Launched in 1991, the Woman of the Year award honours Singapore women who have made a positive impact on the community. When it turned 20 in 2011, a retrospective revisited its winners and what each had gone on to do. Fifteen years after that anniversary, and 35 years after the first presentation, the award is still running.
The 2011 retrospective picked out nine winners. Their stories show the range of women the award has recognised, from diplomats and doctors to entrepreneurs and trade unionists.
The early winners, as they stood in 2011
1991: Professor Chan Heng Chee. The first winner was then Singapore’s ambassador to the United States and dean of the female diplomatic corps in Washington D.C. In 2011 she was also described as a supporter of the arts who held regular discussions with women’s groups and university students. She is now referred to as a former ambassador.
1992: Dr Kanwaljit Soin. The orthopaedic surgeon was the first female Nominated MP and a founding member of the Association of Women’s Action and Research (Aware). In 2011 she was president of Women’s Initiative for Ageing Successfully (WINGS), an education centre for women over 40, and a global ambassador of HelpAge International. Her work had helped bring issues such as domestic abuse into public awareness.
1995: Yu-Foo Yee Shoon. The first woman appointed mayor in Singapore was, in 2011, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports. She was one of the country’s longest-serving female politicians, with causes that included local women, workers and the elderly.
1998: Claire Chiang. The co-founder of Banyan Tree Holdings was one of the first two women admitted to the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry. She was also one of the first women to serve as a Nominated MP, and in 2011 she was scouting the next Banyan Tree location in China.
1999: Teresa Hsu (Special Award). The founder of Heart to Heart and the Home for the Aged Sick was known as Singapore’s “Mother Teresa”. In 2011 the retired nurse was described as 113 years old, with more than 40 years of community work behind her.
Business, labour and public service
2002: Olivia Lum. She had grown water-solutions company Hyflux from a three-man operation into a firm of about 2,000 people, valued at roughly $1.8 billion in 2011. At the time she was expected to be the first woman to represent Singapore at the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo in June 2011.
2003: Halimah Yacob. Then deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, she aimed in 2011 to place at least 3,000 women in jobs through the “Back to Work Women” programme. She was also pushing for more flexible work and better legal protection for domestic workers. She is now a former President of Singapore.
2007: Dr Noeleen Heyzer. The sociologist was the first Singaporean to head the UN Development Fund for Women, in 1994. In 2007 she became the first woman to lead the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
2009: Lim Hwee Hua. In April 2009 she became Singapore’s first woman minister. She was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport.
The Young Woman Achiever
A second award, the Young Woman Achiever, has been presented annually since 1999. In 2011 it was described as recognising women below 35 who are committed to the common good. Early recipients were singer Kit Chan (1999), singer Stefanie Sun (2001), Dr Wong Ting Hway (2003), Li Jiawei (2004) and the Singapore Everest Women’s Team (2009).
Since the 20th anniversary
The roll of winners has kept growing. Recent Woman of the Year recipients include:
- Ivy Ng (2011 and 2012)
- Lim Swee Hia (2013)
- Rachel Eng (2014)
- Ng Ling Ling (2018)
- Susan Chong, president of Greenpac (2019)
- Ng Gim Choo, founder of EtonHouse International Education Group (2022)
- Professor Jackie Ying (2023)
- Justice Judith Prakash (2024)
- Anastasia Tjendri-Liew (2025)
Young Woman Achievers have included athlete Shanti Pereira (2024) and Sadhana Rai (2025). Sprinter Yip Pin Xiu was honoured in 2008.
The 2026 gala dinner took place on 6 October at METT Singapore. Harper’s Bazaar Singapore reported that DBS Group CEO Tan Su Shan and Kong Man Jing, better known as Biogirl MJ, took the top honours. The evening also included the Hello Possibilities award, presented by Singtel, for women in STEM. Its winners were Kritika Seth, Jennifer Choi and Rishita Changede.
Jennie Chua, the 1999 winner, chairs the judging panel. She has invited past winners to stand and be acknowledged at galas.
FAQ
When did the Woman of the Year award begin?
It was established in 1991, with Professor Chan Heng Chee as its first winner.
What is the difference between the two main awards?
Woman of the Year recognises women whose achievements have created lasting change in the community. The Young Woman Achiever, presented since 1999, honours younger women who are breaking new ground.