Women of Impact Forum 2025

Summary

Women of Impact Forum:

Breaking the Glass Ceiling and Navigating Corporate Leadership

The British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei's Women in Business Committee (WiB) are proud to bring you their inaugural Women of Impact Forum 2025.

This theme of the conference is Breaking the Glass Ceiling and Navigating Corporate Leadership. During the event, we will be raising aspirations to new heights and exploring key questions, such as: what does it take to reach the executive board of a major company? How can I advance to the highest levels of senior leadership and connect with people who will help me get there?

To celebrate International Women's Day this year, the inaugural WiB summit offers an inspiring platform to network with some of Taipei's most distinguished female leaders, engage in inspiring conversations, and gain actionable insights on achieving your ultimate career aspirations.

According to recent research from the Harvard Business Review, attending a women's conference can double a woman's likelihood of receiving a promotion within a year, triple the likelihood of a 10%+ pay increase within a year, and increase her sense of optimism by up to 78%, immediately. This forum provides a safe and inspiring space for Taipei's female leaders of Taipei to come together, celebrate progress and forge meaningful connections.

Please come and join us at Taipei 101, Level 57, the Executive Centre on Friday 14th March 2025!

The event will be a half-day summit, taking place from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. Light refreshments and coffee will be served throughout, with wine, cocktails and The Macallan single malt whisky served during the curated networking!

Agenda

March 14, 2025

Agenda

12:30 - 12:45

Welcome Session Networking

[Light Lunch Options Served with Coffee]

12:45 - 12:55

Welcome by BCCTaipei Chairman and Message from BCCTaipei Women in Business Committee Co-Chairs

Opening Address - Women in Business Committee Co-Chair (Helen Wong, Managing Director of Edrington Taiwan, Jessica Reilly, Deputy Director of the British Office)

Jessica Reilly

Helen Wong

12:55 - 13:15

Representative of the British Office Taipei

Ruth Bradley-Jones

13:15 - 14:30

Lead Panel Discussion: Breaking the Board

A discussion of what it takes to position yourself to be considered for a boardship position, with tips from those who have made it to the top. Speakers will include PeiHsuan (Paddy) Wen (Partner, Ernst and Young) and Angela Wu (Managing Director, Grant Thornton Taiwan). This session will be moderated by Agnes Chu (Head of Taiwan Permanent Recruitment, Taylor Hopkinson).

Agnes Chu

Angela Wu

PeiHsuan (Paddy) Wen

Ruby Ho

14:30 - 15:15

Global CEO Outlook Summary and Investment Trends

As the geopolitical and macroeconomic picture becomes ever more tense, this session offers up-to-date and critical thoughts on how the most confident CEOs are continuously fine-tuning their risk strategies and embracing bold M&A activities as a catalyst for transformation in 2025. Led by EY Partner Audry Ho, this session aims to tackle directly stereotypes that women avoid talking business and investment, equipping you with both the latest insights and also a safe space to discuss and explore this important topic.

Audry Ho

15:15 - 15:45

The Art of Self Presentation

Join Sophia Liao (Managing Director, Tatler Taiwan) as she unveils the secrets to mastering the subtle art of dressing with purpose—whether it’s to command authority, exude confidence, or leave a lasting impact as a senior leader. Discover practical tips and insider tricks to elevate your presence and make your wardrobe work as powerfully as you do.

Sophia Liao

15:45 - 16:45

Empowering Women's Leadership - The Power of Coaching

Recognizing the advantages and challenges of women's leadership, this session will introduce the GROW Model as a framework to help you move forward in your career.

Through a brief coaching demonstration, you will see the effect of coaching and of clarifying your goals.

Joyce Mei

16:45 - 17:00

Light Refreshment Served

17:00 - 17:30

Worklife Balance Breakout discussion and curated networking sessions

An engaging roundtable breakout discussions with the opportunity to connect with the lead speakers and fellow attendees alike, navigating the topic of balancing work, life and family as a modern day female leader.

17:30 - 17:40

Closing Address

by Sam Yang (Chairman, British Chamber of Commerce & CEO, TutorABC)

Sam Yang

Speakers

Agnes Chu

Head of Taiwan Permanent Recruitment at Taylor Hopkinson Limited Taiwan Branch

Angela Wu

Managing Director of Grant Thornton Taiwan

Audry Ho

Managing Partner at EY Transaction Advisory Services Inc.

Helen Wong

Managing Director of Edrington Taiwan

Jessica Reilly

Deputy Director of British Office Taipei (FCDO)

Joyce Mei

Founder of Authentic Coaching

PeiHsuan (Paddy) Wen

Partner at Ernst and Young

Sam Yang

CEO and Co-Chairman of Tutorabc

Ruth Bradley-Jones

Representative at British Office Taipei

Ruby Ho

MD& Head of Markets and Securities Services at HSBC Bank (Taiwan) Limited

Sophia Liao

Managing Director of Tatler Taiwan

Jessica Reilly is the Deputy Director at the UK’s Department for Business and Trade in Taipei, where she is responsible for all Taiwanese Investment into the UK, Trade (Financial Services, Tech) and a number of digital policy topics, including regional responsibility across APAC for semiconductors. Her career has spanned both the private and public sector but has always focused on two key themes: technology and the UK’s relationship with the Asia Pacific region.

Before moving to Taipei, she was the Head of Technology Trade and Investment for the Indo Pacific Region, based at the UK’s Department of Business and Trade HQ in London. During this time, she set up the UK’s Digital Trade Network, a new £8 million joint departmental trade initiative (DSIT – DIT).

She started her career as a Strategy Consultant at EY in London working on Digital Transformation and Financial Services; and has worked and lived in London, the U.S., Beijing and Singapore.

