Financial services veteran Nina Aguas has landed on Forbes Asia’s 2019 “Power Businesswomen” list of 25 accomplished women who are “breaking down barriers” and “playing a significant role in shaping Asia’s business landscape.”
Aguas has been executive chair of Insular Life Assurance Co., the first and largest Filipino-owned insurance firm in the Philippines, since last year. Previously, she spent 30 years in top management positions in Asia, Australia and North America for big international banks such as ANZ and Citigroup.
The women in the list were selected for their achievements and track records of success.
With 25 new names, the list seeks to build upon the legacy created since the inaugural Asia’s Power Businesswomen list in 2012. Aguas, cited as a “high-achieving” executive, was the only Filipina on this year’s list.
“By profiling these 25 outstanding women, Forbes Asia aims to highlight their achievements in the business world and present them as both powerful and empowering so that their success may inspire all our readers,” Rana Wehbe, editor of the 2019 Asia’s Power Businesswomen list, said in a statement.
Aguas joined InsularLife last year Under her leadership, the magazine said, the 109-year-old insurer grew premium income in 2018 by 18 percent to P14 billion.
It also cited Aguas’ partnership with the World Bank in spearheading a program called “InLife Sheroes” to educate Filipino women on issues such as financial literacy and health.
This year’s list includes Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao of Vietnam, founder and CEO of Vietjet Aviation, who made history as the only woman in the traditionally male-dominated aviation business to start and run her own major commercial airline. It also includes 35-year-old Tan Hooi Ling of Malaysia, co-founder and COO of Southeast Asia’s first decacorn, super app Grab. There is also Park Hye Rin, chair of holding firm BioSmart and the “queen of mergers and acquisitions” in South Korea after buying 10 companies with 300 billion won ($270 million) in combined sales.
Others in the list are Japan’s Akiko Naka, founder and CEO of job-search site Wantedly; China’s Jenny Qian Zhiya, founder of Xiamen-based coffee chain Luckin; Singaporean venture capitalist Jenny Lee; Hong Kong’s Jennifer Wai-Fun Liu, founder of specialty coffee chain The Coffee Academïcs; Thailand’s Roongchat Boonyarat, CEO of Malee Group, and Indonesia’s Teresa Wibowo, founder of Ruparupa, an online retailer of home and living products.