‘We don’t need to choose’: The best advice that shaped Organon’s Asia Pacific leader – IWD 2025

The road to true gender equity is neither straight nor smooth – it is carved by persistence, resilience, and an unwavering belief that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is not an aspiration but a necessity.

Ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) on 7 March, Anna Komarova, HR Lead for Organon’s Asia Pacific Cluster, reflects on the shifting tides of DE&I and the unrelenting momentum required to drive real change.

“All our leaders across the world have signed the pledge to diversity and inclusion,” Komarova shared.

This year’s IWD theme, For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, strikes a personal chord with Komarova.

“There is a statement in the minds of females that we need to choose…,” she explained, reflecting on the pivotal career advice that shaped her path to leadership success.

Leading in the vast and culturally intricate Asia Pacific region, Komarova revealed her “recipe” to being an influential female leader while staying authentic and true to her values.

From leadership development initiatives to policies that recognise the intersection of work, health, and life, Organon is dismantling barriers that have long dictated who rises and who remains unseen.

But progress is rarely linear. As DE&I initiatives face a level of backlash globally, Komarova remains resolute.

“At Organon, 70% of the board are female. That’s higher than any S&P 500 healthcare company,” she said proudly. “[Gender equity] is not a female challenge – it’s all of us in the society facing that challenge…and it’s on all of us to build a great future.”

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