EP #122: Suba Umathevan - CEO of Swiss-Based Non-Profit DROSOS FOUNDATION

Suba Umathevan ( @suba.umathevan ) is the CEO of DROSOS FOUNDATION, a Switzerland-based non-profit committed to unlocking the potential of young people.

She joins Ara on this week’s episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss the work she's done in the non-profit work for the last 10+ years including at the DROSOS FOUNDATION and Plan International Switzerland, being raised in Switzerland and having Tamil values instilled in her from a young age, how she got her TEDx talk opportunity, wanting to become a Swiss diplomat due to discussions about politics with her dad, personal and professional growth she’s experienced along her career journey, her direct approach being a byproduct of her Germanic upbringing, viewing herself as a “connector", her admiration for Oprah Winfrey, and so much more!

Follow Suba:
- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suba009/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Suba Umathevan
01:10 - Suba speaks on her formative years; turning trauma into resilience
02:58 - Why her parents chose to flee to Switzerland
04:59 - Was the world more welcoming to refugees back in the day?
07:47 - The Tamil community being more populated in Toronto versus Switzerland
09:00 - Why Suba pursued a career in the non-profit world
10:51 - The cost of living in Switzerland
12:17 - Plan International; what they do and a key milestone for Suba
15:22 - Transitioning from a Director-level position to a C-Suite role
18:26 - What is the DROSOS foundation; unlocking young people’s potential
23:21 - 15,000 foundations existing in Switzerland; the history behind it
24:26 - Why Suba prioritizes connecting with her team versus coaching them
29:08 - The DROSOS foundation entering its 20th anniversary; new vision
30:45 - Pursuing education in Canada; how the country shaped her
32:33 - What the Tamil community is like in Switzerland
35:04 - Tedx Talk; how the opportunity came to be
36:28 - Several failures during her first year at Brussels
38:43 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self
39:24 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for
40:15 - Creator Confessions
46:47 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan