Top 15 Female Keynote Speakers on Leadership and Innovation

In 2024–2025, leadership and innovation will be redefined by rapid AI adoption, shifting global economies, and growing demands for purpose-driven business. Organizations are seeking keynote speakers who can inspire and deliver actionable strategies for thriving in this climate.

This list spotlights 15 exceptional female keynote speakers — seven based in China and eight from across Asia and the world — whose expertise spans technology, sustainability, retail, government, and beyond. 

Each brings a proven record of leading change, shaping industries, and guiding audiences through the challenges and opportunities of today’s interconnected world.

Leading Female Keynote Speakers in China & Across the Globe

China’s fast-paced growth and tech innovation have produced world-class thought leaders. These seven women, including entrepreneurs, technologists, and business pioneers, are based in China and offer rich expertise in leadership and innovation.

1. Ashley Dudarenok – Digital China Marketing & Innovation Expert

Bio & Achievements

Ashley Dudarenok is a leading authority and keynote speaker on China’s fast-evolving digital economy, consumer trends, and retail innovation. 

She is the founder of Alarice (a China marketing agency) and ChoZan (a digital consultancy), and she advises Fortune 500 companies and global brands on how to succeed in the Chinese market.

Key career highlights include:

• Named a “guru on digital marketing and fast-evolving trends in China” by Thinkers50
• Selected for Alibaba’s Global Influencer Entourage (2017) and JD.com’s Global China Experts Group (2018)
• Bestselling author of 10+ books on China’s consumers, social media, and innovation
• Delivered 300+ keynotes across Asia, Europe, and North America
• Featured in media including BBC, Forbes, SCMP, and Campaign Asia

Impact & Keynote Topics

Ashley bridges East–West business knowledge, making China’s complex digital ecosystem clear and actionable for global audiences. Her expertise spans China’s “new retail,” e-commerce platforms, AI-driven personalization, and shifting consumer behaviors.

Her keynote themes include:

• Customer-centric digital transformation: lessons from China’s tech giants
• The future of retail: integrating online, offline, and social commerce
• Emerging consumer trends: Gen Z, sustainability, and live commerce
• Innovation strategy: how to apply China’s speed and adaptability to global markets

Ashley is known for combining high-energy delivery with immediately actionable takeaways. She regularly shares case studies from brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, and Shiseido, showing how they adapted to China’s unique digital environment.

As a sought-after advisor and speaker in 2024–2025, Ashley helps companies reimagine their strategies using China’s innovations as a blueprint for global success. Audiences consistently rate her sessions as clear, inspiring, and packed with insights they can apply right away.

2. Jennifer Zhu Scott – AI Investor and Tech Visionary

Bio & Achievements

Jennifer (Jen) Zhu Scott is a leading voice in artificial intelligence applications, blockchain, and the digital economy. She is the founding partner of IN Capital, a deep-tech investment firm based in China.

Her career highlights include:

• Named to Forbes’ World’s Top 50 Women in Tech (2018)
• Listed among Fortune’s Most Influential Businesswomen in China (2021)
• Co-founded one of China’s first education startups
• Former Head of Business Development, APAC, at Thomson Reuters
• Chair of The Commons Project Foundation, advancing global health data interoperability during COVID-19.

Impact & Keynote Topics

Jen is one of the few women from mainland China on the global tech keynote stage, offering a rare East–West perspective on innovation. Her presentations simplify complex technologies such as AI, cryptocurrency, and China’s digital currency strategies, showing their real-world business impact.

She has addressed audiences at the World Economic Forum, co-chaired the Fortune Global Tech Forum, and reached over 3 million viewers with her TED Talk “Why you should get paid for your data.”

In her talks, Jen often focuses on:

• Bridging innovation between East and West
• How Chinese tech advances in AI and fintech are reshaping markets
• Strategic leadership in the AI era
• Building inclusive and ethical tech governance

Audiences leave with practical strategies for fostering innovation while navigating the evolving global tech landscape.

3. Sharon Gai – Retail Innovation & AI Advocate

Bio & Achievements

Sharon Gai is a globally recognized expert in AI, e-commerce, and retail innovation, best known for her work at Alibaba Group. As a product leader, she helped global brands scale through consumer-to-manufacturer (C2M) strategies, using big data, AI, and advanced supply chain technology.

