LEADING LADIES 👯

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Greetings 👋 

Hi, how was your weekend?

It’s already the second week of March, and we’re putting the spotlight exactly where it belongs: on the incredible women in this community. The ideas you build, the risks you take, and the support you give others are what keep us all moving forward.

This month is a reminder to celebrate your strength and the unique spark you bring to the table. We’re grateful to be part of a community filled with women who never stop pushing for more. ✨

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THIS WEEK: WOMEN’S HEALTH & WELLNESS BRANDS

Are you an AAPI founder ready to elevate your brand alongside trailblazers like these? Join the AHN Directory today to increase visibility, connect with partners and customers, and get featured in AHN spotlights and community events.

San Francisco welcomed the Year of the Horse with its annual Chinese New Year parade, where Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu served as grand marshal. Thousands of spectators gathered along the route from downtown to Chinatown, cheering for the hometown athlete as floats, lion dancers, and performers celebrated Chinese American culture.

The parade, first organized by Chinese immigrants in the 1860s during the California Gold Rush, remains one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia. Attendees praised Gu for representing both her Chinese heritage and her San Francisco roots, calling her a positive symbol of multicultural identity.

Read the full article here.

Vietnam has become the first Southeast Asian country to roll out a national law regulating artificial intelligence, signaling a shift toward stricter oversight of the fast-growing technology. The new rules require AI companies to classify their systems based on risk levels set by the government.

The law also requires businesses to label AI-generated content like deepfakes and clearly tell users when they are interacting with a bot instead of a human. Experts say the move could influence how other countries in Southeast Asia handle AI regulation in the future.

Read the full article here.

South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has been named Jury President for the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which will run from May 12 to May 23, 2026. His appointment marks the first time a Korean filmmaker will lead the festival jury, succeeding last year’s president Juliette Binoche.

Park is a longtime Cannes favorite, winning the Grand Prix for Oldboy in 2004 and Best Director for Decision to Leave in 2022. The festival also highlighted South Korea’s growing influence in global cinema, following milestones such as Bong Joon-ho winning the Palme d’Or for Parasite in 2019.

Read the full article here.

Elenor Mak grew up watching Michelle Yeoh on Cantonese VHS tapes, where seeing an Asian woman lead films shaped how she saw herself growing up. After Yeoh won Best Actress at the Academy Awards, Elenor felt inspired to create a special doll to honor the historic moment and show her daughter that Asian girls can also be the heroes of the story.

The doll took five months to make, with help from supporters across different cities. A stylist in Los Angeles helped design the look, while a supporter in Hong Kong carefully hand-sewed the detailed feathery gown to recreate Yeoh’s iconic Oscars outfit.

After finishing the doll, Elenor spent two years trying to find a way to give it to Yeoh. Her mission finally came true during Yeoh’s ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where the actress lifted the doll on the red carpet as Sandra Oh and Awkwafina cheered nearby.

Read the full article here.

🚀 Deepa Dey, a well-known business mentor, was chosen as a judge for the 2026 Women Leading Change Awards on March 5. In this role, she is helping pick out the top women leaders in Asia who are making a real difference in business and social impact.

🚀 Anne Juepner, Director of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, launched the "Global ImpactPreneur" program on March 3 in partnership with the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation. This new accelerator is designed to help tech startups across the Asia-Pacific region grow their businesses while solving social and environmental problems.

🚀 Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, was named the winner of the inaugural Shireen Lateef Award for Women’s Leadership on March 6. She was recognized for her work in pushing for inclusive growth and making it easier for women in her country to start and run their own businesses.

🚀 Helen Wong, Managing Partner at ACV Capital, shared a new strategic report on March 7 about how female founders are driving profitable growth in Southeast Asia. She highlighted how leaders like Natasha Ardiani of Durianpay are building better payment systems for local merchants, proving that disciplined business models are winning over investors this year.

Unity Tax is the tax advisory arm of Unity Investments, built for founders and business owners navigating complex, real-world decisions.

They align tax planning with how you actually run your business by integrating cash flow planning and capital decisions to optimize after-tax outcomes, not just compliance. Designed for founders and growth-stage companies, they bring institutional-grade tax expertise with the high-touch judgment of a trusted operator.

Backed by capital partners and experienced tax professionals, they provide hands-on guidance, proactive planning, and strategic advisory services. They help you reduce friction during the U.S. tax season while positioning your business for smarter growth, liquidity events, and long-term wealth creation.

Tax season is coming. Work with a team that thinks like an owner.

Managing payroll, HR, and tax compliance requires time, accuracy, and constant attention to changing regulations. For many small and mid-sized businesses, these responsibilities can take focus away from strategic growth.

Through our partnership with ADP, SMB leaders gain access to reliable, cloud-based payroll and human capital management solutions designed to simplify operations while maximizing cash flow. 

How ADP supports your growth:

• AI-Enhanced Payroll: Reduce errors and late penalties with automated filings and AI-powered error detection that flags discrepancies before you pay.

• Maximum Tax Credit Recovery: ADP’s specialists use your payroll data to uncover valuable incentives—including R&D credits (now with expanded eligibility) and Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC).

• Built-In Compliance: Stay ahead of 2026 regulatory shifts, including new retirement plan mandates and updated wage bases, with automated system updates.

• Scalable HR Infrastructure: From your first hire to your 500th, access integrated tools for recruitment, benefits administration, and 24/7 HR advisory support.

Strategic payroll management is a reinvestment in your business. Fill out our form to connect with an ADP specialist for a personalized review of your current payroll process or review of potential payroll tax savings.

Speed Doesn’t Replace Strategy.

AI can surface the numbers in seconds, but numbers alone don’t create clarity.

In fact, many leaders have more financial data than ever yet less clarity about what to do next.

The real challenge isn’t reporting. It’s interpretation. Context. Judgment.

BELAY created the free guide The Future of Financial Leadership to explore why automation is a tool — not a replacement — for experienced financial oversight.

Inside, you’ll learn how the right human support brings structure to your numbers, confidence to your decisions, and focus to your growth strategy.

At BELAY, our U.S.-based Financial Experts help leaders move beyond dashboards and into decisive action.

Because insight doesn’t drive a business forward. Leadership does.

Download BELAY’s Guide!

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