Ian Yee

Ian Yee is an investigative journalist, documentary producer, impact entrepreneur, and co-founder of The Fourth, an investigative documentary team dedicated to exposing injustice and driving social change. His work has helped expose human traffickers, drug syndicates, child predators, and wildlife smugglers — leading to national legal reforms and the arrest of syndicate leaders.

He and his team have received over 50 major accolades, including two Peabody nominations and the United Nations Malaysia Award. Ian has been selected for leadership programmes under the Obama Foundation, Acumen, Bertha Foundation, and both the US and UK governments. He has also served on advisory boards for the Pulitzer Center and the Environmental Reporting Collective, a global network of environmental investigative journalists. He is currently on the board of Greenpeace Malaysia.

In 2024, he was tapped to lead a US$10 million project supporting investigative journalists across Southeast Asia. He also previously served as a UNICEF National Consultant, designing a youth leadership programme later adopted by UNICEF’s East Asia and Pacific Regional Office.

Under his leadership, The Fourth established a commercial production studio to independently fund its investigations. They’ve also established Fourth Academy, training over 1,000 students and professionals in content creation, impact communications, and journalism.