Professional achievement is a standard measure of success for today's career woman. But to be recognised by Hong Kong's annual Women of Influence (WOI) Awards requires two crucial additional factors - advocacy on behalf of women from within their respective organisations and a commitment to the wider community.
The awards, which were presented yesterday at the Four Seasons Hotel, are meant to help raise the profile of Hong Kong-based women who may not be publicly well known.
'We wanted to do this not only for the women themselves but so that other people in the business community would get to know them better,' said Maura Fallon, chief executive at executive advising and coaching firm Fallon International. She is also chair of the Women of Influence committee at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).
AmCham and the South China Morning Post jointly presented the awards and a conference that explored how top businesswomen and other female professionals created circles of influence in their lives and communities around Asia.
Ms Fallon, one of a group of women who founded the competition five years ago, said more than 50 entries were submitted for the awards this year.
The awards were bestowed in three individual categories - Young Achiever of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year and Professional of the Year. There was also a Best Company for Women Award.
