiative, she leads multi-stakeholder programmes in Sabah focused on marine conservation, waste-to-resource innovation, and community infrastructure development, including eco-brick and circular economy projects that integrate environmental restoration with livelihood creation and education.
Her cross-sector portfolio includes a UNDP-linked sustainability and community resilience programme, as well as the Wanita Empowered campaign in partnership with the US Embassy, advancing women's leadership and capacity building. Her work has also been recognised by WikiImpact for innovation in social impact delivery.
Michelle is known for bridging government, development agencies, NGOs, private sector partners, and grassroots communities — translating vision into execution and pilot initiatives into scalable, replicable systems for long-term environmental and social transformation.
Adora is a highly accomplished architect, project manager, and designer with extensive expertise in architectural consultancy and project delivery. Holding an AA Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, along with RIBA Part II and LAM Part III qualifications, she combines strong technical knowledge with creative vision to deliver outstanding architectural solutions.
Fluent in English and Malay, Adora has successfully managed and administered projects from concept through completion, ensuring quality, efficiency, and client satisfaction at every stage. As a registered architect, she is recognized for her ability to balance innovative design with practical execution.
Beyond architecture, Adora is skilled in publishing, graphic design, writing, and presentation development, enabling her to communicate complex ideas effectively to diverse audiences. Passionate about environmental stewardship, she integrates sustainable principles into her work, creating designs that are both functional and environmentally responsible.
Marsyitah Marzuki is an advocate deeply committed to sustainable development, social justice, and the empowerment of marginalized communities. A graduate of the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya in 2023, she was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in November 2024.
During her university years, Marsyitah actively participated in various university clubs and volunteered with youth-led organizations, honing her leadership and advocacy skills. Now a legal practitioner and newly admitted to the Sabah Bar, she leverages her legal expertise and grassroots experience to drive meaningful societal change through her work and community involvement.
Registered as a Professional Engineer, Jenni has worked for more than 10 years in a local consultancy firm. She currently works as a Civil Servant, holding the post of Division Engineer for Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pembetungan Sabah.
As the Head of the Customer Engagement Section at SIRIM QAS International, Peter (Yang Pu Wei) leverages his civil engineering background and over 10 years of sales experience to promote and deliver quality and safety standards for Malaysia's real estate and infrastructure industry. He is passionate about raising awareness and creating new demand for state-of-the-art testing and certification services that support the growth and development of both the sector and the nation.
Peter leads and guides a team of five members across commercial and operational functions, working closely with them to unlock their potential and ensure customer-centric service delivery. He has successfully expanded the customer base by 50% through the use of unconventional online search tools and by forging strong partnerships with regulators, associations, consultants, architects, and audit firms.
In addition to his leadership role, Peter also contributes to the industry as a member of the DSM working group committee, where he plays an active role in standard development and business expansion initiatives.
Daniel is a Chartered Accountant of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, an approved Auditor under the Malaysia Companies Act 2016 and a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. He has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from Monash University. Daniel has experience in audit and advisory engagements in a wide range of industries. He was the CFO of a local renewable energy company prior to his current position as Partner of Baker Tilly.
Mohammad Iskandar Shah bin Mohammad Ali has built a distinguished career in environmental consultancy and entrepreneurship, grounded in his academic background with a BSc in Environmental Science from Phillips University, Oklahoma. With over 27 years of professional experience, he has led multiple ventures under the MB Group of Companies since 2002, including MB Enviro-Healers Sdn Bhd, a fully registered environmental consultancy with a perfect approval record for EIA and related environmental reports.
His early professional years included roles in environmental management and executive positions, culminating in leadership roles such as Managing Director and Sole Proprietor across several firms. He has actively contributed to numerous government and private environmental impact projects across Sabah and Malaysia, often serving as the lead EIA Consultant or Environmental Advisor.
Iskandar has also been deeply involved in NGO work, earning accolades like the Minister's Special Award from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment. He has held leadership roles in environmental and civic organizations, including AECCOM, ENSEARCH Sabah Chapter, the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu, and started the Sabah Environment Action Group.
Ali holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) in Industrial Relations from Universiti Malaysia Sabah and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching from Open University Malaysia. He is certified by Microsoft as a Data Analyst Associate (PL-300), Data Scientist Associate (DP-100), Fabric Data Engineer Associate (DP-700), and Power Platform Developer (PL-400).
His background sits where community work meets operations. At the NADI Rakan Digital Programme he coordinated digital literacy training for over 1,000 participants and 250 micro-enterprises, and at Yayasan Ikhlas he ran three community programmes for marginalised groups and at-risk youth in Semporna.
As Operations & Community Lead, Ali measures what our work in the water villages actually changes and keeps the digital systems behind it running. Coming from Semporna, a coastal district shaped by the same sea, the work is close to home.
Ramli bin Baharudin is a veteran fisherman from Gaya Island whose life has long been intertwined with the sea. Born and raised in one of the island's coastal villages, he comes from a long line of fishermen and has spent decades mastering the ocean's rhythms, the tides, and the traditional knowledge that sustains his community. More than just a fisherman, he embodies the cultural and environmental heritage of the Bajau Laut, earning trust from both local residents and external collaborators.
As the Island Manager for our project, Ramli plays a central role in coordinating field operations, organizing community engagement, and overseeing logistics. He ensures our work aligns with the values and needs of the island's people, serving as a vital bridge between the project team and the local community.
His insight — shaped by years of experience and deep love for his homeland — is crucial to the success of our conservation and development goals. Ramli's leadership strengthens our ties to the island and keeps local wisdom at the heart of everything we do.
