Sarah Chen-Spellings

Board Member & Co-Founder, Lean In Malaysia at Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation

Sarah Chen-Spellings has a diverse work experience spanning various industries and organizations. Sarah is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Beyond The Billion, a consortium of venture funds dedicated to investing in women-founded companies. Sarah played a pivotal role in launching The Billion Dollar Fund for Women, which aims to address the gender venture investment gap.

Sarah is also a respected keynote speaker and moderator on topics such as venture capital, women in leadership, and global business. Sarah has been featured in prominent publications such as Fortune, Forbes, Bloomberg, and Der Spiegel.

In 2020, Sarah was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, joining the ranks of other notable leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg and Jacinda Ardern. Sarah was also selected as a Young Leader by the Milken Institute in 2022.

Sarah has a strong passion for promoting women's participation in politics and public policy. Sarah served as a Board Member of 131 & Counting, a bipartisan initiative supporting women lawmakers and encouraging more women to enter politics. Sarah is also a Board Member and Co-Founder of Lean In Malaysia, a non-profit organization that empowers women to achieve their full potential.

Prior to their current roles, Sarah held positions at Google, where they served as a Board Member of BEACON DC, a community-led initiative to support women entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C. Sarah also participated as a Fellow in the U.S. Department of State's professional program, representing Malaysia and collaborating with other emerging foreign leaders to exchange best practices.

Earlier in their career, Sarah worked at Sime Darby Berhad, a multinational conglomerate, where they led multiple roles focused on venture capital and innovation strategy. Sarah played a key role in setting up a corporate venture capital unit and facilitating technology transfer and commercialization between the U.S. and Malaysia. Sarah also served as a Director in the CEO's office at MRINetwork, leading an executive search franchise office and overseeing business strategies.

Overall, Sarah Chen-Spellings' work experience reflects their expertise in venture capital, leadership, and advocacy for women's empowerment in various sectors.

Sarah Chen-Spellings attended King's College London, where they received a Bachelor of Laws, LLB (Hons.) degree in Law. Sarah later pursued further education at Harvard University, where they are expected to receive a degree in Global Leadership & Public Policy for the 21st Century in 2022. Additionally, they enrolled in the Wharton Executive Education program, focusing on Effective Board Membership & Corporate Governance, which they are also expected to complete in 2022.

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Timeline

  • Board Member & Co-Founder, Lean In Malaysia

    January, 2015 - present