EAGG meets Anna Chan, Founder & Director, Asian Leadership Collective
- Eileen Wada Willett
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Anna Chan is the Founder and Director of the Asian Leadership Collective (ALC), a UK-based organisation championing East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) people in the workplace. A British Chinese woman, Anna is recognised for her work at the intersection of community building, cultural advocacy and leadership development.
Her contributions have received national recognition, including being invited to Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street in acknowledgement of her leadership and impact within the ESEA community. Anna is also a recipient of the Points of Light Award, honouring her commitment to social change and community-led initiatives. Her work has been featured across major UK media platforms, and she is a sought-after speaker and advisor on ESEA representation, inclusion and cultural equity.
Through Asian Leadership Collective and initiatives such as #ESEAEats, Anna continues to shape conversations around leadership inclusion, and belonging as part of wider community efforts in the UK.
You are the founder of the Asian Leadership Collective which is all about celebrating ESEA representation, tell us about your lightbulb moment and why you felt there was a need for the Asian Leadership Collective?
The lightbulb moment came after one too many panels events, meetings and “diversity conversations” where East Asian and Southeast Asian (ESEA) voices and experiences were either missing entirely or treated as an afterthought under the monolith “Asian” [context: in the UK Asian is considered to mean South Asian heritage backgrounds]. I kept looking around and upwards to leadership level colleagues during my career in the marketing and technology industry, wondering where everyone was and hoping to find others who I’d be able to relate to in my day-to-day life. Sadly, the progress seemed slow, and when I eventually did find diverse spaces and peers, the experiences of the workplace were largely similar - feelings of being othered and being told they were “capable but not leadership material”.
Asian Leadership Collective (ALC) was born from the frustration of “invisibility” in the workplace and the hope to empower ESEA people as well as bridge the gap of awareness needed from workplaces to be truly inclusive and equitable. I wanted to create a space where ESEA talent wasn’t just represented, but celebrated, connected and supported — in everyday roles, business, and culture. ALC is a platform and symbolises the collective confidence we can use to take up space together.
We do this through our consultancy work; supporting organisations through workshops, keynote sessions, panels, and brand building, as well as our community building #ESEAEats Conversations annual panel and networking events.
#ESEAeats combines food, passion and the ESEA community. How did it come about and why has it become such a powerful space?
#ESEAEats started as a love letter to our communities food and culture, told and led by us! What started as something to combat the negative stereotypes of “dirty” and “cheap” East and Southeast Asian cuisine during a really difficult time, has turned into nearing 17,000 individual stories on social media - a time capsule of memories. Food is arguably one of the most accessible entry points into culture and #ESEAEats became a way to celebrate our stories. It’s powerful because it’s communal, it can cuts across generations, identities and backgrounds - adding more depth and inspire connection in real life too.
This year has been the 5th anniversary of the hashtag starting as well as the annual celebration of bringing people together through food to have important conversations. Since the hashtag’s inception, Asian Leadership Collective has kept the community and vision of #ESEAEats alive with in-person events including a panel event and networking which champions ESEA leaders in different industries, as well as supporting local ESEA vendors too!
As a British East Asian person, what can you tell us about your experience growing up in the UK and how it has changed in your lifetime?
Growing up as a 2nd generation British Chinese person, I rarely saw myself reflected in British culture and was often in places where I was consistently told I wasn’t “British/English” enough. From seemingly small comments of “I didn’t expect you, Not to be English” when I first met someone after only speaking to them on the phone (i.e “You’re English is so good/you don’t have an Asian accent) - never mind growing up around the racist rhetoric which surrounded the tragedy of The Morecambe Bay Chinese cockle pickers who drowned in my hometown. Looking back, it was pretty isolating and it was a lonely, experiencing these moments without the words and community to articulate how I was feeling.
Growing up, being British Chinese often meant being “othered”, asked where you’re really from, all whilst feeling like you had to be quietly excellent to justify your presence. Some of these challenges still exist for me - even now, but from other intersectional parts of my identity.
What’s changed is visibility and confidence. There are more ESEA voices being amplified, more conversations about their experiences, and more people unapologetically owning who they are. That said, progress isn’t linear and moments like the pandemic reminded us how quickly we, and others can be scapegoated. The difference now is that we’re more organised, more vocal, and more willing to stand together.
What are your New Year outlooks for the Asian Leadership Collective, #ESEAEats and Anna Chan?
For ALC, the New Year always starts with reflection, we celebrate our wins as a team as well as take onboard the learnings and feedback from the previous year. We will continue with this approach and make decisions together on which directions we want to focus on for 2026. I envision more leadership opportunities, more cross-community collaboration, and focusing on what we can achieve within our means.
#ESEAEats will always be an opportunity to share stories - online, foster in-person connections, and bring people together. The annual events we host are so rewarding and is the best of our communities; championing those who lead, supporting small local ESEA businesses in hospitality, as well as providing a place to bring people together. But it takes a whole village of people to bring these events together each year and has its challenges - from funding, to finding a central location, and more. As ALC continues, I envision the ESEAEats Conversations events will evolve and hopefully be more impactful. Check out our past events here and get in touch by email if you want to collaborate with us: hello@asianleadership.co.uk
For Anna Chan: more rest without guilt (still working on that!), being intentional with my time and energy, and remembering to schedule in time for the things I enjoy that aren’t always linked to being “productive” in a traditional sense.
As a foodie, what are your top tips for an excellent night out in London looking for a delicious ESEA tastes?
I definitely look to recommendations from my friends and others - of course the hashtag is a great way to be inspired! But to be honest, the best meals out tend to also be a chance to catch up with others, which I value over most things - hot pot, dim sum, BBQ… things that can be shared are always a win. Surround yourself with people who are willing to try new places, new flavours (to them and maybe to you too!), and who are willing to travel to those said places! Some of my highlights this year: “Yi-Ban” is such a great place for dim sum but it’s not the more straightforward place to get to, “Donia” was so good - I went there to celebrate my birthday, and “APlus” in Manchester Chinatown on Boxing Day was incredible.
Finally, East Asian Girl Gang is all about celebrating a shared cultural and ethnic heritage. What does it mean to you and why did you join?
I really love being part of the East Asian Girl Gang, everyone has something to contribute from their differing experiences, work (and play!) places, and backgrounds. It’s the first group I have been a part of where women of East Asian heritage support and advocate for each other because they want to - not through obligation or to progress themselves. It is a place where everyone gives back and I really admire Eileen who founded the group - it’s been a privilege to be apart of and seeing the growth of EAGG through out the years. Long may it continue! I encourage people to reach out to Eileen and get involved!
Connect with Anna
Website: https://asianleadership.co.uk
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