Career milestones include:

• Named a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Influencer
• Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in 2024
• Author of Ecommerce Reimagined
• Degrees from McGill and Columbia University, combining technical expertise with global business insight

Impact & Keynote Topics

Fluent in both Western and Chinese retail ecosystems, Sharon delivers practical insights on AI-driven retail transformation. She has spoken at TEDx, Singularity University, and corporate events for UBS, Deloitte, Walmart, LVMH, and Nestlé.

Her keynotes often explore:

• Cultural e-commerce and market adaptation
• Future of AI in retail and supply chain
• Real-world lessons from Alibaba’s ecosystem
• Efficiency strategies: doing “more with less” using AI

Sharon enriches her talks with case studies like live-stream shopping and smart logistics. As host of Alibaba’s B2B Breakthrough podcast, she stays ahead of emerging trends, ensuring her presentations are current, actionable, and easy for diverse audiences to follow.

4. Edith Yeung – Venture Capitalist & China Tech Trendspotter

Bio & Achievements

Edith Yeung is a prominent venture capitalist and technology executive recognized for her deep insights into China’s internet and startup landscape. She is a partner at 500 Startups (Greater China), where she has invested in over 40 companies across AI, blockchain, and mobile technology.

Notable achievements include:

• Creator of the China Internet Report, a leading resource on Chinese digital trends
• Former general partner at Proof of Capital, a blockchain-focused VC fund
• Leadership roles at Sequoia Capital-backed Dolphin Browser, Siebel, and Autodesk
• Named by Inc. magazine as one of the “Silicon Valley investors you must know.”

Impact & Keynote Topics

Bilingual and culturally fluent, Edith offers audiences a cross-border view of tech innovation. She frequently speaks on how China’s digital advances—from super-app ecosystems to fintech innovation—are reshaping global business.

Her speaking portfolio includes:

• Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC) and other major tech forums
• Keynotes on China’s unique consumer behavior and digital platforms
• Strategic insights for companies entering or partnering with the Chinese market

Edith’s keynotes often address:

• Why China’s online population behaves differently from Western users
• What global companies can learn from Chinese giants like Alibaba and Tencent
• Opportunities and risks in blockchain, AI, and mobile-first innovation

Drawing on her investment portfolio and operational experience, she delivers actionable strategies for staying competitive in fast-changing tech sectors. Her talks are praised for blending market data, startup case studies, and candid lessons from both successes and failures.

5. Peggy Liu – Sustainability Innovator & “Green Goddess of China”

Bio & Achievements

Peggy Liu is an internationally recognized environmentalist and social entrepreneur driving China’s transition to a sustainable future. She is the Chairperson of JUCCCE (Joint US–China Collaboration on Clean Energy) and has been leading cross-border initiatives since 2007.

Career highlights include:

• Nicknamed the “Green Goddess of China” by Chinese media
• World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
• Recipient of the Hillary Step Award for climate leadership
• Former MIT-trained engineer, McKinsey consultant, and Silicon Valley entrepreneur

She has educated over a thousand Chinese officials on sustainable city design, smart grids, and energy efficiency, helping position China as a world leader in clean tech.

Impact & Keynote Topics

Peggy specializes in societal-scale change and the leadership strategies required to achieve it. Her talks draw from her hands-on work solving China’s most urgent environmental challenges, including pollution, drought, and urbanization.

Her keynote themes often include:

• Tornado Leadership: mobilizing diverse stakeholders for impact
• Sustainable consumerism and eco-friendly innovation
• Building resilient, future-ready cities
• Women’s leadership in sustainability and climate action

Through stories of large-scale collaborations – such as the first U.S.–China clean energy dialog – Peggy shows how governments, businesses, and communities can work together to achieve ambitious environmental goals. 

Her presentations are known for being visionary yet practical, inspiring audiences to see sustainability as both a responsibility and an opportunity for innovation.

6. Zhang Xin – Real Estate Entrepreneur & Visionary Leader

Bio & Achievements

Zhang Xin is one of China’s most acclaimed self-made business leaders, celebrated for reshaping Beijing’s skyline through bold urban innovation. She co-founded SOHO China, serving as CEO and spearheading projects that blend avant-garde architecture with commercial success.

