Women in leadership: 8 inspiring role models in Malaysia

Across the world, women have been pivotal in shaping societies and driving progress, whether that’s behind the scenes or front and centre. Malaysia is no different – the cultural melting pot we call our tanah air boasts an equally diverse cadre of remarkable women who have made their mark in places like communities, businesses, political arenas, academia and beyond.

In Malaysia, women hold 40% of senior management roles in corporations, but Malaysian women business leaders are more likely to leave their jobs than men. We’re doing great, but we run the risk of stagnating or even regressing due to issues with retention.

Women only hold 32.2% of senior leadership positions globally, but for the organisations that do have women in leadership roles, the difference is stark: companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to experience above-average profitability as compared to companies in the fourth quartile.

Advocating for more women in leadership roles means that we craft an inclusive and egalitarian future for the next generation. This doesn’t just benefit women, but also elevates us as a whole when innovation and contributions are supported and nurtured regardless of gender.

As International Women’s Day rolls around on 8th March, we’re celebrating the female leaders that inspire us. Join us as we delve into the stories of the true Malaysian heroes setting the bar in their respective fields.

1. Neelofa

The founder of Naelofar and LUNA, Neelofa isn’t just your run of the mill entrepreneur – she’s also a popular Malaysian actress, television presenter, brand ambassador and commercial model. The Kelantan native rose to fame when she won a drama queen competition, Dewi Remaja back in 2009 – since then, she has enjoyed the meteoric rise of her entertainment career and business ventures.

Neelofa first founded her modest lifestyle brand Naelofar in 2014, bringing stylish and high quality modest wear worldwide. In 2017, Neelofa was listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia, alongside other industry accolades that feather her cap.

A savvy businesswoman, Neelofa credits most of her success to entering the market at the right time – her 8 million followers on Instagram and her status as a well-known Malaysian household name also didn’t hurt. Through their core brand promise ‘Go Far’, Naelofar aims to inspire women to always feel confident and empowered, and her line of modest fashion has reached the shores of Singapore, Indonesia, Dubai, Germany, UK, the US and many more.

2. Datin Vivy Yusof

An acclaimed blogger, entrepreneur and social media star, Datin Vivy Yusof is the co-founder and creative director of FV Group, the homegrown company behind modest lifestyle brands dUCk and LILIT. She began blogging in 2006 and in 2010 launched her first venture FashionValet.com, which eventually became an e-commerce startup stocking over 400 modest and mainstream fashion brands across Southeast Asia.

In 2022, Vivy wound down FashionValet.com in favour of focusing on the modest fashion brands dUCk and LILIT which she had established in 2014 and 2019 respectively. By then, she was already a well-known influencer with more than 1.8 million Instagram followers and a loyal YouTube community.

Even after marrying her husband Dato’ Fadza and building a family with four kids, Vivy shows no signs of slowing down – she aims to create global household names and turn dUCk and LILIT into go-to brands for modest fashion. To date, dUCk operates 13 retail outlets across Malaysia and Singapore, having sold over 3 million scarves worldwide.

3. Mary Chen

The founder of Beacon Hospital, Mary Chen is an unassuming woman often seen making her daily rounds after office hours. She first took over the cancer specialist hospital in 2010, equipping it with the help of Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. However, she realised that high quality treatment was unaffordable for most, so she came up with corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes to help close the gap.

A devout Christian, Mary transformed a financially troubled hospital into a community-driven, award-winning healthcare initiative that now houses the largest team of cancer specialists in the private sector.

Her unwavering faith fuels her resilience and commitment to helping the underprivileged – when she understood that nutritious food and healthy meals were needed at the hospital, she started Beacon Mart which offered 100% natural, hormone-free and antibiotic-free chicken. A portion of the profits made on the sale of this Beacon Chicken would then be channelled to the Beacon CSR Welfare Fund, helping to provide financial assistance and timely treatment to patients.

4. Christy Ng

An avid lover of shoes, Christy Ng first started her journey into making women’s footwear when she became frustrated with having to purchase shoes of inferior quality because of the price tag. In 2012, she started a small business in her mother’s living room, and twelve years later, the Christy Ng brand boasts 12 stores across Malaysia and a global e-commerce presence.

Christy’s focus is on creating footwear for Asian women that are comfortable, affordable and fashionable. Christy also extended her brand’s offerings to women’s handbags, recognising the need for accessories that complement one another.

To build better shoes, Christy created the 3D Shoe Engine in order to set herself apart from other e-commerce brands – she didn’t want anyone to experience the pain she previously had from ill-fitting shoes. Her inspiring journey from selling shoes at flea markets and out of car boots to opening stores with functional and fashionable footwear tells us that conviction and consistency can move mountains.

5. Jane Chuck

With nearly 600k followers on Instagram alone, Jane Chuck is a content creator, fashion frontrunner and entrepreneur. She’s the mind behind Chuck’s and Motherchuckers, both lifestyle brands encompassing beauty and fashion.

