Malaysia Archives - Page 3 of 11

Thriving diversity with Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia

Posted on July 18, 2023July 18, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia celebrated its recent joining as a Corporate Advocate of the 30% Club Malaysia and to generate greater awareness about #DEI and #ESG.

Here are some points from the panel discussion on Thriving By Unleashing The Potential Of DEI at Great Eastern:

👏 Ng Kok Kheng, CEO of Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia said diversity is not limited to gender and is about mutually benefiting all generations with wisdom.

👏 Surina Ismail said we should value diversity – minorities enrich us with their different perspectives. And we need to make the business case for #DEI to get buy-in.

👏 Michelle Ann Iking said sometimes barriers are self-imposed. Women need to advocate for themselves more, and maximise time and opportunity with mentors that are assigned to them at workplaces.

Great Eastern has 64% women represented with one third in management and senior leadership positions. It recognises that more women can be in management.

Speed Mentoring – Bringing Together Mid-Career Women

Posted on June 10, 2023July 18, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Last month the 30% Club Malaysia held a Speed Mentoring Event bringing together 84 mid-career women from 25 companies, creating an unparalleled platform for growth and development.

Guided by seven experienced and insightful mentors, the attendees had the invaluable opportunity to tap into a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. Engaging in small workshops and mentoring sessions, they not only expanded their professional networks but also collaborated to identify the barriers that hinder their progress.

One prominent challenge that emerged during the event was the issue of visibility or the lack thereof. edotco former Regulatory Advisor Rema Devi Nair, a mentor imparted invaluable advice to women leaders seeking to overcome this hurdle.

She emphasised the importance of women holding themselves to the same standards as their male counterparts. To be taken seriously and recognised as experts in their fields, women leaders must be prepared, purposeful, and knowledgeable, positioning themselves as the go-to experts within their organisations.

Mentor Christina Foo, who is Board member of KPJ, UEM Sunrise, Ancom Nylex and Star Media Group offered valuable insights into effectively managing one’s time and making strategic choices. She empowered women to design their lives, emphasising the importance of setting boundaries and confidently saying “no” when necessary. By doing so, women leaders can allocate their time and energy towards endeavours that align with their goals and aspirations.

CIMB Group Holdings Board Member Ho Yuet Mee compared women leaders to swans – graceful and elegant on the surface, but underneath, their feet are tirelessly straddling the challenges and tasks that come their way.

Women leaders exude a natural sense of poise and grace, and inspire us with their ability to navigate through the complexities of the business world with finesse. But what most people don’t see is the sheer strength and determination that lies beneath their serene exterior.

The 30% Club Malaysia would like to thank all our mentors Rema Devi Nair, Christina Foo, Rejina Rahim, Yuki Aizawa 愛澤友己, Farhan Ahmad, Yuet Mee Ho, and finally, the 30% Club Malaysia would like to extend its gratitude to its dedicated Volunteer Advocates, Raj Kumar Paramanathan, Vani Mahadevan, and Geetha Kandiah, whose unwavering support contributed to the seamless execution of this empowering event.

The 30% Club Malaysia would also like to thank its Corporate Advocate CIMB Islamic for graciously hosting this event and providing an exceptional venue for the participants.

Board Profile Writing Masterclass – What Our Mentees Say?

Posted on May 30, 2023June 8, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Recently, the 30% Club Malaysia together with CnetG Asia and HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad organised the Professional Board Profile Writing Masterclass Programme for mentees of 30% Club Malaysia Board Mentoring Scheme.

The programme which has been running for the past three years encompasses interactive discussions, live review of resume, writing workshop and networking lunch.

The participants found the half-day session WoW! as it focused on self-reflections and the power of owning one’s space. Following are reflections from mentees after the programme.

“This session has been valuable as it helps me to evaluate my strengths, weakness as well as what are the competences that I have for board position,” said Luanne Sieh.

“Now, I need to lock myself in the room and put my thoughts in broad profile,” she added with a smile.

For Rayvathi Rajendra she found the programme interesting and useful.

The programme is tailored especially for women who aspire to be on board. The interactive and real-time review of the board profile writing during the workshop was an enlightening experience – we had to apply the tips that have been taught in the first session.

