Quoting Modern Singapore’s late founding father, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew:

“..Look at the horizon , Follow the rainbow, Go ride it! “

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Adapt Change

Quick to adapt

When my late father was stricken with a serious illness, I had to switch to Plan B i.e. to join the work force immediately upon graduation instead of following the path of becoming a Chemistry Lecturer. The opportunity arose to be a Sales Executive of the Building Materials Division and the only female on the team at the Malaysian Conglomerate, Sime Darby. It seemed exciting. My first visit to a construction site in a 3-piece suit & 3 inch heels turned out disastrous! I was totally clueless to what I was in for. But I was keen to learn, determined to succeed and the guidance of a very supportive Divisional Managing Director aided my career development. In addition, I met my husband at the workplace!

Be Eager, Know Bigger

Eager to learn

I was forced to change course when the Construction Industry went through bad times and the Building Division had to close down. I responded to an advertisement for Household Division Showroom Manager at then the reputed Diethelm Furniture – the stockist of all the top European Furniture Brands like Cassina, B&B Italia, Desede & Saporiti. I took up a year distant learning Interior Design Certification Course to have a better understanding & appreciation of the field & materials involved. On-the-job training & exposure to top international designers like Toshiyuki Kita, Paolo Piva, Gianfranco Ferra added new dimensions to my perception of industrial & interior design. Eight years in the Building & Interior Design Industry working with developers, architects, designers and government bodies honed my negotiation skills and heightened my power of observation.

Try Something New

Willing to try something new.

I decided to move on and be part of the exciting & innovative Card Marketing Industry. I had no knowledge of the financial services sector but responded to an advertisement for Business Partners Marketing Manager at American Express. After 4 rounds of interview, I was offered the job. I had no idea of what it meant to handle 7000 Service Establishments across the Hotel, F&B, Retail & Travel sectors plus 500 banks that issued the American Express Travelers ‘ cheques. It was working 24/7 & a full 13 hour day. I was truly stretched with a husband & 2 children aged 6 years & 11 months old. Meeting clients, advertising agencies & vendors, training permanent temps & temps, temps, bonding with my immediate family & in-laws & keeping a social life with friends were just overwhelming. One has to learn to be organised and to think fast on one’s feet.

Enjoy Your Work

However, 6 months later with much persuasion & 4 attempts from a head-hunter did I accept the offer of a more balanced work life with Wella AG, a German hair care company. I spent 15 years as Division Head growing the Professional Business and travelling the world with Trade & Media stakeholders attending international Hair Competitions and Trade Exhibitions. There was never a dull moment. Time flew by and I was pleased to be able to find time for the family & took pride in tutoring my girls in English & the Sciences.

Be agile and bend with the wind

In March 2003, Wella AG was acquired by Procter & Gamble. The first 2 years were trying times, leading my teams as Country Manager for Professional Care Malaysia & Singapore through transition & integration. The learning curve was a steep one, embracing change and feeling 10 feet tall when the Singapore Business Unit was awarded the Global Best Learning Organization. In 2010, I took on a new role as Customer Business Development Leader for 10 developing & white space markets.

Never Stop Learning

Embrace lifelong learning!

There is a time & place for everything. When my husband returned from his 3 year overseas posting & my 2 daughters returned from abroad, I decided to put away my nomadic lifestyle and worked at a local SME as its General Manager for 2 1/2years. In January 2014, I started Nuclei Brand Marketing Solutions LLP – a Business Consultancy focusing on helping local SMEs to go International leveraging on my distributor management knowledge & international network. I recognise the value of being an accredited Professional Management Consultant and completed my accreditation training & certification prior to Spring Singapore’s announcement of it being a prerequisite for Consultants seeking grants on behalf of their clients as of January 2017. I also successfully completed the ACTA (Advanced Certificate in Training & Assessment) Certification Programme) and attained Certificates in Skills Competencies in Business Excellence & Integrated Digital Marketing from MDIS, SUSS & MIS in view of my interests in these areas. The quest for continuous education keeps me abreast of changing trends & needs. It equipped me with knowledge & skills competencies to serve my customers better and to stay ahead of the competition.

Fear of Failure

Don’t fear to fail!

When things do not go as planned, I will recall my late father’s advice; “Always do your best & remember even a champion falls. Just pick yourself up & run harder than you have ever run before!”

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