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Ms Gan Siow Huang
Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Ministry of ManpowerMs Gan Siow Huang is the Minister of State for Education and Manpower. She is also the Member of Parliament for Marymount Single Member Constituency.
Since being elected to represent Marymount SMC in 2020, building a caring and sustainable community has been Siow Huang’s key focus. She seeded the Marymount Care and Green Plans under which various ground-up projects have sprouted, such as food rescue, support for caregivers, free TCM treatment for seniors, and tree planting to celebrate new births.
Her work in the government is centred on improving employability and jobs for Singaporeans. Through the SkillsFuture movement, better support is available now for mid-career Singaporeans to upgrade their skills. Progressive workplace practices are promoted to create better diversity, flexible work arrangements, work-life harmony and mental wellbeing support for workers.
Siow Huang advocates for back-to-work mothers as she feels that women can contribute much more with sufficient support at home and at work. She hopes to see more women stepping forward to take on leadership roles. She volunteers with Girl Guides Singapore and Young Women’s Leadership Connection.
Leah Ng
Chief Bancassurance Officer and Co-Chair of DEI Council at Manulife Singapore- Event Opening
- Panel Discussion: Celebrating Progress and Bridging Efforts towards an Equitable Future
Leah is responsible for accelerating Manulife’s bancassurance partnership with DBS and accelerating business growth for Manulife Singapore. Leah will also champion transformation and digitisation efforts to strengthen the firm’s bancassurance capabilities; enabling best-in-class customer experiences with holistic health & protection, retirement, and other financial solutions offerings to help more people make every day better. Additionally, Leah co-leads the DEI Council within Manulife Singapore, leading efforts and initiatives that promotes awareness around gender equality, community outreach, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ community.
Leah was Chief Distribution Officer at HSBC Insurance in 2018. Before joining HSBC, Leah was Head of Wealth and High Net Worth at Manulife Singapore. Leah has more than 20 years of established track record and specialised experience in life insurance, business development, and distribution management, across bancassurance, HNW brokerages in APAC, as well as agency and financial advisory firms.
Leah holds a Bachelor of Business (Banking & Finance, Hons) from the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.
Dione Song
Chief Executive Officer at Love, BonitoDione Song is a notable force in the modern consumer technology & retail scene, spearheading Love, Bonito’s success since joining in 2017. At the helm of Southeast Asia’s leading D2C womenswear brand, she drives the company’s vision, strategy, culture and growth.
Driven by her passion for female empowerment, wellness,education and entrepreneurship, Dione actively champions these causes both in and outside of work. She has also been recognised on prestigious lists including Business of Fashion 500, Prestige’s 40 Under 40, and LinkedIn’s Top 30 Power Profiles in Singapore.
Before Love, Bonito, Dione kicked off her career at Zalora, where she was appointed Managing Director of Singapore. She then led e-commerce expansion and regional marketing for Sephora across Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Mdm Noorfarahin Ahmad
1st Vice President at Singapore Council of Women's OrganisationsMdm Noorfarahin is the 1st Vice President of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) and Lead Mentor of the NTUC Women’s Committee, with 28 years of experience as a unionist.
She first started out as an executive with the Singapore Tourism Board in 1993 and joined the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE). She was elected to the Executive Council as a Council Member in 2005 and was the Vice President of AUPE.
At SCWO, she was nominated to represent the organisation at the 67th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
She is passionate about promoting flexible and fair workplaces and believes in advocating for working women for fair employment and family support.
Christine Amour-Levar
Environmental Advocate, Social Entrepreneur & Author at Investors for Climate, HER Planet Earth & Women on a MissionChristine Amour-Levar is a French-Swiss-Filipina environmental advocate, social entrepreneur, and author committed to driving sustainable change and empowering women worldwide. She is the founder of HER Planet Earth, a global non-profit that raises funds and awareness for environmental conservation and gender equality, and the co-founder of Women on a Mission (WOAM), an initiative that supports women survivors of war and violence. Christine also co-founded Investors for Climate, a platform that directs capital towards climate tech startups and sustainable ventures. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, she actively engages in initiatives at the intersection of gender equality, sustainability, and impact investing. She serves on multiple advisory boards and has led expeditions to some of the most extreme environments on Earth to advocate for climate action.
Supriya Rao Patwardhan
Executive Vice-President, Global Head of IT Services at DHL Group SingaporeSupriya Patwardhan is the Executive Vice President of DHL Group DHL IT Services and reports to the Group’s CEO. She joined the Group in 1994 and has over 35 years of experience in the IT, Logistics & Supply Chain industries, spanning consulting, managing vendors and end-user environments.
At IT Services, Supriya provides strategic and functional leadership to a diverse team of over 5500 professionals. The organization operates three Data Centres across the globe and provides solutions and services to all DPDHL’s business units including DHL Express, DHL eCS, DHL Global Freight & Forwarding, DHL Post & Parcel and DHL Supply Chain.
Prior to joining IT Services, Supriya was the CIO of Global Programs & Standards at DHL Express, where she oversaw the modernization of the IT landscape, kick-started the digitalization of the business, and set-up a global Cybersecurity Expertise Centre to support DHL Express’ business across 220 countries and territories.
Her customer-centric approach and strong focus on the business, has enabled IT Services to position itself as a competitive Advantage for DPDHL, delivering innovative technology solutions to underpin the logistics offerings of the group.
Supriya is a forerunner in diversity business technology and leadership. She has been recognized in the ASEAN CIO 50 and Global CIO 100 lists.
She is currently based in Singapore and has lived in India, Malaysia and Germany and enjoys an international outlook that matches DPDHL’s global presence.
