Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders 2025

Lia Yuldinawati’s commitment to bridging Indonesia’s digital divide stems from her early realisation of the unequal access to internet connectivity across the archipelago. This disparity not only restricts digital transformation but also limits economic and social advancement for countless Indonesians. Motivated by this gap, Ms Yuldinawati has championed digital literacy, particularly for womenpreneurs, recognising their critical role in driving both technological innovation and economic growth. Since 2015, she has dedicated herself to supporting Indonesian women in overcoming the digital gender gap, which remains stark—with women facing up to 40% less access to the internet than men. Her efforts intensified during the pandemic, when more than half of women reported workplace obstacles amid the digital shift. Witnessing Indonesia’s tech evolution,, Ms Yuldinawati deepened her advocacy for equal access and education in technology.

Ms Yuldinawati’s leadership is reflected in her role as project lead for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s (USTDA) grant supporting OpenRAN development as a telecommunication solution across Indonesia’s 3T regions—underdeveloped, outermost and frontier areas. This project, not only enhanced connectivity but also empowered local communities by improving digital competence and fostering sustainable business practices.Furthermore, she spearheaded a milestone collaboration on Indonesia’s Independence Day in August 2024, where Telkom University and leading industry partners launched Smart City Technology solution such as AI Virtual Assistant connected with Open Network Technology in Nusantara (IKN). This groundbreaking initiative successfully marking an essential step in Indonesia’s Smart City ambitions and laying the foundation for a globally adaptable, interoperable digital infrastructure.

Looking ahead, Ms Yuldinawati’s strategic vision is centred on empowering womenpreneurs through tailored coaching, technology integration, and collaborative ecosystems. Her lifelong mission is to advance gender equality, foster inclusive workplaces, and champion a future where technology bridges divides, and drives shared prosperity.

Ms Brindha Priyadarshini Jeyaraman is an accomplished technologist whose journey has been shaped by personal inspiration and a passion for problem-solving. Growing up, she was inspired by her father, an engineer, whose persistence and innovation showed her the power of technology to create meaningful change. With a strong foundation in mathematics and physics, Ms Jeyaraman developed an early affinity for logical reasoning, which naturally led her to pursue machine learning, cloud computing, and software development. Her Doctor of Engineering degree further sharpened her technical expertise and strategic mindset, preparing her to tackle complex challenges.

Over the past year, Ms Jeyaraman has led transformative AI initiatives at Google Cloud, applying artificial intelligence across industries such as telecommunications, advertising, gaming, personalised content and Agentic platforms. Her work not only improved customer experience and business efficiency but also empowered clients to develop their own AI solutions. One of her most rewarding contributions has been in architecting AI/ML Ops platforms that foster collaboration and creativity through accessible AI tools. Alongside her technical achievements, she mentors young technologists and shares her insights as an author, contributing to books, research papers, and industry articles. These efforts reflect her deep belief in AI’s potential to drive progress and inclusivity.

Ms Jeyaraman is equally committed to using technology for social good, particularly in healthcare, finance, and accessibility. Motivated by a personal loss in the family and having a deep understanding of healthcare challenges and unmet needs, she is passionate about AI’s roles in advancing early diagnosis, personalised treatments, and elderly care. She also champions gender diversity in tech by promoting mentorship, inclusive hiring, and accountability within organisations. Through her leadership, she aims to foster workplaces where innovation thrives through inclusion. Ms Jeyaraman’s enduring ambition is to leave a legacy defined by both technological impact and social equality, helping shape a future where innovation improves lives globally.

Ms Caroline Tran’s journey into the technology sector has been driven by a deep-rooted belief in the power of tech to create meaningful, real-world impact. Growing up in a small business family, she witnessed first-hand the financial challenges that shaped everyday decisions, a formative experience that inspired her lifelong mission to develop technology that makes life simpler, smarter, and fairer for everyday people. As the founder of Hello Clever, Ms Tran has channelled this personal motivation into a pioneering fintech platform designed to empower both individuals and businesses alike. Her entrepreneurial path, especially as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, has been marked by resilience, tenacity and a steadfast commitment to purpose-led innovation.

Under Ms Tran’s visionary leadership, Hello Clever has launched groundbreaking initiatives, most notably its real-time, AI-driven embedded loyalty technology. This project has reshaped the relationship between consumers and their finances, allowing instant cashback rewards at the point of purchase and giving customers immediate visibility and control over their spending habits. Beyond the technical achievement, Ms Tran’s work highlights a fundamental shift in financial empowerment, bridging convenience, engagement, and financial literacy for users, while offering businesses cutting-edge tools to foster genuine, lasting customer relationships in an increasingly competitive and digitally driven marketplace.

Looking forward, Ms Tran remains unwavering in her vision to redefine the future of financial interaction, both for consumers and businesses alike. She is deeply committed to fostering a workplace culture that champions diversity, inclusion, and fearless innovation, while mentoring the next generation of leaders, especially young women in tech. Ms Tran’s legacy is poised to reflect not only the success of Hello Clever as a transformative force in the global fintech landscape, but also her dedication to creating spaces where individuals feel empowered to lead authentically and drive change with both creativity, empathy, and genuine compassion.

Ms Carolyn Chin-Parry’s career reflects resilience, vision, and commitment to digital transformation and inclusion. Starting her studies in the mid-1990s with a Bachelor of Commerce, she sensed early on that technology would redefine industries, leading her to pursue a Master’s in Electronic Commerce during the uncertain dot-com era. As a young female Asian migrant in Australia, she overcame cultural and professional barriers, securing an IT job before graduation despite the absence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Her early experiences taught her to work smarter and deliver standout results to advance her career and open doors for others in similar positions seeking equal opportunities.

Notably, Ms Chin-Parry led a major project in Singapore to guide SMEs on their digital transformation journeys. Launched in 2023 by Minister Low Yen Ling, this initiative provided a framework, assessment toolkit, and strategies to help SMEs overcome resource constraints, boosting both digital maturity and relevant digital skills in Singapore’s key industries and beyond. The project also fostered collaborations between businesses, industry bodies, and government-linked agencies.

Beyond business, Ms Chin-Parry champions gender diversity and digital inclusion. She supports initiatives like IMDA’s Women in Tech and Lean In Girls, helping empower women and schoolgirls to thrive in technology careers. Having spoken at the United Nations on digital inclusion for the Asia-Pacific’s underserved, she continues to use her expertise to create meaningful social and business impact. Ms Chin-Parry believes true leadership is rooted in kindness, empathy, and purposeful action. By fostering diverse, inclusive workplaces and offering mentorship, she aims to help organisations and individuals reach their full potential while advancing digital and AI skills to enhance workforce capabilities. Through her ongoing efforts, Ms Chin-Parry hopes to inspire future leaders to value both technological innovation and human connection, leaving behind a legacy built on equity, opportunity, and lasting positive global impact.

Ms Chen Hong is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Singtel Singapore, where she leads the company’s IT strategy, infrastructure, systems, and digital transformation. With over 30 years of valuable experience in the technology sector, she has built a distinguished career navigating rapid innovation and constant change. Throughout her professional journey, mentorship has played a pivotal role, helping her develop into a transformational leader known for advancing organisational capability, innovation, and inclusivity. Today, Ms Chen Hong actively champions leadership development at Singtel, spearheading initiatives such as the Executive Coaching programme to cultivate future-ready leaders and supporting the advancement of women through Singtel’s Women and Allies Network. Her contributions have been recognised through prestigious accolades such as the CIO100 ASEAN Awards 2024.

Among her recent achievements is the leadership of Singtel’s major IT Data Centre migration, one of the company’s most significant infrastructure programmes. The large-scale initiative significantly strengthened Singtel’s digital resilience, enhanced operational efficiency, and accelerated the retirement of legacy applications, reducing end-of-life systems from 48% to under 10%. The migration also delivered important sustainability gains, with the adoption of new energy-efficient technologies helping to lower the company’s overall carbon footprint. In parallel, under Ms Chen Hong’s inspiring leadership, Singtel earned major industry accolades for delivering seamless digital experiences, including the Asian Digital Experience Award and the IDC Digital Experience of the Year 2025 Award.

Looking ahead, Ms Chen Hong envisions leveraging AI, machine learning, IoT, and predictive analytics to transform Singtel’s operations while embedding inclusivity across all business functions. Central to this is the launch of the AI Centre of Excellence, designed to upskill teams and integrate AI-driven solutions for enhanced agility. Ms Chen Hong also champions diversity through Singtel’s RISE network, which empowers women via mentorship and advocacy. Her leadership legacy aspires to embed inclusivity, empowerment, and innovation deep within Singtel’s corporate DNA.

Ms Dorothy Yiu’s journey into the technology sector was inspired by her deep interest in human behaviour and a desire to reshape workplaces into spaces where employees thrive and drive business success. With a background in HR consulting, she recognised early on the untapped potential of sentiment data in addressing workforce challenges. This insight led her to co-found EngageRocket in 2016, combining her HR expertise with technology to revolutionise how organisations make people decisions. Since then, EngageRocket has empowered companies through real-time analytics drawn from millions of employee data points, helping leaders create workplaces rooted in insight, empathy, and connection.

