The CEO Magazine Asia – July 2019

theceomagazine.com | 15

This year has seen greater female representation among

Fortune 500 CEOs than ever before. As of June, the total

was at 33, nine up from last year and one up from the

previous highest total in 2017. It’s only 6.6% of the total,

which remains disappointingly low, but in 2000, there were

only two female CEOs on the list, so some progress has

been made. This year’s record is due to the appointment

of executives such as Best Buy’s Corie Barry, and Beth

Ford of Land of Lakes.

WOMEN

AT WORK

“Do every job you’re in

like you’re going to do

it for the rest of your

life, and demonstrate

that ownership of it.”

• Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  (the highest-revenue Fortune 500 company
  led by a woman)

WHAT WAS IT LIKE
WORKING ALONGSIDE
JEAN NOUVEL AND
SHEIKHA AL-MAYASSA?
The initial conversations were
more than creating a working
relationship. It was about
getting to know the clients,
the architects and ourselves.
Sometimes you agree,
sometimes you disagree, but whichever way it goes,
agreement or conflict, you turn that into progress.

HOW DID YOU EVOLVE THROUGHOUT
THE PROJECT?
When I started this project, we were just six to 10
people, but now we’re almost 10 times bigger. It really
shows that this project became fuel for us; it drove us
and pushed us out of our comfort zone.

WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE?
A lot of people saw our design and said, “Can you
actually build this?” Even to the last moment, people
were doubtful, so it was wonderful to see when it was
all done.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO
ASPIRING ARCHITECTS?
Stay true to yourself. It’s the hardest thing to do in
today’s world. We rely on social media for affirmation.
We’re constantly exposed to all this different culture
and information, and we can easily lose ourselves.
What’s important is to think outside the box and,
if needed, bend the rules to be creative. That sense of
freedom is everything, because we are so constrained
with rules, regulations and social expectations. Compiled by

Oliver Featherston

Many kids grow up in underprivileged circumstances and

extreme poverty. For children like these, accomplishments many

of us may take for granted, such as school, are much harder

from the outset. This makes it all the more inspiring when

someone defies that diversity to achieve success, like Tupac

Mosley of Memphis, Tennessee. Despite his family being evicted

from their home, the teenager graduated as class valedictorian,

winning US$3 million in scholarships. This year, Mosley will be

studying electrical engineering at Tennessee State University.

BREAK OUT

Beth Ford