20 Women Get Up-close and Personal with Datuk Nicol David in an Exclusive #AIASquashTheStereotypes Squash Clinic

Kuala Lumpur, 26 March 2022 – It was a day to remember for 20 women who scored a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend their Saturday afternoon getting up close and personal with squash legend and AIA Malaysia Ambassador, Datuk Nicol David in an exclusive, all-female squash clinic held at the National Squash Complex in Bukit Jalil, today. The squash clinic was organised as the culmination of AIA Malaysia’s #AIASquashTheStereotypes social media campaign which ran from 8 – 20 March 2022, in conjunction with this year’s International Women’s Day.

The campaign featuring Nicol aimed to shed light on how gender stereotypes remain a constant battle for every woman in Malaysia and at the same time empower and encourage women from all walks of life to squash these stereotypes and truly live a Healthier, Longer, Better Life.

All 20 participants between the ages of 21 and 42 secured their spots in the first-ever squash clinic hosted by Nicol since her retirement by submitting inspiring stories on how they squash gender stereotypes in their daily lives. The clinic which was held in two separate sessions (10 participants in each session) saw Nicol sharing her tips and tricks of playing the sport, her journey of becoming an 8-time World Champion and how she faced the many gender stereotype challenges throughout her career.

Commenting on how honoured she was to be part of such a timely and inspiring campaign, Nicol said, “Throughout my professional career, many have doubted my ability to make it to the top as a female athlete. I did not let the negativity and discouraging words stop me from living my dreams. This is why I’m proud of AIA and how they are taking a stand to inspire women to break away from these stereotypes and to continue believing in themselves so that they can be whoever they want to be in life. I am truly honoured to be able to host these clinics with AIA and share my experiences with these strong and dynamic women – all while having a fun and great workout together at the same time!”

This year’s International Women’s Day theme of Gender Equality for a Sustainable Tomorrow - #BreakTheBias resonates with AIA as an organisation that’s deeply committed to fostering a culture of gender equality and inclusion. It also underpins AIA’s Environmental, Social and Governance strategy that places a great emphasis on creating supportive and collaborative work environment for its people.

Heng Zee Wang, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA Malaysia shared that the company believes in promoting gender equality as part of its ambitious ESG commitment. “Women make significant economic, social, and cultural contributions that benefit all of us every day. This rings true in AIA Malaysia as well, where 68% of our workforce is represented by remarkable and talented women. Through this campaign, not only do we want to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in our country, but also highlight the challenges that they still face along the way.

We are proud to partner Nicol in further championing positive behavioural changes, challenging biases and helping shift the mindset of our community. There is no better person to tell this story than Nicol herself, who has reached the height of success despite facing various gender stereotypes. We hope that her positive spirit and experience will inspire women to break the bias, go the distance and truly live a Healthier, Longer, Better Life.”

To watch the #AIASquashTheStereotypes campaign video featuring Datuk Nicol David, please visit https://fb.watch/bCzkr6d5dA/.

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