Women in EV in APAC

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Women in EV in APAC
Here we celebrate the Top 10 Women in EV across the APAC region, including Vinfast, Geely, Mahindra Electric, Mitsubishi, Kia, Tata Motors, Nissan & Toyota
Shikha Sharma, Mahindra Electric

Mahindra Electric is the force behind electric cars like the Mahindra e2o Plus, eVerito and eKUV100. 

Ms. Shikha Sharma is the Independent Director at Mahindra Electric. She has two Post Graduate Diplomas, one in Management and one in Software Technology, as well as a BA in Economics. Prior to her current role, Shikha was the Managing Director and CEO of Axis Bank, India's third largest private sector bank.

9. Mary Sagiya Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Japan

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation manufactures electronics and electrical equipment, using smart manufacturing technologies to enhance industrial processes and productivity. It has produced several electric vehicles, such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Outlander PHEV. 

Mary Sagiya is the Independent Director at Mitsubishi, a position she took on in 2022. Previously in her career, she joined IBM in 1985 and rose to become Senior Vice President in 2005. She then spent time as an Executive at SAP and Salesforce.

8. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh

Founded in 2017, VinFast is a member of Vingroup, the largest private enterprise in the country, the company is dedicated to creating a sustainable future for everyone with its electric vehicles. 

In the six months Nguyen has spent at Vinfast, she has held three positions, starting out as Deputy Chief Financial Officer Trading and Production, then Chief Financial Officer Trading and Production. In January 2024, she was promoted to Chief Financial Officer of the whole of Vinfast.

7. Wei Mei

Geely

China

7. Wei Mei, Geely

Geely is the force behind brands such as Geely Auto, Livan, Volvo and Lotus, as well as EV-only brands Polestar and Zeekr. 

Wei Mei is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Geely Holding Group, as well as an Executive Director of Geely Automobile Holdings Co., Ltd. She joined the company in 2009 and in her role, leads group operation management, digitalisation and IT-related business. Wei studied Master of Management in 1999 at Ocean University and received a Doctorate in Management from Northwest A&F University in 2006.

6. Li Hong Shuan

Great Wall Motors 

China

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Great Wall Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Baoding, Hebei. In 2022,  Li Hong Shuan joined the company as the Chief Financial Officer and Director. Before this, she worked at Baoding Great Wall Holdings, as the Assistant to the Head of Finance and Chief Financial Controller.

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At the Women's Worldwide Car of the Year, out of 63 contenders, the Kia EV9 was named ‘World's Best Car for 2024’. It was recognised for its affordability and user-friendliness, as well as its aerodynamics and advanced technology. 

On the Board of Directors, sits Jennifer Hyunjong Shin, who entered into her role in March 2022. She works across the sustainability management committee and outside director recommendation committee.

4. Mrs. Usha Sangwan

Tata Motors

India

4. Usha Sangwan

Usha Sangwan is the Non-Executive, Independent Director at Tata Motors. She has a postgraduate degree in Economics, a PG diploma in Human Resource Management and a Licentiate from the Insurance Institute of India.

She was included in Forbes magazine’s top 50 businesswomen in Asia and received the ‘Most Powerful Businesswoman Award’ from Business Today and Business World. Usha is a member of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, as well the Financial Services Institutions Bureau of the Government of India.

Keiko Ihara, Nissan

Nissan is based in Yokohama, Japan, and since 1933 has manufactured SUVs, sports cars, sedans and more. Nissan believes that the future of mobility will need a global ecosystem to support sustainable and equitable transportation solutions. Keiko Ihara is the Independent Outside Director and Chair of the Compensation Committee. She studied economics at Hosei University in 1997 and went on to work in a range of roles. 

Keiko served as Member of Japan House Advisory Board, Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2015 and later worked as a member of Industrial Structure Council for Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. 

In 2018, she became Outside Director at Nissan and then in 2020, Project professor at Keio University Graduate School of Media Design. Keiko has also been the Asian representative for the Women in Motorsports Commission and female representative at the FIA Drivers Commission.

Emi Osono

Founded in 1937, Toyota has spent decades innovating its self-charging technology. Now, drivers don’t need to plug in the Toyota Corolla, as it switches from electric energy to a mix of petrol and electric power, to fully optimise driving performance. The company is also passionate about safety features, from brake assistance to road user detection.

Emi Osono is an Executive Bio Member of the Board of Directors at Toyota. Born in 1965, Emi studied Science in Commerce and Management at Hitotsubashi University in 1988. This was followed by an MA in Business Administration at The George Washington University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Commerce and Management back at Hitotsubashi University.

Emi worked at Hitotsubashi University Business School and was a Board of Director at Tokio Marine Holdings, before becoming a Member of the Board of Directors at Toyota Motor Corporation in 2023. She published ‘Extreme Toyota’ in 2008, detailing what makes one of the world’s best companies run smoothly.

​​​​​​​1. Vedika Bhandarkar

Tata Motors

India

Vedika Bhandarkar, Tata Motors, India

One of the top players in India's automotive sector, Tata Motors is also a name in the electric bus sector. Tata Motors has more than 600 operational electric buses throughout India, helping the company move towards sustainable public transport. 

Vedika Bhandarkar is the Non-Executive Independent Director at Tata Motors, which she joined in 2019. She has over 25 years of experience in leading teams, starting with her MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. Vedika began her career at ICICI Bank in 1989 and went onto work at Credit Suisse Securities J.P. Morgan and Water.org. She is also a board member at the Jai Vakeel Foundation and is also a part-time member of the Banks Board Bureau. 
 

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