AmCham Women Elevate Symposium: Building an Inclusive Future with Dr. Kanwaljit Soin

Event Details

This year's AmCham Women Elevate Symposium features Guest of Honor Dr. Kanwaljit Soin, Singapore's first female orthopaedic surgeon and first female Nominated Member of Parliament. Dr. Soin is also a founding member of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), founding chair of the Singapore chapter of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and founding president of the Women's Initiative for Aging Successfully (WINGS). She is in the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame for her many contributions in advancing women's rights.

The symposium will feature the recently launched book Why Not? Thinking About Singapore's Tomorrow, co-edited by Dr. Soin and Margaret Thomas. The book shares 36 essays from 45 diverse writers on their visions of Singapore's future and includes notable leaders such as Teo You Yenn, Stefanie Yuen Thio, Corinna Lim, Mary Ann Tsao and more.

Why not join AmChamSG for an inspiring discussion with Dr. Soin on building a society where both women and men can make meaningful contributions, realize their vision, and live the life they want?

*Wine and light refreshments will be provided.

Please note the following details:

The event is held under the Chatham House Rule https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/chatham-house-rule
Images from the event may be used for AmCham Singapore's post-event information, marketing and promotional purposes.
The personal information provided to us will only be used for event registration and administration.

By registering for this event, you agree and consent to the above.

* For any enquires please contact the AmCham Programming and Events Team at pe@amcham.com.sg.

* Cancellation Policy: You may request to cancel your registration 5 working days or more prior to the event date. Full payment will be required for any cancellations or no shows thereafter. Replacements will be accepted.

Kindly make payment for your ticket upon confirmation of your registration. By paying for your ticket before the event, you help make sure that AmCham can continue to offer meaningful programming for our members.

Agenda

August 7, 2024

Main Schedule

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Pre-Event Registration

3:30 PM - 3:35 PM

Welcome Remarks

3:35 PM - 3:40 PM

AmChamSG CEO Remarks

3:40 PM - 3:45 PM

Opening Remarks

3:45 PM - 3:50 PM

Introduction of Guest of Honor

3:50 PM - 4:00 PM

Guest of Honor Remarks

4:00 PM - 4:35 PM

Fireside Chat with Dr. Kanwaljit Soin

4:35 PM - 4:55 PM

Tea Break

4:55 PM - 5:45 PM

Panel Discussion

5:45 PM - 5:50 PM

Closing Remarks

5:50 PM - 7:00 PM

Networking over wine & light refreshments

Speakers

Dr. Kanwaljit Soin

Susanta Bhattacharjee

Vice President, Manufacturing, APAC; Global Smart Operations Lead at Kenvue

Nurul Jihadah Hussain

Founder of The Codette Project

Jasmine Karimi

APAC General Counsel at FMC Corporation & Board of Governor of AmCham Singapore

June Lam van Rensburg

General Manager, Nutrition, Singapore at Abbott

Becky Lee

Managing Director, Singapore Affiliate of The Estée Lauder Companies

Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei

CEO of The American Chamber of Commerce, Singapore (AmChamSG)

Aarti Mallik

Head of Marketing; Inclusion, Equity & Belonging Lead, APAC at VML

Elisa Mallis

Managing Director & Vice President, APAC of Center for Creative Leadership & Chairman of AmCham Singapore

Jane McMillan

Senior Director, Government Affairs & Policy, Medical Device, APAC of Johnson & Johnson

Tammy Murphy

CEO Singapore Schools / Head of School XWA at XCL Education

Dr. Thalia Nawi

Deputy Superintendent at Stamford American International School

Margaret Thomas

Natalja Voronova

Regional Marketing Director of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

A highly accomplished and respected orthopaedic and hand surgeon, Dr Kanwaljit Soin is a former Nominated Member of Parliament, and an outspoken campaigner dedicated to improving the lives of women.
Kanwaljit topped her medical school class and was awarded the MBBS (Hons) in 1966. She obtained her Master of Medicine (Surgery) from the University of Singapore in 1970, and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Singapore Academy of Medicine.

Her quest to help people extends far beyond hospital consulting rooms and operating theatres. Kanwaljit is a tireless proponent of women’s rights, holding numerous positions in welfare and advocacy organizations.

Her work in civil society began in 1985, when Kanwaljit was a founding member of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). She was AWARE’s President between 1991 and 1993.

Kanwaljit was Singapore’s first female Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) from 1992 to 1996. When selected she announced her constituency included ‘women everywhere’, so it was her duty to question the gender implications of all government policy.

In 1995 she tabled the Family Violence Bill, which was not supported, but its key proposals were later included in amendments to the Women’s Charter. Women’s rights activists consider this work to be Kanwaljit’s greatest contribution to Singapore, resulting in the introduction of Personal Protection Orders for victims of domestic abuse.

