CEO of DBS Group, Ms Tan Su Shan and Co-Founder of Just Keep Thinking, Ms Kong Man Jing Awarded Her World Women of the Year 2026
Singapore, 6 October 2026 - Each year, Her World recognises outstanding women in Singapore for their achievements, excellence and impact. This year, Ms Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS Group, was named Her World Woman of the Year 2026, while Ms Kong Man Jing, co-founder of Just Keep Thinking, was named Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026.
Her World Woman of the Year 2026, Ms Tan Su Shan is recognised for her achievements in banking and her advocacy for women. She broke new ground as the first female Chief Executive of DBS Group, delivering strong results since taking the helm. In her first year as CEO, DBS reported a record pre-tax profit of $13.1 billion. In July 2026, the bank reached $200 billion in market capitalisation, becoming the first Singapore-listed company to do so and placing it among the top 20 banks globally. Ms Tan is also the founding president of the Financial Women’s Association Singapore, which promotes the education, advancement and recognition of women in finance, and supports charitable causes focused on women.
Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026, Ms Kong Man Jing, better known as Biogirl MJ, has made environmental conservation relevant and accessible to young Singaporeans. Armed with a camera and a passion for nature, she co-founded Just Keep Thinking, an environmental education platform she started while working as a science teacher. What began as a passion project in 2019 has grown into Singapore’s largest environmental education media brand, with more than 750,000 followers across social media and a full-time team delivering programmes, publications and partnerships for schools, corporations and families. She also worked with City Developments Limited to transform a decommissioned MRT carriage into the CDL EcoTrain, an interactive learning space that has reached more than 100,000 visitors since opening in March 2025.
Ms Tan and Ms Kong were recognised for their outstanding contributions at the Her World Women of the Year 2026 gala dinner graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health & Coordinating Minister for Social Policies. Details of the winners can be found in Annex A.
The annual Her World Woman of the Year and Young Woman Achiever Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding women in Singapore whose achievements and influence impact their immediate professional space and inspire the community. After months of public nominations and a rigorous selection process, the winners were selected by a judging panel chaired by Ms Jennie Chua, entrepreneur and Chairman of Temasek Foundation, and Her World Woman of the Year 1999. More information on the awards and judging panel can be found in Annex B.
Ms Elizabeth Lee, Editor-in-Chief of Her World, said, “Tan Su Shan and Kong Man Jing exemplify two distinct but equally powerful forms of women’s leadership: one breaking barriers at the highest levels of finance, the other making science, sustainability and climate issues accessible to a new generation. Through hard work, grit and passion, they have demonstrated that achievement is not only about reaching the top, it’s also about opening doors, inspiring others and using their influence to create meaningful impact.”
Her World Woman of the Year 2026, Ms Tan said, “This award is not only a personal honour, but also a testament to the strong support by and partnership with my colleagues, family and friends, who have been integral in my journey over the years. It is equally a recognition of the many outstanding individuals and teams I have had the privilege to work alongside, learn from, and serve with. Going forward, I am committed to fulfilling the responsibility of creating opportunities for future generations, just as I have benefitted from and been inspired by the accomplished women who have come before me. Amid a world undergoing profound change, I believe fundamental human qualities of empathy, curiosity, creativity, resilience, and adaptability will be more essential than before. This has shaped my vision for DBS to be an AI-enabled bank with a heart – placing humans at the centre of all that we do. My hope is for Singapore to be an AI-enabled society with a heart, and I look forward to playing my role in bringing this into fruition and forging a better future.”
Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026, Ms Kong, said, “It’s an incredible honour to be recognised as the Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026, and one that I don’t take for granted. To me, this recognition belongs to those who came before me and paved the way, and those who walk alongside me today - my mentors, fellow advocates, our community and my Just Keep Thinking team - and those who will come after us, especially the youth and kids who inspire me every day. I hope we can continue inspiring people to care, advocate and make a difference.”
The Her World Women of the Year 2026 gala dinner is organised by SPH Media, with support from official partners Cle de Peau Beaute, Shopee, and Singtel.
