Tharma Pillai
Tharma Pillai is a distinguished public policy strategist and civic innovator, best known as the co-founder of Undi18, Malaysia’s historic movement that successfully lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. His leadership in policy reform has earned him national and international recognition, including Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Tatler Asia's Most Influential, and a finalist position for the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize.
With extensive experience advising governments, multinationals, and startups across Southeast Asia and China, Tharma brings a uniquely grounded perspective to public affairs. His work spans civic engagement, digital governance, ESG compliance, and cross-border regulatory strategy.
A graduate of Virginia Tech in Mining Engineering and an alumnus of Malaysia’s Royal Military College, Tharma has delivered impact both on the ground and in high-level policy rooms. His voice has shaped discourse from Parliament to the Skoll World Forum — and now drives the vision behind Quasa Asia.