Key milestones include:

• Introduced the “Small Office/Home Office” (SOHO) concept to Beijing’s property market
• Developed landmark projects such as SOHO New Town and Galaxy SOHO
• Featured on Forbes and Fortune lists of the Most Powerful Women in Business
• Rose from factory work as a teenager to earning a master’s in Development Economics from Cambridge University

Impact & Keynote Topics

Zhang’s career illustrates creativity, resilience, and market foresight. She has transformed traditional real estate by integrating design excellence, community focus, and business strategy.

Her speaking topics often cover:

• Innovating within traditional industries
• Scaling a startup into a publicly listed company
• Women’s leadership in large-scale enterprises
• Balancing profitability with design and sustainability

Drawing on her journey from poverty to corporate leadership, Zhang shares candid lessons on overcoming challenges, breaking norms, and leading with vision. Her talks resonate with audiences seeking inspiration on entrepreneurial growth, cross-cultural business strategy, and urban innovation.

7. ShaoLan Hsueh – Creator of Chineasy, TED Speaker & Cultural Innovator

Bio & Achievements

ShaoLan Hsueh is a Taiwan-born, London-based entrepreneur, author, and designer. She is the founder of Chineasy, a visual Chinese language learning system introduced in her 2013 TED Talk.

Career highlights include:

• Author of four best-selling software books in Taiwan
• Co-founder of internet company pAsia, backed by Intel, Goldman Sachs, and Citi
• Founder of Caravel Capital, advising tech startups
• Named among the Sunday Times’ “Leading Ladies in Tech” (2015)
• Winner of Wallpaper*’s “Life-Enhancer of the Year” and multiple D&AD design awards

Chineasy products include books in 19 languages, flashcards, and a mobile app recognized by Apple as an Editor’s Choice and Apple Design Awards finalist.

Impact & Keynote Topics

ShaoLan combines design, language, and culture to make Chinese more accessible to global audiences. Her TED Talks, “Learn to read Chinese … with ease!” and “The Chinese Zodiac Explained”, have been viewed millions of times.

Her keynote themes include:

• Bridging Eastern and Western cultures through design
• Using visual storytelling for language learning
• Cultural literacy and symbolism
• Building educational brands for global markets

She developed Chineasy by breaking down thousands of Chinese characters into simple visual components and collaborating with designer Noma Bar. This method has been adopted by learners, educators, and cultural institutions worldwide.

8. Christine Zhenwei Qiang – Global Director of Digital Transformation, World Bank

Bio & Achievements

Dr. Christine Zhenwei Qiang is the World Bank’s Global Director of Digital Development. She leads programs to expand broadband access, strengthen cybersecurity, and promote AI and sustainable digital policies in developing countries.

Key career highlights include:

• Over 25 years at the World Bank in ICT, investment climate, and competitiveness policy
• Editor of the Global Information and Communications Reports (2006, 2009) and Global Investment Competitiveness Reports (2017–18, 2019–20)
• Contributor to the Digital Trends and Policies Reports (2023, 2025)
• Holds a Ph.D. in Economics and an M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from Johns Hopkins University

Impact & Keynote Topics

Christine is a leading voice on digital inclusion and sustainable technology adoption. She works with governments and private sector partners to design policies and investments that close digital gaps and foster economic growth.

Her keynote themes include:

• Broadband expansion and inclusive digital infrastructure
• AI’s role in sustainable development
• Cybersecurity and digital governance frameworks
• Strategies for bridging gender and geographic divides in technology

Christine’s sessions offer data-driven insights and practical policy recommendations, making her a trusted speaker for audiences seeking to align innovation with inclusive, long-term development goals.

9. Jean Liu (Liu Qing) – Transformative Tech Leader in Mobility

Bio & Achievements

Jean Liu is the President of DiDi Chuxing, the world’s largest mobile transportation platform. She played a central role in DiDi’s rapid expansion, including the acquisition of Uber China in 2016.