Her civil society activities include being the founding chair of the Singapore chapter of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the founding president of Women’s Initiative for Ageing Successfully” (WINGS). She has also been a president of the Singapore chapter of the International Women’s Forum, and is a Global Ambassador of HelpAge International which works with and for disadvantaged older people all over the world. She has also served, and continues to serve, in various positions in medical professional associations.

Kanwaljit’s work is widely recognised. In 1992 she was named Singapore’s “Woman of the Year”. Internationally she is the recipient of the International Women’s Forum’s “Women Who Make a Difference Award”, and a UNIFEM Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2008 she received the Singapore Medical Association Merit Award in recognition of her significant contribution and valuable services to the community and also the “Good Samaritan” Award from the Rotary Club of Singapore.

Susanta Bhattacharjee is Vice President of Manufacturing Asia Pacific Kenvue (previously Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health) responsible for all Manufacturing activities for Asia Pacific with internal sites in India, China, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia and 70-plus external manufacturing sites across the region.

Susanta has dual responsibility and is also Vice President Global Smart Operations for Kenvue spearheading Kenvue's digital first strategy by designing and implementing a digitally enabled value chain driving seamless uninterrupted information & physical flow.

Susanta is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in managing end-to-end supply chain functions, working in multiple geographies, transforming supply chains to drive billion-dollar brands and helping to commercialize disruptive innovations in the FMCG industry with specialties in Operations, Engineering, Technical Assurance, Startup, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Planning, and New Product Introduction. Prior to working with Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson, Susanta also worked in Procter & Gamble serving multiple roles over the years across nearly all supply chain functions and several markets (Japan, India, Thailand, and Singapore).

In his long career, Susanta has been passionate about mobilizing and energizing large organizations and serving as a big champion of diversity and inclusion as well as a strong male ally in driving D&EI. He is an active member of the D&EI advisory board in Kenvue and a big supporter of women in STEM.

Susanta has a bachelor’s in technology (Hons) degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) and resides in Singapore.

Jasmine leads the Legal & Compliance teams across Asia Pacific for FMC Corporation. FMC is an NYSE listed agricultural sciences company, with a proud history spanning over a century, providing innovative solutions to growers around the world with a robust product portfolio in crop protection, plant health, and professional pest and turf management.

With over 20 years’ experience in MNCs in the US, UK, Canada, HK & Singapore, across diverse sectors (Media, Manufacturing, Luxury Retail, Healthcare, Agro Science), Jasmine brings rich cross-industry and cross-cultural perspective to strategy, problem solving and risk management.

A frequent speaker at forums globally, on both legal and business issues, Jasmine has been ranked as one of the leading influential in-house lawyers in business in Asia in The Legal 500 and is often called upon as a thought leader and advisor on various legal and compliance discussions. She also serves on the Board of the Singapore chapter of Association of Corporate Counsel and was previously the President of the Hong Kong chapter.

An active contributor to AmCham, Jasmine is one of the founding members of AmCham-Women, championing several initiatives, including the inaugural AmCham HERo Awards in 2019. Her depth of engagement, broad experience, fresh ideas and networks, enables her to provide advocacy, insights and counsel to the AmCham Board.

June joined Abbott in 2011 as Business Unit Director, Adult Nutrition in Taiwan. She has held several positions at Abbott, including Director of Marketing (Digital, Consumer Experience & Market Insights). June assumed her current role as General Manager for Nutrition Singapore in 2019. June also chairs Business Advisory Council and co-chairs ‘Women Leaders in Abbott’ charter.

Prior to joining Abbott, she has held various marketing and commercial positions for GSK (Pharmaceutical), Merck, NeoStrata and Abbott where she started her career.

June attended University of Wales and received her Bachelor in Business Administration. She has also attended executive programs with INSEAD and Kellogg School of Management.

June is an avid diver & rock climber and enjoys photography both on land and underwater.

Becky Lee is General Manager, Singapore Affiliate, The Estée Lauder Companies. In this role, she is responsible for business in the Singapore market, with a focus on increasing market share, strengthening the Estée Lauder Companies’ position in the market, and becoming employer of choice for top talent.

Becky has 15 years of marketing and brand management experience in the beauty and consumer goods industry. She joined The Estée Lauder Companies in 2018 as Marketing Director for Clinique in Asia-Pacific, and immediately showcased a strategic and business-focused mindset, which led her to take on additional P&L responsibilities for Korea, and also the Taiwan market in January 2020.

Becky was promoted to VP/GM, Clinique, Asia-Pacific in November 2020 and began strategizing and executing the elevation of the brand in Asia-Pacific through initiatives such as hero product acceleration, which saw retail sales grow to their highest level in 10 years. In 2021, she expanded her responsibilities to cover Lab Series, successfully capturing emerging consumer segments in the region.

Prior to joining The Estée Lauder Companies, Becky worked for several personal care and consumer goods brands, including Eucerin and La Prairie (Beiersdorf), in roles across the Thailand, UK & Ireland markets. In these roles, she focused on brand building and growth plans that elevated brand positioning in the markets. She was also a Global Brand Manager with Reckitt Benckiser leading one of their household brands, where she launched new brands into China and was responsible for leading five-year plans across multiple home categories.