Throughout her career, Ms Yiu has consistently championed equity and inclusion in the workplace. Drawing from her own leadership experiences, she has encountered and overcome challenges that are familiar to many women in the tech and startup space. These experiences have only deepened her commitment to fostering greater awareness, amplifying underrepresented voices, and challenging unconscious biases that may exist within the broader business environment. Beyond advocacy, she has driven meaningful innovation at EngageRocket, notably integrating AI-driven predictive analytics to equip HR leaders with foresight to address engagement and retention challenges proactively.

Looking ahead, Ms Yiu’s mission remains anchored in two enduring motivations: strengthening the link between employee engagement and business performance, and improving the day-to-day experiences that shape people’s lives and wellbeing. She believes that enhancing workplace culture not only drives organisational outcomes but creates a lasting ripple effect on individual happiness and family life. Under her leadership, EngageRocket exemplifies the measurable value of diversity, with a leadership team that is 75% women and a workplace culture that champions inclusion, collaboration, and merit over stereotypes. Ms Yiu’s vision is to leave behind a legacy of empowered, inclusive workplaces where all individuals feel genuinely valued and supported to succeed.

Dr Tan Dunlin is a trailblazer in research and innovation. Her journey in technology began with hands-on experimentation in nanoparticle films to enhance data storage density. From developing materials to examining their magnetic properties under electron microscopes, her formative years instilled a deep appreciation for research with real-world impact. Inspired by pioneers like Professor Mildred Dresselhaus, Dr Tan furthered research collaborations at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. She later earned her doctorate under a joint programme supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board and Thales Solutions Asia. Her academic career at Nanyang Technological University spanned nearly a decade, where she led multidisciplinary research in nanotechnology and clean energy before transitioning into the corporate sphere.

Today, as the Director of Thales Research & Technology in Singapore, Dr Tan helms one of Thales’ four global R&T centres. She drives strategic research across emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Technology, and Advanced Materials. Being a key architect of Thales’ AI strategy in Singapore, she oversees the development of AI for mission-critical systems, like radar technologies. Under her leadership, the team’s innovations spans across improving sensor intelligence, enhancing operational productivity, and contributes to national and global goals in trustworthy AI. By combining rigorous scientific methodology with cross-domain collaboration, Dr Tan ensures that Thales' technological solutions are both cutting-edge, secure, explainable, and ethically robust.

Beyond her technical accomplishments, Dr Tan is a passionate advocate for gender diversity and ethical AI. She champions early STEM engagement, mentors aspiring female technologists, and encourages leaders to embrace inclusive policies such as equal parenting. Her vision is to cultivate a new generation of engineers and AI leaders who are capable and guided by conscience. Through her leadership, Dr Tan is shaping a future where innovation serves humanity - responsibly, inclusively, and sustainably.

Dr Hongying Li’s inspiring journey from a small farming village in western China to an accomplished researcher is a testament to resilience, determination, and a commitment to societal impact. Growing up without basic necessities like clean water, Dr Li experienced first-hand the harsh realities of environmental scarcity, which sparked her lifelong dedication to addressing global challenges in clean water, air, and sustainability. Her academic journey, driven by the promise to create change, led her to a distinguished research career where she successfully bridged theoretical research and real-world solutions, including Singapore’s first UV ballast water treatment product and a groundbreaking energy-saving heat removal module for green data centres.

Dr Li’s pioneering work extends into the realm of public health, where her expertise in digital modelling, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) has advanced the understanding of airborne disease transmission. Her research, which integrates human mobility into AI-driven pandemic simulations, offers public health authorities vital tools for real-time risk assessment, strategic intervention, and city-scale health policy planning. Beyond infectious diseases, her digital modelling techniques hold significant promise for urban planning, air pollution control, and the development of smart, sustainable cities, reflecting her vision of creating healthier, more efficient living environments for future generations.

In addition to her scientific achievements, Dr Li is a passionate advocate for gender diversity and education equality. Shaped by early experiences of cultural bias, she champions equal opportunities for women, especially in STEM fields, and actively mentors students from primary school to university. She envisions a future where inclusive leadership and equitable access to education drive innovation and societal progress. Dr Li’s enduring legacy will not only be defined by her contributions to fluid dynamics, AI, and sustainability but also by her commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists and fostering a more diverse, inclusive research community.

Assoc Prof Hortense Le Ferrand is a multidisciplinary innovator whose career bridges engineering, the arts, and sustainability. From her early interests in archaeology, music, and pottery, she saw technology as a space where scientific curiosity meets creative expression. Her academic path led her to postgraduate studies in engineering, followed by a master’s and PhD in materials science with a specialisation in bioinspiration. Today, as a leading mechanical and aerospace engineering researcher, she leverages additive manufacturing to create sustainable, high-performance materials - blending the precision of science with the imagination of art.

A/Prof Le Ferrand’s work redefines how materials are developed through nature-inspired processes. Her standout research in biomimetic composites uses fungi grown on bamboo fibres and bioplastics to form biodegradable materials with fire resistance and thermal insulation properties. This project has gained international recognition, featured by Channel News Asia and showcased at the Dubai Future Forum’s ‘Prototypes for Humanity’ exhibition. By collaborating across Asia and mentoring young researchers - many of whom are women - she has built a strong network of knowledge-sharing and innovation. With patents filed and technologies being scaled for industry use, her work shapes the future of sustainable materials.

Beyond her research, A/Prof Le Ferrand is a committed advocate for women in STEM. As a committee member of POWERS and advisor to WoMAEn, she champions scholarships, mentoring, and inclusive academic environments. Her Nature Springer “Inspiring Women in Science” award has further amplified her impact. She actively promotes diversity in hiring and retention, striving for gender-balanced classrooms and research teams. With a clear vision for sustainable innovation and inclusive leadership, A/Prof Le Ferrand is advancing engineering frontiers and laying the groundwork for a more equitable and creative scientific community.

Dr Irem Uygur’s journey reflects resilience, curiosity, and a passion for solving real-world challenges through technology. Raised in an environment that encouraged exploration, Uygur’s early fascination with science books led her to physics, mathematics, and eventually engineering. A defining moment came during a summer internship at the University of Glasgow, where her code brought a robotic arm to life. Winning the European Robotics Challenge at the Technical University of Munich further cemented her path in robotics. Inspired by the struggles of visually impaired children, she pursued a PhD in indoor navigation at the University of Tokyo, later joining ZMP/ROBO-HI to develop accessibility-focused robotics projects blending innovation with social impact.

Throughout her career, Dr Uygur has faced cultural and gender-related barriers, often being the only woman on technical teams and encountering both subtle and explicit biases. Despite these obstacles, she has excelled across international environments, from Turkey to Scotland, Germany, and Japan. At ZMP/ROBO-HI, she led the navigation system development of Eyecan, a navigation app for visually impaired users designed for indoor and outdoor use. Beyond Eyecan, she reduced navigation errors for autonomous forklifts and created logic for delivery robots navigating multi-floor buildings, addressing Japan’s logistical challenges and contributing to efficiency and inclusion. Currently, she leads an autonomous industrial robot initiative, overseeing a cross-border team transforming industrial maintenance through robotics.

Looking ahead, Dr Uygur envisions transitioning into mentorship and strategic leadership to shape the future of robotics and foster workplace equity. She advocates for reforms like salary transparency, gender ratio reporting, anti-bias systems, and mentorship to ensure lasting diversity. Uygur hopes her work inspires women, especially from developing countries, to break barriers and thrive in tech. Through her achievements and commitment to inclusion, she aims to leave a legacy of innovation, equity, and empowerment for future generations.

Dr. Kate Sangwon Lee is a leading researcher, educator, and practitioner at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), UX/UI design, and Responsible AI. As a Lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Director of the NUS UX Lab, she champions ethical, inclusive, and human-centered AI systems that enhance user agency and promote social good. Drawing inspiration from interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Lee has integrated emerging technologies like Generative AI (GenAI) into her teaching, including the master course at NUS, "Essential Skills in AI UX & UI Design," to equip future technologists with critical thinking and innovation skills. She also leads the "Artificial Intelligence for Education" workshop series for MOE educators to harness AI for teaching and learning, extending her impact across academic and professional communities.

A pioneer in exploring AI's role in higher education, Dr. Lee leads the “AI for Creativity” and further “Ethical Use of AI in Education” initiative, funded by the NUS Teaching Transformation Grant. Her work addresses the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney into design thinking pedagogy. She has presented her research at prominent conferences, including the Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS), and actively develops evidence-based guidelines for AI-enhanced creativity and problem-solving. With a strong publication record across top journals and ACM conferences, her research spans digital twins, responsible social media design, mental wellness, and AI ethics, reflecting her commitment to advancing human-centric technology in education, promoting human well-being, and sustainability.

Beyond academia, Dr. Lee advocates for gender diversity and inclusion in tech. Inspired by her own journey and mentors, she envisions creating scalable, interdisciplinary online courses about Human-centric AI Design that bridge design, engineering, business, and humanities, promoting accessible education and nurturing inclusive talent development grounded in real-world innovation and human-centered values.