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ANNEX A
Profile of Winner – Her World Woman of the Year 2026
Her World Woman of the Year 2026 – Ms Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS Group
Her World / Angela Guo
Ms Tan Su Shan broke a glass ceiling as the first female chief executive of DBS Group, Southeast Asia's largest bank, and has delivered outstanding results. In her first year as CEO, DBS reported a record pre-tax profit of $13.1 billion. In July 2026, the bank reached $200 billion in market capitalisation, becoming the first Singapore-listed company to do so and placing it among the top 20 banks globally. The bank’s stock has risen by 60 per cent since she took the helm, a clear indication of investor confidence in her leadership.
Ms Tan is also the founding president of the Financial Women's Association Singapore (FWA), which promotes the education, advancement and recognition of women in finance, and supports charitable causes focused on women. What began as a self-funded project with a group of 12 to 15 women volunteers has grown into a network of roughly 200 individual members and 30 corporate members, from Singapore Exchange to BlackRock.
As a Nominated Member of Parliament from 2012 to 2014, Ms Tan was also among the earliest public figures to lobby for elective egg freezing, long before it was legalised in 2023. With more than 35 years in banking, Ms Tan is one of the most recognised bankers globally. She ranks sixth globally, and first in Asia, on Fortune's 2026 "Most Powerful Women in Business" list, and was named to Forbes' Power Women list in 2025, where she placed 29th.
For her achievements in banking and her advocacy for women, Ms Tan is named Her World's Woman of the Year 2026.
Profile of Winner – Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026
Her World Young Woman Achiever 2026 – Ms Kong Man Jing, co-founder of educational media channel, Just Keep Thinkin
Her World / Angela Guo
Ms Kong Man Jing, better known as Biogirl MJ, has made environmental conservation matter to young Singaporeans, armed with little more than a camera and a deep love for nature. She co-founded Just Keep Thinking, an environmental education platform she built from the ground up while working as a science teacher. What began in 2019 as a passion project has grown into Singapore's largest environmental education media brand, with more than 750,000 followers across social media platforms and a full-time team running programmes, publications and partnerships that reach schools, corporations and families islandwide.
Ms Kong has represented Singapore at international platforms, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Wildlife Trade Conference and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP). Closer to home, she worked with City Developments Limited to convert a decommissioned MRT carriage into the CDL EcoTrain, a colourful, hands-on learning space for children. Since it opened in March 2025, the Eco-Train has reached more than 100,000 children, and through them, their parents, teachers and grandparents.
For inspiring a generation of young Singaporeans to care about environmental conservation, Ms Kong is named Her World's Young Woman Achiever 2026.
ANNEX B
About Her World Woman of the Year Award
Since 1991, the Her World Woman of the Year Award has recognised and celebrated outstanding women in Singapore, and it has become one of the most established and recognisable awards with a distinguished list of winners. In 1999, the Her World Young Woman Achiever Award was created to honour remarkable women aged 35 and below – women whose influence impacts their immediate professional space and who inspire the community we live in.
Her World Woman of the Year Award
The Her World Woman of the Year Award honours a visionary whose achievements have given rise to an everlasting change in the community.
- The candidate must represent and project the best of Singapore, at home or abroad.
- Her exceptional achievements must have made a broad impact on society or an industry.
- She should be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident.
Her World Young Woman Achiever Award
The Her World Young Woman Achiever Award recognises an accomplished young woman who is unafraid of challenging conventional limits.
- The candidate should demonstrate the potential to attain an even higher level of success in her chosen field.
- She is 40 years old or below at the point of nomination.
- She should be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident.
Judging Panel
The winners were selected by a judging panel, after being shortlisted from a public nomination from December 2025 to February 2026. Chaired by Ms Jennie Chua, entrepreneur and Chairman of Temasek Foundation, and 1999 Woman of the Year winner, the judging panel includes:
1. Mr Wong Kim Hoh, Features Editor, The Straits Times
2. Ms Caecilia Chu, Co-Founder, YouTrip
3. Mr Jerold Ng, Director in Group COO Office, Sea
4. Ms Junie Foo, Chairperson of the Singapore Kindness Movement
5. Ms Pat Law, Founder, Goodstuph
6. Mr Tony Soh, Chief Executive Officer, National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre
7. Ms Adreena Lau, Vice-Chairperson, Young Women’s Leadership Connection
8. Ms Joanna Miller, Editorial Director, SPH Media