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WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS

Women Entrepreneur Awards (WEA) started with a singular mission to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of women in Singapore. Today, this award has extended to a host of Women Entrepreneurs’ initiatives to drive the development and growth of women entrepreneurs, from mentoring, education, networking to capital raising opportunities. Inaugurated in Singapore in 2016, WEA network is built with a vision to empower women owners in Asia.

SCALING GREATER HEIGHTS

FEATURED : SUPERNOVA WINNER 2019

CHEW GEK KHIM

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

TECITY GROUP
STRAITS TRADING COMPANY LIMITED

After graduating from the National University of Singapore in 1984, Ms Chew Gek Khim took up her grandfather’s offer to join the family business following a three-year stint at Drew & Napier. Today, she is the Executive Chairman of The Straits Trading Company Limited, founded in 1887 as a tin smelting company but is today an investment company with diversified interests across the Asia Pacific. First appointed Non-Executive and Non-Independent Chairman in 2008, she has since held the position of Executive Chairman from 1 November 2009.

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WINNER SUCCESS STORIES

DATO’ ELAINE TEH

DATO’ ELAINE TEH

“Alongside the pursuit of our business objectives, it is important to achieve them with sustainability. We believe in investing in our people, engaging our partners and clients, and playing a part in building our community together.”
DATO’ ELAINE TEH
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

OCTOPUS GROUP HLDGS PTE LTD

(Nova Category Overall Winner 2019)
ELSIE LIOW

ELSIE LIOW

“Having a good system, embracing technology, having a great team, and being prudent in spending is the key to building a strong business foundation.”
ELSIE LIOW
MANAGING DIRECTOR

AIMS IMMIGRATION SPECIALIST PTE LTD

(Nova Category Winner 2019)
YOLA YU JIE

YOLA YU JIE

“Think outside of the box and don’t top learning. Every new day brings new opportunities in a continual journey of learning and discovery.”
YOLA YU JIE
CO-FOUNDER & MARKETING DIRECTOR

STARRY HOMESTEAD PTE LTD

(PULSAR Category Overall Winner 2019)
ANG JOLIE MEI

ANG JOLIE MEI

“Be accountable to yourself in whatever you do. Whether it is a success or a failure, you have to own it and continue to strive forward.”
ANG JOLIE MEI
MANAGING DIRECTOR

THE LIFE CELEBRANT PTE LTD

(Pulsar Category Winner 2019 & Best Innovation Winner)
SIMONE NG

SIMONE NG

“We have built ourselves a good solid foundation over the years. More than just making calculated risks, it’s about staying consistent and upholding the highest quality of products and services.”
SIMONE NG
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SIMONE JEWELS PTE LTD

(Pulsar Category Winner 2019)
LENA TANG

LENA TANG

“Endurance and perseverance is key to entrepreneurship. Challenges are common, so it is important to stay motivated and determined. Don’t let complacency set in, but look beyond and envision how to bring your business to a higher level.”
LENA TANG
CEO

E CAPITAL LIMOUSINE PTE LTD

(STELLAR Category Most Promising Entrepreneur)
More Stories

MEET THE JUDGES

LENNON TAN
Group Chairman
ADERA GROUP
CLAIRE CHIANG
Senior Vice President,
BANYAN TREE HOLDINGS
Co-Founder,
BANYAN TREE HOTELS & RESORTS
LAWRENCE LEOW
Chairman & CEO
CRESCENDAS GROUP
ELIM CHEW
Founder, 77th STREET
Co-Founder, FASTFAST.DELIVERY
KENNY SIM
CEO
i2 CAPITAL
BG (NS) CHAN WING KAI
Director
SEED GLOBAL INVESTMENT
CHIA KIM HUAT
Regional Head, Corporate and Transactional Practice
RAJAH & TANN SINGAPORE
DR LIM WEE KIAK
Member of Parliament CEO
EAGLE EYE CENTRE
NEO SING HWEE
Asia Pacific, Asia and Singapore Internal Audit Leader, Risk Advisory Services
ERNST & YOUNG
TIN PEI LING
Member of Parliament CEO
BUSINESS CHINA
CHEW MOK LEE
Assistant Chief Executive
ICM & DIGITALISATION, ENTERPRISE SERVICES & NEW INDUSTRIES ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE
TAN WEE BENG
Deputy Chief Executive (Operations)
SKILLSFUTURE SINGAPORE

GUESTS OF HONOUR

DR KOH POH KOON

Senior Minister of State Ministry of Trade and Industry

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2019
GUEST OF HONOUR

MRS JOSEPHINE TEO

Minister of Manpower
Second Minister for Home Affairs

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2018 GUEST OF HONOUR

MR ONG YE KUNG

Minister for Education

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2017
GUEST OF HONOUR

MS SIM ANN

Senior Minister of State,
Ministry of Communications and Information
Senior Minister of State,
Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2018

PRESS CONFERENCE & SYMPOSIUM

GUEST OF HONOUR

AWARD CATEGORIES

Named after the brightest stars in the universe, the names of the award categories aim to signify the stature and achievement of the winners who have distinguished themselves in the competitive league of entrepreneurs in Singapore. Our awards celebrate and recognise the achievements of women entrepreneurs and their journeys. Applicants with more than 1 registered business should submit financial statements of all companies that they are registered shareholders for consideration.

