KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — Rapid advances in technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping industries and institutions, making trust, responsible governance and purposeful leadership increasingly critical to the future of business and society, said Rita Irina Wahab, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd.

She said organisations were operating in an environment where technology was changing not only how people work and communicate, but also challenging established institutions, regulations and assumptions about leadership.

“The way we work is changing. The way we communicate is changing. Technology is reshaping industries, challenging institutions, and testing many of the assumptions we once took for granted,” Rita said in her keynote address at the She Leads. She Defends: Law, Risk & Governance Forum 2026.

She said the pace of change raised a fundamental question about the kind of leadership needed for the future.

Rita said leadership could no longer be defined simply by authority, expertise or the ability to deliver outcomes, but increasingly required the capacity to shape change while maintaining the confidence of stakeholders.

“The future requires leadership that helps shape change, not simply reacts to it,” she said.

At the heart of that leadership, she said, was trust.

Rita said trust was essential to relationships between businesses and communities, organisations and regulators, and leaders and the people they serve.

“When trust is strong, progress becomes possible. When trust is weak, even the best plans struggle to succeed,” she said.

Drawing on her experience across business, regulation, communications, stakeholder engagement and corporate strategy, Rita said no organisation could rely on strategy alone, just as institutions could not succeed through policy and leaders could not depend solely on expertise.

“What ultimately determines success is trust,” she said.

Connecting law, governance, business and technology

Rita said the four pillars of the forum — Law and Justice, Policy and Governance, Business and Leadership, and AI, Cyber and Digital Trust — should be viewed as interconnected rather than separate areas.

Effective governance creates confidence, she said, while confidence supports investment and innovation. Innovation, in turn, drives economic growth, but sustainable growth depends on people having confidence in the systems and institutions around them.

Whether in law, business, government, academia or technology, Rita said leaders shared a responsibility to build organisations, economies and societies that were resilient, responsible and trusted.

“Influence is not simply about having a seat at the table. It is about what we do with that opportunity once we are there,” she said.

Women increasingly shaping the conversation

Rita said the growing participation of women in boardrooms, regulatory institutions, professional firms, businesses and public service was an important development in strengthening leadership and decision-making.

Women, she said, were no longer simply seeking a place in important conversations but were increasingly helping to define them.

She said women were bringing different perspectives to decision-making, building bridges across differences and demonstrating that leadership could combine decisiveness with compassion.

“Diverse leadership almost always produces stronger outcomes,” she said.

Organisations became more thoughtful, innovative and effective when different experiences and perspectives were represented, she added.

Mentorship as a leadership responsibility

Rita also placed strong emphasis on mentorship, saying no leader succeeded alone.

She said many professionals could identify someone who had opened a door, provided guidance, shared an opportunity or believed in them at a critical point in their careers.

As leaders progressed, she said, their responsibility should extend beyond personal achievement to developing the people who would follow them.

“Success is no longer measured only by what we achieve personally. It is measured by how many others we help bring along with us,” she said.

“The greatest legacy of leadership is not a title. It is talent developed. It is confidence nurtured. It is future leaders who stand taller because someone chose to invest in them.”

Three principles for future leaders

Rita urged leaders to focus on three principles: lead with purpose, build trust deliberately and lift others as they rise.

She said professional titles could open doors, but purpose was what sustained leadership, particularly during periods of uncertainty.

Trust, she added, could not be created through a single decision but had to be earned through consistency, credibility and integrity.

She also urged established leaders to create opportunities for others, saying leadership should ultimately be measured by the impact it has on people beyond the individual leader.

AI brings challenges and opportunities

Looking ahead, Rita said artificial intelligence would continue to redefine industries, while digital transformation would accelerate and regulatory landscapes would evolve.

These developments would create new challenges for businesses and institutions, but also opportunities to improve governance, promote inclusive growth and strengthen institutions.

She said leaders needed to embrace innovation without losing sight of humanity and accountability.

“Leadership is not about status, but service,” she said.

Rita said the She Leads. She Defends forum should serve as a platform for leaders to exchange ideas, strengthen collaboration and consider how law, governance, business and technology could work together to address emerging challenges.

She said the future would ultimately be determined by the choices leaders make today.

“The future of leadership, governance, business and trust is not something that will happen to us. It is something we will shape together,” she said.