The Board of Directors
Since Mr Gay World is a global-scale organisation every region has its own director in order to communicate with national producers and contestants. There are directors for Africa, Europe and the USA, South America & The Caribbean.
Acting Director of MGW Europe
Igor Scheurkogel a South African living and working in Taiwan for more than 10 years. Teacher by day, philanthropist by night. He launched his own NGO in 2012 in South Africa which encourages and trains small towns and communities to become more self-sustainable and actively get involved with local government.
In 2013 he was selected as one of the Top 10 Mr Gay South Africa finalist competing for the Mr Gay World 2014 title. Shortly after the pageant in South Africa Igor returned to Taiwan to complete his PhD at the National Sen Yat Sun University in Kaohsiung City.
It was at one of Kaohsiung most vibrant gay events âRainbow Thursdayâ that Igor and fellow executive team members started talking about the idea of Mr Gay Taiwan and on July 3rd 2014 the first official Mr Gay Taiwan event took place at Brickyard. This year will be the second year that Mr Gay Taiwan will take place and also the first year that the organization will officially send a delegate to the the Mr Gay World in Malta 2016. The theme that the Mr Gay Taiwan selected for 2015 is marriage equality in a bid to help the LGBTI community in Taiwan gain the right to “LOVE” legally.
Director of MGW North and Central America
Ron moved 24 years ago, from his home country The Netherlands, to Mexico to live with his present partner. As an agricultural engineer and a marketeer he had been living in France, Africa and Guatemala before. Upon arriving in Mexico, Ron got involved in the tourist bussiness and in 1998 he founded his own agency focussing on LGBT travel. In 2007 he became the Ambassador for the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association in Mexico.
Since 2011 he has been involved, together with his business partner Francisco Aguilera, in MrGayWorld Mexico and his organization has been organizing the National finals for MrGayWorld Mexico every year since then. Each year the selections are starting with a number of State finals in the different Mexican States and are ending with a three day National final event were the representative of the different States participate for the titel MrGayWorld Mexico. They have been participating in the international finals since 2012
Director of MGW North & Central America and the Caribbean
Pablo Salvador, 38, is a Chilean – Panamain gay activist and blogger born in Panama as Salvador Sepúlveda Montoya. Pablo is Master in Direction of Communication of Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain and Professor of History and Management.The greatest success of Chile in a gay contest was in February 2011 when Pablo Salvador, Mr. Gay Chile 2009 – 2010, won the International Mr Gay Competition.
As an activist, Pablo Salvador volunteered in several LGBTI organizations of Chile. Pablo Salvador was Spokesman of Education Commission of Fundación Iguales, the Coach and Spokesman for the Organization Mister Gay Chile The New Age, and Spokesman of Daniel Zamudio Foundation. Currently, Pablo Salvador is an independent LGBTI activist. On the Internet you can find texts of Pablo Salvador on topics such as education, equal marriage and gay pride.
In the second edition of Mister Gay Chile competition, Pablo Salvador Sepúlveda compete for second time and won the title, on December 2009.On February 2010, Pablo Salvador Sepúlveda represents Chile in the second edition of the Mr Gay World competition, in Oslo, Norway. The participation of Pablo was praised by the press especially by DNA magazine, for your performance in the personal interview.
Returning to Chile, Pablo Salvador Sepúlveda dedicated his reign as Mister Gay Chile to social causes as the fight against bullying and homophobia, with constant appearances in the press and gay community activities. On January 2011, Pablo Salvador Sepúlveda competed in the last Mr. Gay International competition and won the title.
Since October 2015, Pablo Salvador is National Director of Mr. Gay Chile contest. Since 2016, Pablo Salvador is Mr Gay World producer in Chile.Since 2018, Pablo Salvador is Director of Mr. Gay World in South America.
Director of MGW Central and North Africa
Ian Ferreira-Massyn matriculated in Alexandria High School after which he moved to Port Elizabeth in 2006 where he graduated with a BCOMM Accounting degree from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. He successfully completed his SAICA articles at a well-known international audit firm and holds 8 years of audit- and accounting experience. In May 2015 Ian qualified as a Professional Accountant (S.A.). He commenced his journey as an LGBTQ+ rights activist during his university career and found a way to utilise his accounting skills, combined with his connections in the LGBTQ+ community, to enhance the strategic development of various NPO organisations established to support LGBTQ+ rights and causes.
