Prime Highlights:
- Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS, is ranked as the most powerful woman in business in Asia for 2025, leading through challenges like the trade war and cryptocurrency rise.
- The list highlights strong women leaders in finance and tech, with Grace Wang, Meng Wanzhou, and Bonnie Chan among the top five.
Key Facts:
- Grace Wang, Meng Wanzhou, Bonnie Chan, and Kathy Yang are key figures driving industry change in tech and finance.
- The list includes 40 new leaders, showing the rising influence of women in sectors like AI, finance, and tech across Asia.
Background
Fortune has named Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS, the most powerful woman in business in Asia for 2025. Tan leads Southeast Asia’s largest bank and has guided the organization through a revived trade war and the rise of alternative financial products such as cryptocurrencies. In an interview, she cautioned colleagues about the challenges ahead, saying, “This is going to be a volatile year, so you’d better buckle up.”
Following Tan, the top five include Grace Wang, founder of Chinese tech manufacturer Luxshare; Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou; Bonnie Chan, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX); and Kathy Yang, rotating CEO of Foxconn. Grace Wang has expanded Luxshare’s client base, reportedly adding OpenAI, as the company diversifies its production. Meng Wanzhou is overseeing Huawei’s local AI chip production to strengthen China’s technology independence.
Bonnie Chan’s HKEX is gaining strength again, leading Hong Kong’s biggest IPOs this year, such as CATL and Zijin Gold. Kathy Yang has shifted focus to Foxconn’s server assembly business, which now makes more money from servers than from iPhones.
The ranking highlights the growing strength of women leaders across the region. Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau account for 34 executives, Singapore for 15, and India and Thailand for eight each. About 40 new leaders have joined this year, including Sony CFO Lin Tao, Ping An CFO Fu Xin, Prudential regional CEO Angel Ng, and Vingroup vice chairwoman Le Thi Thu Thuy.
Fortune list indicates that women leaders have a chance in the finance and tech sectors due to increased opportunities of AI, transforming trade dynamics, and transforming global markets. These executives are influencing the business world, making it grow, and establishing a benchmark in terms of business leadership in Asia.