Dr Malika Meghjani is a pioneering researcher in artificial intelligence and robotics. Her journey began with a literal and intellectual spark that ignited her passion for understanding how electricity powers digital life. From a background in electronics engineering and computer vision, she transitioned into robotics, driven by a desire to build systems that interact meaningfully with the physical world. Her academic journey, which took her from India all the way to McGill University in Canada, laid the foundation for a career marked by innovation, resilience, and a strong commitment to community. Through her leadership in IEEE initiatives, summer outreach camps, and robotics workshops, Dr Meghjani has consistently worked to create inclusive and accessible STEM environments for future generations.

Currently an Assistant Professor, Dr Meghjani leads a diverse and interdisciplinary research group advancing the frontiers of marine robotics. Her groundbreaking work integrates multi-agent reinforcement learning, heterogeneous robotic systems, and semantically aware AI to monitor marine environments. Her innovations - underwater autonomous vehicles to UAVs and USVs working in coordinated swarms - provide real-time environmental intelligence with reduced human intervention. These technologies significantly affect water quality modelling, coral reef conservation, and sustainable aquaculture. Deployed locally and globally, her systems already contribute to climate-resilient coastal management in Singapore and beyond.

As a visionary leader, Dr Meghjani aspires to build a tech ecosystem rooted in equity, ethical AI, and diverse representation. She is dedicated to designing AI systems  for greater social good and developing solutions for disaster response, environmental protection, and caregiving. She is cultivating a pipeline of women-led innovation in AI and robotics through education, mentorship, and collaboration across academia, and industry. Dr Meghjani’s legacy is one where humans and robots work together to protect our oceans and shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Dr Nancy Chen is a visionary researcher and global advocate for responsible, inclusive artificial intelligence. Growing up in California in a multilingual household and diverse community, she developed an early curiosity about language and communication. This fascination evolved into a deep interest in machine learning and computational modelling—fields that enable the creation of technologies transcending linguistic, cultural, and generational boundaries. For over two decades, Dr Chen has championed AI that accommodates diverse modalities, minimises bias, and enhances access for underrepresented groups, including children and seniors. Her work underscores the belief that technology must reflect the values and voices of the communities it serves.

In Singapore, Dr Chen leads the development of SingaKids AI Tutor under the nation’s AI for Education Grand Challenge. This multilingual, multimodal large language model engageschildren in describing pictures in Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil - languages often overlooked by mainstream AI systems. Despite challenges such as the limited availability of linguistic data, solutions from Dr Chen’s team have been piloted in primary schools. Technology from her team has generated spin-offs with markets across Southeast Asia and the US. In parallel, she leads research for MERaLiON (Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning in One Network), a national AI initiative focusing on interpreting cultural nuances and intentions during human interactions. Its applications span healthcare, robotics, public service, and more, with early versions already released to the global research community.

Dr Chen is also a powerful voice for diversity in STEM, regularly emphasising the need for inclusive hiring, collaborative leadership, and multidisciplinary dialogue in AI governance. Through her international keynotes and collaborations, she promotes a vision of AI that is technically advanced and socially grounded. With a profound sense of purpose, Dr Chen continues to shape a future where AI infrastructure benefits all - especially the historically underrepresented and underserved.

Dr Raja Rina Raja Ikram’s journey in educational technology began during her early years as an academician , where she advanced innovations in automated learning style detection for online learning platforms. Her community work revealed the micro:bit’s power to spark student interest in STEM. Despite challenges in a male-dominated field, she championed women’s success. Her vision of making education inclusive, accessible, and engaging through technology has driven her to overcome these barriers and champion innovation in both classroom and community settings.

Over the past year, Dr Raja Rina has led impactful initiatives at the intersection of software engineering, big data, and educational technology. Notably, she advanced a project aimed at optimising software testing practices and developing cost-effective skilled teams to reduce carbon footprints in computing. She also co-developed an IoT prototype designed to support parents in monitoring Autism. Beyond research, her leadership of the ST GEMS x SULAM Bootcamp and Challenge, along with STEM workshops in collaboration with Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, has empowered underserved students and teachers to address real-world challenges using affordable tools like micro:bit. Her efforts were recognised with the 2024 Bett Asia EdTech 10 Award, celebrating women who are shaping the future of educational technology across the Asia-Pacific.

Looking ahead, Dr Raja Rina envisions leveraging her expertise in EdTech and software optimisation to develop scalable, AI-enhanced learning platforms that personalise education experiences. Her ongoing research focuses on refining software testing methodologies through multifactorial approaches, promising to bolster the reliability of future EdTech tools. Passionate about fostering gender diversity, she advocates for inclusive leadership, mentorship, and supportive career pathways for women in tech. Dr Raja Rina aspires to leave a legacy defined by technological transformation in education and to inspire the next generation of women to break barriers and redefine innovation in STEM and beyond.

Dr Syeda Sana Ali Shah has dedicated over a decade to advancing oncobiology, drawing deep inspiration from her cancer patients, whose resilience and courage continually fuel her commitment to research. Aware of the limitations of invasive diagnostic methods, Dr Sana has focused her work on integrating state-of-the-art technologies to develop non-invasive, early detection techniques. Motivated by the belief that conventional research must evolve to make a real difference, she has navigated the challenges of translating complex scientific discoveries into practical, patient-centred solutions. Her empathetic connection with patients, combined with scientific expertise, underscores her mission to reduce cancer mortality and improve quality of life through innovation.

In her recent endeavours, Dr Sana has led pioneering research leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse tumour genomic data, with a focus on rare cancers lacking reliable diagnostic tools. Her work has contributed to the identification of novel biomarkers, opening new pathways for early detection and precision treatment. These efforts promise to transform cancer therapies into more targeted, less invasive options and hold vast potential for pharmaceutical innovation and public health. Dr Sana’s collaborations with healthcare institutions exemplify her commitment to ensuring scientific breakthroughs translate into real-world patient care.

Looking ahead, Dr Syeda Sana Ali Shah envisions her contributions playing a pivotal role in reshaping cancer care and business practices within the biomedical industry. Through ongoing collaboration with research institutes, tech companies, and healthcare providers, she is determined to integrate multi-omic approaches into clinical practice, enabling personalised, accessible cancer treatment for all. Equally dedicated to fostering gender diversity in science, Dr Shah leads by example, mentoring students and advocating for inclusive practices. Her work reflects both scientific excellence and a commitment to creating an equitable research environment, leaving a legacy of transformative cancer research and empowered future scientists.

Ms Emily Tan is a distinguished leader in Singapore’s technology and innovation landscape, with a career spanning economic development, sustainability, and deep tech. Beginning her journey at the Economic Development Board, she played a pivotal role in shaping Singapore’s telecommunications sector strategy. Her time at Shell further deepened her understanding of how emerging technologies - when supported by both public and private sectors - can accelerate national sustainability goals. Now at Thales, Ms Tan brings together her passion for technology and societal progress, overseeing mission-critical innovations that underpin safer air travel, robust digital identities, and resilient national defences.

As the Chief Executive Officer and Country Director of Thales Singapore, Ms Tan leads a workforce of 2,000, including over 700 engineers. Under her leadership, Thales has established multiple Centres of Excellence (CoEs) across defence, aerospace, and public security. These include the joint Aviation Innovation Research Lab with CAAS and a Defence Hub to bolster local capabilities. She also oversees Thales’ Cybersecurity and Digital Identity Manufacturing Competence Centre, which produces hundreds of millions of secure smart cards annually for global clients, including Singapore’s first ocean-recycled plastic banking card. From AI-powered airport biometrics to avionics systems that optimise flight efficiency, Ms Tan has championed projects that deliver real-world, sustainable impact aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan and smart nation vision.

An advocate for diversity in technology, Ms Tan is committed to growing female leadership in engineering and innovation. She supports outreach initiatives that inspire girls and educators to pursue STEM pathways and champions inclusive hiring and mentorship strategies. With nearly half of her executive team comprising women, she exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose and representation. Through her vision, Ms Tan is cultivating a dynamic pipeline of future-ready female talent - proving that innovation thrives where diversity and empowerment take root.

Ms Genie Sugene Gan’s journey into the tech, cybersecurity and AI sector is one of resilience, curiosity, and deep commitment to lifelong learning. Without formal technical training, she entered the field during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by a belief in stepping beyond comfort zones and embracing new challenges. In a traditionally male-dominated industry, her rapid adaptation and openness to learn exemplified both humility and grit. Navigating cultural nuances, learning languages, and spearheading initiatives across more than 20 Asia-Pacific nations, she impressively expanded her portfolio to 94 territories globally, proving that determination and genuine collaboration truly transcend conventional barriers.

Among her standout contributions is the establishment of Global Transparency Centres across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. These centres represent a pioneering model for fostering trust and ethical collaboration in the digital era, uniting governments, industries, and civil society around cybersecurity, data privacy, and responsible tech innovation. The project has not only strengthened global cybersecurity resilience but also empowered communities through consistent awareness of digital rights and safe online practices. Ms Gan’s leadership in these initiatives and additional efforts in advocating for responsible AI highlight her commitment to ensuring that technology remains a force for good, promoting transparency, accountability, and essential human-centric values.

