Cat-Thao Nguyen

Co-Founder, Australia-Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue (AVYLD)

"Sometimes, discrimination makes us stronger, and losses make us more resilient."

Nguyen Cat Thao was born during her family's refugee journey (on foot) from Vietnam to Cambodia, eventually reaching Thailand before being granted asylum in Australia. Despite growing up in Australia, she speaks Vietnamese fluently. "In the midst of hunger and scarcity in a foreign land, my mother still spent time teaching her children to speak and write in Vietnamese, while my father reminded us not to forget our roots," Thao emotionally recalled.

Determined to live a life worthy of leaving their homeland to arrive in Australia as her father emphasised, Thao dedicated herself to studying and working from the age of 12. She did not turn down many jobs, from delivering cakes to working in factories, tutoring, and even delivering pizza. Her efforts paid off, as Thao received a full scholarship to study law and commerce at the University of Sydney – Australia’s oldest University.

After graduating in law, the once vulnerable little girl is now the founder and CEO of Global Ready LLC - a consulting business on leadership skills in a globalised world. Through psychometric tools, Global Ready LLC offers strategic consulting services, program development and education to companies for equitable and inclusive leadership. Thao was also a member of the non-governmental Australian delegation to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, a member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, and the Chair of the Advisory Board of the charitable organisation Loreto Vietnam.

In 2016, Thao co-founded and became the first Chair of the Australia-Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue (AVYLD). The dialogue aims to promote connections between individuals and to provide a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture, with the goal of making our shared home a better, prosperous, and sustainable place. Over the years, the dialogue has attracted the participation of young leaders from both countries in politics, economics, education, science, and technology. Citing the principle of AVYLD, Thao said "We are living in a complex era, therefore strong relationships are crucial, as is mutual respect and care. Together as equal partners, we seek solutions to common issues such as inequality and sustainability,"

In 2023, Dr. Melissa Jardine succeeded Thao as the Chair of AVYLD. The dialogue aims to encourage profound thinking among experts and young leaders from both countries about their roles and responsibilities in supporting Vietnam, Australia and their bilateral relations to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.