AsiaPac kicks off Asian Agenda in Women Future Conference

By Shiela Bertiillo

The Asia Pacific launched the first-ever Asia Pacific Agenda of The Women Future Conference, housed under the Digital Pilipinas initiative of GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc., on Tuesday, August 24. The conference highlighted women leaders from the Asia-Pacific region who are leading the way towards digitalization in the traditionally male-dominated fields of technology, finance, insurance, and e-commerce. The Asia Pacific Agenda aims to further broaden and develop the fintech industry in Asia with the help of these female leaders.

Amor Maclang, former Stevies Award winner, Convenor of Digital Pilipinas, Executive Director for the FinTech Philippines Association, and Co-Founder of GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications, Inc., moderated the launch and said in her opening message, “The reverse diaspora is happening not just in the Philippines, but in Asia. There’s been a brain drain, but now the reverse is happening. We’re seeing the best talents in technology choosing to domicile themselves in Asia.”

“We are all striving to work towards a future where we will be at parity in male-dominated fields for our hard work and talent, not for our gender.” Maclang added.

Jael Tan, Manager of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, emphasized the importance of partnerships among neighboring Asian countries to attain true progress in fintech. She stated that, “What’s important is making connections on a bilateral basis and then growing it into a bigger collaboration. The road ahead of innovation seems daunting, but we are always thinking big and making small partnerships along the way.”

Likewise, Yang Yang Zhang, Managing Director of Xendit Philippines, referred to Asia as the hotspot for free-flowing disruption in tech because of the region’s openness to innovation, transparency in regulation, and the prospect of creating products with an impact on society.

“Asia is a place that welcomed innovation and welcomed disruption. In Asia, there’s a spirit of openness; everyone’s moving more quickly, so people are more open. The Philippines is poised for hyper-growth, and the transparency in regulation makes sure that the growth progresses exponentially.” Zhang said.

On the other hand, Leila Martin, President of the first government-backed digital bank, Overseas Filipino Bank, said that the advantages women had as leaders of today and the future are essential for global connectivity and collaboration. Martin believed that, “We, Asian women, are highly educated and have a strong work ethic. We also have the tenacity to learn different languages, which is essential if we want to connect globally.”

Aside from the aforementioned women leaders, the Asia Pacific Agenda of The Women Future Conference also has Wijitleka Marome, Deputy Director of the Fintech Department in the Bank of Thailand, Shan Luo, Managing Director of Fintech Space Taiwan, Gae Martinez, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Insular Life, Pebbles Sy, Chief Technology and Operations Officer of GCash, and Kim Lato, Owner and Founder of Kimstore as panelists.

The Women Future Conference APAC Press Launch is a demonstration of the notable achievements and contributions that women leaders are making in the fields of tech and finance in the Asia Pacific region. It also served as a learning opportunity for young women and students as they prepare to become leaders of the future.

The Women|Future Conference applauds women in business, professional and personal development, and progress. The five-day agenda, to be held on November 1-5, features a lineup of 100+ career-driven women speakers leading thought-provoking conversations. For more information on what to expect during the program and on how to reserve your virtual seat, please visit www.womenfutureconference.com.

This article is published on BitPinas: AsiaPac kicks off Asian Agenda in Women Future Conference