Nozomi Witherspoon

Nozomi Witherspoon is an experienced professional in international development and social impact, dedicating over 16 years to poverty reduction.

As the Executive Director at LEAP Philanthropy, a Singapore-based impact investment and venture philanthropy organization, Nozomi focuses on investing in SMEs in agricultural business, financial inclusion, and the water & energy sectors in Southeast Asia.

With past roles including Senior Portfolio Manager at Water.org for Southeast Asia and Financial Sector Specialist at the World Bank in Africa, she has led multi-million dollar poverty alleviation projects across Africa and Southeast Asia, excelling in project design, negotiation, implementation, and monitoring & evaluation.

Nozomi holds an Executive MBA from INSEAD where she was a Class Representative, and a Master's in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University.

Her diverse skill set includes program designing, project management, strategic planning, economic & financial analysis, policy-making, and team management, enabling her to navigate challenging environments with a positive and organized approach.

Her thematic focus lies in poverty reduction, financial inclusion, microfinance, SME development, agriculture finance, housing finance, and water and sanitation initiatives.