The Singapore women who raise the bar: Inside the Her World Women of the Year 2026 gala 

This year’s Her World Women of the Year award winners stood as proof of what women with unwavering drive can achieve. Each has pursued excellence with conviction and a deep desire to uplift those around her. They have questioned convention, raised the bar in their fields, and become role models whose leadership lights the way for other women.

Held at METT Singapore on October 6, our annual gala dinner honoured Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS Group as the Her World Woman of the Year 2026, and Kong Man Jing, co-founder of Just Keep Thinking as the Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026.

Graced by guest-of-honour Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, the night didn’t just celebrate the achievements of Singapore’s trailblazing women, but also their stories of resilience, vision and heart, and the doors they have opened for others along the way.

Since 1991, Woman of the Year (WOTY) has honoured outstanding women in Singapore, and it remains the nation’s most established and recognised award for women. Its list of laureates include Professor Chan Heng Chee, former Singapore ambassador to the United States (1991); Ms Jennie Chua, Chairman of Temasek Foundation (1999); and former President Halimah Yacob (2003).

In 1999, the Young Woman Achiever (YWA) award was introduced to celebrate exceptional women aged 40 and below, whose influence goes beyond their professions, to set new benchmarks for achievement, and pave the way for the next generation of women. Past recipients include singers Kit Chan (1999) and Stefanie Sun (2001), athletes Yip Pin Xiu (2008) and Shanti Pereira (2024), and the Singapore Everest Women Team (2009).

The gala dinner saw over 250 distinguished guests come together in celebration, among them business leaders, industry giants, celebrated creatives, local celebrities and influential thought leaders from diverse fields.

Notable trailblazers included Ms Jennie Chua, the 1999 WOTY winner and chairperson of the WOTY judging committee, as well as past WOTY winners Rachel Eng (2014), founder of Eng and Co. LLC and Ng Gim Choo, founder and chairwoman of EtonHouse International Education Group (2022). 

Past YWA recipients were also in attendance, including Sadhana Rai (2025), Chief Representation Officer of Pro Bono SG, Jenny Tay (2016), managing director of Direct Funeral Services, and the pioneering NATAS Singapore Women’s Everest Team – Sim Yihui, Esther Tan and Lee Li Hui (2009).

At the event, guests explored a series of interactive booths by sponsors, including a glitzy gold photowall by Clé de Peau Beauté, alongside a stunning display of their luxurious products, and a much-loved mobile photobooth by Shopee.

Guests also took home a range of Clé de Peau Beauté products as door gifts, and a special kit of Clé de Peau Beauté products was put together for Ms Jennie Chua.

A night to celebrate women

The gala kicked off with a warm welcome address by Her World’s editor-in-chief Elizabeth Lee. 

“Our Women of the Year honourees represent the very best of what we believe in at Her World: women who are ambitious, courageous, generous and unafraid to make an impact. They remind us that leadership can take many forms. That success is not only measured by titles or accolades. And that sometimes the most meaningful change begins simply with a woman deciding to step forward and do something differently,” she said. 

During her speech, she touched on the Mentorship Programme, an initiative that pairs esteemed mentors with ambitious mentees to give guidance and advice both in and out of the workplace. This year’s edition was focussed on leadership for first-time leaders and managers and was supported by partners Cle de Peau Beaute and Singtel. 

She also shared about this year’s special edition of Her World’s Beauty Awards with Shopee, bringing together products and brands that caught the editors’ attention, as well as influencer judges and industry insiders for conversations about the industry. 

Lastly, she thanked the judging panel, chaired by Ms Jennie Chua, the judging and nominations committee members, WOTY partners, Shopee, Singtel and Cle de Peau Beaute as well as clients, collaborators and friends for making the event possible. 

Guest-of-honour Minister Ong Ye Kung then took centre stage for his keynote speech. 

As the dinner got underway, the evening flowed into the awards ceremony, opening with the Hello Possibilities award presented by Singtel. Vivek Mehendiratta, Chief Customer Officer of Singtel Singapore, introduced the award and presented it alongside Dasheng Toh, Head of Features and Lifestyle Media at SPH Media.

The winners were Kritika Seth, CEO & Co-founder of Idle, Jennifer Choi, CCO of Amplify Health, as well as Rishita Changede, CEO and founder of Teora. The award celebrates the outstanding women breaking barriers in the science, technology, and innovation (STEM) industries.

The spotlight then turned to the Young Woman Achiever (YWA) award. Sadhana Rai, Chief Representation Officer of Pro Bono SG and the YWA 2025 winner was invited to present a citation. 

The award was presented to recipient Kong Man Jing, co-founder of Just Keep Thinking, by Tan Pei Jun, COO & CFO of SPH Media and Elizabeth. 

“I’m so honoured to be receiving this award this year and be in the presence of so many amazing women here,” Man Jing said during her acceptance speech. “Growing up, I didn’t have much, but I had people who believed in me. I had opportunities that opened doors for me and I had an education that allowed me to dream beyond what I could think of. And I stand here today knowing my privilege – that I have a platform, I have the work that I do with passion.”

She added: “I also am in a position to do a lot of good in society. And I try my very best to do that to increase accessibility to education, to inspire kids to learn not just because the teacher tells them to do so, but they want to do so themselves and also to show young girls and boys out there that it is okay to be geeky and nerdy about science. 

“And most importantly, they don’t have to look a certain way to share a voice online and to share things that you’re passionate about.” 

A legacy of leadership

The night culminated in the presentation of the Her World Woman of the Year Award. Rachel Lim, co-founder of Love, Bonito, said in her citation that Su Shan is always evolving despite her achievements, which is what she admires most about her.

“When there’s something she doesn’t know, she’ll seek out the people who do, buy them coffee, and ask them to teach her,” Rachel said. “During one of my own most challenging seasons at Love, Bonito, she told me, ‘when things go well, don’t let it get to your head. When things don’t go well, don’t let it get to your heart’, I’ve carried those words with me ever since.”

The 2026 title was awarded to Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS Group. Presented by Minister Ong and Chan Yeng Kit, Executive Chairman of SPH Media, the award was a mark of honour for Su Shan’s steady, visionary leadership that has shaped one of Asia’s most influential banks and opened doors for women across the industry.

During her acceptance speech, she shared about her journey with DBS, the life lessons she’s learnt along the way, and DBS’ next chapter in building the best AI-enabled bank while still putting the humans at the centre.

She also urged women to have faith in themselves, but also realise the “extraordinary difference” it makes when someone has faith in you. She recalled being offered an opportunity for a bigger job at DBS, which she initially rejected as she didn’t think she was a worthy candidate. Until the head of HR told her “people have faith in you. You owe it to them to give yourself that nudge and go for the job.”

Su Shan then thanked her friends, her colleagues at DBS, her family – including her husband Christopher Wilson, her mother Rose Chan and her children Kai Wilson and Talisa Wilson. 

She then ended her speech with a rousing call to the women in the room: “Be proud to be female and help other women. Treasure your friends. Cherish your families. Never forget to have fun and embrace the future. Because as technology may shape our future, it is our humanity that will define it.”

The Her World Women Of The Year 2026 gala dinner was organised with support from our official e-commerce partner Shopee, official network partner Singtel, and official beauty partner Cle De Peau Beaute.