Amid rising inequality challenges, Daughters of Tomorrow appoints new board president

Daughters of Tomorrow (DOT), the Singapore-based non-profit supporting low-income women into sustained employment, has appointed Von Leong as its new Board President effective 1 June 2025. This appointment comes at a time when widening social divides and accelerating digital technologies are creating mounting challenges for non-professionals, managers, executives and technicians (non-PMET) women in Singapore’s workforce.

Previously named Advocate of the Year at the Women in IT Awards Asia, Leong brings with her over two decades of experience spanning public service, technology, venture capital and philanthropy. She has held senior positions across AWS Global, IBM APAC and AON Greater China, managing budgets of up to US$50 million and driving revenue growth of up to US$1.6 billion across three continents.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Leong has long been active in tackling social issues, especially in inclusivity. She is co-founder of Purpose Venture Capital, a social venture capital that invests in purpose-driven companies, where half of her portfolio comprises women-founded or co-founded start-ups.

Additionally, she has held leadership roles in social impact institutions such as the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), where she led sector-wide reforms, launched sector salary guidelines and channelled millions of dollars into capability-building initiatives.

Her experience in bridging the commercial and social sectors reflects the strategic direction DOT is seeking to take as it scales its impact. Since its founding in 2014, the organisation has supported more than 3,000 women between the ages of 17 and 63, many of whom come from low-income families in government-subsidised rental flats. These women often face overlapping challenges such as caregiving responsibilities, health issues, digital exclusion and systemic inequalities, which limits their access to mainstream career support services.

“Singapore’s economic future cannot afford to leave behind those at the margins,” said Leong. “Low-income women are disproportionately impacted by job displacement, caregiving burdens, and digital exclusion. I’m honoured to work with the DOT community to change that narrative through systems thinking, grassroots innovation, and sustainable scaling.”

Her track record in crisis leadership underscores that ambition. For example, during the COVID-19 circuit breaker, she mobilised 6,000 volunteers through the Masks For All SG initiative, delivering over 650,000 reusable masks nationwide. Today, she continues to contribute to socially-driven ventures as a board member of Shaofen Labs and holds appointments with the Artificial Intelligence Institute and the Global Fintech Institute.

“Von’s appointment as the Board President is more than a leadership change,” said Kaylee Kua, Executive Director of Daughters Of Tomorrow.

“With Von’s vast trisector experience, DOT looks forward to not just being a part of the ecosystem in enabling financial stability for women, but also being a thought leader in uplifting the lives of low-income families. Her ability to straddle sectors, scale innovation and stay anchored to the ground will be instrumental as we alleviate the inequality and prepare women for the demands of a new economy.”

Recently, Microsoft released a list of jobs that overlap with artificial intelligence, fuelling fresh debate about employment uncertainty. While such disruptions affect all workers, women in the non-PMET workforce are disproportionately vulnerable.

Through its programmes, which include mentorship, confidence coaching, skills training, and employer partnerships, DOT hopes to create long-term pathways to social mobility for those at risk of being left behind. The appointment of Leong comes at a pivotal time, as the organisation seeks to scale its programmes and larger impact, and help more women from low-income backgrounds be financially self-sufficient in this period of ever-shifting workforce demands.