A tireless advocate for diversity and inclusion, Ms Gan champions mentorship and gender equity in tech, inspiring women and underrepresented groups to realise their potential. She envisions a future where digital ecosystems are built on ethical innovation, trust, and security, leaving no one behind. Her lasting legacy aspires to boldly redefine workplace diversity as an embedded strength rather than an exception, demonstrating how inclusive leadership can drive organisational excellence and societal progress. Ms Gan’s career stands as a remarkable testament to the power of compassionate leadership, lifelong curiosity, and the strong belief that technology can transform lives for the better.

Georgiana Barsan’s career bridges the technical and the human, blending strategic thinking with a deep and enduring belief in the power of technology to support people, not just processes. Raised in Romania and now based in Asia, she brings a truly global perspective and a resilient mindset to her work. Encouraged early on to question, explore, and think independently, she entered the tech world with both confidence and humility. Over the years, she’s steadily built a strong reputation for combining technical depth with strong, impactful leadership, often working across cultures, time zones, and diverse disciplines. Her remarkable ability to adapt, connect, and think systemically has consistently defined her approach in both corporate environments and dynamic cross-functional teams.

One of her most meaningful and influential contributions has been in the area of team development, where she successfully introduced AI tools to strengthen soft skills, empathy, and communication. In doing so, she helped raise engagement scores, a shift that reflected not just improved performance, but a stronger, more cohesive sense of connection and shared purpose. Rather than using AI solely for automation or analytics, Georgiana has focused on how it can meaningfully enhance the way people work together. She deeply believes that meaningful change starts with culture, and her efforts have consistently shown how thoughtful technology use can foster trust, creativity, and real growth.

Looking ahead, Georgiana remains deeply committed to advancing ethical, inclusive, and human-centered approaches to innovation. She’s a strong advocate for inclusivity in tech and is passionate about creating workspaces that feel safe, collaborative, and empowering. Through mentorship, storytelling, and strategic influence through regional media publishing, she continues to inspire those around her, especially underrepresented voices in tech, to lead with authenticity, courage, and purpose. Her work isn’t just about building systems; it’s about thoughtfully shaping environments where both people and ideas can truly thrive.

Ms Janine Teo's journey into the tech industry is rooted in her father's influence, who instilled in her a love for learning and curiosity about the world. Observing his relentless pursuit of knowledge ignited her passion for utilising technology to provide equitable access to education. Teo believes technology serves as a powerful equaliser, offering opportunities where traditional systems falter. Her career commenced in engineering and revenue management, where she recognised technology's potential to address significant global challenges, particularly in education.

Throughout her career, Teo faced challenges as one of the few women in leadership positions within tech and revenue management. This often required her to demonstrate her capabilities more vigorously than her male counterparts, confronting scepticism and unconscious biases. Rather than allowing these experiences to hinder her progress, she transformed them into motivation, seeking mentorship, building alliances, and committing to lifelong learning. A significant milestone was establishing Solve Education!, an initiative designed to combat educational inequality through innovative approaches, such as integrating AI with gamification. This bold endeavour required perseverance to secure funding and build trust among stakeholders, ultimately delivering over 30 million lessons to underserved communities.

In the past 12 to 18 months, Teo has led the evolution of Solve Education!'s AI-powered platform, personalising educational content through advanced machine learning algorithms. This innovative platform addresses unique challenges faced by marginalised communities, optimising for low-end devices and poor digital infrastructure. The impact has been profound, improving learning outcomes and shaping industry conversations around the ethical use of AI in education. Teo's vision extends to expanding AI capabilities to create hyper-personalised learning experiences that reflect local contexts, fostering greater economic mobility and societal progress. Her commitment to gender diversity and inclusive leadership underscores her legacy, as she actively mentors women in tech and advocates for equitable opportunities in education and technology.

Ms Joyce Shia is a distinguished technology leader whose journey began with a bold decision to pursue Software Engineering at the University of Melbourne. This foundational choice ignited a passion for innovation, strengthened by hands-on client projects and a strong grounding in programming and problem-solving. These formative experiences shaped her technical expertise and sparked a deep commitment to driving meaningful change through technology.

Her career took off at Accenture, where she worked with major telecom companies across Southeast Asia, gaining valuable experience in complex digital environments. This laid the groundwork for her move into advanced roles in artificial intelligence, where she helped develop innovative AI-driven solutions for leading telecom providers such as Singtel and Telkomsel. Her adaptability and focus on continuous learning earned her a place among Singapore’s SG100 Women in Tech in 2023, recognising her growing impact on Southeast Asia’s digital landscape. As Chief Information Officer at Telkomsel, Ms Shia now leads forward-looking initiatives that combine AI, automation, and data to streamline operations and enhance customer engagement. Under her leadership, Telkomsel has accelerated digital transformation across its services. In 2024, she was honoured as one of Asia’s Most Inspirational Women in Leadership, highlighting her strategic influence on the global technology stage.

Beyond her technical achievements, Ms Shia is a vocal advocate for gender diversity and inclusion in tech. She has led initiatives such as Singtel’s Women Community (RISE) and Telkomsel’s Women in Action programme, promoting mentorship, equal opportunity, and professional development. She believes true leadership is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and empowerment, principles she models in her work. Through her efforts, she continues to inspire both women and men to challenge bias, embrace lifelong learning, and foster more inclusive, innovative workplaces across the industry.

Ms Joyce Yang Ling is an accomplished professional whose career journey has been shaped by curiosity, mentorship, and a passion for blending technology with practical solutions. From an early age, her father ignited her interest in statistics and programming, encouraging her to explore the real-world impact of mathematics. This foundation led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Statistics. Early in her career, a senior colleague expanded her horizons by introducing her to the power of coding and automation, equipping her with tools to streamline complex workflows. Later, under the guidance of her mentor in quantitative trading, Ms Yang Ling deepened her expertise by combining mathematics, programming, and machine learning to create sophisticated trading strategies, reinforcing her commitment to the intersection of finance and technology.

In her recent work, Ms Yang Ling has demonstrated exceptional technical and strategic acumen. She led a project that significantly enhanced trading strategy performance by applying machine learning and quantitative analysis, reducing execution time from eight seconds to an impressive 0.01 seconds while increasing annual returns by 10%. This achievement not only improved her firm’s profitability but also underscored her belief in technology as a force for market efficiency and innovation. Looking forward, Ms Yang Ling envisions applying her expertise across industries like supply chain management, healthcare, and finance, aiming to make advanced AI and predictive analytics more accessible through practical, user-friendly applications.

Ms Yang Ling is equally passionate about fostering diversity in the workplace and believes in the power of inclusive leadership. She champions initiatives such as mentorship for women and unconscious bias training, while also encouraging women to pursue their ambitions free from traditional constraints. Ultimately, she hopes her career will be defined by technical innovations that simplify everyday life, ensuring that technology serves as a tool for empowerment, inclusion, and lasting positive change.

Ms Juliana Chua’s journey into technology was sparked by a fateful encounter with a university lecturer during an educational fair, leading her to pursue Computer Science in the United Kingdom, a country she had never visited before. Over five formative years, she balanced academic demands, part-time work, and active student involvement. Navigating the fast-evolving tech landscape proved challenging, but mentors along the way provided vital support. Juliana believes that staying resilient, simplifying complex technical discussions for business stakeholders, and championing diversity and inclusion are essential in a competitive, ever-changing industry. Her experience highlights the importance of continuous growth, mental strength, and adaptability in building a successful tech career.

At EssilorLuxottica, Juliana spearheaded global consolidation of B2C websites for their lens brand Essilor.com, achieving a standardised tech stack across 85 countries and managing a double-digit million consumer visits annually. This digital transformative project had previously been stagnant for multi-years, finally lifted off the ground. Under her leadership, the team aligned global stakeholders, established streamlined migration processes, and achieved significant outcomes: significant cost savings, workforce reskilling, and a fundamental mindset shift towards internal global standardisation. Juliana’s broader role at EssilorLuxottica revolves around leveraging digital technologies to enhance operations, simplifying customised lens orders, expanding access to a vast portfolio of lenses and frames, and enabling digital awareness towards EssilorLuxottica’s innovative wearable technologies.

Recognising the critical role of gender diversity in boosting organisational performance, Juliana advocates for concrete strategies to promote women into management positions. These include setting realistic targets, analysing current workforce dynamics, reducing female turnover, and repositioning recruitment to appeal to women. Ultimately, Juliana aspires to leave a legacy centred on positive impact, committed to continuous personal and professional growth, sharing knowledge, and empowering others to succeed. Her career philosophy is anchored in uplifting people and driving meaningful change.

Ms Laura Lees exemplifies resilience, empathy, and visionary leadership in the field of cybersecurity. Inspired by her mother’s encouragement, Ms Lees entered the technology sector at a young age, defying early doubts and carving out a path in a male-dominated industry. Her career began on an IT helpdesk before she advanced to become her company’s first data security administrator, a groundbreaking achievement that confirmed both her technical expertise and her determination to uplift other women in tech. Through every challenge, including workplace scepticism and navigating difficult leadership dynamics, Ms Lees developed the strength and resolve that now shape her inclusive and empowering leadership style.

