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Leaders from Central Retail Corporation, Micron Technology, Razer, and HEPMIL Media Group have stepped up to lead, mentor, and empower people of all genders and generations to grow personally and professionally.
- With inputs from Umairah Nasir and Sarah Gideon.
Women’s empowerment and gender equality do not happen through intention alone – they become real through collective action and committed leadership.
More HR and business leaders from across the region shared their practices in our International Women’s Day series this year, demonstrating that meaningful impact is driven by what leaders do, not just what they say.
While this year’s International Women’s Day series may be concluding for now, the work continues. Inspiring stories are all around us, and each of us has a role to play. Let’s keep the conversation going, and champion true empowerment through even the smallest things in our everyday lives.
Norhayati Fazil, Head of Human Resources Management, Bank Muamalat
One meaningful step I take to empower women around me is mentoring and creating supportive spaces for growth. I intentionally share knowledge, experiences, and practical guidance to help women build confidence in their academic, professional, and personal journeys. I encourage open conversations where ideas are respected, and achievements are celebrated.
By advocating for equal opportunities and fair recognition, I aim to challenge stereotypes and promote leadership among women. I also support women-led initiatives and collaborations, ensuring their voices are heard and valued. Through consistent encouragement and active support, I hope to inspire women to recognise their strengths and pursue their ambitions boldly.
Ronnie Xu, APAC Head of HR, CHAGEE
One thing I am doing to empower women is making sure they feel heard and supported in their growth. I make time to mentor and have open conversations with women across different roles, especially those who may not always speak up. I encourage them to keep learning, try new challenges, and see a bigger world beyond their current roles.
I often think of tea as something that brings people together, and I try to build that same sense of connection in our workplace. When women feel connected and respected, they grow with confidence.
Monica Chia, VP HR East Asia Japan, Schneider Electric
Women advance more confidently in workplaces that weed out biases and emphasise skills-focused recognition. Over the years, my decision-making has thus been guided by principles of fairness and transparency. I believe this has allowed us to build a rewards system guided by capability.
I have also been intentional about fostering a culture in which opportunities are visible and where leadership advocacy is natural by all and for all genders. When progression is grounded in merit and mutual support, women are able to move ahead on their own terms. Over time, this builds a workplace where diversity fosters strength.
Quek Li Ling, Head of Human Resources, General Affairs & Marketing Communications, Cathay United Bank (Singapore Branch)
One thing I’m focusing on is shaping people practices that create a supportive and sustainable environment for women at work. At CUB Singapore, this involves reviewing and refining policies, processes and conversations to help employees manage expectations and perform effectively.
I believe empowerment comes from providing the right framework and guidance, so women feel supported to contribute, grow and navigate their careers with confidence, while balancing priorities and organisational needs.
Panchalee Weeratammawat, Chief People Officer, Central Retail Corporation
One thing I am committed to is building a better community for us all and for the next generation, which women can play a big part in. As a wife, mother, sister and leader, women need to juggle to strike the right balance between these roles. They should be given flexibility and support to manage their lives, while having access to opportunities to grow in their careers, if they want to. My role is to create an environment where women can grow with confidence either personally or professionally. When women are trusted with responsibility, equipped with the right skills, and given room to lead, they rise naturally.
So, to all women around the world, belief in yourselves, lead your lives, chase your dreams and do your best in every step of the ways. If I can do it, you can also do it!
Tan Kia Hiang, Senior Director, Global People Services and Solutions, Micron Technology
Empowering women starts with creating environments where they feel supported and confident to lead, enabled by mentorship, shared experience, guidance and opportunities. Through Micron women’s leadership network, we provide a platform for women to learn from one another, build confidence and grow into leadership roles.
We also take a holistic approach to support all our team members, from wellbeing to career development, including pathways for women who took a pause in their career and returning to the workforce. I believe when women are given the right support at the right time, they gain the confidence to step forward and become stronger, more inclusive leaders.
April Wan, VP, Global Head of People and Organisation, Razer
One thing I focus on is ensuring women are recognised, supported, and given real opportunities to lead. At Razer, women shape our progress as gamers, creators, engineers, and leaders. In fact, they make up about 35% of our global workforce and roughly one-third of our leadership team, well above industry norms.
This year, our International Women’s Day theme is ‘Recharge’. In a fast‑paced industry like gaming and technology, taking time to recharge socially, physically, and mentally is essential to sustaining creativity, resilience, and high performance. By supporting how women grow and lead, we enable them to continue shaping the future of gaming together.
Shah Md., Regional Head of People, HEPMIL Media Group
I challenge biased language. Subtle biases often creep into performance reviews or casual conversations. Male allies can call out phrases like “too emotional” or “not assertive enough”, which unfairly penalise women. In HR contexts, allies can push for competency-based evaluations rather than focusing too much on personality-driven judgments. This ensures women are assessed on measurable outcomes, not stereotypes.