Career highlights include:

• Oversaw operations serving 400+ cities and hundreds of millions of users
• Forged global ride-hailing partnerships to extend DiDi’s reach
• Former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Asia
• Named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and featured in Forbes and Fortune rankings of influential businesswomen

Impact & Keynote Topics

Jean is recognized for leading innovation at scale while building an inclusive corporate culture. She has guided DiDi through fast growth, industry disruption, and complex regulatory challenges.

Her keynote themes often include:

• Technology’s role in solving urban challenges like congestion and pollution
• AI and data in transforming mobility and improving quality of life
• Creating flexible employment opportunities for millions
• Empathetic leadership and diversity in tech

Jean shares personal insights on balancing bold vision with ethical responsibility, highlighting how transportation can be both a business and a public good. Her talks inspire audiences to see leadership as a force for positive, large-scale impact.

10. Carol Z. (Ying) Yu – Media Innovator & Education Leader

Bio & Achievements

Carol Yu is a former senior editor and host of the Phoenix TV interview series “Visionaries,” where she focused on tech, health, education, and societal change—earning awards for business journalism. 

She is now an Associate Dean at Shenzhen InnoX Academy, where she leads innovation and entrepreneurship education and has helped launch over 200 startups.

Impact & Keynote Topics

Carol blends media storytelling with practical startup mentorship. Her keynote themes often include:

• Communicating complex innovation stories through media
• Cultivating entrepreneurial ecosystems through education
• Trends in deep tech and societal transformation via storytelling

Her unique perspective bridges the worlds of media, education, and innovation, perfect for audiences seeking insight into how narrative shapes the future of tech and society.

11. Indra Nooyi – Former PepsiCo CEO Driving Purposeful Innovation

Bio & Achievements

Indra Nooyi is an iconic global business leader who served as Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2019, overseeing one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. 

She was the architect of “Performance with Purpose,” a strategy combining sustainable growth with healthier products, reduced environmental impact, and community empowerment.

Career highlights include:

• Grew PepsiCo’s revenues by 80% and total shareholder return by 162%, outperforming the S&P 500
• One of the first women and women of color to lead a Fortune 50 company
• Yale MBA and recipient of 15 honorary degrees
• Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
• Board member at Amazon and leadership mentor at West Point
• Author of the bestselling memoir My Life in Full

Impact & Keynote Topics

Nooyi’s talks resonate with C-suite executives and emerging leaders alike. She combines strategic insight with authentic storytelling. She is known for leading PepsiCo through industry disruption and innovation while staying committed to social responsibility.

Her keynote themes include:

• Transformative leadership in a fast-evolving, interconnected world
• Purpose-driven innovation: aligning profit with positive societal impact
• Inclusive leadership and building a pipeline for women leaders
• Decision-making under uncertainty, drawing from crisis leadership experience

Audiences value her practical lessons on innovation in large enterprises, balancing global strategy with local market needs, and leading with vision and empathy. Nooyi’s message—that “doing well by doing good” drives long-term success—remains highly relevant for organizations in 2024–2025.

12. Sheryl Sandberg – Tech Executive Championing Women’s Leadership

Bio & Achievements

Sheryl Sandberg is a prominent technology executive, author, and advocate for women’s leadership. From 2008 to 2022, she was the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook (Meta), scaling the advertising business into a global powerhouse and becoming Facebook’s first female board member.

Key career highlights include:

• Founder of LeanIn.Org, supporting over 50,000 circles in 184 countries
• Author of the bestselling Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead (2013)
• Named among Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” and Time’s “100 Most Influential People”
• Former Google executive and U.S. Treasury official
• One of the few self-made female billionaires in tech

Impact & Keynote Topics

Sandberg is known for blending data-driven insight with personal storytelling. Her 2010 TED Talk, “Why we have too few women leaders,” has been viewed millions of times and continues to influence global gender equity conversations.

Her keynote themes include:

• Building inclusive workplaces and high-performance teams
• Encouraging women to “lean in” to leadership opportunities
• The role of mentorship and sponsorship in career advancement
• Ethical leadership in tech and managing growth during disruption

Sandberg frequently draws from her own experiences—balancing work and motherhood, leading through controversy, and navigating Silicon Valley—to illustrate leadership with empathy and resilience. 

She also adapts her message to current challenges, addressing racial equity and COVID-19’s impact on women in the workplace.