Throughout her career, Ms Lees has focused on bridging the gap between technical excellence and human connection. She champions a shift from compliance-based cybersecurity to risk-prioritised strategies that enhance resilience and operational efficiency. Her efforts include mentoring cyber professionals, including penetration testers and those beyond a risk-specific focus, advocating for collaboration across business and security teams, and inspiring professionals to adopt a more thoughtful, proactive approach to cyber risk. Beyond the workplace, Ms Lees is a respected community builder, co-creating platforms like Monday Brewz, the APAC Cyber Security WhatsApp group, and serving on the ISACA Singapore Chapter board, initiatives that promote diversity, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing across the industry.

Ms Lees is driven by a profound belief that “you can’t do what you can’t see,” using her own journey to illuminate pathways for others, particularly women and underrepresented voices in technology. Her commitment to psychological safety, cross-cultural mentorship, and creating inclusive professional environments defines her leadership legacy. Through advocacy, education, and community-building, always in collaboration with fellow community builders, she is not only shaping stronger cybersecurity practices but also cultivating a future where all individuals can thrive, innovate, and contribute with confidence in an industry that values diversity and inclusion as cornerstones of success.

Ms Mayda Lim, Managing Director and Head of Strategy & Business Management for Group Operations & Technology at OCBC Bank, is a visionary leader driven by a passion for innovation and societal impact. Inspired by Southeast Asia’s digital revolution, she saw technology’s potential to transform industries and tackle global challenges. Her interest in emerging fields like quantum computing reinforced her commitment to staying at the forefront of tech. Overcoming challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field, she proved her expertise through persistence and leadership. One of her proudest achievements is the OCBC Ignite Internship Programme, which grew from a departmental initiative into a nationally recognised model adopted by all five polytechnics in Singapore, reflecting her dedication to nurturing future tech talent.

Beyond talent development, Mayda has been a pioneer in advancing quantum technologies in banking. She led partnerships with top Singaporean universities (NUS, SMU, NTU) on quantum research and co-developed the Q4F Sandbox with the National Quantum Computing Hub, positioning OCBC as a leader in real-world quantum experimentation. In 2023, Mayda fostered a culture of innovation by launching “Deal or No Deal,” quarterly contests open to all employees. The initiative has generated over 60 ideas, including an automated portfolio review tool projected to save 80,000 man-hours annually and IoT-enabled smart lighting to cut carbon emissions, reflecting her commitment to grassroots innovation.

Looking ahead, Ms Lim envisions leveraging quantum computing to revolutionise risk management and secure communications, while expanding initiatives like OCBC Ignite to bridge education and industry. Committed to fostering collaboration across academia, government, and business, she drives inclusive growth by empowering diverse talent and dismantling silos. A staunch advocate for gender diversity, she champions mentorship and transparent pathways for underrepresented groups, ensuring their voices shape the future of tech. Her legacy is one of empowering others, advancing innovation, and building a more inclusive future for technology.

Ms Mihoko Matsubara is a distinguished cybersecurity leader whose career exemplifies the fusion of public service, international collaboration, and private sector innovation. After serving at Japan’s Ministry of Defense, Ms Matsubara pursued a Master’s degree in international relations (Strategic Studies) and economics on Fulbright at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington D.C. between 2009 and 2011. During her subsequent fellowships at Pacific Forum CSIS (currently, Pacific Forum) in Honolulu from 2011 to 2012, Ms Matsubara published articles addressing cybersecurity from international perspectives, and her proactive sharing of Japanese articles on cyberattacks with U.S. peers marked her early commitment to fostering global cybersecurity cooperation and trust.

Now serving as Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at NTT Corporation, a global ICT service provider headquartered in Japan, Ms Matsubara drives global thought leadership efforts to raise cybersecurity awareness among the general public and decision-makers, and introduce Japanese critical infrastructure companies’ cybersecurity initiatives to international audiences. Notably, she collaborated with her NTT colleagues in Japan and the United States to predict cyber threat trends for 2025, culminating in the bilingual publication of “NTT’s Top Five Cybersecurity Trends for 2025” in December 2024. The article, accessible to non-technical business leaders, addresses both cybercriminal activities and AI-powered attacks on critical infrastructure systems. She has published two books on cybersecurity, and both won an award. Ms Matsubara’s work consistently demystifies complex cyber risks and emphasises the human aspects of cybersecurity, including the mental wellbeing of professionals working in this relentlessly challenging field.

Ms Matsubara champions diversity, empathy, and collective purpose in cybersecurity, believing that true resilience stems from unified teams with varied expertise and shared goals. She aspires to serve as a catalyst for collaboration, global understanding, and societal trust, inspiring future generations to advance cybersecurity beyond individual ambition.

Ms Neha Malhotra’s journey into the technology domain was driven by curiosity and interest in innovation, combined with a passion for problem-solving, innovation, and building solutions that positively impact the world. Inspired by leaders like Steve Jobs, Narayan Murthy, and Sheryl Sandberg, she carved her path in tech despite challenges such as the absence of early-career mentorship and imposter syndrome. Particularly in cybersecurity, where threats and regulations constantly evolve, she embraced relentless learning. Balancing these pressures, she remained committed to mentoring young talent, driven by her own experience of navigating the tech industry without guidance. Over time, through her work, conferences, and engagement with industry experts, she developed a collaborative leadership style and gained the confidence to celebrate her achievements.

Ms Malhotra has held senior roles in cybersecurity across reputed financial MNCs for over a decade, during her 19-year tech career. She holds numerous gold-standard certifications, including CISSP, CCSP, PMP, AWS Cloud, and blockchain security and architecture credentials. She keeps refining her skills and contributing impactfully. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Ms Malhotra actively gives back through volunteer mentorship at universities in Singapore and Australia and has long served on the executive committees of ISC2 Singapore Chapter and the Singapore Computer Society’s Cybersecurity Chapter. She currently volunteers on the ISC2 Bylaws Committee and Global DEI Advisory Council, and speaks at leading industry platforms including Singapore International Cyber Week.

She has received several honors, including being featured in the Singapore 100 Women in Tech 2021, and receiving ISC2 Global Achievement Awards and the Security Leader of the Year at the Asia Women in IT Awards. Looking forward, she envisions bridging knowledge gaps for women in emerging tech via free LLM and Blockchain bootcamps and tailored mentorship. Her enduring mission is to foster inclusivity, nurture talent, and leave a legacy of empowerment and lifelong learning.

Ms Nguyen Thi Kieu Quyen’s remarkable journey into the world of technology was sparked by a serendipitous encounter in 2003 with the CEO of a Japanese software technology company during her early career in Vietnam. Despite her academic background in economics and foreign languages, this meeting ignited a deep curiosity and passion for the rapidly evolving field of mobile technology. Motivated by this inspiration, Ms Quyen pivoted towards information technology, enrolling in a training programme that laid the foundation for her future success. From humble beginnings in a village along the Ba Lai River in the Mekong Delta, where she was the only student in her community to attend university in Ho Chi Minh City, her path has been shaped by determination, resilience, and lifelong learning.

Throughout her career, Ms Quyen has demonstrated exceptional leadership, particularly during her twelve-year tenure with the Japan Software Technology Group, including three transformative years in Japan. Upon returning to Vietnam, she founded SHAREWORK, a company dedicated to harnessing technology to create meaningful job opportunities and enhance operational efficiency. As the Country Director and Ambassador of Women In Tech Vietnam, Ms Quyen has championed diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. From pioneering AI-powered customer service platforms to collaborating with universities on mentorship and development programmes, her work exemplifies how technology can empower both individuals and businesses while shaping a more inclusive industry.

Ms Quyen’s enduring legacy is rooted in her belief that technology should improve people’s lives, wherever they are, provided they have internet access and a computer. She envisions a future where businesses leverage automation, AI, and sustainable practices to optimise performance while prioritising employee well-being and diversity. Through her leadership at SHAREWORK and advocacy with Women In Tech Vietnam, she is supporting women in technology through mentorship, equal opportunities, and community-building, ensuring her influence inspires future generations of tech leaders.

Pebbles Sy’s tech journey began with a curiosity for how systems work and a drive to solve everyday challenges. Earning a Computer Science degree in a male-dominated field built her resilience and deepened her commitment to continuous learning. Her transition at Globe Telecom from Head of Product to Chief Information Officer marked a key shift—reframing technology not just as enabling systems, but as a core product. In 2020, she joined GCash as Chief Technology and Operations Officer. Embracing the complex fintech landscape, she saw the move as an opportunity to grow and drive change, using technology to solve customer problems and push financial inclusion forward.

At GCash, she led an Agile transformation that grew from two to fourteen tribes—enabling faster delivery and innovation. This paved the way for GCash to fulfill over 1,000 demands in 2024, a record high, and roll out customer-centric offerings in payments, investments, lending, savings, and insurance. A key innovation was launching GCash International, allowing Filipinos living or working abroad to access a wide range of financial services including seamless money transfers and bills payment using their international mobile numbers. She reinforced trust and reliability of the app by launching intelligent security features like Double Safe facial recognition, Online Pay Safe, Account Secure, and Scam Score Model. Pebbles embedded AI into operations and the platform, positioning GCash as the AI leader in the country. It powers fraud detection, real-time loan approvals, and personalized user experiences. The rollout of AI co-pilots streamlined employee workflows and shortened delivery cycles.

She also champions inclusivity in tech. She is a model for future women leaders and actively pushes for gender diversity. Her focus remains clear: success is about lifting others, solving real-world problems, and leaving behind a tech landscape where everyone, regardless of gender or status, is empowered and included in the journey towards financial inclusion.

