Filipina excellence in entrepreneurship recognized in IWEC conference in Peru

MANILA, Philippines - Over 100 women entrepreneurs from Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America were gathered to celebrate the Seventh Annual International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge Conference (IWEC) in Peru last November 10-13.

The conference recognized successful women entrepreneurs from numerous industries including fashion, manufacturing, electronics, education, health services, computer software, and other enterprises. 

IWEC’s mission is to present a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience, and connectivity and to promote dialogue among women entrepreneurs and business leaders throughout the world. Through these educational dialogs, women business owners can further develop their companies, raise their profiles in mentoring younger employees or other entrepreneurs and expand their markets.

IWEC was initiated in 2006 by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce in association with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce with the US Department of State and was joined by Chamber Trade of Capetown South Africa, and Chamber Trade of Sweden.  After its first conference in 2007, IWEC holds annual conferences and continue to expand by inviting other chambers to participate and recognize new awardees from different countries.

This year’s conference honored successful women from 13 countries including Myrna T. Yao, president and CEO of Richwell Trading Corp. and Richprime Global Inc.  Of all the prominent women who appeared in the conference, only Yao was commended in Southeast Asia, joining other countries like Canada, Columbia, Bolivia, Spain, Sweden, South Africa and United States among others.

Yao has always been an advocate of women empowerment having been involved in various organizations that aim to uplift women’s self reliance and competence. 

Yao is the founding president of the Filipino-Chinese Federation of Business and Professional Women of the Philippines and the founding chairperson of Philippine Federation of Local Councils of Women (PFLCW).

These are among the biggest non-government organization in the country.  She is also awardee of PLDT Bossing and Go Negosyo in previous years.

Yao’s efforts and involvement in programs and projects for and by women is distinguished in several institutional excellence awards such as the Global Summit of Women, the Beijing Award for Entrepreneur and the recent Exemplary Women of Asia 2013.