Our Story
At Yun Impact, we are committed to building a sustainable future. Co-founded by Michael Sheldrick, policy entrepreneur, author and co-founder of Global Citizen, and Wendy Chen, a Wall Street financial markets veteran, we empower purpose-driven entrepreneurs, family offices and investors to navigate climate complexities. The name “Yun,” meaning cloud in Chinese, symbolizes our dedication to elevation, foresight, and interconnectedness. Together, we strive to make a meaningful impact and inspire others to join us on this journey toward a better world
Michael Sheldrick
Co-Founder and President
Michael Sheldrick is a policy entrepreneur, author and a driving force behind the efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty and build climate resilience. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he leads the organization’s campaigns which have mobilized over $40 billion in support from governments, businesses, and foundations in support of essential resources such as healthcare, education and climate resilience. Michael is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and the author of the Amazon best-selling book, From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World (Wiley: 2024).
In 2021, he served as a ‘friend of the COP26 Presidency’ in Glasgow, securing commitments from 17 major companies including American Express, Cisco, Starbucks etc. for the UN’s Race to Zero campaign. During the same year, he facilitated pledges from businesses and regional governments to protect and restore 157 million trees. Since 2022, he’s been a member of Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Bridgetown Initiative, focusing on unlocking finance for climate resilience.
Michael serves on the board of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, the Benjamin Franklin House in London, the Steering Committee of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Advisory Boards of the Elba Hope Foundation and the Nigerian Solidarity Support Fund. He is also a co-host of the Global Town Hall, a North-South, East-West meeting featuring world leaders and leading minds to connect with global citizens.
Wendy Chen
Co-Founder and CEO
Wendy Chen is a financial markets expert and Wall Street veteran, and a contributing writer at Climate and Capital Media. Prior to establishing Yun Impact, she was the Head of Capital Markets, Americas at Fosun International (HKSE: 656), an Asian-based conglomerate with $100 billion+ in consolidated assets across consumer, sports & entertainment, financials and healthcare. Before joining Fosun, Wendy was Vice President of Finance at Pagaya, an AI-driven financial technology company, where she was part of the team that executed an $8.5 billion Nasdaq IPO via a SPAC merger. Her experience includes a significant tenure at Barclays Capital, where she advised CEOs on IPOs and public company strategies.
Based in New York, Wendy is also a Board Member and Treasurer at Food Education Fund, supporting youth education and workforce development in hospitality for public high school students in NYC. Wendy graduated summa cum laude from Colby College.