Ms Pei Fern Ng’s lifelong passion for technology was sparked in childhood through the immersive world of video games, where stories, characters, and achievements instilled curiosity, imagination, and drive. This early fascination evolved into an affinity for science and mathematics, naturally guiding her towards a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Over two decades in the field have only deepened her commitment to technology’s power to transform lives and industries. Like many women in tech, Ms Ng faced the gender confidence gap, often undervaluing her skills despite equal competence. With support from trusted mentors and allies, she embraced a mindset focused on competence over confidence, which became pivotal to her growth and success.

In her current role, Ms Ng leads efforts to advance timing verification capabilities at AMD, pioneering new methodologies in the evolving domain of analogue static timing analysis (STA). This position enables her to bridge analogue and digital design while fostering collaboration across departments and strengthening knowledge-sharing. She also champions AI-driven tools such as an STA chatbot, designed to offer designers real-time insights, optimise workflows, and enhance overall efficiency. Looking forward, she envisions refining verification processes and building cohesive teamwork to deliver more robust Intellectual Property (IP) design, ensuring both reliability and exceptional performance. Her passion for continuous learning and problem-solving defines both her technical expertise and her forward-thinking leadership.

Beyond her engineering work, Ms Ng is dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the tech community. As President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Singapore and lead of AMD Women’s Forum, she empowers women through mentorship, leadership development, networking, and advocacy. Her efforts help aspiring and established women overcome barriers and pursue impactful careers in STEM, cementing her legacy as a changemaker and enduring champion of inclusive progress within the industry.

Prof Christy M.K. Cheung is widely recognised for her pioneering contributions to Information Systems research, particularly in promoting inclusive and responsible use of technologies. Early in Prof Cheung’s academic journey, she found deep inspiration in the work of Prof. M. Lynne Markus, a preeminent scholar in Information Systems and Organizational Behavior. Renowned for mentoring generations of researchers, Markus cultivates a legacy of critical thinking, intellectual rigor, and scholarly excellence. Beyond her theoretical contributions, she has profoundly shaped Prof. Cheung’s intellectual growth—particularly in mastering the art of confident, elegant communication, where self-assurance lends grace to every word.

Prof Cheung, a passionate advocate for equity in technology, has led transformative research to address healthcare disparities through mobile innovation. Her recent work focused on the use of maternal mHealth apps among underprivileged expectant mothers, particularly women of colour. Through two large-scale field studies, her research developed and validated a contextualised model of effective use, revealing how systemic inequalities can diminish the benefits of digital health interventions for marginalised groups. Her findings offer both theoretical advancement and practical guidance, influencing the design and regulation of mHealth technologies to ensure more inclusive and equitable outcomes—thereby advancing the broader goals of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in healthcare and technology.

Prof Cheung is a committed academic leader and mentor in parallel with her scholarly pursuits. As a senior faculty member and Research Office Director, she has significantly increased gender diversity within her department, and as Programme Chair of ICIS 2024, she actively champions the inclusion of female researchers in high-visibility academic roles. Her ongoing projects include developing mental health apps for pregnant women in Asia and examining gender bias in AI-driven recruitment systems. Prof Cheung is shaping a more inclusive academic and technological landscape through her research, mentorship, and leadership, leaving a lasting legacy of excellence and advocacy.

Distinguished Professor Jie Lu, AO (Officer of the Order of Australia) has built an outstanding and influential career in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, driven by her passion for mathematics, creativity and innovation. Inspired by a blend of personal interests, external influences and formal education, she, as an IEEE fellow, was drawn to the transformative power of AI technology to shape real-world solutions that can make a genuine and lasting difference. Throughout her journey, she has also recognised the unique challenges women face in the high-tech sector, and remains a strong advocate for creating inclusive and supportive environments where women can succeed.

One of Professor Lu’s most significant recent achievements is her Australian Laureate Fellow project, Autonomous Learning for Decision Making in Complex Situations. This groundbreaking work sets out to establish a new research direction in autonomous machine learning, aimed at improving how intelligent systems make decisions in environments that are large-scale, uncertain and constantly evolving. She led her team to have developed new theories, methodologies and algorithms capable of machine learning from vast and shifting data, enabling more effective decision-making across massive domains, streaming data and multi-agent systems. These innovations have already been applied across several industry sectors, highlighting their relevance and transformative potential in both business and society.

Beyond her AI technical contributions, Professor Lu is a dedicated leader in advancing gender diversity. She believes this is both a professional responsibility and a catalyst for long-term organisational success, especially for women in leadership roles. Through her advocacy, mentoring and unwavering commitment to meaningful strategies and practices, she has helped shape workplaces where women are genuinely valued, heard and empowered to pursue their ambitions. Her legacy will be one of both academic excellence and cultural transformation, paving the way for future generations of women leaders in technology, high-education and beyond.

Professor Madhavi Srinivasan stands as an inspiring figure whose self-driven passion for technology is rooted in a deep moral commitment to improving lives and advancing society. From a young age, she believed that helping others defines a person’s purpose, and she has channelled this belief into her pioneering work in sustainable energy solutions. Despite facing considerable challenges as an Indian woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, she has risen through sheer resilience and determination to become the only Indian woman Full Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, holding the prestigious President’s Chair in Sustainability and serving in senior management leadership.

Professor Srinivasan’s research focuses on solving some of the most pressing issues in the energy transition landscape, particularly through the development of next-generation safe and sustainable battery technologies. Her recent breakthroughs include the design of water-based zinc batteries, sodium ion batteries and environmentally friendly lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling methods, both promising to revolutionise the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors. Using AI-driven screening, waste-derived materials, and bio-organisms, her team has created green, cost-effective processes that recover over 90% of critical elements from spent LIBs. These innovations have led to five patents, three already licensed to a Singapore-based company for commercialisation.

Beyond her scientific achievements, Professor Srinivasan is a passionate advocate for sustainability, diversity, and gender equity in technology and leadership. As Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute at NTU (ERI@N), she leads a 200-strong research centre dedicated to accelerating global energy transition and addressing climate change through advanced solutions. Committed to fostering inclusive workplaces, she actively mentors women in STEM, promotes conscious team-building, and advises policy through roles on national boards. Professor Srinivasan’s legacy lies not only in her scientific contributions but also in inspiring future generations, championing sustainability, and leaving the world a better, fairer place.

Prof Yeng Ming Lam’s journey into technology was inspired by a passion for chemistry and physics, which led her to pursue materials science, a shaping a career dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Her research focuses on the design, synthesis, and application of nanostructured functional materials to address global challenges such as clean energy, climate resilience, and environmental remediation. An advocate for impactful science, Prof Lam has spearheaded numerous projects, including the development of green microgels from plant waste that enhance water retention and enable the transformation of arid land into fertile, productive terrain. This breakthrough garnered international recognition and funding, and led to the commercialisation of the technology through NTU’s AgriTech spinoff, FytoSol Pte Ltd. In parallel, her groundbreaking work on lead-free, high-efficiency perovskite solar cells has contributed significantly to advancing renewable energy solutions.

Beyond her scientific achievements, Prof Lam is a passionate leader committed to societal impact, sustainability, and equity in STEM. Her initiatives extend across ASEAN, where she works with universities and communities to restore degraded land, promote sustainable agriculture, and transform waste into valuable resources. Through hands-on workshops and regional collaborations, she empowers researchers with tools to bridge developmental gaps and drive innovation. Prof Lam also actively engages in public outreach, showcasing her team’s innovations at museums, schools, and science centres to inspire the next generation of scientists.

During her tenure as the Chair of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Prof Lam has championed gender diversity, mentorship, and inclusion. Her leadership has fostered the highest number of female professors in NTU's engineering schools. Through events like the Global Conference for Women Leaders and Emerging Researchers in Materials Science (GLOW 2024), she continues to cultivate a global network that uplifts and supports women in STEM. Her legacy will be defined by groundbreaking scientific contributions and a lasting mentorship framework empowering future innovators.

Ms Rucha Sawant’s journey from  humble beginnings in Mumbai to a global technology leader exemplifies the transformative power of continuous learning, resilience, empowerment and empathy. Inspired by trailblazing women like Indira Gandhi and Kiran Bedi,  Rucha overcame financial constraints and social expectations to become the first in her Sawant family to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Technology. Her career began as a Medical Electronics R&D Intern, working on LINAC machines for cancer treatment. Although financial responsibilities led her to pivot into consulting, Rucha’s drive for learning and impact never wavered, propelling her across continents, learning about diverse cultures, building both expertise and commitment to lifting others as she climbed.

Throughout her career, Rucha has championed diversity, inclusion, and unlocking potential towards development of future leaders. As a Managing Director at Avanade, she led a 2,200 strong distributed team across APJ and LATAM, managing a portfolio worth half a billion USD. Her teams have delivered complex digital transformations across continents, and use emerging technologies resulting in Avanade winning the APAC GitHub Chanel AI Partner of Year Award.

Rucha has championed initiatives like Alternative Work Week and Technology Leadership Career Path programs, helping ensure financial pressures no longer force talented individuals to abandon engineering careers. Her dedication has led to measurable advances in gender diversity, well-being, and leadership development across regions.

