LeadWomen officially launches its inaugural APAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 2024 Summit in Kuala Lumpur

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● Rising geopolitical tensions, macro uncertainty, increased societal polarisation, and the
mainstreaming of generative technologies will push organisations to re-evaluate their
approaches to organisational culture and management.
● In today’s increasingly complex operating environment, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is
no longer a nice-to-have but a competitive advantage for businesses.
● Southeast Asia’s multicultural identity means that economic inequality, including wage gaps
and access to education and further advancement opportunities, often intersect with issues of
diversity and inclusion. Policymakers ought to factor DEI principles when developing monetary
and regulatory policies to foster a more balanced and equitable financial system for all.

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KUALA LUMPUR (8 August 2024) – LeadWomen has today, in partnership with its key sponsors, Talent
Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp), PETRONAS, and FIDE Forum, launched its inaugural APAC
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Summit taking place on 16th and 17th of October at the Asia School
of Business in Kuala Lumpur.

Under the theme of “Humanity Rebalanced”, the two-day summit will convene key thought drivers
from national government, business organisations, and civil societies to share ideas on how businesses
and policymakers can build people-focused strategies and adopt diversity, equity and inclusive (DEI)
principles to better drive growth and business priorities, as well as address systemic inequalities.

Day One will feature dynamic keynotes and panels on building inclusive workplaces, addressing
unconscious bias, and people-focused leadership. In line with the Madani government’s focus on
facilitating sustainable and inclusive economic growth, the day will kick off with a roundtable
discussion on advancing DEI for sustainable growth in ASEAN followed by a soft launch of the ASEAN
Business Advisory Council Malaysia’s (ASEAN-BAC Malaysia) DEI pledge. In addition, attendees can
expect interactive fireside chats, skill-building workshops and a deep-dive into innovative DEI
strategies for various industries on Day Two.

Anne Abraham, Founder and Chair of LeadWomen Malaysia, commented:

“While much of the good corporate practices have been shaped by DEI initiatives in North America and Europe, there is significant growing interest in what DEI means in Asia Pacific. Asia is highly populous and made up of diverse cultures, languages, and histories, which surfaces a unique set of DEI challenges for this region.

“Global diversity efforts over the last three to four years have been largely cosmetic, performative, and perfunctory. We are at a point in time where we need to stop and think about rebalancing humanity – bringing back the emphasis of being human, in the way we manage and lead organisations.

Robust DEI policies are critical to driving truly inclusive human and social capital development for
businesses and in the context of nation building. We want to push organisations and leaders to go
beyond superficial diversity metrics or token measures of inclusion.”

Mr Thomas Mathew, CEO, TalentCorp, commented:

“The LeadWomen APAC DEI Summit’s objective to encourage and inspire, and most importantly, to rebalance humanity aligns well with our ongoing efforts to advance DEI in Malaysia. At Talentcorp, we are resolute in our commitment to drive Malaysia’s talent strategy by fostering an inclusive and dynamic workforce, to achieve the 60% women workforce participation target set by the Malaysian government. Through initiatives such as the Career Comeback Programme and Wanita MyWira we will continue to drive initiatives to empower women and bridge the gender gap in the labour market.”

Mr Ruslan Islahudin, Vice President of Group Human Resource Management, PETRONAS, commented:

“As PETRONAS adapts to the evolving world, the need to align skillsets with industry demand is essential to support our core and growth businesses. An inclusive environment fosters creativity and innovation and will enhance our connection with diverse, global stakeholders. This inaugural APAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Summit organised by LeadWomen marks a significant milestone for industries to reassess their work environments, ensuring they support employees in navigating future challenges and seizing opportunities to achieve organisation objectives and drive sustainable growth.”

Mr. Tay Kay Luan, CEO, Fide Forum, commented:

“LeadWomen APAC DEI Summit’s session on the significance of DEI for central bankers and balancing purpose with profit is in line with our mission to create a more equitable corporate landscape in the Malaysian finance sector. We are excited to engage with industry leaders at the summit and further our shared goal of building a diverse and inclusive Malaysia.”

The LeadWomen APAC DEI Summit’s invited honorary guests are YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri,
Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development and YB Tuan Steven Sim Chee Keong,
Minister of Human Resource.

The summit’s line up of distinguished speakers will include:

• Siti Hurrairah, Country Chair, Shell Malaysia
• Varshaa Kutik, Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion, Bank For International Settlements, Switzerland
• Sri Nair, Asia Pacific Vice Chairman of Markets, PwC
• Tracy Ann Curtis, Founder, TAC Global LLC
• Kathy Matsui, Womenomics advocate and Co-Founder and General Partner of MPower Partners
• Michael Walmsley, Chief Experience Officer, Diversity Atlas
• Tanya Sinha, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader, Amazon Web Services
• Kamales Lardi, Author of the best-selling book ‘The Human Side Of Digital Business Transformation; Michele Sagan
• Director of Workforce Transformation, PwC
• Nen Lin Soo, Head of Strategic Communications and Sustainability, Forest Interactive
• Sarah Guerra, Head of Culture, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Bank of England
• Shishir Kumar, Manager of Training and Development Division, Reserve Bank of India
• Nurul Diana Intan Zafirah, Head, Risk and Sustainability, Cyberview.

For more information about the summit, please visit: https://bit.ly/LW-APACDEISummit-2024.

Ends.

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About LeadWomen
Founded in 2011, LeadWomen Sdn Bhd is committed to increasing women’s representation in senior
leadership and on corporate boards in Malaysia. Through advocacy, training, and board placements,
we drive gender diversity forward. Recognising the need for sustained progress, we focus on
workplace inclusion strategies to ensure women’s retention and advancement.
As a thought leader in DEI, LeadWomen fosters commitment through courageous conversations and
impactful content. Aligning with UN SDGs, particularly Goals 5, 8, 10, 16, and 17, we break down DEI
concepts and establish sustainable action plans. Our mission is to embed DEI into organisational
culture, emphasising its role in human and social capital development.

About Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp)
Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) is a Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) agency
that drives Malaysia’s talent strategy towards becoming a dynamic talent hub. To support the growth
and well-being of all Malaysians, we partner with the public and private sectors on initiatives that
attract, nurture, and retain the right expertise needed to meet current and future talent demands.

In March 2024, TalentCorp was mandated the strategic think tank for KESUMA, working with
departments and agencies under the ministry to address the evolving challenges within the Malaysian
workforce. For information on TalentCorp, visit www.talentcorp.com.my or follow @TalentCorpMsia
on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)
Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) is a global energy and solutions partner with a presence in
over 50 countries. Driven by its purpose to enrich lives for a sustainable future, PETRONAS continues
to expand its portfolio in conventional and unconventional resources, and a diverse range of fuel,
lubricant and petrochemical products.

About Fide Forum
FIDE FORUM, established in 2010, is a distinguished community of board leaders in Malaysia’s financial
industry. Our mission is to enhance board excellence for sustainable business growth and financial
stability through seamless board services, thought leadership, and collaborative insights. We provide
a dynamic platform for networking, professional development, and addressing industry-wide
challenges in corporate governance. Our membership spans a significant portion of licensed financial
institutions in Malaysia, representing directors from various sub-sectors of the financial services
industry. For more information, please visit www.fideforum.org or follow us on LinkedIn.

This press release is amplified by PRNews.GoInternationalGroup.com on behalf of LeadWomen.