Huawei Malaysia and the Women Leadership Foundations Strengthen Ties with Renewal of MoU to Advance Women Leadership

Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Yang Berhormat Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri (middle) witnessing the MoU exchange between Chairperson of the Women Leadership Foundation Datuk (Dr.) Hafsah Hashim (3rd from left) and Director of the Board of Huawei Malaysia Mr Ye Zhonghua at the Inspiring Inclusion & Environmental Leadership Forum event hosted by Huawei Malaysia and the Women Leadership Foundation.

[KUALA LUMPUR, 15 MARCH 2024] - Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Huawei Malaysia) and the Women Leadership Foundation (WLF) have renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on leadership programmes, strengthening a partnership that began in 2021 aimed at advancing women leadership, fostering inclusivity, and driving the sustainability agenda.

The MoU renewal ceremony was held recently at a forum titled, “Inspiring Inclusion & Environmental Leadership”, with Director of the Board Ye Zhonghua representing Huawei Malaysia and Chairperson of WLF Datuk (Dr.) Hafsah Hashim representing WLF. The event took place at Huawei’s Customer Solution Innovation Center (CSIC) and was hosted by Huawei Malaysia and WLF in conjunction with International Women’s Day 2024.

Graced by Minister of Women, Family and Community Development YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, the MoU renewal and the forum were part of Huawei Malaysia’s continuing commitment to advance the participation of women in the digital economy and the eco-sustainability industry. Under the MoU, both parties will continue to co-develop leadership programmes and cross-share expertise and insights into advanced technologies and innovations to nurture women leaders.

In her keynote address at the forum, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri emphasised the necessity of unified action, noting, “This partnership also underscores our belief that the road to gender equality and empowerment is a journey we must undertake together, requiring the concerted efforts of not just government and NGOs, but also the private sector and civil society. It is with great enthusiasm that I also acknowledge Huawei's partnership in this noble cause. The renewal of the MoU today between the Women Leadership Foundation and Huawei marks the continuation of a fruitful collaboration, now entering its fourth year.”

“Our alliance with Huawei is not just about mutual objectives, it is about a shared vision for a world where every woman can lead with integrity, innovation and purpose to thrive in a sustainable and technological environment. And the Women Leadership Foundation since its inception in 2021, has been a crucible for change for more than 2,000 leaders throughout the last three years since our inception,” said the Chairperson of the WLF Datuk (Dr.) Hafsah Hashim in her opening speech.

Ms Yvonne Khor, Director of Carrier Integrated Business Support at Huawei Malaysia, reiterated that achieving gender diversity and inclusivity is essential in today's digital age, stating in her welcome speech that, “Tech has no gender. Without the active participation of women, we miss out on leveraging the talent of half of the global workforce.’

“We recognise the importance of leveraging our influence and resources to empower women in the broader community. Through partnerships with local NGOs and government agencies, we are actively involved in initiatives aimed at providing women with access to education, training, and economic opportunities," Khor added.

Also present at the event were CEO of Yayasan Kebajikan Negara Pn. Nordina Haron and Deputy Chairperson II of WLF Datuk Zunaidah Idris.

Over 80 participants, including government officials, industry leaders, and students, attended the forum which featured a panel discussion with three speakers that was titled "Empowering Women in Tech and Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities". The session was moderated by Raja Badrulnizam Raja Kamalzaman, Senior Director of the Strategic Planning Division at MATRADE.

Panel Discussion titled Empowering Women in Tech and Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities.

The panel explored the hurdles facing women and the chances for progress in tech and sustainability where Mariessa Oh, Huawei Malaysia’s Senior Channel Manager of Malaysia Digital Power Partner & Ecosystem Development, highlighted that corporate practices such as clear policies and mentorship programs are needed to support women's advancement. Fellow panelist Dr Hezri Adnan, Bursa Malaysia’s Director of Group Sustainability, stressed that there was room for improvement in C-suite participation for women and highlighted the topic of sustainability reporting for companies. Meanwhile, Ilham Fadilah Sunhaji, Head of Corporate Strategy and Research at Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation said her organisation is doing more on the National OGSE Sustainability Roadmap to determine the pathway for companies to be on board with sustainability.

The discussion also addressed the need to support SMEs in adopting sustainable practices, with an emphasis on public-private partnerships and gender-inclusive policies to dismantle systemic barriers and foster environments where women can thrive in their careers.

Huawei Malaysia has partnered with WLF since October 2021 to develop female leadership through the Huawei ASEAN Academy, emphasising sustainability tech. Under the partnership, more than 1,000 training hours have been carried out for over 2,000 individuals, resulting in 34 per cent of participants ascending in their careers with at least 43 individuals into C-suite positions and board memberships. Huawei Malaysia has also supported the annual Sarawak Women of Tomorrow (SWOT) programme, a key WLF and Huawei Malaysia initiative to inspire the women of Sarawak and assist them in building valuable networks.