Dr. Genie Sugene Gan, an Icon of Change in Singapore

Icons of Change International Awards 2025
Dr. Genie Sugene Gan (간 수진)
Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy - Kaspersky
Chief Executive Officer - 1ST INTEL
Singapore Digital Leader - IMDA
Chairperson, Cybersecurity Chapter - SGTech
Global Governor & Ambassador - Global Council for Responsible AI
Recipient of Over 20 Major Global Awards in Technology, Cybersecurity, and Leadership (2023–2025)
Sustainable Development Goal 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Changemaker for Responsible Innovation, Cybersecurity, and Inclusive Leadership in Singapore
---
Few leaders embody the convergence of business, technology, law, and global policy with the same depth and breadth as Dr. Genie Sugene Gan. With more than two decades of impact across entrepreneurship, government, diplomacy, law, and technology, she has established herself not only as a trailblazer in cybersecurity and responsible innovation, but as one of the most influential women shaping the future of global digital trust.
Her career is a study in reinvention and scale. Beginning in public accounting and law at top-tier firms, Genie demonstrated early mastery of systems and governance. But it was her entrepreneurial instinct that quickly set her apart. Long before the term “startup ecosystem” became a buzzword, she was already building successful ventures from the ground up — proof of her ability to translate vision into enterprise.
She later entered public service, assuming senior positions in Singapore’s Ministry of Law, the Law Society of Singapore, and even serving as Singapore’s delegate to the United Nations. These years honed her diplomacy, policymaking, and negotiation skills, and placed her at the crossroads of governance and international relations. In these roles, Genie not only influenced legal frameworks but also bridged the often-fractured dialogue between government, institutions, and the communities they serve.
It was in the field of technology, however, that her influence reached truly global scale. As Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Kaspersky, spanning Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan, Genie became a trusted voice in shaping the global cybersecurity ecosystem. She engaged directly with governments, regulators, and multilateral organizations, championing policies on data protection, digital trust, and cyber peace. At forums like the UN, G20, ASEAN, and African Union, she consistently reminded leaders that technology is not merely a driver of efficiency, but a custodian of humanity’s security, dignity, and future.
Today, as Chief Executive Officer of 1ST INTEL, Genie leads a multinational consultancy enabling enterprises to navigate global expansion with resilience, compliance, and foresight. Her work spans 94 countries across 4 continents, where she advises corporations and governments alike on transformation strategy, regulatory affairs, and sustainable growth. Her leadership bridges the technical with the geopolitical