Business Clinic for Professional Women

Catherine Smith is Chair of the Professional Women’s Network (under the Chamber) and has been an active board member of the Chamber for more than 4 years. She has lived in Myanmar for more than 7 years, where she has established several successful startups, in business services and tourism, acted as advisor on market entry to overseas companies, and consulted to foreign and local businesses on tourism, marketing, property and consumer services.

Catherine is currently running her own business – Pragma Ventures – which is focused on reviving sericulture in Myanmar. Pragma works with, and trains farmers in Chin State to support mulberry planting for silk production, and then develops hand-woven product for local sale and export.

Catherine is passionate about female empowerment in her business - Pragma runs regular training programs with farmers and weavers to encourage farming communities to amplify the voice of women in daily life, and elevate them to leadership roles.

Su-Yen is an experienced Board Chair and independent director who has served for over 15 years on the Boards of multiple listed, family-controlled, private equity-held, government-linked and not-for-profit organisations in Australia, Asia, and the United States.

She is Chairperson of James Cook University Singapore, and was the first female Chairperson of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Previously she was also Independent Chair of SGX Mainboard-listed Nera Telecommunications.

She is an Adjunct Professor at the National University of Singapore Business School, a member of the Executive Education Faculty at Duke University, and a keynote speaker who engages audiences worldwide on leadership, transformation, and the future of work. An accomplished multicultural business leader who has lived and worked globally, Su-Yen previously was CEO of the Human Capital Leadership Institute, Chairman for Marsh & McLennan Companies (Singapore), and Senior Partner and Managing Director, Southeast Asia at Mercer. Earlier, she was Asia Managing Partner for the Communications, Information & Entertainment practice at Oliver Wyman.

She is one of 24 women featured in Women on Board: Making a Difference. She is a published author of an Amazon Bestseller - Unleash Your Voice: Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman - and she co-authored the Asian edition of How Digital is Your Business? Su-Yen holds a B.A. (summa cum laude) in music and computer science from Linfield University, and an M.B.A. from the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina. She is a Senior Accredited Director of the Singapore Institute of Directors, and she completed the Leading from the Chair programme at INSEAD.

She is an avid adventure traveller and has ventured to some of the most remote parts of the world including Antarctica and Timbuktu. She summited Mount Kilimanjaro, the world's tallest free standing mountain in 2022, and completed her first full marathon in 2023.

Introducing Ms. Yu Wai Maung, a multifaceted leader, speaker, mentor, and advocate for gender equality, who will be sharing her insights at the upcoming PWN business ‘Clinic’.

With a distinguished career spanning corporate leadership and non-profit management, Ms. Maung has continually broken barriers and shattered glass ceilings. Her journey is marked by resilience, determination, and a relentless commitment to empowering women in all aspects of life.

As a sought-after speaker, Ms. Maung has captivated audiences with her engaging and thought-provoking talks on leadership, diversity, and personal development. Her ability to inspire and motivate others has made her a respected mentor and role model for women aspiring to reach their full potential.

But Ms. Maung's journey doesn't stop there. Driven by a passion for healing and personal growth, she is embarking on a new venture: comedy as a form of therapy and empowerment. Through her unique blend of humor and insight, she tackles the often-overlooked challenges faced by women in the corporate sector, humorously addressing the phenomenon of having to play "Htoke See Toe" at work—repeatedly navigating obstacles to reach their goals.