Beyond business, Rucha is a passionate advocate for community impact corporate citizenship. She spearheaded Avanade Australia’s STEM programme, which earned a Merit Award at the #TechDiversity event, and is a representative on Avanade’s Global Corporate Citizenship Council. Whether leading industry panels, championing digital skilling, or supporting mental health initiatives, Rucha exemplifies compassionate, people-first leadership. Her belief in “kindness as a universal language” continues to guide her, creating lasting change for clients, colleagues, and communities alike.

Ms Sanduni Thondilege’s passion for technology began in her childhood in Sri Lanka, where early exposure to computers and smartphones ignited a lifelong curiosity about how technology could enrich everyday life. Growing up in a large family, she eagerly traded household chores for precious computer time, sparking a commitment to making technology more accessible to all. This passion matured into a career dedicated to delivering digital solutions that prioritise both innovation and inclusivity. At NCS, Sanduni leadership as Program Manager on the award-winning Hostplus mobile app exemplified this mission, as she successfully balanced client needs, technical excellence, and user accessibility, helping the app achieve both industry acclaim and widespread user satisfaction.

Throughout her career, Sanduni has faced and overcome persistent gender stereotypes in the male-dominated technology sector. From being rejected for sounding “too confident” to confronting openly sexist remarks from industry peers, she has turned these challenges into motivation to foster inclusive, high-performing teams. Rather than focus on proving doubters wrong, Sanduni has made it her mission to create environments where diverse voices are valued, and collaboration thrives. She also champions mentorship as a way to break limiting beliefs, crediting her own early opportunities to those who saw her potential when she doubted herself, a belief she now pays forward through mentoring women in tech.

Beyond delivering successful projects, Sanduni’s work is rooted in the conviction that accessibility should be a non-negotiable aspect of digital design. She continually advocates for accessible solutions, educating both clients and colleagues about the importance of building technology that serves everyone, including people with disabilities and older users. Her leadership style blends empathy and strategic vision, with a strong focus on empowering the next generation of diverse tech talent. Sanduni is committed to leaving behind a workplace culture where inclusion, authenticity, and mentorship are the foundation for lasting success.

Ms Sarmista Mondol has forged a truly distinguished path in technology, blending technical acumen with a deep sense of purpose. A lifelong learner, her career spans multiple industries and roles, from global cloud enablement to AI-driven business transformation. Her strategic foresight and dedication to continuous learning have enabled her to implement cutting-edge solutions such as intelligent workflows and talent transformation platforms. At IBM, she has consistently demonstrated thought leadership, driving innovation while building trusted relationships across diverse stakeholder groups. Notably, Ms Mondol champions gender equity, mandating balanced representation in leadership workshops and fostering inclusive, diverse workplace cultures.

Her pioneering work in developing an AI-powered disaster response platform for Indonesia clearly exemplifies her ability to align technology with societal impact and community empowerment. The solution integrates physical risk modelling, socio-economic analysis, and real-time social media insights, enabling local authorities to anticipate and respond to climate events with precision. Through cross-sector collaboration, this initiative has improved infrastructure resilience, influenced policy change, and significantly reduced disaster-related losses. By coupling robust data science with inclusive community engagement, Ms Mondol has effectively created a model for sustainable urban development and humanitarian technology.

Looking ahead, Ms Mondol is absolutely committed to advancing responsible AI that transforms lives, communities, and business operations alike. Her vision includes personalised learning platforms, bias-mitigating recruitment systems, and AI tools that support vulnerable communities in accessing education, employment, and essential services. Beyond technology, she leads with empathy, advocacy, and inclusion, mentoring future women leaders, advocating flexible work policies, and embedding equity into every facet of her work. Through these endeavours, she not only redefines leadership but also inspires a future where innovation is both ethical and empowering. Her legacy will be one of courage, enduring impact, and unwavering dedication to shaping a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient world.

Ms Shruti Kashyap has consistently demonstrated visionary leadership and a deep-rooted passion for technology throughout her distinguished career. Raised in a family that prized academic excellence, with a mother who was a professor of Economics and a father who served in senior roles within the Delhi government, Ms Kashyap was drawn to the logical clarity of science and technology from an early age. Whether conducting experiments or writing code, she found joy in the rational precision of the field. This early interest laid the foundation for a remarkable and purpose-driven career at the intersection of innovation and business transformation.

As the Chief Information Officer at Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), Ms Kashyap has led technological advancements across the value chain, playing a pivotal role in modernising the organisation’s digital landscape. One of her most significant achievements is “Shikhar”, India’s largest eB2B platform. This transformative initiative has empowered over a million local kirana stores by enabling them to digitise operations, place online orders, and receive intelligent recommendations. In a rapidly evolving retail environment, Shikhar has provided these stores with the tools to thrive. Ms Kashyap’s approach to artificial intelligence further amplifies her impact, particularly through its integration into sales and supply chain operations, unlocking efficiencies and actionable insights with a clear focus on business value.

Beyond her professional achievements, Ms Kashyap is deeply committed to fostering inclusive, supportive work environments. As a woman leader, she has championed flexible policies that empower working mothers, ensuring maternity does not hinder advancement. Her leadership is marked not just by the scale of transformation she has enabled, but by her empathetic mentorship and unwavering dedication to her team’s wellbeing. Ms Kashyap’s legacy will be defined by both the groundbreaking initiatives she has delivered and the deeply human impact she has made, within the workplace, her community, and beyond.

Ms Shveta Bhardwaj’s career is built on a strong belief that innovation can enable businesses to be both profitable and purpose-driven. Drawn early to the intersection of digital transformation and sustainability, she was inspired by leaders who demonstrated how technology could reshape industries while delivering lasting value for both society and the environment. Throughout her journey, Ms Bhardwaj has combined technical knowledge with strategic thinking, resilience, and the ability to influence key stakeholders, overcoming the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry to help businesses embed sustainability at the core of their operations.

Among her most notable recent achievements is her leadership of the TCS GoZero Hub, a pioneering research and innovation platform co-developed with Macquarie University in Australia and the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The Hub was designed to help organisations across the ASEAN region accelerate their net zero ambitions through tailored, data-driven decarbonisation strategies. Ms Bhardwaj played a crucial role in shaping its partnership model, balancing academic priorities with industry demands and policymaker expectations to ensure that research led to real-world, scalable solutions. The Hub not only enhanced TCS’s reputation as a sustainability partner but also helped shape future climate leaders by embedding sustainability in university programmes and offering students hands-on engagement with industry challenges.

Beyond her project work, Ms Bhardwaj is a passionate advocate for gender diversity in technology and leadership. She believes in addressing systemic barriers by fostering mentorship, sponsorship, and inclusive policies that enable women to thrive at every level. Through initiatives such as TCS Sustainathon and the Tata Group ESG Virtual Experience Program, she actively helps to develop future-ready talent capable of integrating sustainability into business strategy. Ms Bhardwaj hopes her legacy will reflect her commitment to using technology to drive purposeful change while paving the way for others to lead with confidence and impact.

Ms Sobhitha Neelanath is an inspiring technology leader whose career has been shaped by perseverance, continuous learning, and a deep commitment to fostering diversity in tech. Initially inspired by her aunt’s passion for mathematics and legendary women like Shakuntala Devi, Sobhitha overcame significant personal and professional challenges, including navigating career growth post-maternity leave in a male-dominated space. Her determination and relentless pursuit of opportunities enabled her to evolve from a campus recruit to an accomplished engineering manager. She credits women leadership programmes and supportive mentors for helping her navigate key transitions, and she now pays it forward by mentoring aspiring women technologists and students globally.

Sobhitha has made a profound impact both technically and socially through her roles. As a Cloud Solutions leader, she has driven innovation using modern technologies to deliver scalable SaaS platforms that optimise costs and performance. She has also led pan-India hackathons that empowered women engineers to develop patent-worthy solutions and served as a juror and session chair at the Grace Hopper Celebration India. Her mentoring and speaking engagements, including keynotes on Leadership in the AI Era and Ethical decision-making, reflect her mission to expand opportunities for women in tech. As a Google Women Techmakers Ambassador and an active member of numerous global and local communities, her leadership has led to a measurable increase in women applying for tech and leadership roles.

Beyond her technical expertise, Sobhitha is dedicated to building inclusive and growth-oriented cultures. She champions initiatives that promote mentoring, career development, and diversity, leading ERGs and community groups like Lean In Network Women in Tech India and AnitaB Org Bangalore Chapter. She is widely recognised for her contributions, including the HerRising Woman in Tech 2024 and WIC EmpowHer Access Rolemodel awards. Sobhitha strives to be known as a leader who shapes careers and inspires future generations of women in technology.

Ms Soh Yen Teo’s career has been shaped by an early fascination with problem-solving and a profound admiration for pioneers like Dr Radia Perlman, whose invention of the Spanning Tree Protocol fundamentally transformed the modern internet. Inspired by Dr Perlman’s technical brilliance and her resilience in a male-dominated field, Ms Teo developed a steadfast belief in determination, innovation, and grit. Her personal journey reflects both the triumphs and challenges of being a woman in technology, from facing subtle biases in engineering school to earning credibility as a leader. When tasked with leading her first cyber project, an AI solution for optimising event notifications, Ms Teo leaned on Dr Perlman’s example to foster collaboration and trust, ultimately achieving both technical excellence and team empowerment.

