Cheryl Yeoh

CEO of Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC)

“We have oil and gas, palm oil and rubber, but the government realizes that we cannot depend on these resources forever. We need to work on a talent pool that can create companies that grow beyond Malaysia and start-ups and small businesses that are the new drivers of growth.”

When MaGIC was launched in the spring of 2014 by Prime Minister Abdul Razak and President Barack Obama, Cheryl became its first CEO. She earned her status as a successful entrepreneur during twelve years in Silicon Valley where she founded two start-ups: CityPockets and Reclip. The latter was acquired by Walmart Labs. Cheryl’s mission is to spur entrepreneurial activities in Malaysia and beyond. To support local startups, MaGIC has created an innovation space in Cyberjaya. They bring together a critical mass of individual entrepreneurs, creating what they call an “entrepreneurial ecosystem.” They facilitate mentoring, skill and knowledgesharing,and provide resources to those who merit assistance.Cheryl is the driving force behind MaGIC’s effort to build a vibrant community, empowering entrepreneurs to create something sustainable.