HWUM and the 30% Club Malaysia on Corporate Women Leadership

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) and the 30% Club Malaysia marked their ongoing collaboration to empower women in leadership during a celebration at HWUM’s Putrajaya campus on September 25, 2023.

The event, themed “Equipping Leaders, Bridging Gaps,” also honored nine exceptional scholars benefiting from the 30% Club Malaysia-Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Shaping Entrepreneurial Women Scholarship.

The scholarship addresses the “broken rung” challenge, where women in mid-career face obstacles in corporate advancement due to inequitable access, lack of confidence, and limited learning opportunities. It empowers women to pursue higher education while managing other responsibilities, providing them with knowledge, confidence, skills, and leadership qualities.

Corporate Women Leadership

Currently, women hold 30.2% of board seats in the top 100 Malaysian Public Limited Companies (PLCs), reflecting a significant increase from 13% in 2014. The collaboration between 30% Club Malaysia and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia aims to make progress toward gender parity in leadership and cultivate a strong board-ready pipeline.

The ‘Shaping Entrepreneurial Women Scholarship’ is a joint initiative by the 30% Club Malaysia and Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Business School, empowering women through participation in a part-time MBA program.

HWUM’s Provost and CEO, Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi, emphasized the commitment to inclusivity and progress, providing women equal opportunities in high-level business leadership roles. He highlighted the pivotal role of the MBA program in achieving this goal.

Dato’ Ami Moris, Chair of 30% Club Malaysia, encouraged companies to sponsor women leaders, emphasizing the imperative for deliberate efforts to place women with the requisite skills into pivotal roles.

The event included a panel discussion with scholars from the Shaping Entrepreneurial Women Scholarship program, sharing success stories and empowering other women to enhance their skills.

Read More on Business News Malaysia

The article first appeared on Sept 26

Caption: From left: Professor Richard A Williams (Heriot-Watt University Principal and Vice-Chancellor ); Marzida Mohd Noor (HWUM Board Member  and 30% Club Malaysia Steering Committee Member); Datuk Yasmin Mahmood (HWUM Chair of Board of Directors); Janice Yew (HWUM Chief Operating Officer and Registrar); Dato’ Ami Moris (30% Club Malaysia Chair and Maybank  Advisor) and Professor Mushtak Al-ATabi (HWUM Provost and Chief Executive Officer)