Amy Kunrojpanya, an Icon of Change from Australia

Icons of Change

Icons of Change International Awards 2025  Amy Kunrojpanya Founding Member – The Elevate Group  Former Vice President of Communications, Asia Pacific – Netflix Former Senior Director of Policy & Communications, Asia Pacific – Uber  Former Head of Public Affairs & Communications, New & Emerging Markets, Thailand – Google  Former Head of Internal Communications, Asia Pacific – Syngenta Former Head of Public Affairs & Communications, Indochina – Coca-Cola Sabco Former Public Affairs & Communications Senior Manager, Southeast & West Asia – The Coca-Cola Company Former South & Southeast Asian Regional Project Manager – Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)  SDG Focus: Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality Changemaker for Women’s Empowerment and Inclusive Leadership (Australia)  In an increasingly complex global landscape—where digital disruption, shifting cultural norms, and structural inequities converge—Amy Kunrojpanya stands at the forefront as a transformational leader redefining what inclusive leadership, advocacy, and strategic influence look like in the 21st century. Her career is a blueprint for purpose-led leadership grounded in authenticity, cultural intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to elevating women and girls across Asia Pacific and beyond.  With more than 25 years of global leadership experience, Amy has served in critical roles across some of the world’s most influential organizations, shaping narratives, building reputational resilience, and guiding multinational teams through hypergrowth, crisis, and reinvention. Her contributions span mission-driven giants such as The Coca-Cola Company, Google, Uber, and most recently Netflix, where she served as Vice President of Communications for Asia Pacific.  At Netflix, Amy built the company’s first multi-disciplinary PR organization in APAC, scaling the team from 15 to 120 communications professionals and stewarding an annual operating budget of USD 100M. As a founding member of the company’s first APAC Regional Leadership Team, she played an instrumental role in tripling membership and doubling revenue, solidifying Netflix as the largest on-demand entertainment platform in the region. Her leadership extended across Awards & Festivals, Publicity, Fandom, Events, External Affairs, Talent Relations, Community Engagement, and Cultural Programming—illustrating her mastery in cross-functional, high-impact strategic leadership.  Amy’s career is equally distinguished in the tech, mobility, agriculture, and consumer goods sectors. At Uber, she led the largest reputation reboot and public policy transformation across Asia Pacific, driving legislative reforms that legalized ridesharing and expanded the region’s mobility ecosystem. At Google, she shaped public affairs across the company’s most challenging, highest-potential markets, navigating cultural nuance, government relations, and community advocacy with remarkable agility.

Transcript

00:00To the Honourable Organising Committee, to my fellow change makers, and to the global citizens,

00:06especially the women and girls who may be watching today, allow me to start by saying thank you.

00:11My name is Amy Gumnot-Bunia and I'm deeply humbled to accept the Icons of Change International Award

00:172025 for my work across the public and private sector over the last 25 years to champion and to

00:24change the story when it comes to gender equality. As a mother, as an executive, as a storyteller,

00:32as a mentor, as a leader, as an advocate and as an activist, I'm committed to investing in and to

00:38uplifting women and girls everywhere, but especially across the Asia-Pacific, which will always be a

00:43community I call home and close to my heart. This recognition coincides with the United Nations

00:50International Year of Peace and Trust, underscoring an uncomfortable truth that there has never been

00:56a more important or more urgent need for gender equality. Put simply, the world needs women and

01:02girls. We cannot hold back half the population and hope that somehow things will right themselves.

01:08We have to be the change makers. As I joined the Fellowship of International Change Makers,

01:15here's three things I've learned about change. First, storytelling is a powerful tool for changing

01:23hearts and minds. It is timeless, it is universally effective in a way few things truly are today,

01:30and it is hard-wired into our souls. Stories can be simple, but our words hold the power to change the

01:37world. Second, change is always personal. To change or not is a choice and it's one we can all make.

01:46Sometimes it isn't the change itself that we fear, it's how we might have to change along with it.

01:50But even the smallest steps towards progress, however imperfect, move us collectively forward,

01:57and that momentum is precious. Lastly, change is always possible. Even when it seems impossible,

02:06especially then, we must not give up. I will never stop believing or working towards this immutable truth.

02:12So to all the change makers out there, please keep going. To the women and girls, may you know that

02:19you are enough. You are of value and the world needs your voices, your ideas and your actions today

02:26and in the future. To the men and boys, you are critical partners and allies in the fight for gender equality,

02:32and progress can only be made and made to last together with you. To all the leaders,

02:38it is not controversial to intentionally and relentlessly invest in women and girls

02:44for the holistic advancement of our shared humanity. Thank you.

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