To be a nominee, the candidate must be the owner-manager primarily responsible for the recent performance of a privately held Singapore-based company or a founder of a listed Singapore-based company who is still active in senior management.

SUPERNOVA

(By nomination only)

Awarded to 1 Women Entrepreneur with substantial achievements in the business and social community

Nomination by WEA judging panel only

Nominee is a Singaporean or a Singapore Permanent Resident

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NOVA

Awarded to outstanding Women Entrepreneurs operating business(s) with combined annual revenue of SGD10 million and above

Business(s) she is running has/ have been operating for at least 5 years

Applicant is a Singaporean or a Singapore Permanent Resident

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PULSAR

Awarded to established Women Entrepreneurs operating business(s) with a combined annual revenue of above SGD1 million, but not exceeding S$10 million

Business(s) she is running has/ have been operating for at least 3 years

Applicant is a Singaporean or a Singapore Permanent Resident

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STELLAR

(Start-up)

Awarded to promising Women Entrepreneurs operating business(s) for less than 3 years, with annual revenues of less than SGD1 million

Business(s) operations she owns is/ are based out of Singapore

Owns a tech/ non-tech start up business(s)

Applicant is a Singaporean or a Singapore Permanent Resident

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WOMAN OF ASIA (NEW)

Nominated by WEA judging panel only, not open for self-application

Demonstrated outstanding qualities in developing and growing business(s)

Business(s) operations she owns is/ are based out of Asian (excl. Singapore) countries

Applicant’s business must be an ASIA-incorporated enterprise with at least 40% ASIA-owned entity.

Applicant must be a national of an ASIAN country. Applicant must not be a Singaporean or Singaporean Permanent Resident.

Applicant must submit all of her business’s financial data for judging, if she is registered as a shareholder in the business(s).

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WITH THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

Supported By
Supported By
Singapore Digital (SG:D) Partner

Sponsors

Timepiece Sponsor
Marque Sponsor
Luxury Handbag Sponsor
Venue Partner
national-gallery

FAQs

Answers to the most commonly asked questions about the Women Entrepreneur Awards are below.
Please contact us if you still have any questions HERE.

How is WEA different from other business awards in the industry?
WEA is a women-only award that secures brand and founder-centric media exposure and profiling opportunities to award winners and their companies. WEA extends all winners an exclusive platform where women entrepreneurs support one another in their successes, provide leadership and guiding examples for emerging and future entrepreneurs.

How long has the Award been established?
The award was inaugurated since 2016. The call for WEA 2020 application will start in October 2019.

When is the deadline for submission of WEA 2020?
The deadline for all award submission applications to reach the WEA Secretariat is Friday, 7 February 2020, 5pm, SGT.

Who are the judges on the WEA 2020 Judging Panel?

Stellar, Pulsar & Nova Categories
Award applicants will be judged by a panel of judges comprising renowned entrepreneurs, business leaders, Enterprise Singapore, and SkillsFuture Singapore.

Award applicants will be assessed based on a set of judging criteria.

ASIA Category
Award applicants will be judged by at least 2 chief judges and the Chairman of WEA, who are renowned entrepreneurs, business leaders and global professional audit firm Ernst & Young, Enterprise Singapore and Skillsfuture Singapore
. They will be assessed based on on a set of judging criteria.

Please refer to the Judging Panel section.

Is there a pre-determined number of winners each year?
No. The number of Award Winners selected is dependent on the overall quality of applicants’ submissions each year.

Can I submit my application in another language other than English?
English is the only language accepted for the award application and proposal submission.

Can award applicants participate if their company’s Audited Financial Statements are not available?
Yes. Please note we require applicant to submit Audited Financial Statements, only if the company’s annual revenue exceeding SGD10 million. If the last financial year’s Audited Financial Statements are not ready, Applicant may submit Management Account for judging.

Only applicants applying under Stellar Award Category may submit non-audited accounts.

Will the submitted materials be kept confidential? Are they returnable?
Access to submitted materials is kept strictly to the Award Secretariat and the Judging Panel. They are used solely for purpose and reference of judging only, and will be kept confidential. All proposals and supporting documents are non-returnable.

When will I be informed if I am shortlisted for a judging interview?
All shortlisted award applicants will be informed via email of their judging interview appointment by late February 2020.