Emi Rice-Oxley wrote on her LinkedIn page that “humility is a virtue but sometimes it comes at the expense of underselling your expertise and achievements. This is true for everyone but especially women. The Masterclass helps distinguish overt, or maybe unconscious, bragging from real achievements,”

She added that “the collective experience of the amazing leaders from diverse industries enriches learning greatly. Regardless of the industry, we share many common concerns and uncertainties in navigating our professional journeys but the support and encouragement we gave each other go a long way to boosting our confidence and success,”

Having conversations, sharing thoughts and experiences from the participants have also helped the mentees to formulate their own thoughts and gave ideas on how to write their broad profile.

For example, how does one convert experiences into strength and competences? And writing them for board profile in a way that entices the board members? This programme helps to address this challenge.

The programme was conducted by Raj Kumar Paramanathan who is the Co-Lead of Activate Pillar of 30% Club Malaysia and Managing Partner of CnetG Asia, an executive search and leadership development firm.

Approximately 15 participants from the mentees of 30% Club Malaysia Board Mentoring Scheme attended the programme.

Engaging and Thought-provoking Panel Discussion on Gender Equality

Posted on May 29, 2023July 12, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

The 30% Club Malaysia collaborated with CIMB to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 at Menara CIMB with a series of exciting sharing sessions and a stimulating all-women panel discussion.

With the theme #EmbraceEquity, which is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness around “Why equal opportunities are no longer enough”, the session was both engaging and stimulating, highlighting the need for more women to be included in the digital economy.

The panel discussion featured female leaders who raised important points about how digital technology has opened new doors for women empowerment.

As we continue to work towards gender equality, corporate advocates like CIMB has taken proactive steps to advance the discourse on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and inspire actions to achieve gender parity and inclusive diversity.

Engaging Session with Velesto Energy

Posted on May 23, 2023July 10, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Recently Velesto Energy Berhad had an engaging session with the 30% Club Malaysia.

Its President, Megat Zariman Abdul Rahim, an advocate of the 30% Club Malaysia, strongly advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and has actively contributed to a diverse range of 30% Club Malaysia initiatives.

“These endeavors highlight our unwavering commitment to promoting greater participation of women in senior positions within Corporate Malaysia and the oil and gas sector,” he said.

He added that this invaluable visit has further solidified its dedication to championing gender diversity and empowering women leaders. By collaborating closely with the 30% Club Malaysia and aligning its efforts, the company firmly believes that it can drive meaningful change and cultivate a more inclusive and diverse business environment.

Male Allyship: Role of leaders as male allies

Posted on May 10, 2023July 10, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

The 30% Club Malaysia and Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad co-hosted an event to discuss and highlight Male Allyship and advocacy towards diversity, equity and inclusion.

The event was focussed on role of leaders as male allies, why it is important towards obtaining gender equity, advocacy continuum and really what leaders can do to become effective male allies, beyond mentoring and supporting career growth.

The event began with an opening address by Datin Seri Sunita Rajakumar, Chair Climate Governance Malaysia, Chair Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad. This was followed by Dato’ Ami Moris, Chair, 30% Club Malaysia; Advisor, Business & Sustainability, Maybank.

In her opening address, Dato’ Ami Moris shared a five prong shoutout to male allies. These are:
• Share the load of dishes and laundry, other household chores between spouses (etc)
• Speak out about inappropriate behaviour at the workplace
• Invite women to the table
• Don’t be a silent male ally
• Don’t accept the line “boys will be boys”

The panel discussion moderated by Anjali Velayudhan Menon, Human Resource Director, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad included Syed Feizal Syed Mohammad, Group Chief Executive Officer of MSM Malaysia Holdings Berhad Berhad, Ramjeet Kaur Virik, Managing Director, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad and Raja Amir Raja Azwa, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad.

The panellists shared their personal experiences with male allies, including the language that could be used to set the right tone at the workplace, tips on how to spot talent then mentor and coach or sponsor a female executive who shows capability.

