Beyond the boardroom: Asia’s 10 influential women to watch in 2026

Across sport, culture, science and public life, women from Asia are making their mark and capturing global attention. Here are Fortune's 10 influential Asian women to watch in 2026.

An Se-young, at just 24, is not only the world's best women's badminton player but also the sport's defining competitor. An has claimed two world championships and a gold medal at the Asian Games, becoming the first woman to win back-to-back singles titles at the Asian Games.

Li Bo and Cho Eun-hee are revolutionizing Korean cuisine, blending centuries-old royal court cooking with a modern twist. Cho Eun-hee, a Michelin-starred chef, leads the kitchen at Seoul's Onjium and was recently named Asia's Best Female Chef.

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines is changing expectations for Philippine tennis after winning her first WTA Tour title and reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Indonesian conservationist Farwiza Farhan is fighting to protect Sumatra's Leuser Ecosystem—a unique habitat for elephants, tigers, rhinos and orangutans. Her efforts earned her the Whitley Gold Award, one of conservation's most prestigious honors.

Hong Kong's Lai Ka-ying made history as the first person from Hong Kong to travel to space, joining China's Shenzhou-23 mission to the Tiangong space station.

Japanese actress Tao Okamoto became the first Japanese woman to win Cannes' Best Actress award for her performance in All of a Sudden.

Malaysian philanthropist Aireen Omar is steering Malaysia's AI development as the inaugural chair of AI Malaysia.

Taiwan's Shu Qi is building a second career behind the camera, earning accolades for her directorial debut, Girl, which won the Golden Lion at Venice and Best Film at the Asian Film Festival in Rome.