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Catherine Smith
Director of Pragma Ventures LtdCatherine 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.
Ruth Bradley-Jones
Deputy Ambassador, Myanmar at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeRuth Bradley-Jones took up her position as the UK’s Deputy Ambassador to Myanmar in March 2021. She was previously political officer in Myanmar from 2007 to 2011.
Ruth’s previous work has included a posting in Ethiopia as head of the migration team and UK Representative to Djibouti; head of the UK’s Iran nuclear negotiation team; and as part of the UK’s EU Presidency from 2005 to 2006, leading on Africa and development. She was most recently Deputy Head of the FCDO’s North East Asia and Pacific Department, leading work on the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
Ruth is a keen champion for diversity, inclusion and gender equality. She was Chair of the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office women’s network from 2019 to 2021.
Brooke Zobrist
Co-Founder and Executive Director of Girl DeterminedBrooke has a background in women’s and child rights, development studies, labor migration, and gender. She has worked with Myanmar issues for more than fifteen years and has written extensively on the country’s education and child policy, the impact of the political situation on girls and women as well as labor and migration trends. She has directly advised and developed strategy for international institutions including DFiD, IOM, Save the Children and UNFPA as well as several multi-donor development funds in Myanmar.
Brooke is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Girl Determined. Since 2010, Girl Determined has designed and implements weekly programming for girls aged 12-17 in communities across Burma/Myanmar. Programs increase girls’ ability to participate in their world, sparking a movement of girls with leadership skills to advocate for their own rights and a future that does not re-create the risks they now face.
Cheery Zahau
Human Rights Activist, Feminist and PoliticianCheery Zahau is a human activist, feminist and researcher from Chin State, Burma. She co-founded Women’s League of Chinland in 2004.
She is a major author for “Unsafe State” report with the first-hand research on sexual violence against Chin women. She coordinated and contributed three major reports to UN UPR, CRC and CEDAW committees. She has testified at the UN, British Parliament, US Congressional Hearing and other governments on human rights situation in Chin State and Burma. She was awarded the N-Peace Award 2017 by UNDP, “Chin Person of the Year 2011” by the Chin people and Schuman Human Rights Award 2018 by European Union. The Irrawaddy Magazine listed her as one of “Burma’s News Makers 2011 and Burma’s most popular stories-2018”.
She has trained hundreds of people on human rights and women’s human rights over the past 15 years. She is the author of several qualitative research reports on Women’s Access to Justice in Plural Legal System in Burma, LGBT rights and the Rule of Law, Youth Movement Assessment, Women, Security and Peace, Sexual violence and minor rape and the service provisions in Burma etc.
Vicky Bowman
Director of Myanmar Centre for Responsible BusinessVicky Bowman has been the Director of Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) since July 2013. Prior to that she led global mining company Rio Tinto's policy approach to transparency, human rights and resource nationalism/resource curse issues from 2011. She was Director of Global & Economic Issues and G8 Sous-Sherpa for the United Kingdom from 2008-2011 and Head of the Southern Africa Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK Government from 2006-2007. Vicky served as ambassador of the UK to Myanmar from 2002-2006 and as second secretary in the Embassy from 1990-1993. She has also worked in Brussels as Member of Cabinet of European Commissioner Chris Patten (1999-2002) and as press spokeswoman for the UK representation to the EU (1996-1999). Vicky has an MA in Natural Sciences (Pathology) from University of Cambridge, holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford, and is an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College. She speaks Burmese and is married to Myanmar artist Htein Lin.
Susan Heaton-Wright
Global Virtual Impact, Communications and Speaking ExpertSusan Heaton-Wright is a multi-award winning impact, communications and speaking expert for emerging leaders and the creator of the Superstar Communicator™ methodology.
She is an international speaker; the MD of award winning music company, Viva Live Music, podcaster and a former prize winning international opera singer. In 2020, she was named as an #ialso 100 top inspirational female entrepreneur in UK. She is a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association.
She empowers individuals and teams to make a positive impact; influence; engage and be listened to in all business conversations, using the SuperStar Communicator™ methodology. Her aim is for everyone to present the best version of themselves, with confidence, so they are respected and valued within their organisation.
Susan is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, The Royal Society of Arts and the Incorporated Society of Musicians.