Managing Director, Asia

Job description

Overview

The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore.

For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them.

Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints.

We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives.

These activities are designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities.

The Milken Institute’s events and programmatic activities involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world.

The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, with our annual flagship event Global Conference bringing together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions over the course of the event.

About Milken Institute International

MI International is committed to enhancing the Milken Institute’s global impact, connectivity, and programmatic efforts by deploying staff resources strategically, cultivating our global network, and creating high-end bespoke convening platforms.

We aim to increase opportunities and resources that provide access to capital, create shared prosperity, and improve health systems around the world.

Our strategy includes building “regional Milken Institute communities” of like-minded leaders with shared values and goals to address regional and global challenges.

About The Position

The Managing Director of Asia will be responsible for cultivating and sustaining long-term, mission-aligned relationships with key stakeholders across the financial, philanthropic, and corporate sectors within the Asia-Pacific region.

This individual will play a central role in advancing the Milken Institute’s work in the region by identifying shared value opportunities between institutional priorities, companies, investors and philanthropists with an interest in Asia’s regional and global prosperity.

Working closely with the EVP of International, the MD will be a key player in building and executing the strategic plan and advancing the work of the Institute’s programmatic initiatives, and to grow the business development and relationship development outreach strategy.

For the candidate with strong intellectual curiosity, extraordinary work ethic and drive to achieve, this is an opportunity to work with and expand the Institute’s network of top business leaders, decision-makers, and key organizations, enabling effective donor growth, cultivation, and stewardship.

Asia Fundraising, Partnerships, and Philanthropic Advisory Services

• Lead a comprehensive fundraising and partnerships strategy to support the Milken Institute’s work across Asia, spanning events, programs, prizes, and targeted initiatives.
  
  
• Identify, cultivate, and secure new funding from foundations, ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs), and corporations
• Expand the Institute’s philanthropic advisory service offerings by designing bespoke engagement strategies for UHNWIs, family offices, and foundations interested in maximizing impact across the Asia Pacific region.
  
  

Philanthropic Advisory and Customized UHNWI Engagement

• Lead efforts to identify and engage UHNWIs and foundations interested in strategic philanthropy, prize innovation, and programmatic collaboration.
  
  
• Work with stakeholders to co-design bespoke initiatives, curated experiences, and high-touch engagement strategies aligned with their philanthropic goals.
  
  
• Collaborate with Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy colleagues to create unique offerings for this community, including at signature convenings.
  
  

Strategic Leadership and Regional Expansion

• Work with the Executive Vice President to shape and execute the Milken Institute’s overarching strategy for the Asia-Pacific region, ensuring it aligns with global objectives and enhances regional synergies.
  
  
• Identify and prioritize high-impact opportunities for regional engagement, content/research, and programmatic expansion.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement Across Milken Institute Communities

• Bring in and deepen relationships with UHNWIs, philanthropists, corporate leaders, CIOs, and senior government officials to strengthen the Institute’s reach and relevance.
  
  
• Regionally expand and inform programming for the Philanthropy Leadership Collective, a peer-to-peer learning community.
  
  
• Whenever needed, represent the Milken Institute at high-profile events across the Asia Pacific, serving as a key spokesperson and relationship builder.
  
  
• Collaborate with internal teams to maximize engagement and cross-pillar collaboration across Finance, Health, Philanthropy.
  
  

Team Leadership and Capacity Building

• Manage the 18+ person Asia Center team, fostering a high-performance culture centered on collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
  
  
• Mentor and stretch team capacity and ensure alignment with the Milken Institute’s Asia strategy and global priorities.
  
  
• Work closely with Institute fellows and advisors to expand the Asia Center’s expertise and content offerings.
  
  

Qualifications

• Degree Requirement: Master’s in Business
• Extensive Executive Leadership (15+ years): Proven experience spearheading strategic initiatives across multinational organizations, with a history of driving sustainable growth and innovation in complex, dynamic environments.
  
  
• Strategic Fundraising and Program Execution: Exceptional track record in securing large-scale funding from public and private sectors, including governments, prominent philanthropic foundations, and high-net-worth individuals.
  
  Skilled in launching and scaling transformative programs with measurable outcomes.
  
  
• Elite Stakeholder Engagement: Deep experience collaborating with influential families, global executives, entrepreneurs, and foundation leaders.
  
  Trusted advisor with the ability to build enduring relationships and drive alignment across diverse interests.
  
  
• Regional Expertise and Institutional Intelligence: In-depth knowledge of Asia’s socio-political landscape, economic trends, and competitive institutional terrain—bringing nuanced insight into regional dynamics that shape strategic decision-making.
  
  
• Transformational Mindset: A highly entrepreneurial, optimistic, and solutions-driven approach, combined with emotional intelligence and diplomacy to navigate high-stakes interpersonal and organizational dynamics.
  
  
• Operational Mastery and Strategic Execution: Demonstrated excellence in business planning, organizational design, negotiation, and data-driven decision-making.
  
  Adept at leading cross-functional internal initiatives that optimize performance and operational efficiency.
  
  
• Inspirational People Leadership: Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams across regions.
  
  Committed to fostering an inclusive culture of accountability, professional development, and collaborative decision-making.
  
  
• Executive Communication and Responsiveness: Strong executive presence with superior communication skills.
  
  Known for timely and strategic engagement with stakeholders at all levels, internally and externally.
  
  
• Global Agility and Cross-Cultural Competence: Thrives in international environments with flexibility for global travel and seamless coordination across time zones.
  
  Culturally fluent and adept at fostering collaboration within or across teams.
  
  

Note
We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in Singapore.

Please note, we are not sponsoring employment passes or work visas at this time—being authorized to work in Singapore is a precondition of employment.

This includes Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) and individuals who already hold a valid and independent work pass that does not require sponsorship from our company.

This position will work a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to your respective office location (Tuesday – Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely.

This schedule is subject to change in the Institute’s sole discretion.

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

Please submit resume (CV) and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position.

If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume (CV) and any supporting documentation as one attachment.

Any application that does not include both a resume (CV) and cover letter will be rejected.

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Required Skill Profession

Management & Leadership