22 | theceomagazine.com
depending on their stage of development,”
she says. “If you take a market like Singapore,
people are more appreciative of quality,
softness and environmental friendliness,
whereas in other parts of the world, like
Malaysia or Indonesia, price continues to
be one of the key decision criteria.
We also see that there is a lot more
awareness of skin health in the region.
“In a market such as Vietnam
or Cambodia, the need for more
information and education in
childcare and personal hygiene
is increasing year by year. They
are very much open to new health-
related things.”PEOPLE POWER
Nothing happens without people,
Su says. She explains that while Vinda
demands good performance from its
staff, it understands when challenges
arise and mistakes are made. “We
allow people to make mistakes as long
as they learn from them,” she says.
“It’s a very friendly environment; it’s
very easy-going. It’s open-door, transparent
and non-hierarchical.
“The senior management are all very
close to those below. And we encourage a
hands-on approach in all the things you do,
whether you are a director, or even myself.
It is uncommon for us to be arrogant,
because most of us are very humble.”
When it comes to leading her team,
Su says the biggest challenge she faces is how
to keep them engaged and motivated. “We
all need some form of motivation,” Su says.
“We all need emotional support and strength,
which are very difficult to give. You can
tell someone over and over again, but until
they really internalise it, that motivation
doesn’t come.”
Another thing Su wants for her team is
to ensure they are well prepared to handle
the rapid changes in this fast-paced world.
“My biggest challenge is to get my team to
be more resilient, agile, and forthcoming
with challenges, and still have the energy to
move on – even though they are hit with an
obstacle,” she continues. “Because if you lookaround, external challenges are always there.
The only thing we can do is prepare
ourselves better as to how we respond to
them. And the better we are in responding
to them, the better position we are in to
overcome them.”
One thing Su is passionate about is
supporting the women in her team. “When
you are a woman, you have to work twice
as hard to be where you are,” she explains.
“I have a lot of women in the organisation
and I share what I went through in the
hope that my experience will give them the
courage and the inner strength to move on.”
Su finds it rewarding to support the
women’s journey through the organisation.
“The best part of this role is working with
a lot of young as well as more experienced
people,” she continues. “And the ability I
have to share my experience and my inner
struggle with the team, especially with the
women, not only adds to their professional
development but keeps me going as well.”“WHEN YOU ARE
A WOMAN, YOU
HAVE TO WORK
TWICE AS HARD
TO BE WHERE
YOU ARE.”
INSPIRE | Interview