Four Australians of Indian origin have been named among the 40 most influential Asian-Australians of 2022, judged across the fields of arts and culture, public sector, sport, science and medicine, community and advocacy, corporate, education, entrepreneurship, legal and professions, and media.
Sujeet Rana, Chief Digital Office of NAB, was among the finalists in the Corporate category while Jayant Sharma, Partner at Ernst and Young (EY) has been named a finalist in the Legal & Professional category.
Sonu Bhaskar, who was also announced the inaugural winner of the Australian Global Talent Award, has been shortlisted in the category of Science & Medicine.
Asha Clementi, the founder and CEO of Girls Run the World, a program to empower young women to connect with the diplomatic community, was a finalist for Under 25 Rising Star.
The finalists were announced in a gala dinner in Sydney today.
“An Asia-capable and connected Australia is fundamental to Australia’s future,” said Martine Letts, Asialink CEO. “The 40 under 40 Awards are unique as they highlight for the first time the key contribution talented Asian-Australians make in all productive sectors of our community – in the arts, research and education, media, sport, business and public life.”
The 40 Most Influential Asian-Australian Awards, now in its fourth year, is an initiative of the Australian National University Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership, Asialink at the University of Melbourne and Johnson Partners. It recognises the brightest and most ambitious Asian-Australian talent in the country.
Western Sydney Vietnamese-Australian lawyer Tu Le has been named the overall winner this year for her advocacy against the exploitation of temporary visa and migrant workers and for facilitating a program for men from minority communities. Last year, she famously went for ALP preselection in the safe seat of Fowler, a largely Vietnamese and culturally diverse electorate, against Kristina Keneally.
The other category winners include UNSW’s Rona Chandrawati (Science & Medicine), Belinda Bentley (Entrepreneurship), Michelle Law (Arts & culture), Mahjabeen Zaman (Corporate), Sabrina Li (Education), Councillor Joseph Haweil (Public Sector / Government), Drew Ambrose (Media) and Matthew Joseph Floro (Legal & Professional).
Jieh-Yung Lo, founding director of The Australian National University Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership, noted these awards have shined a light on the incredible leadership talent and potential of Asian-Australians – but there is still a long way to go.
“There is a lack of recognition of and focus on leveraging Asian-Australian talent. We need to call out and address the negative impacts created by the bamboo ceiling,” he added.
“Nearly one in five people in Australia has an Asian cultural heritage, yet only about 3 per cent of senior management positions are held by Asian-Australians.
“The key barriers preventing Asian-Australian talent from reaching leadership roles within Australian organisations are cultural bias and stereotyping; westernised leadership models; lack of relationship capital such as access to mentors, sponsors and high-powered and influential networks, and the case for cultural diversity not understood within organisations and workplaces.”
READ MORE: Charishma Kaliyanda in the 40 Under 40 Asian Australians list for 2021