Until 31 Dec 2024, Tan Sri Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria was the executive director of the APEC Secretariat based in Singapore. She is the Pro Chancellor of Sunway University, one of the premier private universities in Malaysia.
 
She began her career in the Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Service in 1981 and retired in 2016, having served as Secretary-General of the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry from December 2010 to July 2016.
 
In ASEAN, she chaired the body that drafted the 2015 and 2025 ASEAN Economic Community Blueprints.
 
In 2024, she was featured in Forbes’ third annual 50 Over 50: Asia list, which showcases 50 inspirational women over the age of 50 from across the Asia-Pacific region.