Cover Anna CY Chan, Joanna Hotung, Christine Yu, Carmen Chiu and Vivien Khoo were among the female leaders who attended the exclusive dinner and discussion hosted by AVPN and Tatler
Anna CY Chan, Joanna Hotung, Christine Yu, Carmen Chiu and Vivien Khoo were among the female leaders who attended the exclusive dinner and discussion hosted by AVPN and Tatler
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On June 23, Tatler and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) joined forces to host Accelerating Progress: Women Driving Change, an exclusive dinner and fireside chat that saw the city’s most influential female leaders come together
Tatler partnered with the Singapore-based Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) on June 23 to host Accelerating Progress: Women Driving Change, an exclusive dinner that brought together influential female leaders at Saffron inside the private members’ club Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy (HKGTA)’s Town Club in Central.
The event addressed the critical financing gaps in gender equality across Asia-Pacific and was centred on AVPN’s inaugural Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) Index and Gender Financing Landscape Report, the first comprehensive analysis of gender equality financing across 17 economies in Asia-Pacific. The Index, created by AVPN, focuses on SDG 5: Gender Equality, which is one of the 17 sustainable development goals established by the United Nations. The index revealed a stark US$586 billion annual shortfall in funding needed to achieve substantive gender equality across 17 Asia-Pacific economies. Tristan Ace, chief engagement officer of AVPN, presented these findings to an audience of philanthropists, impact investors and changemakers.
Above Conversation starters at the event
Above The panel was moderated by Tatler's Power & Purpose editor, Yoyo Chow
Conversation starters at the event
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AVPN, Asia’s largest network of social investors with over 600 members across 34 markets, has been bringing people together to spark smarter, more collaborative ways to drive social impact since 2011. Under CEO Naina Subberwal Batra’s leadership since 2013, the organisation has expanded its membership fourfold and evolved from focusing solely on venture philanthropy to supporting an ecosystem of social investors.
Above Fiona Nott, Angelina Kwan, Yvette Kong, Joanna Hotung and Christine Yu
Above Fiona Nott, Rachel Choy, Sylvia Yu Friedman, Anna CY Chan and Carmen Chiu
Fiona Nott, Angelina Kwan, Yvette Kong, Joanna Hotung and Christine Yu
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During a fireside chat moderated by Yoyo Chow, Tatler’s Power & Purpose editor, Hong Kong, Ace sat down with Angelina Kwan, chair of The Women’s Foundation and CEO of Stratford Finance, for a lively conversation. Their discussion highlighted systemic barriers preventing private sector investment in gender-focused initiatives, including data blind spots and cultural biases that position gender issues as social rather than strategic imperatives. “We’ve seen a lot of improvement, but we’re still only at 20 to 30 per cent of women on boards on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing-listed companies,” said Kwan. “Women should be in leadership roles because only then can they actually change the perception of women. We’re not perfect yet, but at least [Hong Kong has] a path forward.”
Above Anna CY Chan in conversation with Angelica Cheung and Angelina Kwan
Above Vivien Khoo, Sara Mao and guests enjoying dinner at the HKGTA Town Club
Anna CY Chan in conversation with Angelica Cheung and Angelina Kwan
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Ace pointed out that only half of the required capital for gender equality is being invested across Asia, despite evidence that companies with diverse leadership consistently outperform their peers. The report identifies Hong Kong as uniquely positioned to lead in SDG 5 financing, given its mature financial sector, robust philanthropic culture and growing focus on ESG investing.
The Asia Gender Network, an AVPN initiative aimed at unlocking capital for women and girls, emerged as a central theme throughout the evening. Ace positioned the network not merely as a funding tool but as a movement challenging traditional approaches to measuring impact and investing through a gender lens.
It is clear that additional financing is critical to advance gender equality. But funding alone isn’t enough; progress also depends on other key factors—like updating outdated laws, tackling prevailing social norms and ensuring institutions and systems are strong enough to support lasting change.
AVPN’s gender equality ambassadors, Olivia Cotes-James—an award-winning entrepreneur, passionate advocate for menstrual equity and founder of Luüna—as well as Sylvia Yu Friedman, philanthropy adviser and anti-slavery campaigner, also shared personal stories about their work.
Anna CY Chan, Anne Wang Liu and Rachel Choy
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The evening concluded with Ace issuing three calls to action: sharing the upcoming SDG 5 Index Report as a catalyst for boardroom discussions, joining the Asia Gender Network and maintaining collaborative momentum beyond the event. He reframed the US$586 billion financing gap not as an insurmountable challenge but as an invitation to redesign capital deployment mechanisms and measurement tools. “We’re not here to talk about women’s empowerment as a charity case. We’re here to recognise that investing in women is investing in impact, in innovation and in long-term returns—social, environmental and financial.”
The partnership between Tatler and AVPN reflects a broader recognition that addressing gender inequality requires coordinated action across media, finance and philanthropy sectors. The event also showcased Hong Kong’s potential to serve as a regional hub for gender-lens investing, leveraging the city’s position as a global financial centre to address one of Asia’s most persistent development challenges. As Ace noted, the gathering represented more than networking—it constituted a convening of leaders positioned to transform good intentions into measurable impact.
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