About Us
Our Story
The Women Entrepreneurs Network (WEN) is Hong Kong’s oldest female business networking group, championing women in business since the late 1980s. What started as a workshop titled ‘How to Start and Run Your Own Business’ has grown into a thriving community that supports women at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey—from
inception to succession planning and exiting their businesses.
WEN supports women entrepreneurs by offering education, nurturing their growth, and fostering meaningful connections. We provide the tools and resources required to navigate the unique challenges of entrepreneurship, whether you're launching your first venture or planning your next big move.
Today, WEN offers a range of impactful initiatives, including our signature Circle events, targeted workshops, mentoring programmes, advisory boards, and B2B connections. WEN is a place where women entrepreneurs find inspiration, build powerful networks, and solve their most pressing business challenges.
Legacy of Leadership
Founded in the late 1980s, our journey began with intimate dinner events for women entrepreneurs in Hong Kong. These events quickly evolved into full-day workshops, attracting aspiring and established business leaders and resulting in the launch and growth of countless successful enterprises.
In response to this overwhelming demand, 12 pioneering women formed the Women Business Owners Club (WBOC), a trailblazing organisation in a time when entrepreneurship had yet to gain mainstream recognition. WBOC filled a critical gap, offering a community and resources when traditional chambers of commerce had no provisions for SMEs or entrepreneurs.
By 2015, Kimberly Whiley and Elizabeth L. Thomson rebranded WBOC as the Women Entrepreneurs Network (WEN), a Non-Profit Organisation run by successful women business owners, continuing a legacy of over 30 years.
Our goal remains steadfast: to empower and educate women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses through shared knowledge and connections. We’ve helped countless women succeed, scale, and sell their businesses, and we’re proud to continue this mission today.
Our Board
Founders
Elizabeth L Thompson
Hon. Chair and Co-Founder
Elizabeth L. Thomson, Chairwoman and the Founder of ICS TRUST (ASIA) LIMITED (sold in 2014), describes herself as “a lawyer by profession, an entrepreneur by choice”. Based in Hong Kong since 1977, Ms. Thomson has, for over a quarter of a century, helped thousands of highly successful, independently-owned client businesses by providing them tailor-made solutions with respect to tax, corporate restructuring, expanding their businesses in Asia, doing business in China and helping them to stay competitive in the global market.
She founded the Women Business Owners Club in 1985, and Co-Founded The Women Entrepreneur Network in 2016. Ms. Thomson is the Director of The Amber Foundation, a non-profit supporting ethnic minority education in Hong Kong.
Kimberly Whiley
Co-Founder & Events
Living and working in Hong Kong since 1989, Kimberly has opened many different businesses under the Tamco Holdings Group umbrella dealing with sourcing, import and export, health products, student learning products, publishing and online shopping.
Along with Tamco Holdings, Tamco Publishing (2004) manages travel publications along with distribution in Asia.
Factory2Home Furnishing is an online retailer for discounted, high-quality home items that are shipped directly to the customer’s home cutting out the high cost of retail showrooms and middlemen.
Past President of Women Business Owners Club and Co-Founded Women Entrepreneur Network in 2016.
Current Chairwoman
Tarynn Hatton-Jones
Gala and Membership
Burnt Oringe Intl, led by Tarynn Hatton-Jones, partners with developers, designers, and retailers to deliver innovative, functional, and visually striking furniture, fixtures, and equipment for hospitality and retail spaces. Guided by a strong commitment to sustainability, the company integrates responsible material selection and manufacturing practices, blending creative design with technical expertise to create enduring, high-performance, and aesthetically refined solutions.
Vice Chairwomen
Sharlene Jacquier
Head of Events
Sharlene co-founded Joint Dynamics 13 years ago alongside her partners, starting with just 5 employees in June 2010. Together, they have driven the clinic's remarkable growth, expanding its service offerings from the original two to over a dozen, including nutritionist, sleep consultant, and psychologist services. The team has now grown to 65 employees, and the facilities have expanded to over 12,000 sq ft. In March 2021, they collectively launched Joint Dynamics Evolve, a dedicated Women’s Health space located in Queen’s Road Central.
Today, Joint Dynamics is recognized as one of the leading physiotherapy clinics in Hong Kong, reflecting the collaborative efforts of its founders and team.
Rowena Gonzales
Workshops | Social Events to Events
Rowena Gonzales is creative with a purpose. Her firm, Liquid Interiors, has earned award-winning international acclaim due to its unique portfolio that brings wellness and sustainability to city living. Gonzales’ approach aims to bring happiness to people by making each space tell a unique story about the client in a way that enhances a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. She seeks to make a positive impact by improving spaces where people spend most of their time. Gonzales’ portfolio ranges from bespoke residential, residential development, workplaces, education, community, and wellness spaces.
Board Members
Anupama Poduri
Marketing
Anupama Poduri is a seasoned marketing expert with over 20 years of experience driving growth for global brands like Schneider Electric Ventures, Reliance Jio, Kellogg’s, and Diageo. Her expertise spans go-to-market strategies, integrated campaigns, digital demand generation, and consumer journey mapping, delivering innovative solutions like mobile apps to enhance customer experiences.
