Jahkini Bisselink and Hajar Yagkoubi

Last Updated on 3 March 2022 by EithneJones

In three years time, Gen Z (those born between 1995 and 2010) will make up almost one-third of the global workforce. Gen Z’s spending power is a modest annual $143 billion and as a result of their awareness of global trends, this generation has also been at the forefront of societal change, greatly influencing what companies and brands do.

As former United Nations Youth Representatives and eloquent experts about their own generation’s driving forces, Jahkini and Hajar will guide you through the fascinating moral compass of Gen Z. This generation’s values determine everything that they do, where they work, what they consume and ultimately what they expect of businesses and brands.

Jahkini Bisselink now employs all of that skill and knowledge as a consultant and speaker to make business and politics more inclusive for young people. She is a member of the strategic foresight think tank Whetston, based out of Amsterdam where her focus is on future trends, how can we expect people to behave and what this will mean for leadership & business strategy.

As part of Network 2100 Hajar Yagkoubi advocates for the inclusion of young people in (supervisory) boards of corporations. She is a bridge between the corporate world and her activistic-generation and advocates for ways in which firms can embody sustainability, climate action and a broad definition of prosperity. She is a member of the Impact Economy Foundation committee overseeing project 2100, which is an initiative for new corporate and economic leadership focusing on broad GDP measurement, one that includes social- and environmental capital.

Both Jahkini and Hajar have spoken to thousands of young people and are at the forefront of the sustainability, youth and human rights movements. They continue to lead conversations on these topics with world leaders such as PM Trudeau, PM Rutte, global corporations and of course with their peers.

In Jahkini’s words, “Generation Z grew up in a very turbulent world of terrorism threats, climate change and a pandemic. This creates stress and anxiety, but also a huge dose of empathy and the willingness to change things. ”

As Hajar says, “For Generation Z activism is not a choice but a fundamental necessity.”

They are both, individually, well respected and passionate (virtual) keynote speakers for corporate audiences keen to understand how to engage with and lead a Gen Z audience. As a duo, they bring their energy, content and passion to a whole new level.