13. Dr. Fei-Fei Li – Pioneering AI Scientist and Ethical AI Advocate

Bio & Achievements

Dr. Fei-Fei Li is a leading computer scientist and AI researcher, credited with breakthroughs in computer vision. She is a Professor at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute.

Key career highlights include:

• Co-creator of ImageNet, a dataset that catalyzed modern deep learning in AI
• Former Vice President and Chief Scientist of AI at Google Cloud
• Co-founder and Chair of AI4ALL, a nonprofit expanding diversity in AI
• Named to Fortune’s “World’s Greatest Leaders” and Time’s “Most Influential People in AI”
• Recipient of the 2019 Technical Leadership Abie Award from AnitaB.org

Impact & Keynote Topics

Fei-Fei Li blends technical expertise with ethical vision. She explains AI’s potential while addressing its risks and the importance of diverse voices in its development.

Her keynote themes include:

• Human-centered AI design and ethical innovation
• AI applications in healthcare, education, and sustainability
• The importance of diversity and inclusion in tech leadership
• Building bridges between research and real-world solutions

Audiences value her ability to make complex AI concepts clear and actionable, while highlighting the responsibility of leaders to shape technology for societal benefit.

14. Arianna Huffington – Media Mogul and Wellness Tech Entrepreneur

Bio & Achievements

Arianna Huffington is a globally recognized media entrepreneur and wellness advocate. She co-founded The Huffington Post in 2005 and has built it into one of the world’s most influential online news platforms. 

Under her leadership, HuffPost won the first-ever Pulitzer Prize for an online outlet and expanded internationally before being acquired by AOL in 2011.

Key career highlights include:

• Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, focused on ending burnout through behavior change science
• Author of 15 books, including Thrive and The Sleep Revolution
• Named to Time’s “100 Most Influential People” and Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women” lists
• Chairs the Thrive Global/OpenAI initiative on AI-driven health behavior change
• Economics graduate from Cambridge University and former president of its Union debating society

Impact & Keynote Topics

Huffington emphasizes that well-being is a driver of sustainable success. Drawing from research and personal experience, she advises leaders to build organizational cultures that prioritize resilience, creativity, and mental health.

Her keynote themes include:

• Linking employee well-being to performance and innovation
• “Microsteps” for improving decision-making, focus, and productivity
• Leadership in uncertain times and avoiding the 24/7 hustle trap
• Harnessing technology, including AI, to enhance human potential
• Insights on digital disruption and entrepreneurship from her media career

Known for blending data-backed insights with practical advice, Huffington leaves audiences with strategies to create healthier, more innovative workplaces.

15. Halla Tómasdóttir – President of Iceland & Advocate for Principled Leadership

Bio & Achievements

Halla Tómasdóttir is the current President of Iceland (elected in 2024) and a global advocate for values-based leadership. She was previously the first female CEO of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of Auður Capital, a financial services firm built on principles of gender balance, transparency, and sustainability.

Key career highlights include:

• CEO and Chief Change Catalyst of The B Team, a nonprofit promoting responsible business practices
• Guided Auður Capital through Iceland’s 2008 financial collapse using sustainable finance principles
• Named by Newsweek among “150 Women Who Shake the World”
• Featured in The New Yorker as a “Living Emoji of Sincerity”

Impact & Keynote Topics

Halla is known for her principled and inclusive leadership style, blending business expertise with a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. She has delivered keynotes at TEDWomen, the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, and major corporate leadership summits.

Her keynote themes include:

• Values-led leadership in business and government
• Gender balance as a driver of stronger decision-making
• Building trust during crises and organizational change
• Aligning leadership with sustainability and climate goals

She offers candid, research-backed insights that inspire leaders to act with integrity while delivering measurable results.

Book Ashley Dudarenok for Your Next Event

If your audience needs an insider’s view of China’s digital future, Ashley Dudarenok delivers unmatched expertise and energy. Her keynotes decode China’s fast-moving consumer market, emerging retail models, and innovation strategies that global brands can apply right now.

Whether you’re hosting a leadership summit, marketing forum, or corporate training, her sessions leave participants with clear strategies and fresh perspectives.

Secure Ashley for your next event and give your audience practical tools to navigate and lead in the world’s most dynamic digital economy.

FAQs about Female Keynote Speakers