How will the judging process be?
The judging will take place on-site at the award applicant’s company premises. At least 4 judges, with the Chairman and Secretariat, will attend every shortlisted applicant’s interview.

Can I conduct my answers in a language other than English during the judging process?
Award applicants can choose to have one English language translator during the judging interview. Translation expenses will be borne by award applicants.

When will I be informed if I shortlisted as a Winner of the WEA Award?
Award applicants will be informed via email by late March 2020.

I am the sole business owner and the only team member. Can I apply?
YES. You may apply for the WEA awards as the sole founder and team member as long as your business meets the eligibility criteria stated in each category .

I own multiple companies, can I apply for the WEA award with only one of these companies?
No. Applicants will need to furnish the full set of business and financial datas, on all companies that she owns, and is a registered shareholder. The submission of documents is a must to provide a holistic and complete review of the women entrepreneur performance, entrepreneurial milestones and her entrepreneurial journey.

Can a past applicant or award winner take part in WEA more than once?
Yes. Previous applicants can re-enter the awards and previous award winners are allowed to enter the higher level category, for example, previous Pulsar category winners can enter the Nova category in the coming years. Please read Eligibility Criteria for category requirements before applying.

Will there be a registration fee imposed upon entry submission?

There is a non-refundable registration fee which is payable before the online Participation Form can be uploaded:

Stellar, Pulsar or Nova Award Application
SGD642 nett (SGD600+7% GST)

When must I pay for the Award Package?
If the Entrepreneur is selected by Judging Panel as a Winner, she will be notified in writing and upon her acceptance of the Award, she is required to take up an Award Package upon notification of her win. The Award Package is chargeable, once the Winner accepts the Award.

How do I make payment?
The registration payment must be made online by PayPal and Credit Cards. Please apply via our official website: wea-sg.com. An auto-generated receipt will be given.

The Award Package fee is to paid via cheque to: WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS PTE LTD or via inter-bank transfer. Our bank account details are:

Name: WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS PTE LTD
Bank Name: United Overseas Bank Limited
Bank Code: 7375
Branch Code: 001
Account No: 451-310-457-4
Swift Code: UOVBSGSGXXX
Cash payment is not accepted.

Will I receive an invoice?
YES, the invoice will be issued by WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS PTE LTD, email and post out to Winner to make payment for the Award Package.

Can I get refund if I withdraw during application or if I’m not shortlisted?
Application fees paid are non-refundable in the event of a withdrawal.

When will the award presentation be held?
The WEA 2020 Award Presentation Ceremony cum Gala will be held in a Singapore-based 5-star hotel venue by July 2020.

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AWARD JUDGE

BG (NS) Chan Wing Kai

Director

Seed Global Investment

BG (NS) Chan Wing Kai spent 29 years in the Singapore Armed Forces as a military officer. He rose up to the Army’s top leadership and held numerous key appointments.

The years in the Armed Forces provided him a strong foundation in leadership, human capital management, operational planning, training development and critical diplomatic skills.

He retired from active military service in 2016 and is currently a Director with SEED Global Investment, a real estate investment firm. He oversees the company’s portfolio and business development in the US and UK. He holds a MSc in Applied Finance from the Singapore Management University, and is no stranger to corporate finance, portfolio management, equities, bonds and derivatives.

AWARD JUDGE

TIN PEI LING

Member of Parliament
CEO

Business China

Ms Tin Pei Ling is the Chief Executive Officer of Business China, a non-profit organisation that harnesses the support of the public sector & private enterprises to strengthen the ties between Singapore and China. Prior to joining Business China, Pei Ling was the Group Director of Corporate Strategy for Jing King Group.

Pei Ling is an elected Member of Parliament in Singapore since 2011 and currently serves on the Public Accounts Committee. She also serves on the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications & Information (from 2018, Dy Chairperson) and Health (2011 – present) and previously for Law/Home Affairs (2011-2015) and Social & Family Development (2015 – 2018, Dy Chairperson).

AWARD JUDGE

RYAN CHIOH

Managing Director

Faseastflora.com

Mr Ryan Chioh joined FEF.com in 1998 as Executive Director of Far East Flora Holdings Pte Ltd.

Always a firm advocator for technology, Ryan identified the direction for e-commerce development and saw a business opportunity to offer FEF.com’s extensive range of flowers and gifts online in 2001. Ryan blended his IT savviness and prudent business sense to steer the company’s website to become the leading portal for flowers and gifts. Ryan also brought the company to another level by spearheading the development of a CRM and ERP business solution, integrating the front-end and back-end operations so that there would be easier identification of customer base.