Jessica graduated with a first-class degree from Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge, where she was also the President of the Student Union. She was selected to represent the UK on the Yenching Scholarship at Peking University, where she earned her master’s degree.

Paddy joined Ernst & Young in 2006 and gained comprehensive experiences in different sub-service lines. Paddy’s primary areas of concentration include payroll operate outsourcing services, inbound tax advisory, and CIT compliance. She has extensive experience in areas of withholding tax obligation, tax of employee’s compensation packages, tax treaty benefits, zero-rated VAT treatments, e-invoicing requirements, etc. She has spoken at different seminars and the EY podcast channel, covering tax updates and tax hot topics. Paddy co-wrote tax-controversy research articles and published in major newspapers and a professional journal. She has worked on projects for global multinational corporations, companies in the high-tech industries, commercial banks, offshore windfarm, and solar power industries.

Career
Sam is a 3rd generation investment banker with over 25 years of experience. He was previously a senior banker at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch where he managed over USD 3 billion with a focus on venture capital, pre-IPO, and IPO investments in the Asia Pacific Region. Sam currently manages his family’s investment office, which includes the recent acquisition of TutorABC, the world’s leading platform for learning English and Chinese online. He currently serves as its Co-Chairman and CEO, and is an official sponsor of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Chevening Scholarship.

Additionally, Sam is currently the CEO of his family’s non-profit foundation, The Yang Foundation, which is focused on the development of sport, education, and international exchange for students from Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe.

For the past 20 years he has been an instructor for the CFA program for levels 1, 2, and 3 and is currently the lead trainer for the analyst training programs at UBS / Credit Suisse and Julius Baer in HK and Singapore. Sam is also a certified trainer for Franklin Covey and specializes in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Personal
His family is originally from Taiwan, he was born in LA, he went to boarding school in England, and is now based in Taipei. He is keen on sport and previously played county cricket for Gloucestershire, and county rugby for Somerset as a schoolboy.

He is currently a regular golfer and an occasional cricketer at the Hong Kong Cricket Club. He is a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Lord's Taverners Cricket Club, the Emeriti Cricket Club, and various golf clubs around the world.

Sam’s education includes Cambridge University (Masters in Entrepreneurship), City University of London (BSc Finance), and he is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Sam is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and Chairman of the East West Chapter, and a member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).

Ruth starts as the Representative at the British Office Taipei in February 2025. She was previously the Deputy Head of Mission to Myanmar 2021-2022, her second posting in Myanmar. Ruth’s diplomatic career spanned over 20 years. Previous postings have included Ethiopia and Djibouti and at the UK Representation to the EU.

Before her posting to Myanmar in 2021, she was the Deputy Head of the FCDO’s North East Asia and Pacific Department, leading works on the Korea Peninsula and Japan. Ruth’s other roles in the UK government have included policy work on the Iran nuclear negotiation. Ruth received an MBE in 2023 for her services to promoting gender equality, and continues to champion diversity, inclusion and gender equality across her work. She was Chair of the FCDO’s women’s network from 2019 to 2021.

Sophia Liao has over 20 years of solid experience in the luxury media sector, primarily with Condé Nast. Her impressive career started as Finance Controller in Taiwan and ended up with being the President of Condé Nast China. One of her major achievements is successfully driving the transformation of both markets, shifting the company’s focus from print-centric to multi-platform operations centered around social media. This was largely accomplished by fostering a “Can Do” culture that fully empowers the team.

Starting from August 2024 when Sophia joins Tatler Taiwan as Managing Director, she is fully dedicated in promoting the Renaissance mindset as the strategic core not only for Tatler but also for the whole media industry. She sees herself as a Change Maker and fully immersed.

Sophia earned her BA in Accounting from National Taiwan University and is a Certified Public Accountant in Taiwan. Additionally, she studied law for two years at Soochow University in Taiwan.

About The BCCTaipei Women in Business Network

The Women in Business Committee runs events to promote diversity in business and to highlight opportunities and strategies for women to be successful in business. Events are held to allow women and diversity champions to get together to discuss business issues, career advancement and expanding networks. Since 2010, the BCCTaipei Women in Business Network has offered a great opportunity to make new friends, share experiences as well as develop important business contacts and advance professional careers.

Aim of the Women in Business Network:

To strengthen the voice of women in business
To inspire women in Taiwan to feel empowered in their workplace
To give participants information and perspectives on work-life balance
To give participants a chance to discuss the above issues, and offer them opportunities for future collaboration

About British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei

BCCTaipei acts as a key resource for business by ensuring that its members have a direct line to assistance and networks, as well as providing a united but unbiased commercial perspective on all issues affecting British business interests in Taiwan, and Taiwanese business interests in the UK. In conjunction with membership activities, BCCTaipei has donated over NTD 19 million to its selected charitable causes.

Member Ticket

Member PriceTW$ 1,150

Non-member Ticket

Standard PriceTW$ 1,450

Each ticket purchased will include a goodie bag, with items from our kind sponsors as a keepsake from the event.

每張門票都會附贈由此次活動贊助商精心準備的禮包，屬於您的專屬活動紀念。

Limited tickets available! Register as soon as possible!

名額有限，敬請盡快報名參加!

This event will be conducted primarily in English.

本次活動主要會以英語進行。

British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei

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Summary

Agenda

March 14, 2025

Agenda

Speakers

Agnes Chu

Angela Wu

Audry Ho

Helen Wong

Jessica Reilly

Joyce Mei

PeiHsuan (Paddy) Wen

Sam Yang

Ruth Bradley-Jones

Ruby Ho

Sophia Liao

Tickets

Member Ticket

Non-member Ticket

Venue

Venue

Contact us

Organiser and Sponsors