NAWEM Penang was officially launched in November 2009 as Penang Affiliates of NAWEM (PAN) to cater to the needs of NAWEM members in Penang and the Northern region.

The charter chairperson was Ong Swe Ee followed by Chairperson Wendy Wong, Yap Ai Lee  and the current chairperson is Kyree Khor. In 2013, the name PAN was changed to NAWEM Penang.

Dato’ Shamsimar Mohd Yusof who was President of NAWEM in 2009, believed that PAN can play a significant role in emulating events held in Kuala Lumpur. She wanted the members in Penang to take advantage of the benefits of networking with captains of industries and government agencies. She also wanted them to upgrade their entrepreneurial skills by learning from leading businessmen and women in that region. Towards this mission, NAWEM Penang has organised educational seminars and field trips, information- gathering sessions, entrepreneurship visits and exchanges to relevant government bodies, and expertise sharing conferences over the last nine years.

The dynamic team in NAWEM Penang has also provided support to the initiatives undertaken by NAWEM KL and increased the impact in the Northern region. Two projects that have made a significant impression on the women up North recently are Promoting 21st Century Gender-Related Labour Practices in Malaysia and the L’OREAL Programme for marginalised women.

NAWEM Penang is poised to become a major player in women empowerment, especially in entrepreneurship and creating pathways for income-generating projects in the Northern region.