The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new initiative under its Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) aimed at addressing one of the most persistent gaps in the financial sector, the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles within trade and treasury.

The Women Leaders in Trade (WLT) initiative, announced this week, is designed to support mid-level women professionals from partner banks across Asia as they transition into leadership roles. The pilot programme features a cohort of 12 women bankers selected from across TSCFP’s network, each identified by their institutions as having leadership potential. These participants will undergo a three-month blended coaching experience called ChangeUp, led by leadership coach Mim Bartlett.

While the gender gap in junior positions across banking and trade finance has narrowed in recent years, advancement into senior roles remains a key challenge, sometimes described as the “broken rung” on the leadership ladder. WLT is an attempt to address this structural bottleneck head-on.

Investing in the middle tier

Unlike many leadership programs that focus either on early career or C-suite women, WLT focuses on the middle management layer, where drop-off rates for female progression tend to be highest. Participants, all of whom have 10–15 years of industry experience, will benefit from a combination of virtual coaching, reflective exercises, and peer exchange, culminating in an in-person graduation event alongside the TSCFP Awards in Singapore.

The curriculum is structured to strengthen participants’ leadership styles, personal resilience, and strategic decision-making capabilities. Particular emphasis is placed on building networks across geographies and institutions, with mentorship from senior executives at multilateral and international financial institutions forming a core component of the experience.

A Diverse, Regional Cohort

The 2025 pilot cohort brings together 12 women from 10 countries and a range of institutional profiles:

• Lailun Nahar Tonny, BRAC Bank PLC (Bangladesh)
• Shama Ali, Prime Bank PLC (Bangladesh)
• Sophear Bith, Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia (Cambodia)
• Tamar Gugushvili, TBC Bank (Georgia)
• Unengerel Chuluunbat, Golomt Bank JSC (Mongolia)
• Puja Karki, Prabhu Bank Ltd. (Nepal)
• Fozia Nasreen, HBL (Pakistan)
• Sidra Arshad, Meezan Bank Limited (Pakistan)
• Niroshini Opatha, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC (Sri Lanka)
• Nozimakhon Abrarova, Asia Alliance Bank (Uzbekistan)
• Dang Truc Chi, HDBank (Viet Nam)
• Bui Thu Trang, BIDV (Viet Nam)

Taken together, the participants reflect the breadth of the TSCFP network and the emerging leadership potential embedded in many of Asia’s local and regional banks.

Mentorship pairing

Another feature of the WLT initiative is a mentorship programme. Each participant is paired with a senior executive from the global trade finance community, offering not only guidance but also access to global perspectives on leadership, inclusion, and growth.

There are 11 mentors supporting this year’s pilot programme:

• Zuzana Franz, Oddo BHF (Germany)
• Jing Zhang, J.P. Morgan (Singapore)
• Le Nguyen Hoang Anh, Swiss Re (Singapore)
• Jessica Jia, Deutsche Bank (location TBC)
• Bidisha Gupta, HSBC (India)
• Delna Delvadavala, Standard Chartered (Singapore)
• Angela Kuo, OCBC (Singapore)
• Jia Yu Liu, Bank of China (location TBC)
• Clémence Avril, Crédit Agricole (France)
• Angel Cheung-Horenfeldt 張欣雋, Citi (Singapore)
• Kat Rodriguez, Wells Fargo (Philippines)

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right support, the next generation of women leaders in trade is already on its way.