2016-01-19
For Immediate Release PRESS RELEASE The Inaugural “2016 Asian Women Leadership Award” JAN 19, 2016, Hong Kong – The inaugural “2016 Asian Women Leadership Award”, a joint initiative by China Daily and Asia News Network (ANN), was presented on Jan 19, 2016 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Awards followed a roundtable on “Leading Asia: Women as Change Agents, Innovators and Entrepreneurs”. The roundtable discussed how women can take ownership of their lives and in turn energize the society, how the “Women Divide” can be realized and capitalized in a better way, and how the society can enable women as change agents, innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. The Asian Women Leadership Award is a joint initiative by China Daily and Asia News Network (ANN) to recognize dynamic, successful and dedicated Asian women who are agents of change in their societies, and those who are role models in entrepreneurship, innovation, charity and the empowerment of women. This is the first international award for Asian women leaders. There are eight speakers and nominees for this year’s awards representing Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Malaysia, and Thailand as shown follows (in alphabetical order): • Ms. Rebecca Brosnan, Managing Director, Head of Product Development, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Hong Kong SAR • Mrs. Chadatip Chutrakul, Chief Executive Officer, Siam Piwat Company Limited, Thailand • Ms. Pansy Ho, JP, Managing Director, Shun Tak Holdings Limited, Co-chairperson and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited, Macau SAR • Ms. Dianna Lee, Group Chief Executive Officer, Country Heights Holdings Berhad, Malaysia • Ms. Christine Loh, Under Secretary for the Environment, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Hong Kong SAR • Ms. Bénédicte N. Nolens, Senior Director, Head of Risk and Strategy, Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong SAR • Ms. Jing Ulrich, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Asia Pacific, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Chinese Mainland • Ms. Miriam Yeung, Celebrated Actress and Singer, Media Asia Group Holdings Ltd, Hong Kong SAR The presenters for the awards are: 1. Mr. ZHOU Li, Editorial Board member, China Daily Group, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, China Daily Asia Pacific 2. Mr. Pana Janviroj, Executive Director, Asia News Network 3. Mr. Vincent HS Lo, GBS, JP, Chairman, Hong Kong Trade Development Council Eight female business leaders, politician, and celebrated star from across Asia received the Asian Women Leadership Awards on Tuesday in Hong Kong. The award, jointly initiated by China Daily and Asia News Network, honors successful women who are role models in entrepreneurship, innovation, charity and dedicated to make changes in their societies. “The late chairman Mao once said, ‘women hold up half the sky’. We strongly believe women could probably do much more than that,” Zhou Li, member of editorial board at China Daily Group, addressed the audience of the China Daily Roundtable — Leading Asia: Women as Change Agents, Innovators and Entrepreneurs, hold alongside with the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong. “We should not be afraid of our own power. Instead of controlling and constraining our abilities, we need to learn how to utilized it to achieve not just for ourselves but also for the larger welfare of the communities,” said Pansy Ho, managing director of Shun Tak Holdings Ltd. “This is the motto for me.” she added. “Thailand women are lucky, because we don’t have the gender issue,” said Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive officer at Siam Piwat Company Ltd. “I believe whatever we do, it’s up to us to prove ourselves.” Miriam Yeung, celebrated actress and singer, told the audience that her success is “a mix of commitment, persistence and courage”. “I believe nothing is impossible. I never give up my career. There is always a way,” she said. “No one have to do anything. But remember whatever you choose to do, you have to do it very well,” said Christine Loh, under secretary for the environment of the Hong Kong SAR government. “It’s important to be adaptive. Sometimes you just need to go with the flow and that could be great learning opportunity,” she added. While hard working is important, it’s equally important to change the perception, said Dianna Lee, group chief executive officer at Country Heights Holdings Berhad. Lee acknowledged that, for woman who are multi-tasking, it’s key to be result-driven. “As long as you can deliver, you are a good worker.” Jing Ulrich, vice chairman of Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Chase & Co emphasized that for young women, “it’s key to have faith in yourself and find what you love to do.” She said, “for me, success is about passion, perseverance and confidence.” “Woman are equal to man, until they need to have babies,” said Benedicte N. Nolens, head of risk and strategy at Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission. Nolens believed females need to find work-life balance to make higher achievements. “I turned to other woman in the finance community. Together we have a supportive network and it allowed me to get over a challenging career period while combining work with raising two young children." Rebecca Brosnan, head of product development at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, told audience that in Hong Kong, 30 percent of married women leave workforce for children, aging parents or other family obligations. “If woman are cut off in the midway, it’s really difficult to get back.” She said the Hong Kong bourse is running its Back to Work Programme for a third year and “I would encourage all the female talents to come back.” ###
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