IN PAST DECADES, WE HAVE seen more women shattering glass ceilings to reach positions of leadership and influence, while efforts to address systemic inequalities and inclusion gain ground each day.

True parity is still some way off, though. In Singapore, the latest study of median income by the Ministry of Manpower shows that women earn 14.3 per cent less than men, albeit a narrower gap than the 16.3 per cent in 2018. 

In this issue of BT Luxe, we spotlight three female trailblazers who have forged their own paths on their own terms, and their stories share similar refrains: a belief in oneself, authenticity, earning the respect of others, and embracing diversity and inclusivity. 

There is Lee Hui Li, managing director of Microsoft Singapore, who is bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots through cutting-edge technology.

There is Tan Min Lan, head of the Asia-Pacific investment office at UBS Global Wealth Management’s chief investment office, who’s spent more than two decades helping the Swiss banking giant grow from strength to strength.  

And there is Charmain Kwee who, at only 27, is taking on the challenge of helping her father’s company Eurokars – Singapore’s biggest private auto distributorship – advance into the next era.

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While they continue to navigate the complexities of leadership, we hope you’ll be inspired by their stories even as you shape your own.

PHOTOGRAPHY: IVANHO HARLIM & SHYSI NOVITA. STYLING & ART DIRECTION: CK. HAIR STYLING: GREGO OH, USING KEUNE. MAKE-UP: NICOLE ANG/ THE SUBURBS STUDIO, USING MAKEUP FOREVER. VICTORIA HWANG & SOPHIA SOH/ THE SUBURBS STUDIO, USING DIOR BEAUTY.LEFT: JACKET, BELT, PLEATED SKIRT & ANKLE BOOTS. HIGH-JEWELLERY EARRINGS & RINGS/ LOUIS VUITTON.CENTRE: BLOUSE, JACKET, TROUSERS & HEELS. HIGH-JEWELLERY NECKLACE & RING/ LOUIS VUITTON.RIGHT: PLEATED TOP, BELT, SKIRT & BOOTS. HIGH-JEWELLERY EARRINGS, NECKLACE & RING/ LOUIS VUITTON.LOCATION: LOUIS VUITTON APARTMENT, NGEE ANN CITY.