Announcing the inaugural Human Truth Awards 2025
The Human Truth Awards 2025 honours leaders who lead with truth.
This is the inaugural edition of the Human Truth Awards, a recognition created to honour 10 individuals who embody what authentic leadership looks like in a world that often rewards image over impact, and I wanted to make it clear that this first list sets the foundation for everything this award will become because these honourees show what it means to lead with vulnerability instead of perfection, impact instead of performance, and clarity instead of conformity.
The Human Truth Awards were created as a response to a culture where visibility can outweigh values and leadership is too often measured by metrics rather than meaning, and this first class exists to challenge that drift by reminding people that authenticity is not a trend but a responsibility.
For this inaugural year, every honouree was hand-selected by the Human Algorithm editorial team based on months of watching how they work, how they think, and how they hold space for the people around them, and the selection process used the Five Human Algorithm Principles as its anchor because those principles capture the posture of leaders who build trust in systems that have forgotten it.
Intentional Imperfection, Perspective Before Information, Conversational Cadence, Emotional Honesty, and Reader-Centred Framing guided the curation because they describe leadership that is human-first, emotionally grounded, and deeply committed to clarity, and the people on this list represent the best of business, media, technology, and culture.
Christel Goh, Founder and CEO, Grow Public Relations
Christel leads with intentional imperfection and has built a PR practice rooted in honest storytelling rather than performance, and her willingness to share the realities of entrepreneurship and motherhood has reshaped how founders think about visibility and truth.
Melissa Indot, Musician and Life Coach
Melissa brings perspective before information and helps high-achieving adults reconnect with the parts of themselves they forgot to honour, and her blend of emotional work and creative intelligence gives leaders a way to return to their own truth.
Nicole Quiogue Golloso, Regional DEI Lead (APAC), McCann
Nicole leads with emotional honesty in high-pressure corporate environments and has turned inclusion, mental health, and wellbeing into structural practices, and her work across APAC has created safer workplaces grounded in dignity.
Sharad Lal, Founder and CEO, The How to Live Company
Sharad embodies conversational cadence through his coaching, writing, and podcasting, and his reflections on grief, reinvention, and purpose have guided leaders through seasons of uncertainty with clarity and grace. Listen to him speak on The Human Algorithm Podcast.
Michelle O’Brien, Founding CMO, Numin
Michelle practices intentional imperfection with sincerity and brings a grounded truthfulness to her work as a podcast host and storyteller, and her voice has become a steady anchor for people seeking honesty in a world full of noise.
Moonlake Lee, Founder and Director, Unlocking ADHD
Moonlake leads with emotional honesty and has transformed ADHD advocacy in Singapore through courage, empathy, and clarity, and her work has opened doors for families who once felt unseen.
Jeremiah Su, Community Manager, The Beyond
Jeremiah embodies reader-centred framing in the way he builds communities for creators and entrepreneurs, and his consistency, humility, and generosity have shaped a healthier creator ecosystem.
Grace Gumala, CEO and Creative Director, Content Hearts Co.
Grace brings perspective before information to brand storytelling and teaches companies to build trust instead of chasing trends, and her clarity has influenced an entire generation of marketers.
Derek Tan, Co-founder, The Be Company
Derek thinks deeply about purpose and identity in a space that often avoids introspection, and his reflections on founder transitions as the former co-founder of Viddsee have helped leaders rethink their relationship with ambition.
Hazel Yap, Co-founder and COO, Serious Media
Hazel leads with conversational cadence and emotional clarity across digital marketing and entrepreneurship, and her guidance has shaped how brands understand influence, integrity, and long-term growth.
Each honouree in this inaugural year will receive a personalised digital certificate, a Human Algorithm feature story, and a bespoke social asset, and they will also be invited to join the soon-to-be announced The Human Truth Roundtable, an annual conversation on authenticity in leadership.
Beginning in 2026, this award will expand with guest judges, open nominations, and a growing archive, but this first class will always stand apart because they defined what the Human Truth Awards stand for.