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True empowerment isn’t a campaign or a slogan; it’s built through consistency and intention. And as many leaders noted, the work begins with ourselves – because only when we are grounded can we meaningfully uplift others.
- With inputs from Priya Sunil, Sarah Gideon, and Umairah Nasir.
Despite the barriers and challenges women continue to face, there is a growing silver lining: leaders around the world are stepping up, driving meaningful change, and intentionally opening spaces for women to unlock their potential and shine – both professionally and personally.
Building on the previous chapters of our International Women’s Day series, this edition brings together more HR and business leaders from across the region. They share the deliberate choices and people-first practices through which they create environments where women feel empowered to be their true selves, supported to grow, and encouraged to rise.
More stories are on the way – stay tuned for the voices and insights still to come in the weeks ahead.
Haylee Money, Vice President, Human Resources, Healthcare & Cluster Head, DKSH
In my role at DKSH, I intentionally advocate for talented women by increasing their visibility across the organisation. This includes recommending them for stretch assignments, spotlighting their achievements, and connecting them to networks that support their growth and career progression.
At DKSH, we have also developed ‘Ripples’, a programme designed to drive a systemic culture shift through inclusive leadership. The programme focuses on building a stronger pipeline of inclusive leaders and strengthening equitable practices across the organisation. In parallel, we ensure robust and unbiased internal recruitment practices, which have resulted in a strong representation of women successfully progressing into senior leadership roles.
Maria Zarah Hernandez, Vice President of Employee and Industrial Relations, Metrobank
In my line of work, I strive to empower the teams around me by creating spaces where their voices are heard, valued, and elevated. Through these, I help the Bank champion opportunities that help women grow – whether through meaningful work assignments, or leadership aspirational programmes.
I model inclusive leadership by encouraging open dialogue, recognising strengths, and ensuring women feel supported in bringing their full selves to work. Through these efforts, I help cultivate a culture where women gain the confidence, capability, and visibility they need to thrive and lead.
Kard Pongsakorn Chanchaisrisakul, VP – Head of Organisation and Talent Development, Lazada Thailand
To empower women, we must first empower the data.
In my work, I champion performance management that is strictly data-centric to eliminate unconscious bias.
The impact of this approach is visible in our'“IMPACT' manager successor readiness programme. Based purely on performance metrics and potential, 60% of the selected individuals were women.
We don’t need to lower barriers; we just need to remove the bias that hides existing excellence.
I’m committed to building a workplace where my daughter's generation will be judged solely on their impact and results
Wong Sze Keed, Chief Executive Officer, AIA Singapore
I firmly believe in championing and mentoring emerging female leaders.
It’s not enough to break barriers myself – I feel a responsibility to ensure those barriers don’t exist for the next generation. That’s the thinking behind the Executive Committee (EXCO) mentorship programme I launched, where I personally guide high-potential women and provide them with direct exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making. By actively advocating for their growth and creating visible pathways to advancement, we are building a strong pipeline of future leaders and ensuring that talent, not gender, defines their success.
Miranda Lee, Chief Workforce Officer, Motul Asia Pacific
True empowerment comes from equitable access to opportunity and the purposeful use of capabilities to create lasting impact, enabling meaningful, and inclusive career growth.
At Motul, fairness and equity are core to our philosophy, guiding how we hire, develop, and grow talent so that everyone – regardless of gender or level, has the opportunity to thrive.
Empowering women, to me, is about being intentional in our everyday actions. We take pride in fostering a supportive environment grounded in psychological safety, co‑creating career portfolios, and building diverse teams that accelerate both individual growth and business performance.
Magdalen Tsang, Head of Human Resources for Asia Pacific, Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking
In fitting with this year’s IWD theme, “Give to Gain”, I believe it is important to give back to the female community by empowering women with the confidence and opportunities to succeed.
I have mentored female employees in the past and have learnt so much from our discussions as they share their unique experiences in the workplace and aspirations for the future.
At Natixis CIB, we engage our 'We In Natixis Network' which aims to involve the whole community in the gender equity conversation, using diversity and inclusion as a strategic approach to help the business and achieve greater impact.
Janice Yeo, General Manager, Clinico Group
I make it a priority to take good care of myself. Setting aside time to exercise, staying fit, and practising self-love aren’t just routines, they are acts of strength and discipline. When we feel healthy and grounded, we show up with greater confidence, clarity, and resilience.
I’ve also found that taking care of myself encourages others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of courage and support. Ultimately, true empowerment comes from being genuine from being comfortable in our own skin, smiling often, and choosing to be a source of positivity and strength for those around us.
Gabriel Escarrer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Meliá Hotels International
In Meliá, empowering women starts with ensuring real equality throughout the entire employee journey. Our workforce is balanced 50-50, and women already hold 42.7% of leadership roles and nearly half of all junior management positions. We know diversity and inclusion are essential for building a sustainable and competitive company, so our ‘Equality Plan’ is a strategic tool that guarantees fair access, development, pay, and promotion – regardless of gender.
With nine action areas, from recruitment to work–life balance, we make sure gender perspectives are integrated across all levels and hotels, helping women grow and thrive within our organisation.
Leanne Sim, Head of Marketing & Communications, Asia, EFG International
One way I am working to empower women is through my role at EFG International, where I help lead our support for young athletes across Asia. This is in line with our internal efforts to support female talent as we strive to be an inclusive company where women can thrive.
