At just 18, Annie Zhou has already achieved a remarkable amount.
The new high school graduate has launched a money-saving initiative for young people, published a book, hosted a podcast, and has been recognised as a rising star at the Asian-Australian Leadership Awards on Wednesday night.
Now, she's using the award and her experience growing up as an immigrant to help young people across the nation access financial literacy programs.
"It was definitely a surprise and it's such an honour to be recognised for such a prestigious award," Ms Zhou told AAP.
"It definitely means a lot to me to be part of a much larger story about representation and belonging as an Asian Australian."
She joins other prominent leaders recognised at the awards, including Usman Khawaja, who became the first Australian of Pakistani origin to represent the nation in cricket when he made his debut in the 2010-11 Ashes series.
Khawaja hopes the award will continue to shine a light on stories of Asian Australians that might go unheard.
"They remind the broader community that Asian Australians are contributing at the highest levels across every sector. For me, it’s not about personal recognition — it’s about inspiring others and helping break down those invisible barriers," Khawaja said.
Other winners included former politician Hieu Van Le, recognised with the event's lifetime achievement award, and internationally acclaimed neurologist Sonu Bhaskar, who was declared the overall winner.
It comes as data reveals that only five of the top ASX100 listed companies have chief executives of Asian descent, a drop of almost 50 per cent in the past five years.
The data shows the "bamboo ceiling" is still impenetrable in Australia, according to Asialink chief executive Martine Letts.
“Corporate Australia should be leading the charge and looking within - to use existing talent that can expand capability right now,” Ms Letts said.
Ms Zhou was not discouraged by the statistic, saying she is a passionate advocate who draws on her own personal experiences to shape the future.
“When I was younger, I would visit this rural village in China where my grandparents lived, and that's where I recognised this economic disparity, where a lot of people were living in cycles of poverty," she said.
Ms Zhou has since founded MoneyWise, an initiative that runs engaging financial literacy workshops for primary school students, along with publishing her book Money Made Simple.
"As an Asian Australian, I feel like there are definitely moments when you feel like you're sometimes like a minority in the room, but over time, I think it's a privilege that I get to be part of this new wave of young Asian-Australian leaders," Ms Zhou said.
"It's definitely really good to see more Asian Australians stepping up to leadership roles now and in the future. I hope this award keeps that momentum going."
