By Mohan Virdee, CEO and Publisher, Markets Media Group

Having grown up in east London as an Asian in the 1970s, I am no stranger to bullying and racial slurs. The recent wave of Asian hate and the never-ending violence towards African Americans and people of color everywhere should not have any place in the times we live in. But unfortunately it does, it is escalating and it unreservedly degrades all of our lives. It is to be condemned in the strongest possible way and we should instead be cherishing minorities and celebrating our differences.

At Markets Media Group, especially as it concerns recognizing excellence in financial markets, we have for over the last half-decade made the global Women in Finance initiative and more recently Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging a core undertaking and cornerstone of not only our awards programs but also of our daily editorial coverage and outlook.

Tomorrow morning at 10 am Hong Kong time, we will host our third-annual Women in Finance Asia Awards (this virtual event will return to live and in-person next year). The event salutes the great achievements of women in finance who have excelled in their careers across the Asia-Pacific region, often having to overcome hardship as well as societal and cultural obstacles in order to succeed.

Markets Media Group has numerous obligations globally, and in thinking about this and writing this piece I am extremely grateful for the diversity and excellence that currently exists within our organization. Long may it continue.

We would like to thank everyone who gives up their valuable time, and lends us their voice, in our endeavor to lift up and support women in finance in Asia. We are fully aware that this is a global problem that goes well beyond the scope of any one person or organization, but in the spirit of the event, we’re honored to add ours to the chorus of voices demanding change everywhere.

We can do more and we must do more.  We all need to play a part in bringing about a better and fairer society.