Our Mission

To accelerate the advancement of women into leadership and decision-making roles by building capability, enabling opportunity, and creating inclusive ecosystems through advocacy, mentorship, entrepreneurship, research, and strategic partnerships.

Our Vision

  • To shape a future where women lead, influence, and inspire at every level of society — driving inclusive prosperity for Malaysia and beyond.

Our Values

  • Empowerment with Purpose

    We believe every woman has the potential to lead. We create meaningful pathways for women to rise, thrive, and influence — with integrity and impact.

  • Inclusivity & Equity

    We embrace diversity across all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Our work uplifts voices from the grassroots to the boardroom, ensuring no one is left behind.

  • Collaboration for Collective Impact

    We aim to build bridges across sectors — government, private, academic, and civil society — because we know sustainable change happens when we move together.

  • Integrity & Ethical Leadership

    We model and promote principled leadership grounded in trust, transparency, and accountability.

  • Innovation in Action

    We are future-focused and solution-driven, continuously evolving to meet the needs of women in a rapidly changing world.

  • Nation-Building Through Women

    We are committed to Malaysia’s progress — and believe that when women lead, nations rise. Our mission is rooted in contributing to national development through empowered women leaders

Our Story

The Women Leadership Foundation (WLF) is a non-profit organization committed to transforming the leadership landscape by advancing women into decision-making roles across all sectors of the economy. We champion the belief that empowered women leaders are not only vital to organizational success but also instrumental in shaping a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient society.

Founded with a bold vision — to accelerate the rise of women into top-tier leadership — WLF provides a platform for women from diverse backgrounds to access high-impact opportunities for growth, mentorship, and influence. Our mission is underpinned by four core pillars: Empowerment, Strategy, Development, and Sponsorship.

We empower women through curated leadership development programs, cross-industry mentoring, and capacity-building initiatives tailored to elevate women into C-suite, board, and founder roles. Our strategic efforts aim to break systemic barriers and foster pathways to success for women in corporate, public, academic, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

WLF’s work is driven by research and advocacy. Through evidence-based insights, we address the challenges faced by women leaders in navigating complex environments, and advocate for progressive policies that promote gender parity in leadership. We strive to ensure that women — regardless of their background, ethnicity, or faith — have access to the tools, networks, and visibility they need to thrive.

Collaboration is the heart of our work. We partner with government bodies, global organizations, educational institutions, and industry leaders to build a strong support ecosystem for women in leadership. From leadership summits and roundtable dialogues to training bootcamps and high-level forums, we convene change-makers to catalyze collective action and unlock opportunities for the next generation of women leaders.

At WLF, we don’t just develop women leaders — we celebrate them. Join us as we continue to pave the way for inclusive leadership, economic empowerment, and national progress.

Our Pillars

  • Leadership

    We invest in long-term leadership pipelines through capacity-building, coaching, mentorship, training academies, conferences, forums, and strategic board placements — preparing women to lead with vision and integrity.

  • Entrepreneurship

    We spearhead collaborative platforms like the Federation of Women Entrepreneur Associations (FWEA) and have the vision to support institutions such as the Women Co-operative Bank and Women Bank in Malaysia. We also work closely with NGOs to provide resources and networks for entrepreneurial growth.

  • Charity

    Our social initiatives focus on women, youth, and students — with special attention to underserved groups including Orang Asli and persons with disabilities (OKU). We believe that leadership starts with community and compassion.

  • Special Projects

    From large-scale summits to personalized consultation, our special projects span across event management, endorsement & media campaigns and strategic consulting. These efforts create visibility, amplify impact, and build momentum for systemic change.

Our Founders 

  • Tan Sri Paduka Datin Siti Sa'diah Sheikh Bakir

    Founder & Non-Executive Chairman

  • Datuk (Dr.) Hafsah Hashim

    Founder & Chairman

  • Dato' Hazimah Zainuddin

    Founder & Vice Chairman

  • Datuk Zunaidah Idris

    Founder & Vice Chairman

Our Board of Trustees

  • Tan Sri Paduka Datin Siti Sa'diah Sheikh Bakir

    Founder & Non-Executive Chairman

  • Datuk (Dr.) Hafsah Hashim

    Founder & Chairman

  • Dato' Hazimah Zainuddin

    Founder & Vice Chairman

  • Datuk Zunaidah Idris

    Founder & Vice Chairman

  • Ilham Sunhaji

    Board of Trustee

  • Khairiyah Adnan

    Board of Trustee

  • Datu Dr. Hajah Rashidah Bolhassan

    Board of Trustee

  • Madam Lee Pang

    Board of Trustee

  • Datin Elaine Daly

    Board of Trustee

  • Dr. Retta Reddy

    Board of Trustee

Our Team

  • Emylia Liyana Anwar

    Chief Executive Officer

  • Munirah Roslan

    AGM, HR, Finance & Admin

  • Anrania Roslan

    AGM Project & Research

  • Suhaila Azhar

    Assistant Manager Project & Research

  • Shafikah Mahmud

    Senior Executive Project & Research

  • Ainaa Nor Iman

    Executive Project & Research

  • Syazwina Khalid

    Executive Project & Research

  • Siti Sarah Ahmad

    Executive Finance & Admin