AmCham's 21st Women of Influence Awards Gala Honoured Pioneers in Leadership and Gender Equality

HONG KONG – Tuesday, March 18, 2025 – AmCham Hong Kong proudly hosted its 21st Annual Women of Influence (WOI) Awards Gala (「最具影響力女性」頒獎禮) last Friday, on March 14, at the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong. Seven outstanding women leaders, an exceptional male leader, and one leading company were recognized for advancing the gender equality agenda in Hong Kong.

The WOI Committee was spearheaded this year by Chelsea Perino, Managing Director, Global Marketing & Communications at The Executive Centre, Belinda Esterhammer, Chief Executive Officer Asia at The DO, and Maggie Ho, Head of Human Capital Management in Asia Pacific at Goldman Sachs. The WOI Awards has established itself as one of the most influential and prestigious women’s award ceremonies in the Asia-Pacific region, honouring women, male allies, and organizations that work tirelessly to make Hong Kong a more inclusive and liveable city, while inspiring the next generation of changemakers. This year, under the theme of “Beyond Boundaries: Accelerating Transformative Leadership”, 24 finalists and 3 companies were shortlisted from over 200 nominations, all of which underwent a comprehensive vetting process by judges from diverse sectors to ensure a broad range of voices were represented.

“The Women of Influence initiative continues to be a powerful catalyst for change, fostering a community where women and allies can connect, grow, and lead with impact. I am incredibly proud of how it has evolved over the past three years. It has been an honor to co-chair this committee, fostering meaningful dialogue, and uplifting women across industries. While this is my final gala as a Co-chair, I know the WOI legacy will continue to inspire and empower future generations,” said Chelsea Perino, Co-chair of the WOI committee & Managing Director, Global Marketing & Communications at The Executive Centre.

The Awards Gala was kicked off by a gala panel formed by esteemed past winners - Stephanie Ng, Founder and Executive Director, Body Banter; 2023 Young Change Maker Award Winner, Kirti Lad, Executive Director, Meraki Executive Search & Consulting Limited; 2024 Champion for Women Award Winner, and Manisha Wijesinghe, Executive Director of Help for Domestic Workers; 2023 Champion of Disadvantaged Groups & Minorities Award Winner. Moderated by Beverly Sunn, Founder of the WOI; Founder & President of Asia Pacific Properties; 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, these women from different generations shared their insights on the evolving status of women in Hong Kong. It was followed by a series of TED-style five-minute IGNITE talks from inspiring women leaders, where they shared what breaking boundaries means to them, and why accelerating transformative leadership is so essential.

“We are delighted to have gathered over 280 women and allies for this year’s celebration, marking a meaningful conclusion to my three years as Co-chair. The stories shared by our speakers, panelists, and award winners reflect the unwavering dedication of this community to drive meaningful change. This platform has always been about empowerment and action. I look forward to seeing the next generation of leaders continue this important work and push the boundaries even further,” said Belinda Esterhammer, Co-chair of the WOI committee & Chief Executive Officer Asia at The DO.

Congratulations to the following winners who excelled in the 9 awarding categories:

Young Change Maker

Sumichhya Gurung
Senior Program Manager, EmpowerU

Leading Woman Entrepreneur

Anne Sawyer
School Founder, The International Montessori School

Leading Woman Director or Executive

Olivia Wong
General Manager Environmental and Social Responsibility, MTR Corporation Limited

Woman Change Maker in STEM

Barbara Wang
Founder and Chairwoman, Hong Kong Smart City Association

Champion for Women (Female)

Lena Wong
Managing Director of Womentors, Founder of Hong Kong Momtrepreneurs

Champion for Women (Male)

Damien Mooney
Head of Asia Pacific ex Japan, Fidelity International

Leading Woman in Arts, Sports, and Leisure

Maitreyi Karanth Rao
Actress and Standup Comedian; Founder and CEO, Koma Karanth Foundation Limited

Woman Champion of Disadvantaged Groups and Minorities

Kay McArdle
Founder and CEO, Equal Justice

Best Company Championing Women

JLL

More than 280 senior business executives attended this year’s celebration. The event’s success was made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, including Chubb Life Insurance Hong Kong Limited, Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated, DLA Piper Hong Kong, Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C., Century Distribution Systems (International) Limited, The Executive Centre, Jardine Schindler Group and J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

To set the stage for the Awards Gala, AmCham introduced a dynamic, week-long series of lead-up events from March 3 to 6. This lineup featured thought-provoking discussions on the power of belonging and the critical role of gender in building equitable workplaces. It also highlighted tech innovation through a panel focused on the startup landscape and a hands-on workshop that leveraged GenAI technologies, providing attendees with cutting-edge strategies to enhance their professional reputations. Each event was designed to inspire, educate, and empower individuals.

Many thanks also to the following organizations for their support: The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong (Venue Partner), Wallbrook (Global Risk Advisor), American Women's Association, Community Business, The Women’s Foundation and Women of Hong Kong (supporting organizations).

Key Photos

Media enquiries:

Carman Ngai
Corporate Affairs Manager
Email: cngai@amcham.org.hk