While one in five Australians are of Asian heritage, only 3% of Asian Australians occupy senior management positions. It’s a stark statistic that best underpins the Asialink Asian Australian Leadership Awards, which held its sixth annual awards night in Sydney earlier this month. Amongst those recognised were category winners Shivani Gopal (Innovation and Entrepreneurship), Dr Amirali Popat (Education, Science & Medicine) and Alicia Vrajlal (Media). Indian Link recently spoke with them about their latest achievements.
Shivani Gopal: Redefining entrepreneurship
Shivani Gopal founded ELLADEX (previously The Remarkable Woman) – a platform designed to empower, connect and upskill women – in 2016, after her own experiences being denied personal mentoring as a young professional. With ELLADEX now boasting a network of more than 25,000 professional women, it’s a journey that Gopal looks back on fondly as she reflects on her Asian Australian Leadership Awards win.
“I’m really proud of the network that I’ve created, the technology we’ve built, the thousands of women that we’ve connected. I’m proud of my ability to be able to pivot, coming from financial services, building a tech business, and not being a traditional tech founder, but still finding a way to do it and not letting anything stop me,” says Gopal.
Gopal has her own damning statistic to draw on: in 2023, only 3% of the world’s venture capital was invested in women, and even less so in women of colour. Even so, Gopal, who is Fijian Indian, has managed to raise a staggering $1.5 million in VC funding for her enterprises.
“Growing up, I’ve seen people leading, whether it’s personally or professionally, as Fijian Indians, and then finding themselves in the limelight and suddenly denying their Fijian Indian heritage and pretending they were something that they were not because of fear of being shunned,” recalls Gopal.
It’s an experience that has empowered Gopal to see opportunity rather than insurmountable barriers.
“I’ve always loved the feeling of being bold and brave and following your great vision for your life. I’d like other little girls to look up and say, ‘If Shivani can do it from her humble beginnings, maybe I can too,'” says Gopal.
Gopal’s leadership, combined with her accomplished background in financial services, has seen her recognised as a thought leader and leading spokesperson for several leading media outlets.
Dr Amirali Popat: Innovation in Science
A researcher specialising in nanomedicine, Amirali Popat was recognised at the Asian Australian Leadership Awards for his significant contributions to the health field, having led a multidisciplinary team which developed smart drug delivery systems revolutionising the treatment of diseases including diabetes and cancer. Popat describes his win as simultaneously “an incredible honour” and a “moment of reflection on the journey that brought [him] here.”
Popat, too, sees a dearth of cultural and gender diversity in senior roles in his industry.
“Many talented individuals, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds, face barriers such as limited access to networks, mentorship, and systemic bias,” he laments.
But Popat is quick to acknowledge the support of his own mentors and the University of Queensland in embracing diversity, who he credits with playing a major role in his success.
“Being recognised is a moment of reflection on the journey that brought me here,” says Popat. “It validates not just my work but also the contributions of my team and mentors.”
Popat calls for a “sustained effort” in championing diversity and inclusion to create what he would describe as a “truly level” playing field. He cites mentorship programs, leadership training, fair representation in decision-making panels and grant committees, and celebrating diverse role models to inspire the next generation, as examples of initiatives that are needed – and are already being championed by funding agencies such as the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council.
Alicia Vrajlal: Excellence in Media
For Alicia Vrajlal, founder of digital news publication Draw Your Box, the Asian Australian Leadership Awards represents a somewhat meta-validation of her own efforts to diversify Australia’s media landscape.
Draw Your Box was Vrajlal’s response to systemic shortcomings she experienced while working in mainstream Australian newsrooms, in which authenticity often came second to commerciality.
“In big newsrooms, you can cover something that impacts our community, but often because of the pressures around website traffic or other commercial factors that come into play, a story might be watered down to be palatable to a wider audience, or an angle might be sensationalised or stereotyped to make it more attractive to a wider audience,” says Vrajlal.
Vrajlal’s pivot to a platform with authentic storytelling has resonated with many.
“I knew that me and people close to me didn’t feel seen and heard in Australian media, but I can’t tell you the number of messages and emails and DMs on Instagram that I receive from people whether wanting to share their story with me, or that they want to write for Draw Your Box,” says Vrajlal.
Vrajlal’s recognition is, as she acknowledges, itself evidence of progress in media diversity in Australia.
“I’ve been in the media industry working as a journalist for over 10 years now,” says Vrajlal. “Ten years ago, these awards didn’t even exist. For the awards to exist, to be nominated and then to actually win – it’s a big win for young Alicia and also for other South Asians to encourage them to pursue a non-traditional career like this.”
As Vrajlal perhaps best sums it up: “It’s not just about me—it’s about showing others what’s possible. And it’s about reminding the systems we work within that change is not optional; it’s necessary.”
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