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The Women of the Future Awards
Southeast Asia Announces Finalists
49 candidates from 10 countries across the region shortlisted in 10 award categories


The Women of the Future Awards Southeast Asia – the first movement dedicated to celebrating and nurturing the pipeline of female talent in the region – has unveiled today 49 talented individuals across 10 countries in Southeast Asia who are helping to drive positive change and break barriers in their respective industries. From a leader in the Indonesian Army to a visionary seeking to raise awareness regarding the plight of refugees in Malaysia, the shortlist places the spotlight on incredible women making a real difference in Southeast Asia.

Founded by Pinky Lilani CBE DL in the UK in 2006, and first launched in Southeast Asia in 2018, Women of the Future is a groundbreaking platform to showcase emerging female leaders. Now in its third successive year, Women of the Future Southeast Asia is once again proudly supported by headline sponsor Aviva.

This year’s finalists are:


Arts & Culture
  • Chaleeda Gilbert, Singer (Thailand)
  • Nicole Lai, Singer (Malaysia)
  • Annice Lyn, Photographer, Anntopia Studios (Malaysia)
  • Lisa Surihani Mohamed, Actress (Malaysia)
  • Ernie Zakri, Singer (Malaysia)

Business
  • Khin Thida Hnin, Managing Director, Forever Travel, BD Director, MM Digital Solutions (Myanmar)
  • Michelle Lim, Senior Account Manager, BT (Singapore)
  • Becky Nguyen, Regional Transfer Pricing Director, Crowe Malaysia (Vietnam)
  • Stephanie Strunk, Community Manager, Amadeus (Thailand)
  • Jess Yap, Director of Club InterContinental & Guest Experience, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) (Malaysia)

Community Spirit & Public Service
  • Nurliyana Fatin Arifin, President, Young Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei (Brunei)
  • Louise Co, Regional Alliance Manager, NTT Ltd (Philippines)
  • Kaylee Fung, Google Cloud Partner Manager, Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (Singapore)
  • Heidy Quah, Founder & Director, Refuge For The Refugees (Malaysia)
  • Joanna Villagarcia-Blanding, Founder, Giving is Social (Philippines)
  • Sotheary You, Founder, Next Women Generation (Cambodia)

Entrepreneur
  • Lachmi Baniya, Co-Founder & CEO, Icarus Media, GandaWin Magazine & GandaWin Telly (Myanmar)
  • Alexis Chun, Co-Founder, Legalese (Singapore)
  • Aimi Ramlee, Co-Founder, Tyne Solutions SDN BHD (Brunei)
  • Anita Takounsy, Founder & CEO, Once upon a Time Coffee & Lao-Bolaven Coffee Roasters (Laos)

Media & Communications
  • Sotheavy At, Senior Innovation Program Manager, DAI Global, LLC/USAID's Development Innovations project (Cambodia)
  • Angela Lagunzad, Journalist, UNTV (Philippines)
  • Cynthia Ng, Anchor and Editor, Astro Awani’ (Malaysia)
  • Yee Mon Oo, Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator, Oxfam in Myanmar (Myanmar)

Mentor
  • Dr Paolo Adragna, Mentor, Aidha
  • Carolyn Chin-Parry, Board Director, Equal Ark
  • Lida Loem, Co-founder and Head of Programs, SHE Investments
  • Gigi Morris, Founder, Moca Family Farm RLearning Center
  • Natalja Rodionova, Managing Director, IT Academy STEP Cambodia; Sisters of Code, founder.
  • Nellie TanFounder, Deputy Chairman and CEO (Honorary), Women’s Institute of Management, Malaysia

Professions
  • Mega Aryanti, Indonesian Army (Indonesia)
  • Lucille Dejito, Director of Legal Interventions, International Justice Mission, Cebu (Philippines)
  • Shannah See, Managing Director, DBS Bank Ltd’ (Singapore)
  • Jen Vuhuong, Author/Speaker, Founder of J.E.N INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Ltd. (Vietnam)

Property, Infrastructure and Construction
  • Edlyn Chong, Senior Project Manager, Turner & Townsend (Singapore)
  • Adeline Liew, Global Account Manager, APAC, Interface, Inc.  (Singapore)
  • Muygech SOK, Founder / Principle Architect, BMK Architects (Cambodia)
  • Emilia Teo, Director, Tong Eng Group (Singapore)
  • Rhonda Wong, Chief Executive Officer, Ohmyhome (Singapore)

Science, Technology & Digital
  • Bee Lynn Chew, Senior Lecturer, Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia)
  • Wan Yong Ho, Associate Professor, University of Nottingham Malaysia (Malaysia)
  • Dr Siu Yee New, Associate Professor, University of Nottingham Malaysia (Malaysia)
  • Saihua Xu, Research Scientist, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (Singapore)

Social Entrepreneur
  • Hoa Luu, Founder & Director, Po My Cooperative (Vietnam)
  • Jo Moss, Co-Founder, Changgih Designs (Singapore)
  • Siti Noraspadiyah HJ Mohd Sah, Director, Society for Community Outreach & Training (Brunei)
  • Chit Aein Thu, Founder & MD, CCEducare Myanmar (Myanmar)
  • Ngoc- Han Tran, Co-founder/Director of Academics, TOPPY Education JSC (Vietnam)


Pinky Lilani CBE DL, Founder, Women of the Future (WOF) Programme, said: “Once again we continue to be amazed by the high calibre of female talent in this region. We are delighted to see 10 countries represented in this year’s shortlist, and we are proud to showcase these talented women. As future leaders they will be catalysts for kindness, collaboration, and the advancement of their countries and the region as a whole. It is incredibly important to provide these inspiring trailblazers with a platform to encourage the next generation of talent in Southeast Asia, to believe that they can excel and achieve their dreams”

Nominations closed on October 2nd, 2019, and the 49 finalists were selected after careful review by the shortlist committee. Finalists will be invited to a judging day for an interview with their category judges. Judges include Will Myles, Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, RICS; Dan Wasik, Head of Talent Outreach, Google Asia Pacific; and Alexandra McKenzie, Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Singapore. Vicki Treadell CMG MVO, British High Commissioner to Australia, is Chair of the Judging Panel.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the Hilton Singapore on March 18th, 2020.

The Women of the Future Southeast Asia is also sponsored by Asia Square, NTT Group, Mishcon De Reya, RICS, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Worldpay and supported by CNBC, Financial Times, Hilton Singapore and the GREAT Britain and Ireland Campaign.