Both male allies Raja Amir Raja Azwa and Syed Feizal Syed Mohammad shared that they were raised by a single parent and they learnt a lot from their moms. These have stayed with them and they have brought these life learnings to their workplace. The gentlemen truly understand and appreciate that women are juggling multiple roles. While Syed is motivated by his principle of correcting unjust practices to create equality in workplace, Raja Amir is driven by having diverse views to achieve business goals.

In the course of the discussion, Ramjeet Kaur Virik Kaur also shared how her former MD as a male ally encouraged her to take on his role as a successor. She was reluctant as she was not ready. When he asked her to rate her readiness to take on a larger role, she rated herself as only 80-85% ready. The MD then said, “I only expected 60%! So, 80-85% ready for the role is great!”. This indicates how women tend to apply too high standards to themselves, letting go great opportunities.

The hybrid event was held in-person with many others who followed the event virtually.

Gender DEI at Workplace

Posted on April 6, 2023July 10, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Norlela Baharudin MIA,FCPA Aust,ICDM,TEFL our advocate and Executive Director at Berjaya Corporation Berhad spoke at a Gender DEI at the Workplace event where she shared challenges and lessons learnt.

The reality is there’s no overnight success as we battle biases and business-as-usual culture. Having female role models, allies and sponsors with influence help. It’s also the language, narratives and stories we tell that can help us re-imagine DEI possibilities.

Thank you to The Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Kuala Lumpur & Selangor and the Swedish Embassy Malaysia for inviting Lela to be a panelist.

Get Together Session with Mentees and Mentors

Posted on March 28, 2023May 30, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Networking is one of the three ways board-ready candidates can gain visibility in the Board mentoring journey.

With this in mind, the 30% Club Malaysia Board Mentoring Manager Norlela Baharudin recently organised an afternoon tea in Kuala Lumpur. The event saw the participation of some ten mentees – sharing and learning from our invited guest mentors of the Board Mentoring Scheme.

Reza Ghazali and Christina Foo were the guest mentors that were sharing some of the key competencies essential for boards namely strategic decision making, analytical skills and business acumen.

The mentors reminded the candidates to take a careful look at the industry and companies that they are interested to serve on boards before deciding on taking an appointment.

While sharing their experiences and learning from the guests, the mentees had the opportunity to meet fellow mentees and, some for the first time.

Oh yes! If you are wondering what is the other two ways to broaden ones reach and opportunities for board roles, they are:

– To learn from the experienced board members and
– To increase one’s visibility through platforms available on social
media.

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023 at Prince Court Medical Centre

Posted on March 8, 2023July 12, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

In conjunction with the International Women’s Day 2023, the 30% Club Malaysia and Prince Court Medical Centre celebrated the event by hosting a series of talks presented by distinguished speakers and leading specialists.

The event featured an address by Ms. Cndy Choe, Chief Executive Officer of Prince Court Medical Centre, followed by Dato’ Ami Moris, Chair of 30% Club Malaysia and the day peaked with the Handover of Token of Appreciation and Photo Taking Session Ceremony.

Dr. Harjit Kaur, Consultant Breast & Endocrine Surgeon at Prince Court talked about on The Role of Breast Surgery in Women’s Health, followed by Dr Muhammad Azrif, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Prince Court who talked about Cancer Facts for Women.

Let’s take a moment to recognise the countless women in healthcare and every other industries around the world who have made and continue to make a difference every single day.

Embrace Equity: Deepening DEI Conversation #5

Posted on March 7, 2023July 12, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Recently the 30% Club Malaysia celebrated the International Women’s Day by organising a panel discussion on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Conversation #5: Embrace Equity with speakers from Dutch Lady Milk Industries, Malaysian CSO-SDG Alliance, Khazanah Nasional, and Maybank Investment Banking Group.

Here is the recording of Session 1 about the E in Equity with Dr. Kishore Ravuri Jia Yaw Kiu, moderated by Ami Moris and host Farah Jaafar.

Here is the recording of Session 2 of our DEI Conversation with Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir Hasnita Hashim moderated by Raj Kumar Paramanathan, and hosted by Farah Jaafar, on Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s DEI ambitions, and the leadership journey of Dr Hasnita, a nuclear physics PhD graduate from Oxford, and Chair of Maybank Investment Banking Group, on breaking the glass ceiling.

Tag: Malaysia