Suresh Raj is the Global Chief Growth Officer for Virtue, a Vice Media Group Company in New York. Listed in a number of Top 100 Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic leaders list as well as LGBT+ Executive. Suresh is founding member of The Collective, which includes senior LGBTQ+ leaders across private sectors, government/politics and NGOs, a global mentor and an inaugural member of McKinsey’s The Alliance, a global network of senior LGBTQ+ leaders.
Suresh’s story covers various types of intersectionalities; a person of colour, part of the LGBTQ+ community and from a multicultural background. Suresh was raised in Malaysia to both Christian and Muslim parents who faced many forms of discrimination due to his mixed religion & race . To complicate matters further, Suresh began to realise he identified as gay which he knew would result in even more discrimination. so he made the decision to move to the UK to further his studies. While not perfect, the UK offered Suresh the freedom to live his life openly as a gay man showed him the value of being your authentic self and the importance of equality and having a voice.. This experience led him to New York where he excelled to new heights at C-Suite with a new passion to champion gay rights.
Following the Black Lives Matter movement, Suresh found himself appreciating the impact of race through the lived experiences of his own nephew and niece whose father was black. Suresh’s story gives listeners the opportunity to walk in his shoes and to immerse themselves in the challenges that he and people like him face on a daily basis. Learn the role that each of us play in conscious inclusion and allyship to increase by increasing our understanding & empathy.
– Inclusion & LGBT+
– Self-perceptions
– Overcoming obstacles
– Intersectionality – being of Middle Eastern / Asian descent and gay
– Allyship
“Being truly ourselves, unapologetically and openly, can be really difficult so thanks for the powerful message. It really is something we must all inspire in others and encourage!” - AXA