Initiative to Promote Kindness in Leadership across Asia Pacific Launches

SINGAPORE, March 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural Kindness & Leadership Asia Pacific 50 Leading Lights campaign launches today to challenge how the business world views success and to celebrate and encourage kindness in leadership in the region.

Open to men and women of all ages, the initiative is launched by the Women of the Future Programme and supported by headline sponsor Asia Square. It aims to shine a light on 50 individuals across Asia Pacific who are building a new status quo grounded on kindness and respect, and who are overturning leadership stereotypes.

Pinky Lilani CBE DL, Founder, Women of the Future (WOF) Programme, said, "My vision is to inspire others and recast kindness not as a weakness in leadership, but as an essential strength that empowers positive change and drives sustained growth. In a year characterised by radical change, it is kind leadership that is taking centre stage. Leaders across the globe who have led with kindness and empathy have given us greater confidence and hope -- we have been more open to their ideas and the difficult decisions they have faced."

Said Lilani, "The impact of kindness in leadership extends beyond a company's four walls and benefits the economy and society as a whole. By empowering others to succeed, and inspiring creativity and productivity, kind leaders have proven that you can transform organisations in a positive way through fostering true collaboration."

Together with the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, The Kindness & Leadership Asia Pacific 50 Leading Lights campaign has explored the characteristics associated with kind leaders. Those who are deeply thoughtful of others and show humanity, generosity and compassion, and are dedicated to supporting the well-being of others and fostering a spirit of collaboration are the specific traits that will be looked for within the nomination.

"People do not forget acts of kindness. If we can encourage more leaders at all levels to follow their example, we can help change the perceptions of 'strong' leadership. We want kindness to be seen as a strength in leadership, as a quality and a currency that empowers change," she added.

Said Hugh Andrew, Managing Director of Blackrock Real Assets, "Asia Square is privileged and honoured to support the Kindness & Leadership Asia Pacific 50 Leading Lights initiative. In today's fragile political, business, and social climate, we are seeing a resurgence of debate over what constitutes effective leadership. Kindness is a vital attribute in this conversation. It builds trust, confidence and loyalty, and we need to change the dialogue that it is a 'nice to have' and to showcase that it is an essential component of strong leadership."

Nominations are now open at https://www.kindnessrules.co.uk/asiapacific/^[1]

Criteria for the nominations:

The candidates can be male or female and there are no restrictions on age.
Candidates have been working and based in the Asia Pacific region for at least two years.
We are looking for leaders in their fields -- those in a position of leadership that can directly affect the culture of the company and industry within which they work.
Candidates must be nominated by another and cannot self-nominate.
Those nominating will need to write a citation about the candidate that clearly demonstrates their leadership impact through kindness.
We will also require two testimonials from people that have been impacted by the candidate.

Nominations close on 19 May, 2021

Entrants will be reviewed by a distinguished panel comprising representatives from different industry sectors including:

Vicki Treadell -- British High Commissioner to Australia (Judge Chairman)
Dr Swait Piramal -- Vice Chairman, Piramal Enterprises
Hugh Andrew -- Managing Director, Blackrock Real Assets
Jo Tyndall -- New Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore
Rupen Desai -- Global Chief Marketing Officer, Dole Packaged Foods

The Asia Pacific 50 Leading Lights List will be announced on 7 October, 2021.

Please view document here.^[2]

For more information, please visit:

https://www.kindnessrules.co.uk/asiapacific/^[3]

Instagram: kindnessrules_Twitter: KindnessRules

Hashtag: #leadwithkindness

About Women of the Future

Women of the Future ("WOF") Programme is a portfolio of events and projects that support and celebrate the successes of women through the WOF Awards, WOF Summit, WOF Ambassadors and WOF Network. WOF was founded in 2006 by Pinky Lilani CBE DL and Cherie Blair CBE is Awards patron.

WOF is a movement focused on kindness and collaboration in the workplace, galvanising a community of influential women to work together as a new generation of talent across business, media, culture and public service.