Ashoka's Priorities
Ashoka currently focuses on three strategic priorities to support a world where everyone can make a change to their society and its culture:

Social Entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurs champion innovative solutions to society’s most pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges. They model changemaking behavior, and catalyze organizations and movements where everyone can be changemaker.

Empathy & Young Changemaking
In order to thrive, young people need to know how to make an impact in today’s rapidly evolving world. Gaining the skills for changemaking, including empathy, must become the new norm for growing up.
Learn more

Organizing for a Changemaker World
Succeeding in a world where everyone drives change requires a new way of organizing: where we break through walls between sectors and within organizations to work together in fluid, open, and communicative teams.
Our Team
Ashoka's leadership today is a group of change leaders with a track record of positively impacting society and empowering others to be changemakers. The team is made up of 300+ Ashoka staff worldwide, that supports the vision of an "Everyone a Changemaker" world.
Discover below the Swiss team and international staff members located in Switzerland.
Ashoka Switzerland Staff
Stefania Avanzini
Partner Ashoka Switzerland
Stefania has 10 years of experience in Marketing and Innovation in Africa & Europe.
She holds a diploma in Management of Public Administrations from Bocconi Business School and a master in Alternative Management from ESCP Europe and HEC Paris.
Stefania started her career by working on social business projects in Senegal and in Algeria for the social business investment fund created by Danone with Professor Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank. She then worked for 5 years for Danone Innovation Incubators, where she lead the launch of new brands and services.
Stefania is passionate about Social Innovation, she represented Danone in the MIT D-Lab PIA Summit in Ghana.
Don't hesitate to contact her, as she is fluent in all the languages spoken in Switzerland.
Emilie Romon
Partner, Switzerland & Ashoka Support Network Global Co-Lead
Emilie is responsible for building and managing international partnerships to support social entrepreneurs in scaling up their impact globally, and co-leads the Ashoka Support Network, a global community of committed leaders who stand by and advance Ashoka’s vision.
Between 2012 and 2018, she managed and grew the OECD Global Network of Foundations Working for Development (netFWD), and co-founded the OECD Centre on Philanthropy. She contributed to positioning foundations in the international development debate, played a bridging role between governments and philanthropic organisations, and turned netFWD into a thought leader in the philanthropic sector.
Prior to joining the OECD, Emilie served the Swiss Delegation to the OECD, where she advised the Ambassador on cross-sectoral OECD strategic policy and governance-related issues. She holds an MA in Public Management and Policies and a BA in Political Science
Ashling Hoare
Finance and operations Manager Belgium and Switzerland
Ashling Hoare
Finance and operations Manager Belgium and Switzerland
Ashling joined Ashoka in August 2019. She is the Finance and Operations manager for the offices of Belgium and Switzerland. Ashling has a Master in Finances from the ICHEC Brussels Management School.
Before Ashoka, Ashling used to work as a relationship manager in the finance sector for BNP Paribas Asset Management. In parallel of her professional life, Ashling has always been active in volunteer work and is currently a member of Natagora – an association active in nature preservation. Although born and raised in Brussels, Ashling is of French and Irish nationality.
Andrea Antolin
Partnership Manager Ashoka Switzerland
My name is Andrea Antolin, I joined Ashoka in September 2019. I have an International MBA at IE Business School and a Master in Organizational Development. Before Ashoka, I used to work in Human Resources and Management Consulting for purpose-driven organizations in Chile. In parallel, I did pro-bono consulting for Special Olympics, a sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, for the last 3 years. In Ashoka I work with the Global Partnership Team and the Ashoka Switzerland team.
Nicole Pagan
Community Manager, Ashoka Switzerland
Nicole Pagan is co-lead at Ashoka Switzerland for the selection and support of Ashoka Fellows, as well as Project Manager at the Ashoka Europe Fellowship Program. Nicole studied Political Sciences, with a focus on International Relations, at the University of Bologna and at Sciences Po. Alongside her studies, she dedicated to organisations in the fields of anti-corruption, migration and climate change. She is strongly passionate about these issues, carrying additional projects on the side.
International Staff Located in Switzerland
Olivier Fruchaud
Director Partnership Nestlé
Olivier Fruchaud
Director Partnership Nestlé
Olivier is managing the global partnership between Ashoka and Nestlé, after having launched and led the Ashoka Switzerland office during 7 years.
He loves engaging public and private organizations into innovative alliances with social innovators to tackle main social challenges at scale. He holds a Master in Management from the French Business School EM Lyon (2001). After his studies, Olivier launched the “ecotour venture” in 1999 aimed at identifying innovative environmental best practices and engaging students on sustainable development. In 2004. Olivier also co-created the association "Sustainable Finance Geneva" in 2008 to promote sustainability and responsibility within the Swiss financial community.
Daniela Kreimer
Changemaker Companies Manager
Daniela es Directora Ejecutiva de Ashoka Argentina, Uruguay y Paraguay. Especialista en negocios de impacto y desarrollo local, es referente del Movimiento Internacional de Empresas Sociales desarrollado por el Premio Nóbel de la Paz Muhammad Yunus. Licenciada en Administración de Empresas y Magister en Desarrollo Local, trabajó en el Grameen Bank y Yunus Centre en Bangladesh, Alemania y Colombia. En Argentina fundó la empresa social SOWILA que trabaja en el empoderamiento de mujeres en situación de vulnerabilidad y trabajó como asesora en proyectos de desarrollo local e innovación social para el Estado.
Arnaud Mourot
LGM - Changemaker Companies
Arnaud Mourot
LGM - Changemaker Companies
Arnaud Mourot is Co-Director Ashoka Europe. A member of the French team of Olympic wrestling for 10 years and a graduate from ESCP Business school, Arnaud has been involved in the humanitarian sector since he finished his studies. He founded and led the NGO “Play International” (formerly Sport Sans Frontières) in 1999. He has also contributed to the development of various Social Businesses and CSOs in France. He launched the operations of Ashoka France/Belgium/Switzerland in 2005. He now leads the development of Ashoka in southern Europe and Francophony, as well as Ashoka’s “innovation for EACH businesses” initiative. He also serves as a global spokes person for Ashoka.Arnaud is married and the father of 3 children. He lives in Switzerland.