In my view, just like in the sporting world, an equitable workplace is one where the bar for success is high for everyone and the rules are applied consistently. It’s a great pleasure to get to champion female athletes by giving them greater visibility, resources, and opportunities to grow. Sport builds confidence, resilience, and leadership from a young age, and I believe these qualities carry into every aspect of life.
Lynette Siow, Chief Executive Officer, Saint-Gobain Malaysia & Singapore
I focus on creating real pathways for women to grow and lead, especially in traditionally male‑dominated industries like construction and manufacturing. Across Saint-Gobain’s manufacturing plants and corporate functions in Singapore and Malaysia, I intentionally mentor high‑potential women, ensuring they have visibility, meaningful responsibilities, and a voice at the decision‑making table.
Empowerment goes beyond encouragement; it is about access, exposure, and the confidence to lead. Beyond mentorship, I am committed to fostering an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are valued, complemented by equitable hiring practices, because true empowerment ensures that no one’s ambition and potential are limited by gender.
Kit Lim, Head of Change and Inclusion, Swire Shipping
Empowering women starts with me being honest about my own journey. I share my story: the detours, the self-doubt, and the reinventions, because seeing someone be vulnerable and still show up matters. It tells other women that they don’t have to have it all figured out to feel confident about themselves.
In my work, I focus on creating spaces where women feel safe to speak, where lived experience is valued, and where they have sponsors who actively open doors.
Empowerment isn’t about fixing women. It’s about removing the invisible barriers that limit choice and silence voice. And if sharing my stumbles helps even one woman feel less alone, that’s worth doing.
Jace Heng, Head of People, Strategy and Talent, ENGIE
One thing I focus on is giving women the confidence and psychological safety to bring their full selves to work. I listen deeply, spot their potential, and encourage them to take bold steps even when they hesitate. I aim to open doors, rather than just cheering from behind.
Beyond individual support, I prioritise equipping our leaders with the right mindsets and behaviours to create environments where women feel safe to speak up and have their ideas valued. Empowering women is both personal and systemic, and I’m committed to shaping a culture in ENGIE where their voices are truly heard.
Kingley Lim, APAC Head of Culture, DEI, CSR & Talent Head SEA ANZ, Henkel
In my role leading Culture & DEI for Henkel APAC, allyship is deeply personal. It means using my platform to amplify women’s voices and ensuring our ERGs and leaders create safe, equitable spaces.
Across our diverse markets, I prioritise visibility, sponsorship, and removing barriers that limit women’s opportunities. For me, allyship is a commitment to act – consistently and courageously – so women across APAC can thrive.
Lynn Lim, Senior Operations Manager, ICFM
At ICFM, we are committed to building a workplace where skills, ability, and performance determine growth and leadership opportunities.
Empowerment, to me, means trust, accountability, and ownership. It means giving women responsibilities, not just visibility, and backing them as they take on a skills-first culture where competence supersedes outdated industry stereotypes, ensuring there is a clear and unbiased path to leadership.
I mentor them through both wins and setbacks, and ensure expectations are clear. I believe that when standards are high and support is consistent, confidence grows and women step forward ready to lead.
Audra Balasingam, General Counsel, Corporate Services, StarHub
One thing I am doing to empower women around me is encouraging them to trust their voice and step beyond the boundaries of their roles. Capability does not always announce itself loudly, which is why intentional leadership matters. I challenge the women in my team to move beyond operational excellence and connect their legal advice to broader commercial impact, giving them the confidence to help shape decisions.
By championing this shift, I’ve seen them become more assured in influencing direction, while our combined perspectives strengthen the quality of thinking across the team.
Ho Shyn Yee, Partner/Director at Horwath HTL & Board Member, Smiling Gecko Singapore
Women often face not just systemic barriers, but the invisible weight of self-limiting beliefs. I want to create space for honest conversations – about fears, assumptions, and what holds us back – so we can draw on our collective lived experiences to challenge and overcome those beliefs together. When women speak openly, we learn faster and carry less alone.
Empowerment, to me, isn't a programme or a pledge. It's the daily practice of courage, camaraderie, and releasing the pressure to have it all figured out.
Jocelyn Cai, Director, People Partners, Databricks APJ
Empowering women starts with creating intentional safe spaces where they can show up – not just to perform, but to be heard and supported.
Through the 'MentorConnect' programme, I’ve supported women across all career stages, to grow through shared experiences and diverse perspectives, building trust among women in tech.
I also champion mental wellness by encouraging leaders to speak transparently about boundaries, wellbeing, and growth. This disciplined focus on mentorship and open dialogue is helping more women see Databricks as a place where they can build long-term, impactful careers and it has fuelled our growth to over 1,000 across APJ.
Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Booking.com
I’ve always believed in being who you are and showcasing your strengths at the workplace, and at Booking.com, I’m proud to be leading a culture where everyone feels they belong and can thrive, with teams that mirror the rich diversity of our customers.
Through initiatives like our Employee Resource Groups, we’re building a community where every woman and every talent have equal opportunities to shine. By fostering authenticity, growth, and belonging, I’m committed to empowering people across the organisation to be their best selves and create a more inclusive future together.
Photos / Provided
ALSO READ:
- International Women’s Day 2026: Empowering women, together
- Watch: 3 women leaders on the lessons, challenges, and strengths that shaped their careers
- The power to give and gain: 16 leaders share how they empower women around them
- Confidence, courage, and resilience: 7 women leaders on the career lessons that matter most
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