Today Ian serves as the Chief Financial Officer on organisations such as Nelson Mandela Bay Pride, the Proud Voice, the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival Southern Africa Foundation NPC and World Gay Foundation NPC.
Ian quickly became known in Port Elizabeth for his strong social media presence and active involvement in LGBTQ+ and human rights, which lead various NPO’s inviting Ian to MC and Auction at their events. His MC and Auction profile includes Co-MC and Auctioning at events with various other public figures, including a former Mr. South Africa winner, 7de laan Actress, “Getroud Met Rugby” soap actor, Radio Presenters and a title holder of Miss United Nations. Ian is also a proud member of the group of people that hoisted the largest Pride rainblow flag in Africa at the Donkin Reserve in Port Elizabeth that was televised on SABC news in 2015 and 2016.
With all these accomplishments at an age of 29, together with the proud support of his husband Andre, it is clear that Ian’s future journey as an LGBTQ+ rights activist holds much to unfold
Director of MGW Southern Africa
Director of MGW North Asia
Born and raised in Alberta, Canada. Scott attended the University of Lethbridge where he obtained his B.A. in social sciences and B.Ed in social studies education. After a short stint of teaching in Belize, Scott moved to Taiwan in 2003, where he has been the manager of an English cram school.
Scott became an active member in the LGBT community of Taiwan in 2006 when he was introduced to members of different Taiwanese LGBT groups. As an openly gay man, he wanted to contribute to the well being of LGBT people, especially in Taiwan.
In 2014, Scott became a co founder of Mr. Gay Taiwan with Igor Scheurkogel. As long time residents of Taiwan, they wanted to “give back” to the LGBT community of Taiwan.
Scott is the commissioner of a bowling league where proceeds go to the funding of Mr. Gay Taiwan. He has given talks to language groups about being LGBT in Taiwan and has been an active member of other charity groups, such as Haxstrong where he organizes a lip sync competition that raises money for cancer research in Taiwan.
In 2016, Scott developed his interest in DJ’ing and soon obtained a residency at Brickyard’s Rainbow Thursday party. He has played at some of Taiwan’s biggest clubs as an openly gay DJ and was a headliner at Boracay’s Mardi Gras party in the Philippines.
Scott believes that LGBT visibility will bring change. The more people that know LGBT people, the more acceptance will occur in everyday life. He dreams of a day being heterosexual is not the norm and just being a person in love is all that matters.
Director of MGW South Asia
Sushant Divgikar is an Indian Actor, Model, TV host, reality tv personality, columnist, Singer, performer and equal rights champion who has been on the board of several international LGBT organisations.
Sushant was crowned Mr. Gay India in 2014 and has been one of the youngest openly gay Indians to speak about and fight for LGBT equality through various media such as newspapers, radio, television and the digital platforms.
Sushant in collaboration with The Lalit Group and Mr. Keshav Suri has been the pioneer in promoting LGBT inclusivity at live performance spaces and has been credited with launching the First ever Drag Queen Competition at the best Night club In India, KittySu.
Sushant is currently the National Producer for Mr. Gay World India and Runs a successful company, RecreArt which provides corporate solutions and sensitizes corporate organisations as to how to deal with LGBT inclusivity and diversity management.
Directors of MGW Oceania
Matthew Fistonich
Matthew is a former Mr Gay New Zealand and lives in Auckland. He is a former fire fighter in the New Zealand Air Force, former Real Estate Professional and is a Joint Director of New Zealand’s number one gay men’s news publication Eikon.
Since 2015 Matt has been the Producer of Mr Gay New Zealand and in 2017 was the joint Producer of Mr Gay Pride Australia.
Tony Richens
Tony has a Masters in Business and has spent the past 20 years in marketing and communications across charities, sport and corporate organisations. He lives in Sydney Australia and runs his own marketing/PR consultancy business as well being the Joint Director of gay men’s news publication Eikon.
Since 2015 Tony has assisted with the running of the Mr Gay New Zealand competition and in 2017 was Joint Producer of the inaugural Mr Gay Pride Australia