The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) will be introducing its new Women in Export (WiEX) platform at the 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026 to support the growth of women's participation in international trade and boost women-owned and women-led businesses in the international halal market.
The initiative, called WiEX @ MIHAS, will be launched during the upcoming MIHAS 2026 that will be held at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur from 23rd to 26th September 2026. Matrade has announced that the platform has been designed for women entrepreneurs to gain better access to international markets, networks of business, and strategic connections, knowledge sharing and industry recognition.
WIEX @ MIHAS will be made up of four strands intertwined. The WiEX Pavilion will provide a specific exhibition area for women entrepreneurs and women businesses under 14 different industry segments and enable them to promote their products/services to international buyers. A total of 80 exhibition booths will be there, 60 of which will be allocated for Malaysian companies and 20 for international companies.
It will also feature the International Sourcing Program (INSP) that offers a structured process for matching up exhibitors with international buyers, distributors, retailers and investors. Under the INSP initiative, Matrade will organise 300 international buyers from different countries to attend MIHAS 2026. The agency will also be supporting more than 120 pre-arranged business matching to help Malaysian businesses in the Pavilion exhibit at WiEX reach export connections and expand into overseas markets, as well as promote women entrepreneurship.
Key Highlights:
- Matrade to launch WiEX at MIHAS 2026 to empower women exporters
- Platform to offer business matching, networking, and industry recognition
- Initiative supports Malaysia's RM80 billion halal export goal by 2030
The WiEX Forum @ MIHAS, which is a knowledge sharing platform, will also gather the policymakers, industry experts and successful exporters. This year's forum theme is "Thriving Through Uncertainty: How Women Exporters Can Adapt, Compete and Grow. The following themes will be addressed: adapting to evolving trade patterns, AI and digital technologies, diversification of export markets and resilient and sustainable businesses.
It will be concluded by the Anugerah Wira Ekonomi Wanita (Awards Programme for Women Exports Entrepreneurs) to recognise women entrepreneurs as successful entrepreneurs in export markets. Awards will be presented in three categories: Product Excellence, Service Excellence and Innovation and Sustainability Excellence. Winners will be showcased on Matrade and MIHAS promotional platforms, be profiled and receive priority for selected export promotion programmes.
Women entrepreneurs play an important role in achieving the potential of the halal economy, said Matrade Chairman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican in the comments.
The presence of women entrepreneurs as the main actors in an innovative, quality and market agile halal economy is important, if the women are not part of the economic growth, then the halal economy is not running at full capacity. halogenomics is not just a good policy but also a good economics, he added, every woman who develops through WIEX is bringing us closer towards achieving RM80 billion halal exports by 2030.
Abu Bakar Yusof, the Chief Executive Officer of Matrade, said that an increasing number of women entrepreneurs are contributing significantly in innovations, job creation and economic growth in different industries.
The WiEX @ MIHAS 2026 is meant to create a business environment, forge strategic alliances, develop capacities and nurture recognition in one platform, he added. The mission has been designed to give women entrepreneurs networks, knowledge and market access to grow their capacity and capability for exporting to be able to play in the rapidly growing global halal market, he added.
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