Cheryl Yeoh

Cheryl Yeoh (also known as Cheryl Sew Hoy) is a Malaysian-born entrepreneur, author, and innovation leader, born on May 31, 1983. She studied operations research and industrial engineering at Cornell University, later returning to Silicon Valley to co‑found startups such as CityPockets and Reclip.it, the latter acquired by Walmart Labs in 2013 +13+13+13. In 2014, Yeoh was tapped to serve as the founding CEO of MaGIC (Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre), launched by Prime Minister Najib Razak and U.S. President Barack Obama, where she built the Malaysian and ASEAN startup ecosystem in under two years sites.mit.edu+6+6Breadcrumbs by Cheryl Yeoh+6.

As an author and speaker, Yeoh shares her insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, and inclusive innovation. She co‑founded the #MovingForward campaign in response to the #MeToo movement in tech, encouraging venture capital firms to adopt diversity, transparency, and harassment-free policies BrainyQuote+6Tatler Asia+6+6. Her contributions have been recognized globally: she was named one of Time’s “Silence Breakers” in 2017, a LinkedIn Influencer, and one of Mashable’s Top 44 Female Founders Every Entrepreneur Should Know +3+3Breadcrumbs by Cheryl Yeoh+3.

Among her memorable quotes, Yeoh captures her fearless and proactive spirit:

“I am a black belt in martial arts. I like to drink scotch. I go skydiving. So I never really saw myself as a woman or a minority. I just went out there and did my thing…” Prestige Online+14+14BrainyQuote+14

“Sometimes, the startup game works in your favor just because you got in at the right time and right environment... startups with strong fundamentals withstand external conditions and come out ahead in good or bad times.” +1BrainyQuote+1

“I don’t give up. I'm definitely meant to be an entrepreneur.” BrainyQuote+1BrainyQuote+1

These words reflect Yeoh’s values of resilience, timing, and unwavering ambition, cementing her legacy as a leader shaping global innovation and social progress.