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Journey
Your journey spans startups, scale-ups, and global corporations. Was that progression intentional or organic? In what ways did your CEMS experience shape your choices and what you were looking for at each stage?
My path has been intentional from the start. During my Bachelor's at WU, specialising in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, I developed a deep curiosity for how organisations solve meaningful problems and that curiosity only grew further during CEMS. The programme didn't just broaden my academic perspective; it gave me a clearer lens for what I was looking for at each stage of my career. It was during CEMS that I became particularly fascinated by how large corporations approach innovation which led me to pursue my internship at BMW's Innovation department. However, this experience taught me something unexpected: I found my contributions felt far more tangible and meaningful in a startup environment, where the distance between an idea and its impact is much shorter. That realisation has shaped every career decision since and it's why I've gravitated back toward the startup world where I feel I can do my most purposeful work. It also pushed me one step further: I did not just want to be close to the ideas, I wanted to be close to building them . That's what led me to return to university to study Software Engineering.
Purpose
Forbes 30 Under 30 was four years ago. Looking back, what did that recognition change for you, in terms of purpose, perspective, opportunities, or the expectations you felt?
Being included in Forbes 30 Under 30 was an honour that I genuinely never anticipated, and I remain deeply grateful for it. However, it did not redirect my purpose but confirmed it. I have always been drawn to work that carries real meaning and that drive existed long before any external recognition. What has further reinforced my sense of direction was being part of Epiclay and seeing up close what it means to build something with a mission at its core. The recognition opened doors but the work itself is what continues to shape who I am and where I'm headed.
Impact
During your internship at BMW, you supported the ideation of an entirely new business model for a 100-year-old company. What does it actually take to move the needle on innovation inside a corporation of that size?
Driving innovation inside a large corporation requires a very particular kind of resilience. At BMW, I quickly learned that new ideas do not move forward on merit alone but they require sustained conviction, careful stakeholder navigation and the patience to work through long decision-making chains to secure the buy-in and funding that any project needs to survive. In many ways, it is not so different from a startup founder's fundraising journey. After BMW, working at MPOWER Venture Crew (a strategy and finance consultancy based in Austria) gave me a sharp contrast: in a smaller, more agile environment, decisions happen faster and teams move with greater efficiency. Working closely with founders on scaling their businesses made it clear that the fundamentals of innovation are universal, but the conditions you create around it make all the difference.
Looking Ahead
CEMS shapes graduates to be ethical, responsible, and inclusive citizens and business transformation drivers. How do these values show up in the kind of work you want to do or the organizations you want to build?
Growing up with family roots in the Philippines, I saw early on how much a community's wellbeing depends on the choices made by those with power and resources and that has never left me. That shaped a deep conviction that business, at its best, should serve society rather than simply profit from it. That belief drives the kind of work I want to be part of, whether within an organisation or through something I build myself. Right now, I am developing a platform that connects people with psychotherapists based not just on clinical fit, but on personal, cultural, economic, and demographic alignment. Mental health support should never feel like a privilege or a gamble and I want to make it easier for people to find the right help without fear of stigma or judgement.
In Five Insights – Leadership Takeaways
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One defining decision- Enrolling in a Software Engineering degree alongside my professional career was a deliberate choice to close the gap between vision and execution. I wanted to be closer to the actual craft of building solutions, not just shaping them from the outside.
- One risk that changed everything - Deciding to build my own startup is the risk I'm taking right now. I'm still in the early stages, validating the idea and seeking funding, but I have learned that waiting for certainty is rarely the right reason to delay starting.
- One failure that taught you something important - Epiclay's ending was not a failure but a lesson in knowing when to let go. Holding on to something past its natural course is not commitment. Sometimes the braver, wiser decision is to close a chapter intentionally before it closes itself.
- One belief that shapes leadership - The best leaders do not create dependency; they create capability. My time at MPOWER showed me that true leadership means empowering people to work with confidence and independence while remaining present enough to guide their growth.
- One piece of advice to future global leaders - Appreciate people's contributions genuinely and protect their time to rest. A team that feels seen and respected and that has space to recharge will bring more sustained energy, creativity, and loyalty than any incentive structure ever could.
Camillie's Trajectory : 5 Key Moments
