Meet the six winners of the Front & Female Awards 2026, who are shaping a more equitable future

For an individual helping to inspire, elevate and advance women in corporate, business or professional fields

What she does: Nurul A’in Abdul Latif is PwC Malaysia’s first female executive chair, overseeing over 3,000 employees and championing diversity, equity and inclusion across the firm. Since February 2024, she has also chaired the 30% Club Malaysia, leading efforts to increase female representation on corporate boards across Bursa Malaysia-listed companies. She has also supported PwC’s Board Mentoring Scheme, which has helped 41 per cent of senior women participants secure board roles in PLCs, SMEs and associations. Nurul A’in strongly believes in mentorship, networking and leadership development to build talent pipelines beyond boardrooms, and partners with organisations such as Penang Women’s Development Corporation and NAWEM to advance women’s leadership across Malaysia.

Why it matters: Nurul A’in’s leadership is reshaping gender representation in Malaysian corporate boards and senior management. Under her chairmanship of the 30% Club Malaysia, women now hold 30.6 per cent of board seats in the top 100 PLCs, reaching the “tipping point” six months ahead of target, while nationwide senior management representation stands at 36.2 per cent as of 2025. “Supporting women is both a personal conviction and a governance imperative. When women have equitable access to opportunity, organisations make better decisions and societies become more resilient,” Nurul A’in says. “Through my work at PwC Malaysia and with the 30% Club, I have seen how gender‑balanced leadership leads to better decisions, stronger governance and more resilient outcomes. This is not about representation for its own sake; it is about building leadership that truly reflects the world we live in and performs better because of it.”

Don’t miss: Front & Female Awards 2026: Meet 3 powerhouse women championing leadership, equity and impact

For an individual whose work addresses the health and well-being of women and girls, whether physical, mental, social, sexual or financial

What she does: Professor Dr Sushila K Chang is the vice-chancellor and CEO of Asian Women’s Leadership University College (AWLUC) in Penang, recognised as the first not-for-profit women's liberal arts and sciences university in Southeast Asia. Since October 2024, she has overseen the university’s strategic direction, operations and initiatives aimed at advancing women’s leadership, including programmes like the Master of Arts in Leadership Development. With extensive experience in higher education across Malaysia, Fiji, Singapore and Australia, she also contributes expertise in public health training, research capacity building, and industry engagement to empower the next generation of women leaders.

Why it matters: “It is necessary [to support women in Malaysia]. It was necessary 40 years ago and even more necessary today,” says Professor Dr Sushila K Chang. Having worked in senior roles across multiple countries, she has seen women excel in crises, strategic planning and critical decision-making, while at home serving as daughters, sisters, mothers and the backbone of families. She cites recent statistics that despite gains in education, only 5 per cent of CEOs and 20 per cent of parliamentarians in Asia are women. In Malaysia, equal participation could add USD 200 billion to the economy. Chang believes women’s inclusion is essential: “Their exclusion at all levels will be like a flavourless sauce, an etiolated plant or a ship without a rudder–resulting in loss, rejection and neglect.”

Read more: Front & Female Awards 2026: Meet 3 changemakers driving impact in education, pay transparency and disability advocacy

Given to an entrepreneur or founder breaking ground and positively impacting women

What she does: Yap Sue Yii is a Malaysian social entrepreneur and co‑founder of Komuniti Tukang Jahit (KTJ), a social enterprise that empowers B40 women, single mothers, refugees, and women with disabilities through sewing and creative work. Under her leadership, KTJ has supported over 300 women, produced more than 230,000 items, and helped participants earn over RM460,000 in sustainable income. The enterprise combines skills training, consistent paid projects, and mentorship, enabling women to work from home while balancing family responsibilities, and Yap also advocates widely for women’s economic empowerment.

Why it matters: “Supporting women in Malaysia is deeply personal to me,” says Yap Sue Yii. Through Komuniti Tukang Jahit, she sees skilled women who simply need “a platform, structure and belief.” By earning income with dignity, these women experience shifts in confidence, family dynamics, and self-worth. Yap emphasises that “supporting women is not about favouritism. It is about correcting imbalance,” particularly for B40 women who pause careers for caregiving. For her, “empowering women is not activism. It makes economic sense. When women rise, families stabilise, communities strengthen and the nation moves forward.” At KTJ, “every stitch represents income earned with dignity. And dignity changes everything.”

See also: Front & Female Awards 2026: Meet 3 women founders transforming communities through craft, opportunity and compassion

For an individual driving progress for women and girls or advancing the female agenda in a particularly innovative way or with a focus on innovation

What she does: Natalie Loi is the co-founder and Head of Technology at UnBound Malaysia, an award-winning augmented reality education platform that was originally inspired by the novelty of Pokémon Go. She develops AR tools that promote financial literacy, sustainability, and digital skills, reaching over 300,000 students across ASEAN, including many girls in underserved areas. Her initiatives provide free, inclusive learning modules and aim to expand by 2027 to 600,000 youths, prioritising rural girls. She also conducts research on “Gender and Safety in the Metaverse” and collaborates with organisations such as Malaysia’s Central Bank to deliver equitable education globally.

Why it matters: “I believe women hold up half the world. But opportunity should never depend on gender,” says Natalie Loi. Through UnBound Malaysia, she provides girls and underserved communities with AR-based digital learning and skills development, ensuring that “choice is not limited by circumstance or outdated expectations.” Natalie has seen firsthand that when girls are invited to lead, question and participate in the economy, “they do not just contribute. They excel.” She emphasises that “supporting women is not about elevating one group over another. It is about ensuring that Malaysia’s progress reflects the full strength of its people,” with benefits that are truly generational. 

Don’t miss: Front & Female Awards 2026: Meet the trailblazing women redefining innovation from technology to healthcare

For an individual supporting underserved, overlooked, vulnerable, underprivileged or minority women and girls, and/or seeking to drive human rights and equality

What she does: Viviantie Sarjuni is the CEO of Malaysia’s National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN), where she leads initiatives to empower micro and informal entrepreneurs through inclusive and resilient ecosystems. Previously, as CEO of the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC), she supported nearly 100 social enterprises, launched the first Digital and IoT Sandbox in Borneo, and advanced STEM reactivation. She advocates for women at grassroots and policy levels, chairs Sabah’s Women’s Advisory Council Economic Subcommittee, and promotes social innovation to tackle rural poverty and unemployment.

Why it matters: “Supporting women in Malaysia is deeply personal to me, but it is also a national priority,” says Viviantie Sarjuni. Having grown up with sisters, she witnessed how society often viewed girls as “less than” boys, shaping her belief that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. As a leader, she sees scepticism as “a responsibility to help challenge the status quo and open more doors for the women who will come after us.” She emphasises that progress requires allies, stating, “When men and women work together as partners, change happens faster and more sustainably,” and adds that investing in women multiplies impact across families, communities and the Malaysian economy.

Read more: Front & Female Awards 2026: Meet 2 pioneers championing women’s health and empowerment in Malaysia

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