Becky earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management with French from King's College, London, United Kingdom. She is fluent in Korean, French, Spanish and English.

Becky was promoted to her current role in January 2023 and has since relocated to Singapore with her family.

Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Singapore — the largest and the most active international business association in Singapore and Southeast Asia representing over 650 companies. Hsien is also Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, member of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Advisory Board, Vice President of the Precision Public Health Asia Society, board member of TalenTtrust, member of the United Women Singapore STEM Advisory Panel, and member of the 2023 FIRST Global Challenge host committee.

Prior to AmCham, Hsien was Vice President, Medical and Scientific Affairs, Medtronic Asia Pacific, where she was responsible for the Medtronic Innovation Centers in Japan and Korea, training and education, and the company’s health systems transformation strategy in the region. Hsien has extensive experience in scientific affairs, corporate and healthcare communications, advertising, public relations, and government affairs.

Hsien has lived and worked in the US, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, UK, and is now based in Singapore. She holds a BA (with honors) in Human Biology from Stanford University and a PhD in Epidemiology from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health where she was the recipient of a US National Institutes of Health Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology Training Grant. Her doctoral thesis explored the genetic epidemiology of end-stage renal disease and type 2 diabetes. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship at National Taiwan University Hospital in the Department of Internal Medicine.

Aarti leads Marketing and IE&B for VML APAC. She was previously Chief of Staff to the co-CEO of Asia (excl. China), giving her unique insight into how the agency operates, and has allowed her to build strong working relationships with agency leaders across the region and the world.

Aarti has over a decade of experience leading marketing for global companies, both agency and client side, across the US, Middle East and Asia.

With 7 countries and 11 cities under her belt, she has a nuanced and deep cultural understanding of cultures, communities, and people. This personal understanding of so many audiences lends authenticity to her work.

Aarti has over a decade of experience leading marketing for global companies, both agency and client side, across the US, Middle East and Asia.

Elisa Mallis has accumulated 20 years of experience as a business leader with a focus on transformational change, human capital strategy, sales, and marketing. Currently, she is the APAC Managing Director and Vice President of the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). In her role, she leads CCL's efforts in the region to accelerate leadership development while also contributing significantly to CCL's global research agenda.

Based in Asia over the last 14 years, Elisa has held substantial leadership roles, including at MDS (a Greater China-focused Leadership Firm), at the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business and Accenture.

CCL has been a member of AmCham Singapore for over ten years. With CCL's renewed investment and focus to bring East and West perspectives on Leadership, Elisa will be able to bring these latest Asia-focused human capital and leadership development best practices to support AmCham Singapore's growth and impact.

Jane is the Head of Government Affairs & Policy, Asia-Pacific for J&J’s MedTech sector, a role she commenced in early 2021. In this role she coordinates market-based Government Affairs & Policy experts to shape healthcare policy and pricing and reimbursement frameworks to support sustainable healthcare systems in Asia-Pacific. Prior to this role, Jane headed up the Government Affairs & Policy function for J&J’s Australian and New Zealand business focused on the medtech, pharmaceutical and consumer health sectors.

Jane has extensive experience in government, most notably as senior adviser to the Australian Prime Minister and has represented Australia during engagements at international forums such as APEC, G20 and the ASEAN Summit. She has spent considerable time in Australian politics working in the Treasury, Communications and IT portfolios before joining the Prime Minister’s office as the Director of his Press Office.

Before joining the healthcare sector Jane worked in a variety of industries including the energy and logistics industries and the media sector. She has headed up corporate affairs functions for some of Australia’s largest and most iconic companies and started her career as a journalist.

Natalja is a senior business leader with nearly 20 years of marketing experience across FMCG, pharma and automotive industries across global, regional and local roles. She is creative at heart, strategic in mind and a servant leader. Over the years Natalja has successfully led marketing and cross-functional teams to deliver disruptive product innovations, award winning marketing campaigns and social impact initiatives such as stunting awareness & measurement programs that have benefited millions of children in ASIA and have been recognized with corporate president’s award. Earlier this year Natalja has embarked on a new journey as a regional marketing director for Goodyear in ASEANZ region. Natalja is a passionate D&I champion who promotes gender diversity initiatives within and outside her organizations, hosting and speaking in the events, moderating workshops, advising for Healthcare Businesswomen Association, mentoring and coaching high potential talents.

Sponsors and Partners

AmCham Member

Employees in member company and part of the membership roster.

*Drinks and light refreshments will be provided.

Member PriceS$40

Member Company

Employees in member company but not in the membership roster.

*Drinks and light refreshments will be provided.

Public PriceS$40

Non-Member

Attendees that are not part of a member company and/or the membership roster.

*Drinks and light refreshments will be provided.

Public PriceS$50

Connect with 62 people attending this event

JRNNEDJT

The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore

Contact us

Event Details