The fourth annual Women of the Future Awards Southeast Asia, the only movement of its kind to recognise and nurture the pipeline of young female talent across the region, in association with NTT, announced today 61 shortlisted finalist across 11 countries comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.
The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably exposed the enormous reliance on women at home and in critical services, and it has jeopardized hard-won gains for women’s rights and representation in all sectors, as defined by the United Nations. It is therefore more necessary than ever to bring attention to and recognize women’s leadership, as well as to cultivate, grow, and promote female talent.
This year’s lineup is incredible, with candidates hailing from all over the city and representing a wide range of industries. The women shortlisted works relentlessly to inspire others, create new directions, and positively affect their colleagues, societies, and the world at large. They range from corporate dynamos and entrepreneurs to athletes and educators.
The record number of nominations received since the initiative began in 2018 represents the region’s rising and diverse pool of female talent, with shortlisted candidates hailing from astro-physicists to Olympic gymnasts, to human rights lawyers and architects.
Pinky Lilani CBE DL, Founder, Women of the Future (WOF) Programme said, “We are absolutely blown away by the calibre of the shortlist for The Women of the Future Awards Southeast Asia 2021. The talent of our nominees is astounding, and we need to celebrate every one of these women for the role they play in shaping the countries they are from in the region. From those making medical breakthroughs and digital innovations to women who are Olympians and fighting to end human trafficking these are the change-makers and visionaries pushing the boundaries of what is possible.”
The judging will take place virtually this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of the 61 candidates will be interviewed by their respective category judges the week of 7th June to determine the overall winner of each category. The judges are leaders from a variety of fields and include John Lombard (CEO Asia Pacific, NTT), Sarita Singh (D
irector, Facebook), and Wincel Kaufmann (VP, Blackrock Asia), among other luminaries.
Chair of the judging panel, and CEO and Director of DBS Group, Piyush Gupta said, “The depth and breadth of local talent showcased in this years’ shortlist is beyond heartening, particularly given the disproportionate challenges that women have experienced during the pandemic. The shortlist clearly evidences the growing pool of young women waiting to be recognized, and who can benefit from the Women of the Future community. It is incredibly important to provide these inspiring trailblazers with a platform to encourage the next generation of talent in Southeast Asia, to believe that they too can excel and achieve their dreams.”
Shortlisted candidates in each group would have access to a variety of opportunities, including the Women of the Future (WOF) network, which is a global network of women who encourage and inspire one another to achieve greater professional and personal success.
The winners of the Women of the Future Southeast Asia Awards 2021 will be announced on 6th October 2021 at the awards ceremony at the Hilton Hotel Singapore.
More details can be found on https://awards.womenofthefuture.co.uk/seasia/
