“I’ve told colleagues, ‘This is going to be a volatile year, so you better buckle up,’” Tan says in the most recent issue of Fortune magazine.
Bonnie Chan, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) takes fourth place, as the Chinese city’s stock exchange regains momentum after a years-long slump. Hong Kong has hosted the world’s largest and second-largest IPOs this year: May’s listing of battery-maker CATL, and September’s debut of Chinese miner Zijin gold.
Yet power extends beyond the C-suite, particularly in a diverse and fast-growing region like Asia. This year, Fortune’s Asia team highlights several women leaders from outside of business, recognizing success and influence in fields like professional sports, pop culture, and policymaking.
Professional sports is another area where Asian women are expanding their influence. Some of Asia’s most prominent, influential—and marketable—athletes are a reminder that identity and heritage can often go beyond borders. Naomi Osaka and Eileen Gu both grew up outside of Asia, but have embraced their Japanese and Chinese heritage respectively, and won new fans in their adopted countries.
Here’s who makes it onto Fortune’s inaugural Most Influential Women Asia list (and read our takes on each woman here):
