Board of Advisors

Gene Tan

Legal Counsel & DEI Advocate | Compassionate Animal Welfare Champion

Barrister at Law (England & Wales) (2007) and Malaysian practicing lawyer (2009).

Managing partner of GM Tan & Company.

Founder of The HeartBased Group, a DEI resource provider.

ESG Malaysia’s Industry Advisory Panel Member for DEI

Author of Malaysia’s DEI corporate handbook entitled “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Malaysian Workplace”.

Provided DEI feedback for the Working Group of Business and Human Rights in the Malaysian Bar Council Human Rights Committee in their submission of Zero Draft of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (“NAPBHR”) for 2025 – 2030.

Co-presented human rights report to High Commissioner Volker Türk of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights in 2024.

Gene Tan brings legal expertise and advocacy experience to animal welfare advancement. As a Barrister at Law (England & Wales) and Malaysian practicing lawyer, he applies human rights principles to animal protection, ensuring ethical and sustainable shelter operations.

As Managing Partner of GM Tan & Company and Founder of The HeartBased Group, Gene champions inclusion and compassion across all living beings. His work on Malaysia’s DEI corporate handbook and contributions to the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights demonstrates his commitment to systematic protection of the vulnerable.

Gene’s personal dedication to animal welfare is evident through his multi-animal household and regular feeding of community strays. He understands that compassion transcends species, bringing the same rigor to animal advocacy that he applies to human rights work.

His legal acumen ensures Fur Kids Farm operates with governance excellence while his advocacy experience helps amplify the voices of those who cannot speak for themselves—both human and animal.

Wan Intan Wan Suffian

RFP, SRFP | Director, IWFCI | Committee Member, MFPC

Wan Intan is a seasoned capital market professional with over 30 years of extensive experience spanning equity and derivatives broking, financial planning and non-governmental organizations.

She is a former licensed equity and derivatives dealer and previously held a Capital Market Services Representative License (CMSRL) issued by the Securities Commission.

She currently holds dual accreditations as a Registered Financial Planner (RFP) and Shariah Registered Financial Planner (SRFP), an accreditation that is issued by by the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC).

Her career highlights include serving as Head of Dealing at CIMB Futures Sdn Bhd and as Head of Marketing (Derivatives) at Bursa Malaysia.

In these roles, she managed a diverse product portfolio covering equities, indices, commodities, interest rates, bonds, and OTC instruments. Beyond marketing and trading, she has contributed to capital raising, alternative investments, risk management, sales, business development, compliance, audit, strategy, branding, financial planning, product development (conventional and Islamic), and derivatives education. Notably, she was part of government-led trade missions to mainly to international global cities, where she showcased CPO Futures as a hedging tool for global edible oils industry players.

Currently, Puan Wan Intan serves as an EXCO Member of the International Women’s Federation of Commerce & Industry (IWFCI) Malaysia and as a Committee Member of the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC), while also providing advisory support to multiple organizations. Her advocacy extends into financial literacy and community initiatives, exemplified by her role as Co-Producer of Penjana Ringgit, a 13-episode financial literacy television program aired on RTM.

With a strong commitment to sustainable and ethical finance, she actively supports digital education, capital-raising projects, financial literacy campaigns, community-building programs and the development of responsible financial products and services.

Melanie Chalil

Manager, PR & Communications | Former Deputy Editor, Malay Mail | Communications Professional

Melanie is a communications professional with 14 years of experience spanning journalism and corporate communications.

She currently leads PR and Communications at an international trade and industry organisation, where she develops strategies that connect people, ideas, and economies across borders.

Before stepping into the corporate world, Melanie spent over a decade in media, including as Deputy Editor at Malay Mail, Malaysia’s oldest English-language newspaper.

Her work often explored social justice, sustainability, and animal welfare – themes close to her heart.

Fittingly, her very first Malay Mail assignment was a story on an abused dog named Nails, rescued by none other than the team at Fur Kids Farm. Over the years, she has interviewed global changemakers such as Greta Thunberg, HRH Queen Silvia of Sweden, George Clooney, and
even the “Dog Whisperer” himself, Cesar Millan.

Her years in journalism and communications have shaped her belief that good storytelling caninspire empathy – for people, communities, and the animals who depend on us.

Russell Ganesh

Managing Partner | 24Twelve Group

Organizational Management & Operations Consultant with almost a decade of experience supporting businesses, NGOs, government agencies & research groups across various support functions

HR & Systems Optimization Specialist, successfully providing strategic development and project management services across healthcare, marketing & advertising, e-commerce & private industries

Experienced in Healthcare Research Development, focusing on mental health initiatives in at-risk populations

Sarah Raziuddin

Senior Consultant, 24Twelve Group | Digital Media & Market Research Expert

Demonstrated success in Client Servicing, showcasing deep capabilities in building and maintaining strong client relationships, managing accounts, and ensuring client satisfaction and retention.

Strong background in high-level operational and branding strategy, capturing an understanding of business needs from both a client-facing stance and the internal team’s perspective.

Experienced in strategic analysis, process improvement, and aligning operational efficiency with brand identity.