Jane started blogging at the tender age of 14 before she transitioned to make up tutorials and fashion blogging – today, she is one of the top fashion and beauty influencers in Malaysia, adding modelling for luxury brands to her impressive portfolio.

Launched in 2019, Jane’s beauty brand Chuck’s started off selling beauty masks (one of her personal favourites), before eventually adding sunscreens and cleansers to their skincare line. Meanwhile, Motherchuckers is all about comfort, carrying a range of practical yet cosy threads like T-shirts, hoodies, joggers and shorts.

Jane’s mission towards making beauty more approachable and exciting fuels her towards creating brands that inspire and empower self-love and self-expression. To her, beauty is more than just skin deep – it’s a personal discovery journey unique to each individual.

6. Tan Hooi Ling

Part of the dynamic duo behind Grab, Tan Hooi Ling was a business analyst at McKinsey & Co before she founded what would become Southeast Asia’s leading superapp. She met co-founder Anthony Tan and created MyTeksi while attending Harvard Business School in 2012 – and the rest is history.

Twelve years later, what was MyTeksi, a ‘mobile app that connects taxi seekers directly with taxi drivers closest to their location in the chaotic Malaysian urban environment’ is now Grab, offering ride-hailing, food delivery and digital payments to customers in more than 500 cities and towns.

As of 2023, Tan herself has stepped down from her operating roles in Grab including her COO position and directorship, and has now moved on to Wise, where she holds a position on the Board of Directors. Other than Wise and Grab, Tan’s stellar resume also includes tech industry heavyweight Salesforce.

7. Goh Ai Ching

Goh Ai Ching joins the ranks of the startup golden age – in 2012, she and her co-founder Andrea Zaggia created Piktochart, a web app offering users without intensive graphic design experience to easily create professional-grade visuals using themed templates. Today, their web app has over 15 million users with 20 million infographics created.

As the current CEO, Goh oversees content generation, talent management, growth hacking, finance and operations at Piktochart. Her unconventional startup approach includes bucking the hustle and grind trend so common among bootstrappers, opting for a four day work week instead that they implemented in late 2020.

Piktochart is all about the philosophy ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ – now, they’ve set their sights on other media formats. The semi-remote Penang-based company recently launched Piktostory, a video editing platform that allows users to turn long-form videos into bite-sized clips ready to be shared on social media.

8. Jenn Low

Jenn Low may have humble beginnings in Seremban, but she’s got her sights set on international acclaim – she offers jewellery lovers the look of luxury with an affordable price tag. In 2010, she found that there weren’t any digital jewellery brands offering trendy designs without breaking the bank, and thus Wanderlust + Co was born.

Today, Wanderlust + Co has a presence in nearly 30 countries and is stocked across 400 retailers worldwide, with their pieces worn by notable celebrities such as Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, Jessica Alba and Kendall Jenner. As the managing director of the brand, Jenn leads her all female team from their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Outside of her jewellery brand, Jenn is a philanthropist advocating for female empowerment. She walks the talk by working closely with organisations such as Women for Women International, supporting female war survivors and equipping them with valuable life skills. Jenn credits her success to her grandmother, who has been her biggest cheerleader and one of her pillars of support throughout the years.

Happy International Women’s Day!

As we celebrate International Women’s Day with the theme of ‘Inspiring Inclusion’, the journey of these remarkable women in leadership exemplifies the transformative power of inclusion. Their stories not only inspire but also underscore the importance of breaking barriers and fostering environments where women can thrive.

In Malaysia, these role models have demonstrated resilience, determination, and excellence in their respective fields, paving the way for future generations of women leaders. Their achievements remind us that true empowerment lies not only in personal success but in creating opportunities for others.

As we applaud these trailblazers, let us collectively work towards a future where every woman is encouraged to rise, lead, and contribute her unique talents to the world.

Here at Employment Hero, we’ve also released a mini-series on our socials, titled ‘Beyond Boundaries: International Women’s Day in the Remote Work Era.’ Six big questions, six inspiring heroes sharing their experience of being female trailblazers in a remote work environment. Don’t forget to check them out!

Disclaimer: The information in this article is current as at 7th March 2024, and has been prepared by Employment Hero Pty Ltd (ABN 11 160 047 709) and its related bodies corporate (Employment Hero). The views expressed in this article are general information only, are provided in good faith to assist employers and their employees, and should not be relied on as professional advice. The Information is based on data supplied by third parties. While such data is believed to be accurate, it has not been independently verified and no warranties are given that it is complete, accurate, up to date or fit for the purpose for which it is required. Employment Hero does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracy in such data and is not liable for any loss or damages arising either directly or indirectly as a result of reliance on, use of or inability to use any information provided in this article. You should undertake your own research and to seek professional advice before making any decisions or relying on the information in this article.