Among Ms Teo’s most impactful achievements is her leadership in driving the Telco Digital Twin initiative, creating a virtual replica of telecommunications networks to enhance real-time analysis, simulation, and performance optimisation. The Digital Twin is expected to provide predictive notification, It will allow her team pre-empted network failures, lowered operational costs, and improved service reliability for customers, while also advancing sustainability goals by reducing energy consumption and the organisation’s carbon footprint. The project’s success will not only set new benchmarks in the telecommunications industry but also demonstrated the societal value of resilient, reliable connectivity in an increasingly digital world, especially for remote work, critical services, and seamless personal communication.

Looking ahead, Ms Teo envisions leveraging digital twin technology, data analytics, and cyber operations to drive innovation and sustainability across industries. Her leadership philosophy emphasises inclusive mentorship, flexible workplaces, and systemic change, ensuring underrepresented voices are empowered to thrive. She aspires to build a legacy where gender diversity is woven into the fabric of organisations, transforming inclusion from a metric into a cultural cornerstone, and fostering future-ready teams capable of driving meaningful, global impact.

Ms Shui-Min Tan’s journey into the world of technology is a story of serendipity, talent, and commitment. What began as a spontaneous decision to take up Computer Science in Junior College led to a lifelong and impactful career in technology. Her early discovery of a knack for coding laid the foundation for her academic and professional path, culminating in a Computer Science degree and a role as a developer. Rather than being inspired by a singular moment or individual, Ms Tan attributes her sustained career in tech to a continual alignment of opportunity, passion, and capability, undeterred by obstacles that might have led others astray.

Throughout her career, Ms Tan has consistently demonstrated resilience in an ever-evolving and demanding industry. Facing the dual demands of family life and the relentless pace of technological change, she remained adaptable, determined, and forward-thinking. As a key leader in NUS IT, she has been instrumental in the development of AI-Know, the university’s in-house AI platform. Under her visionary leadership, innovations like AI-Minute, AI-Guide, AI-Discover, and AI-Create have empowered both IT and non-IT staff to build impactful AI solutions. These tools have enhanced productivity and collaboration across departments and showcased Ms Tan’s dedication to inclusive, human-centric innovation that supports the campus community.

Looking ahead, Ms Tan envisions a transformative future for education and operations at NUS. She champions the integration of intelligent AI agents across campus and the creation of a seamless, student-centred digital ecosystem that enhances the learning journey. Her leadership philosophy emphasises strategic investment, collaborative partnership, and a culture of experimentation, inclusiveness, and growth. A passionate advocate for gender diversity and equitable opportunity, Ms Tan strives to create a workplace where innovation thrives. Her legacy will be defined not only by technological progress but by a steadfast commitment to empowerment, equity, and institutional excellence.

Ms Vidya Rao is a distinguished leader in the technology sector, currently serving as Chief Information and Transformation Officer at Genpact. With a career that began in software development and evolved into driving business transformation through technology, Ms Rao’s journey exemplifies resilience, vision, and a commitment to innovation. Her passion for solving complex problems has been shaped not only by professional experiences but also by personal influences, including the encouragement of her family and curiosity sparked by conversations with her husband, a fellow technologist. Facing challenges familiar to many women in tech, she has overcome barriers with grit and determination, emerging as a role model and advocate for diversity in the workplace.

In her current role, Ms Rao leads Genpact’s bold AI transformation strategy, positioning the company as a model of the change it brings to clients. She has overseen the development and successful enterprise-wide implementation of Genpact Scout, a proprietary AI agent that enhances employee productivity through intelligent automation. With over 130,000 users and significant operational efficiencies, including an 80% transaction resolution rate, Genpact Scout reflects her vision of embedding AI into daily workflows for tangible, scalable impact. Ms Rao is at the forefront of transitioning from automation to autonomous systems, showcasing how AI can reimagine core business operations while improving user experience.

Looking ahead, Ms Rao is focused on embedding AI deeply across the organisation, anchored in three priorities: capability development, continuous innovation, and robust infrastructure. Beyond technology, she is a passionate advocate for gender equity and inclusive leadership, believing real change comes from intentional action at all levels. Through sponsorship, allyship, and ecosystem-building, she aims to foster an environment where women and under-represented groups not only enter the tech world but thrive. Ms Rao’s enduring legacy will be that of a transformative leader who empowered others and redefined what’s possible through technology.

Ms Wynthia Goh has long been captivated by technology’s power to solve problems and improve society, a passion rooted in her early fascination with its transformative potential. For her, technology is not just a tool but a force capable of shaping the future when applied with purpose and intention. Yet, navigating a tech career has not been without its challenges. In an industry where innovation is relentless and trends shift rapidly, Ms Goh urges focus on fundamentals over hype. She highlights the need for thoughtful evaluation, especially with the rise of generative AI, urging leaders to ask whether the technology genuinely addresses a meaningful problem rather than adopting it for novelty’s sake.

A recent project led by Ms Goh exemplifies her balanced approach to innovation. She spearheaded the development of a generative AI solution designed to empower career coaches in guiding jobseekers beyond the limits of their prior experience. This AI-powered tool analysed labour market trends, individual skills gaps, national job banks and available training programs to recommend career pathways and new opportunities, even in unfamiliar industries, bridging human insight and machine intelligence. Ms Goh and her team worked closely with coaches to ensure AI enhanced, rather than replaced, the personal, empathetic relationship essential to effective coaching. The project broadened opportunities for jobseekers and sparked conversations around AI’s role in human development, illustrating Ms Goh’s belief that AI should augment, not diminish, human potential.

Beyond her technical leadership, Ms Goh is a passionate advocate for gender diversity in tech. She believes inclusive leadership is key to creating lasting cultural change and urges leaders to lead by example while actively removing barriers for diverse talent. Through advocacy, mentorship, and initiatives, Ms Goh remains committed to shaping a future where technology serves society and diversity is deeply woven into every organisation.

Ms Yoon Lee’s passion for technology was sparked during her college years in the late 1990s, a period marked by the dawn of the internet and dial-up connections. The new digital frontier fascinated her, offering unprecedented opportunities to communicate, learn, and expand her horizons. This early exposure ultimately inspired her to envision a lifelong career in tech, striving to be at the forefront of exciting innovation. Despite entering the industry in 2000 as a female graduate without an engineering background, Ms Lee defied expectations through relentless self-study and market research, steadily carving out her path and proving her capabilities in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Throughout her career, Ms Lee has been deeply committed to using technology to improve everyday modern life. One notable example is her recent work addressing user fatigue, a common concern that emerged during the COVID era when people began spending more time than ever before in front of screens. Understanding this need, she and her team advanced panel technology to reduce eye strain, culminating in industry-leading monitors recognised by respected German ergonomic testing agencies. This accomplishment clearly underscores her belief that innovation should focus not only on performance but also on enhancing overall human well-being.

Ms Lee also stands out as a strong advocate for gender diversity within the technology sector. She believes in fostering inclusive teams by setting clear gender balance targets, recruiting broadly, and demanding deep technical understanding from all, regardless of background. Looking ahead, she confidently anticipates the next technological leap with generative AI, predicting a profound shift in how people interact with data and display technologies. With her extensive experience across PCs, peripherals, and displays, Ms Lee is poised to lead this exciting evolution while leaving behind a legacy as a respected mentor and leader, empowering others and cultivating environments where innovation and collaboration truly thrive.

Ms Yulia Wunyuti’s journey is a testament to resilience, ambition, and the pursuit of excellence. Raised to believe that education was the surest path out of poverty, a privilege her own mother never had, Yulia developed a love for mathematics and science, which led her to become an engineer. Balancing her career aspirations with personal commitments, she faced early motherhood, nearly stepping away from engineering. It was the influential words of Sheryl Sandberg in Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead that reignited her determination, offering both encouragement and a roadmap for navigating a male-dominated industry while raising a family. Inspired by trailblazing female leaders, Yulia further pursued professional growth, determined to set an example for her daughters, her younger sisters, and aspiring women in tech.

Over the past 18 months, Yulia has played a pivotal role in shaping the digital transformation at GlobalFoundries Singapore, a wafer semiconductor fabrication. Leading a talented team of data scientists, she spearheaded the development of AI-driven predictive maintenance systems as tool health monitor engine. This in house-built ML models are crucial to identify top tool health predictors and prescribe when to down the tool for maintenance. She has also led a full suite AI powered wafermap pattern recognition. Both AI/ML projects are now global benchmarks within the company’s sites in the USA and Germany. As the pioneer of AI/ML projects in GlobalFoundries, she has received the prestigious CEO Award and inclusion among the SG100 Women in Technology 2023. Beyond accolades, Yulia's leadership nurtured a dynamic team, mostly former semiconductor engineers turned data scientists, driving meaningful technological and operational transformation in semiconductors.

Looking forward, Yulia envisions embedding Generative AI into business processes, fostering creativity and improving productivity. Her long-term mission remains to inspire underrepresented individuals to pursue success, leaving a legacy rooted in empowerment, equality, and innovation.