AWARD JUDGE

NEO SING HWEE

Head, Operations System & Control

MAPLETREE INVESTMENTS

Sing Hwee is the Head, Operations System & Control of Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd. He is responsible for the business processes and control functions, information systems and technology as well as Internal Audit and Risk Management.  He also takes ownership of the Group’s Delegation of Authority and Procurement Policy. 

Sing Hwee has more than 20 years of experience in providing risk management, performance improvement, internal controls and business advisory services to clients in various industries, including the real estate sector.  Being a thought leader and a recognised expert in this field, he used to sit in the Ernst & Young (EY) ASEAN Partner Governance Council and led the Advisory (Risk) Internal Audit Practice in Asia Pacific, ASEAN and Singapore covering 17 countries, 30 partners and 700 professionals.  Before joining EY, he had spent many years in risk consulting with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Andersen.

AWARD JUDGE

DR LIM WEE KIAK, PBM

Member of Parliament
CEO

Eagle Eye Centre

Dr Lim Wee Kiak, is an elected Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC since 2015 and serves as chairman of Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth. An Ophthalmologist, Dr Lim is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Eagle Eye Centre.

Dr Lim joined the Singapore Armed Forces as a medical officer in 1994 and completed subspecialty training in Ophthalmology in 1998, with a Master’s degree in Medicine and two post-graduate specialist qualifications in Ophthalmology. During his service in SAF, he led numerous humanitarian missions to neighbouring countries. He joined Singapore National Eye Centre and was awarded the MOH HMDP fellowship in 2003, doing one year of clinical and research Fellowship at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

Dr Lim had been an active grassroots leader since 1998 before joining politics in 2006. For his active community involvement, he was awarded the Young Executive of the Year in 2000 and Public Service Medal (PBM) in 2003.

AWARD JUDGE

Chew Mok Lee

Assistant Chief Executive
ICM & Digitalisation
Enterprise Services & New Industries

Enterprise Singapore

Ms Chew Mok Lee is the Assistant Chief Executive in charge of ICM & Digitalisation, Enterprise Services & New Industries in Enterprise Singapore, a government agency spearheading enterprise and industry development, reporting to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore. Enterprise Singapore is also the national Standards body in Singapore.

Prior to Enterprise Singapore, Mok Lee was with National Productivity Board (NPB), PSB and SPRING Singapore. She graduated from National University of Singapore, majoring in Economics and Statistics. She has a double Masters and is well versed in the area of enterprise promotion, industry development and partnership building, having been involved in various aspects of capability development, support for local enterprises, enabling a viable enterprise eco-system and entrepreneurship for 29 years. She also served as Secretariat to the Action Community for Entrepreneurship and was responsible for working with the Minister in Charge of Entrepreneurship and private sector members to foster entrepreneurship and support start-ups in Singapore.

AWARD JUDGE

CHIA KIM HUAT

Regional Head
Corporate and Transactional Practice

Rajah & Tann Singapore

Mr Chia Kim Huat has extensive experience in capital market, public and private mergers and acquisitions, cross-border joint ventures and private equity investments, both in Singapore and the region. He travels regularly in the Asia-Pacific region advising clients on a wide range of matters, including direct investments and infrastructure projects in China, major acquisitions in Korea, joint ventures in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan and cross-border mergers and acquisitions transactions. Kim Huat also advises foreign investors on their investments in Singapore, including listings on the Singapore Exchange, privatisations, secondary and dual listings.

He has been recognised as a leading lawyer in his field by International Financial Law Review 1000, Chambers Global “Leaders in their Field”, Asia Pacific Legal 500, “Eminent Practitioner” in Chambers Asia Pacific, Who’s Who Legal: Corporate – Merger & Acquisition/Capital Markets – Debt and Equity and Merger & Acquisition, ‘Leading Lawyer’ in Asialaw Profiles and Best Lawyers, 2017 Edition.

AWARD JUDGE

TAN WEE BENG

Deputy Chief Executive (Operations)
SkillsFuture Singapore

Wee Beng is the Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). He leads the Business Technology Group (Operations Planning Division, Capability Development Division, Operations & Support Division, Security & Infrastructure Division), the Training, Manpower & Infrastructure Group (Manpower & Infrastructure Planning Division, Office of Lifelong Learning, and Institute of Adult Learning which comprises Learning and Professional Development Division, Research and Innovation Division, Learning Services and Support Division ) as well as the Business Services Group (Shared Services Management, Integrated Business Services Division &, Corporate Services Division).

Prior to joining SSG, Wee Beng was an officer with the Singapore Armed Forces, leading both large and small teams. His last appointment was Chief-of-Staff, Republic of Singapore Navy, overseeing a range of staff departments and ground commands. Other key appointments held were Head Naval Operations, Commander of Maritime Security Task Force and Commander, Naval Diving Unit. Wee Beng holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Physics from Oxford University, UK, and a Master of Science in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.