Sharon Wong
Founder & CEO of MothersworkSharon Wong is a visionary entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience in building brands. She founded Motherswork 26 years ago to provide the best for her children while balancing career and motherhood. It became a trusted Communicator of expertise, Provider of convenience, and Creator of experience for mothers.
After successfully scaling and selling Motherswork, Sharon is now focused on mentoring women, championing small businesses, and supporting others in their life transitions—from career shifts to entrepreneurship and beyond. She believes in using her sphere of influence for good, lifting women so they can soar higher together. Her journey is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the courage to embrace change at every stage of life.
Beyond business, Sharon is a firm believer in lifelong learning, staying engaged, and continuously reinventing herself. She shares her insights through speaking engagements, panel discussions, and personal storytelling, inspiring others to transition from success to significance.
Her latest mantra? #40istheNew60—because age is just a number, and every stage of life is an opportunity to evolve, contribute, and thrive.
Casherine Goh
Vice-Chairperson at YWLC; Head of Private Bank Distribution at Manulife InvestmentsCasherine is a firm believer in curiosity, professionalism and authenticity. These values shape her commitment to making a difference to the community and her work.
Personally, Casherine is an active volunteer with various communities. She serves as the Vice Chair of the 8th Executive Committee of Young Women Leadership Connection (YWLC), is an Executive Committee Member of Voices Of Asia (VOA), and a member of the Financial Women’s Association of Singapore (FWAS).
Professionally, Casherine leads the business development efforts for a global asset management firm across four territories in the region across public and private market investments. Additionally, Casherine chairs the Singapore Chapter of Sustainability Hub, a Global Employee Resource Group, and co-chairs the M|Equal pillar of DEI Council at Manulife Singapore. In both capacities, she leads teams of employees to organise events and initiatives in line with the mission of driving sustainability and gender equity efforts for Singapore employees.
Grace Kerrison
Senior Executive, DEI & Sustainability AdvocateGrace Kerrison is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing. A proven change agent with a strategic and entrepreneurial mindset, she has a stellar track record of leading business turnarounds, pioneering innovative go-to-market strategies for global organisations, and driving the growth and scalability of startups.
Throughout her career, Grace has been inspired by the mentorship and sponsorship of visionary leaders who shaped her own professional aspcirations. This experience has instilled in her a deep commitment to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Recognising the transformative potential of technology and generational shifts in the region over the next five years, Grace is passionate about creating opportunities for women in both today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.
Grace mentors aspiring women leaders through organisations like the Young Women’s Leadership Connection (YWLC) Singapore and Global Women’s Connect (GWC). She also serves as an Executive Committee member of Nineby9, a Singapore-based NGO dedicated to bridging the gender gap in the Asian workforce.
Grace’s mission is clear: to open doors, break barriers, and empower the next generation of women to thrive in an evolving world.
Katrin Pfende
Asia Head of Retail Operations and Fund Services; Head of Singapore Operations; Global Co-Chair of Manulife Sustainability Hub at Manulife Investment ManagementKatrin Pfende is a Managing Director leading Retail Operations and Fund Services functions in the Asian countries Manulife Investment Management (MIM) operates in.
Katrin has over 20 years of financial industry experience, most recently as Head of Client Service for Funds (Distributors) and institutional clients with responsibility for Singapore, SEA and Australia at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management in 2016, Katrin was a Relationship Manager for Tier 1 clients in Singapore and Hong Kong with J.P. Morgan based in Singapore. From 2005 to 2013, Katrin worked as Vice President in Investment Banking - Equity Capital Markets based in London originating and executing ECM (IPOs, accelerated and fully marketed bookbuildings, rights issues, equity-linked) transactions with J.P. Morgan including project management from structuring to listing, ensuring complete compliance with regulations and guiding clients through the time critical deal process.
Katrin has a keen interest in Sustainable Finance holding licenses and certificates such as CESGA, SASB level I&II, Oxford Säid Impact Finance Innovations Programme.
Katrin holds an Master in Finance and Accounting from Frankfurt University, Germany, and an MBA from University of Iowa.
Yvonne Mak
Chairperson at YWLC; Counsel at ICC International Court of ArbitrationYvonne Mak is the Chairperson of YWLC's 8th Executive Committee, leading the organisation and steering its strategic direction. She has volunteered with YWLC since 2017, and was previously YWLC's Strategy & Partnerships Director (7th Executive Committee) and Recruitment Director (6th Executive Committee).
In her professional work, she is a Counsel at the ICC International Chamber of Commerce where she leads the case management team in Singapore (ICA 11).
Hemaa Sekar
Policy Enforcement Manager at GoogleHemaa Sekar is a Policy Enforcement Manager at Youtube, Google. Before Google, she worked in a similar role in an Internet company, was a Government Affairs consultant in Southeast Asia and served as a Legislative Assistant for a prominent Member of Parliament in Singapore. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from the National University of Singapore, with a Double Major in Political Science and Economics and was a Dean’s List recipient.
Michelle Khoo
Center Leader, Deloitte Center for the Edge Southeast AsiaMichelle Khoo is the Center Leader for Deloitte’s Center for the Edge, Southeast Asia. She brings over a decade of experience in advising business and government leaders about strategies for the long term. At the Center, she provides thought leadership and advises senior executives and Board members on navigating disruption and being future-ready.
She is constantly exploring topics on the horizon including artificial intelligence, sustainability, metaverse, space technologies, disruption, corporate venturing and innovation, with a focus on trends affecting the region. Michelle began her career as an investment banker based in the Asian financial hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore. Thereafter, she spent seven years at the Ministry of Finance, where she headed the social strategy and infrastructure strategy units to establish long-term policy thinking on various cross-sectoral issues.
Michelle was a pioneer member and former Chairperson with YWLC's 3rd Exco, Her World mentor for Women in Tech, and a Singapore Leaders Network Fellow. She is also a mother of 3.