UIUC Scientist, Senior Technology Advisor and Former CTO at World Bank Group

Research Focus
Developing innovation hubs to maximize biodiversity benefits for building green economies in developing countries, focusing on the intersection of technology and sustainability in agriculture. Bridging research with implementation for the Southeast Asia Innovation Alliance for a Global Model of Agri-Food Systems (SIGMA), co-led by the University of Illinois and the National University of Singapore. This initiative presents a tremendous opportunity to integrate innovative research, technology-driven solutions, and policy frameworks to drive sustainable agriculture in Southeast Asia.

Biography
Lesly Goh is a distinguished international policy advisor working to leverage data and technology innovations in developing countries in AgTech, FinTech, and Digital Transformation in Government. In October 2023, Lesly was a resident at The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, where she designed an innovation ecosystem bringing multi-stakeholder partnerships for decarbonization of agriculture. Her work explores how biodiversity benefits that could unlock a “triple win” — supporting human health, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience. Lesly currently serves a Senior Technology Advisor and is the former Chief Technology Officer at the World Bank Group. She is also a Fulbright Specialist, a Fellow at the Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance, and a Senior Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Publications
Brookings Institution
Rockefeller Foundation: A Digital Innovation Hub for Climate-Friendly Low-Carbon Rice/
Rockefeller Foundation: The People and Ideas of Bellagio