KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Wan Nadiah Wan Abdullah Yaakob, CEO of the Thomson Hospital in Kota Damansara, Selangor, is the only Malaysian to be listed in Forbes Asia’s top 29 Power Businesswomen this year.

The group CEO and executive director of TMC Life Sciences (TMCLS), is better known by her shortened name Nadiah Wan.

Forbes Asia said the list — which ranks the top 20 female business leaders in Asia — highlights those who have adapted and thrived in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Our listees this year hold leadership roles across industries spanning banking and private equity to manufacturing, healthcare and technology. All of them have marked new milestones — and in many cases expanded their businesses — despite the lingering pandemic.

"These 20 women, in their 30s to their 70s from around the Asia-Pacific region, demonstrate that gender and age can’t stand in the way of success,” Forbes Asia said in a statement announcing its 2021 list.

It added that all the women highlighted this year are newcomers to the list, and were selected for their achievements in managing either a business with a sizable revenue or a startup valued at over US$100 million (RM414.9 million).

The 37-year-old Nadiah was recognised for her efforts as CEO of the TMCLS flagship in Malaysia where she introduced a Covid-19 task force at the hospital and launched a mobile app, providing remote end-to-end patient care from appointments, screening and assessments to rehab services and medication delivery.

According to Forbes Asia, TMCLS posted a revenue of RM201 million, up 6 per cent, for the financial year that ended in June despite the Covid-19 pandemic toll on Malaysia’s medical tourism industry.

"Profit after tax was RM20 million, up 86 per cent year on year, mainly due to a deferred tax liability.

"TMC’s expansion plans include tripling capacity at its hospital to 600 beds, and adding two catheterization labs, 154 outpatient clinics, 11 delivery suites and ten operating theaters,” Forbes Asia said.

TMCLS is a part of the Thomson Medical Group, which is one of the largest healthcare operators for women and children in Singapore.

Nadiah was appointed executive director of TMCLS in February 2019. Prior to that, she was the chief operating officer at Sunway Medical Centre after being promoted from director of its business development and corporate communications in October 2016.

She holds a Masters in Public Health (Nutrition) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK and an academic degree in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard College, USA. She currently serves as vice-president of the Harvard Club of Malaysia.

Others on the Forbes Asia 2021 list include Indonesian Marina Budiman, co-founder and president commissioner of DCI Indonesia — the largest data centre operator in Indonesia  — and China’s Cao Xiaochun, who co-founded medical firm Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting in 2004 with her husband Ye Xiaoping.

Japan and Singapore had the most representation in The Forbes Asia’s 2021 Asia’s Power Businesswomen list. The two countries each had three business women featured.

Indonesia, India, South Korea and Hong Kong had two business women each while China, Australia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia all had one business woman featured.