Another thing that I support is normalising flexible working arrangements. Singapore’s workforce is diverse, with many women balancing caregiving responsibilities. Male allies can advocate for flexible schedules, hybrid work, or part-time leadership roles. By openly using flexible policies themselves, men help destigmatise them as “women’s benefits”. This creates a culture where flexibility is seen as a productivity enhancer, not a career limiter.
Sue Ann Gan, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
I often find that women do exceptional work that goes unrecognised because they do not always advocate for themselves – whether due to personality, cultural expectations, or simply a preference for letting their work speak for itself.
At a time when celebrating progress and success matters more than ever, I try, where possible, to share my female colleagues’ accomplishments in rooms they are not in. By advocating on their behalf, I hope to create a form of empowerment that is both meaningful and impactful.
Prerna Aggarwal, Chief Innovation Officer, Campus Activewear
When we talk about empowering women, it starts with creating the right environment rather than standalone initiatives.
For us, that means ensuring fair access to learning and development, building a workplace where women feel heard and supported, and designing policies that are inclusive and practical across different life stages.
We prioritise a safe, respectful culture where everyone can contribute confidently. Most importantly, we actively listen to women’s feedback and turn those insights into action, so inclusion is embedded in how we work every day.
Tammy Murphy, CEO, XCL Schools Singapore and Head of School, XCL World Academy, Singapore
As a woman first and a leader second, I strive to cultivate a culture where women feel safe, valued, and empowered to lead. I intentionally invite women into decision-making and celebrate not just results, but efforts, courage, and growth. To me, inclusion begins with listening and ensuring women are visible in spaces where decisions are made.
Through my own journey, I’ve learned that leadership is built on self-trust and clarity of values. For women stepping into leadership, trust your voice and recognise that your perspective adds real value. Stay grounded, build supportive networks, and lift other women as you grow.
Victoria Herrero, Chief People and Sustainability Officer, Zuellig Pharma
I am deeply committed to creating workplaces where women can lead with confidence and bring their full potential to life. I believe in the power of meaningful career conversations, mentorship and everyday encouragement to help women grow with purpose and clarity. When we build a culture that uplifts, listens, and believes in every woman’s ability to succeed, we create space for true progress.
In my conversations within the organisation, I always encourage women to speak openly about their ambitions and the impact they want to make. Empowerment, to me, becomes real when confidence is matched by action and when every voice feels valued and heard.
Pearlyn Loke, Associate Director, Talent Acquisition, Tiger Brokers (Singapore)
I believe empowering women starts with building intentional systems through equitable access and opportunities. At Tiger Brokers Singapore, I focus on creating clear pathways for growth by advocating fair hiring, structured progression, and meaningful stretch opportunities for women across functions.
We have since seen a 32.6% year-on-year increase in our women workforce, alongside growing interest in the sector as a viable and dynamic career path. I also prioritise career mentoring, ensuring women gain visibility with stakeholders and cross-border exposure. When women are trusted with responsibility and visibility internally, it strengthens how we serve externally - encouraging more women to take ownership of their financial futures.
Prantika Sengupta, Global Director – Legal, SeaLead
One thing I actively do to empower women in maritime is create visibility and access. Through my role with WISTA Singapore, I mentor young professionals, encourage them to speak up, and ensure they are represented in industry forums.
Platforms like Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) are important because representation shapes confidence and opportunity. By participating in APM and similar conferences, I advocate for diverse leadership panels and practical pathways for women to enter, stay, and lead in shipping. Empowerment, to me, is about opening doors and then standing beside women as they walk through them.
Stella Joshua, Senior Director – HR, APJ, Everpure
I help women find their voice and articulate their views with clarity. I do this through ‘active crediting’ – when a woman makes a strong point, I repeat it and ensure everyone knows where it came from, so she’s truly heard and recognised.
I also work to nudge out the politeness tax by encouraging women (including myself) to use declarative language and drop apologetic qualifiers like, “I’m sorry, but...”.
With leaders, I focus on dismantling protective hesitation, where managers hold back honest feedback out of fear of being misconstrued as prejudiced. Instead, I help them deliver constructive feedback that builds psychological safety and growth using precise language.
Zain Azrai Bin Dato' Dr. Zaaba, VP Rewards & People Management Human Capital Department, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera
As a male ally, I’ve learned that empowerment starts in everyday moments. Early in my career, I noticed that capable women in meetings were sometimes interrupted or overlooked. Since then, I’ve made it a conscious habit to amplify their voices – acknowledging their ideas, inviting their perspectives, and ensuring credit goes where it’s due.
In my role in Human Capital, I also advocate for fair succession planning and equal access to stretch assignments. But beyond systems, it’s about sponsorship – putting my name behind talented women and opening doors when opportunities arise. Real allyship, to me, means using my position to create space for others to thrive.
Photos / Provided
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