AdminThe Fortune Innovation Forum 2025 brought global attention to Malaysia’s capital this week as Fortune honored its Most Powerful Women (MPW) Asia 2025, spotlighting influential female leaders across 14 Asia Pacific markets. Held at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, the ceremony reinforced the region’s growing leadership diversity while celebrating innovation, resilience and purpose-driven influence.
This year’s MPW Asia list recognized leaders from mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, India, Thailand, Japan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Macau SAR. Selection was based on their leadership momentum, industry-wide influence, and proven ability to drive meaningful change within their organizations and beyond.
Among the honorees were three distinguished Malaysian leaders who continue to strengthen the nation’s footprint in finance and corporate leadership: Ng Wei Wei, CEO of UOB Malaysia; Teh Mun Hui, CFO of Capital A; and Joanne Rodrigues, Group CFO of AFFIN Group.
Driving purposeful leadership
The celebration opened with the Fortune Most Powerful Women Asia Awards Presentation, where Malaysia’s representatives shared personal reflections on leadership in an increasingly complex economic landscape.
Ng Wei Wei, Managing Director and CEO of UOB Malaysia, underscored the significance of collective leadership and intentional impact. “Thank you Fortune for bringing together changemakers. Leadership to me, is about being purposeful, creating impact and bringing others on the journey. When conviction is paired with inclusion and passion, real change can happen and people are empowered to thrive,” she said.
Her remarks echoed a broader theme across the forum — that leadership today demands adaptability, empathy, and the courage to challenge traditional boundaries.
Balancing innovation and stability
From banking to aviation, Malaysian leaders emphasized the importance of future-proofing industries while retaining the trust that anchors customer relationships.
Joanne Rodrigues, Group CFO of AFFIN Group, highlighted how financial institutions must manage stability while pushing for transformation. “Trust and stability are everything, but that doesn’t mean standing still. We are investing in technology, strengthening our teams, and making decisions that position us for sustainable growth. Leadership means balancing confidence in your strategy with the flexibility to adjust when conditions change,” she said.
Her comments resonated strongly among regional financial leaders, many of whom are navigating rapid digitalization, market volatility and rising customer expectations.
The inclusion of Teh Mun Hui of Capital A further reinforced the growing impact of Malaysian women in major Southeast Asian enterprises, particularly in sectors reshaped by post-pandemic recovery and technology-driven reinvention.
The next wave of innovation
Beyond the awards, the two-day Fortune Innovation Forum provided a platform for deeper conversations on navigating disruption in technology, energy, finance, food and health sectors.
The Gala Dinner featured Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson and MPW Asia honoree, who shared insights on scaling the world’s largest health and beauty retail group — now operating more than 17,000 stores worldwide, including 700 across Malaysia. Her reflections illustrated the complexities of leading a global retail giant while responding to shifting consumer behavior and technological expectations.
Fortune also organized an invitation-only breakfast and panel discussion titled “Reinvention as a Leadership Strategy,” featuring prominent executives including Anne Tse of PepsiCo Asia Pacific, Wendy Tan White of Intrinsic, Datin Sri Thapanee Techajareonvikul of Berli Jucker (BJC), Ingrid Sidiadinoto of UPS for Singapore and Malaysia, and Omi Dang of AgriS.
The session delved into leadership reinvention as a catalyst for long-term competitiveness — a topic that continues to define corporate strategy across Asia.
As Fortune’s MPW Asia Awards wrapped up in Kuala Lumpur, the event underscored the region’s accelerating transformation and the essential role women leaders play in shaping new economic frontiers.
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