We are living in a world where it is almost impossible to stay away from never-ending streams of global unrest and uncertainties. In times like this, people turn to their leaders for guidance more than ever before. Whether it’s in establishing new ventures and product innovations or sustaining existing businesses, effective leaders are the ones who are capable of not only influencing those working with them but also spearheading the much-needed change in the community. To lead with purpose means more than just being a manager at the top and it takes a lot of efforts to bring about the intended change. This panel session features incredible women who are initiating new possibilities in their fields while engaging in purposeful missions to make sustainable impacts on the community.
P W P Company
Co-founder
Tanoti Sdn Bhd
Founder & Director
Borneo International Exhibition Sdn Bhd
Managing Director
Ann Wong has been working in design field for the pass 20 years. A B.A in New Media graduate from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. With a passion for art, crafts and design since young. She lived in the SF for about 10yrs, before returning to Sarawak in the mid-2000s, she worked in a various design companies and client include Sony Pictures, Universal Studio, Yahoo! Vietnam and etc. With her background in design and overseas experience, she understands what it takes to create design that appeals to urbanites.
This complements her work as the co-founder and current coordinator of the Penan Women Project, a project that helps Penan women economically as well as to ensure that the art of weaving is kept alive.
The Penan Women Project started as a passion and a platform to create quality local handicraft from Sarawak. Through the project, Ann get to meet a lot of Penan ladies. She share her experience and empower the tribal women to see their potential and also help them to grow in term of daily life and also their skill.
Jackie launched her first business in 2010 but still considers herself a novice in the business world, quoting “there are many mistakes I have yet to make and many failures I have yet to suffer”.
Jackie retired from her career as Director of Investment Banking at CIMB Investment Bank after 14 years of service, to pursue her passion projects. In 2010, she had conceptualised and built Batik Boutique Hotel, the first of its kind in her hometown, Kuching. This hotel subsequently won the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame 5 years in a row. Two years later, in 2012, Jackie founded Tanoti Sdn Bhd to assume a workshop of 11 songket weavers previously under Yayasan Tuanku Nur Zahirah. Today, Tanoti works with a community of 300 artisans from 25 villages across Sarawak. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, Tanoti answered the hospital’s appeal for PPE and set up an impromptu crowdsourced PPE project. At the close of the PPE Project in May 2020, a total of 43,599 pieces of PPE were delivered to frontliners. After 10 years in business, Jackie still considers herself a novice in the business world, quoting “there are many mistakes I have yet to make and many failures I have yet to suffer”.
As a successful enterprising businesswoman, Fiona has over 15 years of experience setting up and turning businesses around. Besides having entrepreneurial instincts, Fiona has also been active in state tourism matters since 2008, holding several high-ranking positions in various Sarawakian tourism agencies.
Fiona Marcus Raja is the founder and operational leader of Backtoback Ideas, a revolutionary event company. Prior to Backtoback Ideas, Fiona was the Managing Director at Sarawak River Cruise, a luxurious and one-of-its-kind cruising experience in Sarawak, and the sole proprietor of NailMeGood Nail Patio. Fiona is also a certified beautician, manicurist, waxer and chef.
With vast experience in Sales, Marketing and freelance Events Planning, Fiona has managed to lead Backtoback Ideas in securing clients such as Lexus, Mitsubishi, F&N, True Harmony, Padawan Municipal Council, Borneo Medical Centre, Toyota, Volvo, Lotus Five Star Cinema, Upside Down House, and many more. She also runs a construction company dealing with clients from both government and private sectors, specialising in building roads to interior designs. Despite her entrepreneurial mindset and global connections, Fiona still chooses to use her businesses to provide support to all homegrown vendors such as architects, graphic designers and videographers.
Fiona is currently also working on a community-centred venue, 11Ridgeway, which connects individuals and the wider community to events, programmes, workshops, performances, networking activities and training sessions in hopes to strengthen social identity, provide community bonding opportunities, build intercultural understanding and assist in enhancing the urban environment in Sarawak.
Prior to opening 11Ridgeway, she took up a culinary course and graduated from The Culinary Arts School of Ontario with honours in the Diploma of Culinary Arts. She has since consistently organised cooking-related team building activities.
To add on to her list of achievements and accolades, Fiona currently holds key positions in several organisations in Sarawak. She is the Chairman of the Sarawak Association of Tourism Attractions (SATA), Chairman of the Sarawak Heritage Development Committee, and also the Vice-President of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF). This organisation aims to promote tourism and establish rapport between members and key industry players. She also devotes her free time to volunteer as a committee member in the Sarawak Children Cancer Society (SCCS), providing the organisation with relevant and practical support.
Today, she runs Borneo International Exhibition Sdn Bhd, a company that focuses on the domestic and international exhibition and conferences and is also the founder for TENUN. TENUN is more than an event; it is a movement.
PopCon
Founder & CEO
Nina started her journey in the entertainment industry rather late as an Actor, TV Host and Film & TV producer but it was love at first sight! However, it soon became apparent that creatives in the industry were treated unfairly. Realising that disruption was happening in social media, the rebel in Nina, along with her friends founded PopCon in 2018, a creator community and a contrarian platform to connect creative talents & businesses. In 2019, PopCon launched the world’s first Business Influencer conference, the CxOCON and PopCon Academy, dedicated to developing and nurturing Business Influencers.
Today, PopCon has evolved into a full-fledged Marketing Agency (yayy!) - you know how Digital Marketing has so many options & strategies associated with it not to mention the latest updates & trends where anyone could completely get lost in or worse, blindsided by?
Well that’s where PopCon comes in! PopCon is a community to help for businesses & entrepreneurs level themselves up in this big massive world of digital marketing. PopCon's goal is transform people & brands into unicorns that POP online!
Startup Grind Sarawak
Director
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Startup Grind Sarawak
Co-Director
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Startup Grind Sarawak, Social Media Manager
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BNDM Incorporated Holdings
Startup Grind Sarawak, Project Manager
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Startup Grind Sarawak, Project Manager
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MNT Ventures Limited
Startup Grind Sarawak, Mentor
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Rajang Digital Solutions
Startup Grind Sarawak, Mentor
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Nextupasia
Startup Grind Sarawak, Mentor
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