Unsung Sheroes – 12 Inspirational Women Leading the Way in Malaysia

We have compiled a list of inspirational people holding leadership positions in Malaysian businesses with a track record for success — and they are all women. With various backgrounds in ranging from marketing, sales, hospitality, to even music, some of them are also founders of their own companies. We want to pay tribute to the unsung sheroes in Malaysia.

Who else should be added to this list? Let us know in the comments below!

1. Yuet Kim Lim, Suzanne Ling and Lee Sweelin – With backgrounds in music, psychology and finance, these 3 wonder women combined their skills as Co-Founders of Picha Project, a social enterprise which aims to empower and provide jobs to marginalised communities in Malaysia through a sustainable food catering and delivery business.
   Nominated by: Francesca Chia, Co-Founder and Chief Community Manager of GoGet.
2. Audrey Ling – After being exposed to various industries and different aspects of businesses through consulting, she took the plunge into entrepreneurship back in 2014. She is now the CEO of NEXT Academy, Southeast Asia’s leading school for aspiring entrepreneurs, freelancers, software engineers, and digital marketers, educating and empowering passionate individuals with the power to code and create, the power to market and grow.
   Nominated by: Derek Toh, Founder & CEO of WOBB.
3. Nitaya Pirinyuang – A seasoned sales and marketing management veteran with over 12 years of experience in the hospitality industry and international workspace solutions, she is the General Manager of Colony Co-Working Space, a luxury hospitality-driven serviced office and coworking space provider revolutionising the work experience so that a work life balance can be achieved.
   Nominated by: Timothy Tiah, Executive Director at Colony Co-Working Space.
4. Nora Manaf – She is the Group Chief Human Capital Officer of Maybank, the leading financial services provider in Malaysia catering to the needs of consumers, investors, entrepreneurs, non-profit organisations and corporations. They go beyond keeping promises; they exceed expectations, treasuring innovation and fostering an environment to break boundaries and set the benchmark across 20 countries.
   Nominated by: Chen Fong Tuan, Human Resources & General Affairs Director at Samsung Electronics.
5. Jasmine Ng – An idealist who strongly believes that a better world is just in the next action we choose to take, she is the Director of NEM, a blockchain technology platform as a way to enhance enterprise, by providing an array of support and education, including training events, service providers and technical support.
   Nominated by: Derek Toh, Founder & CEO of WOBB.
6. Sharmila Santharasagaran – With over 7 years locked in at T-Systems Malaysia, she is now the company’s Managing Director, one of the world’s leading providers of information and communications technology with a footprint in more than 20 countries and some 38,000 employees.
   Nominated by: Vaclav Koranda, Vice President Human Resources at T-Systems Malaysia.
7. Audrey Ooi – With an interesting background in Asian Studies from Japan, Audrey is the Executive Director and Blogger of Colony Co-Working Space. Having started her career in Social Media Marketing, Audrey is also a prolific blogger under the handle Fourfeetnine and is one of the most popular influencers in Malaysia. In her capacity as an influencer, she has worked with Huawei, Sony, Maxis, Resorts World Sentosa and more.
   Nominated by: Timothy Tiah, Executive Director at Colony Co-Working Space.
8. Penny Choo – As the Co-Founder and COO of BloomThis, a Top 20 Finalist Alliance Bank BizSmart Innovation Challenge 2015, Penny is a passionate, resourceful and versatile entrepreneur who looks to create meaningful impact with her products. She wants to live in a world where love is brave, dreams are pursued and life is fulfilled.
   Nominated by: Derek Toh, Founder & CEO of WOBB.
9. Joanne Chia – With 5+ years in venture building across different industries, she is now the Regional Partnerships Manager of SelfDrvn, a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platform that helps organisations improve engagement with their employees and customers through effective communication, gamification and behavioral analytics. They believe that positive empowerment and people-centred strategies are the keys to building a successful business.
   Nominated by: Francesca Chia, Co-Founder and Chief Community Manager of GoGet.
10. Juliana Jan – With over 14 years in the Investment team at Cradle Fund, she now leads the way as their Chief Investment Officer. Cradle Fund is Malaysia’s early stage start-up influencer, incorporated under the Ministry of Finance Malaysia in 2003. They are deeply passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship – aiming to create leading startups by creating an ecosystem that supports a strong and innovative business-building environment for technology entrepreneurs.
    Nominated by: Derek Toh, Founder & CEO of WOBB.

These inspirational women will be getting exclusive invites to ELEVATE, a Talent Conference that will bring together passionate and enthusiastic speakers to discuss and share knowledge around people issues and how it complements business goals. Topics that will be discussed include culture, digital recruitment, change management, coaching, employee experience, amongst others.

Happening on the 23^rd & 24^th of April, find out more and book your slot at http://elevatetalent.eventbrite.com/

Did we miss somebody? Let us know in the comments below!