As the founder of Phoenix Marketing Consultants, Anupama empowers SMEs with data-driven strategies to scale and succeed, particularly in new market expansions. A passionate trainer, she equips professionals with cutting-edge marketing skills through workshops. Raised in India’s diverse landscape, Anupama’s approach is rooted in empathy and a deep understanding of human behavior, ensuring brands connect meaningfully with their audiences.
Sharon McEneff
WENtrepreneur
With over two decades of experience in Hong Kong's business landscape, Sharon has built a reputation as a trusted partner for companies seeking comprehensive corporate solutions. Originally from Scotland, Sharon arrived in Hong Kong in 2000 and launched her entrepreneurial journey in 2011.
Today, as the founder of Minerva Group HK Ltd., Sharon leads a portfolio of businesses dedicated to empowering organizations through expert company secretarial services, accounting, HR & payroll support, and administrative solutions. Her flagship venture, T8 Corporate, delivers tailored services that help businesses streamline operations and achieve sustainable growth.
Suzanne Liu Duddek
Treasurer & Finance Cantonese Advisory Committee
Suzanne is a Chartered Accountant (Australia) and a Certified Public Accountant (Practising). Suzanne has 33 years of audit and tax experience. She has been running her own firm since 1995, and has 12 employees. Her firm provides Hong Kong auditing and taxation services to small and medium-sized businesses.
Elsa Law
WENStart Events Support & Gala Cantonese Advisory Committee
Elsa is a commercial and family lawyer with over 25 years of experience, a passionate entrepreneur, and an active participant in various business communities. Educated and qualified in the United Kingdom, lived in the United States and practiced in Hong Kong – where she calls home and connects with people around the world. Solving clients’ (legal) problems always gives her an incredible amount of satisfaction. While she is a lawyer, she does not only see it as a profession but an important tool to help people solve various human problems and enjoy leveraging on her legal knowledge and experience to help those companies/people in need of advice.
Sherryn Hancock
Fundraising
Sherryn Hancock is an Australian CPA with almost 30 years’ experience in Budgeting, Management Accounting, Costing and Accounting Procedures & Policies. Working with one of the largest financial institutions, Citi for over 11 years and ING Investment Management Regional Offices in Hong Kong led Sherryn to start her own business assisting individuals & SME’s in creating their own budgeting / accounting processes and empowering them to have financial freedom.
Sherryn is known for her ability to ‘look at the whole picture’. Working with clients to understand their relationship with money and how this has affected their past actions in relation to finances.
Katherine Gudgin
Having grown up in Hong Kong and lived and worked across APAC, ANZ, and the UK, Katherine brings a strategic and global mindset to marketing and branding. She has led brand strategy and campaigns both for multinational corporations such as HP, Verizon, and HSBC, and for high-growth startups.
As founder and Fractional CMO at Alchemy Marketing, Katherine partners with founders, entrepreneurs and leaders to deliver data‑driven strategy, hands‑on tactical execution, and senior‑level insight, without the cost or commitment of a full‑time hire. Her philosophy? Exceptional marketing is built on data, curiosity, deep audience understanding…and a touch of alchemy.
Katherine is passionate about crafting marketing that resonates with customers and delivers real business outcomes. Through Alchemy Marketing, she empowers companies with the insight, creativity, and value of a seasoned CMO, in a flexible, scalable way.
Memberships
Siobhan Guilfoyle
Fundraising
Sioban Guilfoyle relocated to Hong Kong in 2007, continuing her career in retail and consumer banking working with teams across Asia.
Sioban established Lissome Hong Kong Limited in 2014 to explore entrepreneurial opportunities. Identifying an underserved and largely ignored segment in the hair, skincare and beauty market, she purchased Glow in April 2015.
With a genuinely customer-centric approach, unwavering commitment to service standards, and aggressive reinvestment in new business lines, marketing and technology, Glow Hong Kong has seen a ten-fold increase in revenues and continual improvement in margins.
Glow is now one of Hong Kong’s most highly regarded international hair and skincare salons.
Tricia Yap
Blogs
Tricia is a strength and performance consultant specialising in women’s health optimisation and corporate wellness. A former management consultant, she possesses a double Bachelor’s degrees in Commerce and Science, and holds many certifications and qualifications in sports nutrition, nutritional therapy, functional medicine, strength and conditioning, functional range conditioning to name a few. Tricia is the founder of Limitless, a health and fitness consultancy that provides personal training, education, corporate health services that include facility design and wellness programs.
Vanessa Misso-Vaness
WENStart
Vannessa is Founder and Conscious Lfe and Parent coach at Cascade, helping overwhelmed parents reconnect with themselves so they can raise emotionally healthy kids—without losing their minds. She’s also has an online Conscious Life and Parent Community to support parents across Asia.
Michelle Gurung
Admin Manager
Michelle is the founder of M VA Solutions, a Hong Kong based firm supporting entrepreneurs with tailored executive assistance and strategic operations. With over a decade of experience in business management, marketing, and partnerships, she helps founders streamline operations, nurture relationships, and elevate brand visibility. Through M VA Solutions, she empowers leaders to reduce administrative burdens, scale sustainability, and create space for bold ideas to thrive.