From breaking barriers to redefining leadership, these industry leaders share insights on fostering inclusive workplaces, championing mentorship, and embracing resilience. Their journeys underscore the message that leadership isn’t just about individual achievement – it’s about creating a future where more women can rise together.
“My advice to aspiring leaders in the luxury industry is to stay authentic and build a strong support system. Self-awareness, self-confidence, and resilience are also essential qualities to cultivate, as they will help you navigate obstacles and stay focused on your goals.”
STEFANIE NG
Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet Southeast Asia
You’ve successfully led a business transformation at Audemars Piguet Southeast Asia during your tenure. From your experience, what leadership principles have guided you through these changes, and how do you cultivate resilience in your team?
For me, adaptability and resilience are vital qualities. I often say and certainly believe that “The only thing that is constant in life is change”. To cultivate resilience in my team, I prioritize open communication, empathy, and trust. I encourage my team members to share their concerns and ideas. By acknowledging and addressing challenges together, we build collective resilience
As a leader in the luxury industry, what challenges have you faced and how have you navigated them? What advice would you give to women aspiring to leadership roles in this sector?
I hope that we no longer need to put a gender label on leadership roles. All leaders face similar challenges, and my advice to anyone in a leadership position – including myself – is to maintain grit and resilience. It's important to take decisive action, regardless of criticism, because we cannot please everyone.
Throughout my career, I’ve encountered challenges that have tested my resolve and perseverance. However, I’ve learned that staying true to myself and seeking guidance from supportive mentors has been crucial in my growth. I’ve been fortunate to have three exceptional mentors who have provided invaluable advice and encouragement throughout my career.
My advice to aspiring leaders in the luxury industry is to stay authentic and build a strong support system. Self-awareness, self-confidence, and resilience are also essential qualities to cultivate, as they will help you navigate obstacles and stay focused on your goals. Above all, remain true to your values and don't be afraid to ask for help along the way.
How do you create an inclusive and supportive work culture that encourages mentorship, collaboration, and growth?
To create an inclusive and supportive work culture, I focused on building a team that share the common values of collaboration, growth, and mutual respect. I do my best to lead by example, mentoring my team and communicating authentically. I also encourage cross-functional collaboration, providing opportunities for growth and development. Fostering a culture of empathy, trust, and open communication, makes success a lot more achievable.
As a leader shaping the future of luxury retail in Southeast Asia, what do you see as the most important leadership qualities for the next generation? How can mentorship programs better support aspiring female executives in the industry?
Empathy is at the heart of effective leadership and mentorship. Accepting that everyone is different, with unique experiences, perspectives, and strengths, is crucial in building strong, meaningful connections. When mentors and mentees embrace these differences, it allows for a deeper understanding and a more productive mentoring relationship.
One of the key elements in a successful mentorship is the practice of active listening. Both mentors and mentees must feel heard and understood, which allows for honest conversations and better problem-solving. When active listening is at the forefront, it ensures that advice is both relevant and tailored to the individual’s needs.
Furthermore, mentorship programmes should not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. Everyone has distinct qualities, learning styles, and goals, and it’s vital that mentorship programmes are flexible and adaptable. A programme tailored to an individual’s specific qualities and characteristics is far more effective as it creates a more supportive and empowering environment, where both parties can thrive.
With initiatives like AP House and the world’s first AP Café in Singapore, Audemars Piguet is enhancing the luxury client experience. What do you think is most important when balancing tradition and innovation, and what role does emotional connection play in luxury retail today?
Balancing tradition and innovation is at the heart of what makes Audemars Piguet so unique. We remain deeply rooted in our heritage – crafting exceptional timepieces that reflect the precision and artistry of Swiss watchmaking.
At the same time, we embrace innovation by creating spaces like AP House and the AP Café, where we can offer new, immersive experiences that engage our clients in fresh and meaningful ways. In luxury retail today, the emotional connection is paramount. It's no longer just about the product; it's about the story behind it, the experience of discovering it, and the relationships built over time. We want our clients to feel a genuine connection to the brand – not only through our watches, but also through the environments we create and the conversations we share. That emotional bond elevates the luxury experience from transactional to deeply personal.
Ultimately, it’s about creating a space where both tradition and innovation come together in harmony, allowing clients to connect with Audemars Piguet on a more emotional level and become a part of the brand’s ongoing story.
(Related: A conversation with Chopard's Caroline Scheufele on the future of women's luxury)
“Companies must implement structural changes, define and track KPIs that measure the progression of women, and ensure that gender diversity goals are met while supporting women's careers at every level.”
DR SOWON KIM
Professor, EHL Hospitality Business School and Founder, Women In Leadership (WIL) Initiative
In your experience, how does emotional intelligence (EQ) and cultural intelligence (CQ) shape effective leadership? What unique strengths do female leaders bring to diverse and multicultural teams?
In essence, leadership is about influencing people to achieve common goals. Emotional intelligence, the ability to recognise, understand, and manage one's own emotions and those of others, and cultural intelligence, the ability to function effectively in culturally diverse settings, are positively associated with leadership effectiveness. In other words, people who manage emotions and differences are better at influencing others.
Research shows that women score higher than men on specific components of EQ and CQ (such as empathy and social awareness), but there are no significant gender differences overall. So, the unique strengths of female leaders are not their EQ or CQ; it is the woman herself, her different perspectives, lived experiences, and skill set. Is this linked to gender? Not exclusively. Diversity in leadership goes beyond gender.
So, what is the point of having more female leaders? Because women understand women better. If a company produces products and services that women use or aims to grow its female customer base, having more women in leadership positions is a strategic decision or, quite simply, common sense.
As the founder of the Women in Leadership (WIL) Initiative, what key mentorship strategies have you found to be most effective in fostering gender diversity and supporting women’s career advancement?
Mentorship is an interpersonal tool, whereas gender diversity is a structural issue. This means that, no matter how effective mentoring may be, it cannot on its own foster gender diversity, which requires targeted systems, policies, and actions to ensure the hiring and promotion of women.
Companies must implement structural changes, define and track KPIs that measure the progression of women, and ensure that gender diversity goals are met while supporting women's careers at every level.
(Related: Service with flair)
Today, many women still face barriers in leadership roles. What are the most pressing challenges you see today, and what actionable solutions would you recommend to organisations striving for greater inclusion?
Leadership, corporate culture, and HR practices are the primary drivers of women in leadership roles. These are not minor challenges, but if companies are truly committed to inclusion, these areas must be examined. Anything less is merely a sticking-plaster solution.
First and foremost, if leadership is not committed to promoting women into top positions and holding themselves accountable, real progress will not happen. Leaders must actively challenge barriers and model inclusive behaviours.
Next is corporate culture, how people behave and what is tolerated or not within the company. If implicit bias is allowed to persist, women will continue to be penalised. The cumulative effect of repeated bias is significant, as women who are not promoted to mid-level positions will have little chance of advancing to top roles. That is why desired behaviours at the corporate level must be clearly defined, consistently measured, and rewarded through performance evaluations and compensation.
This is where HR practices play a crucial role.
Based on your global experience, what leadership trends do you see emerging, and how can business communities benefit from embracing diversity and inclusion practices?
We all follow the news and have seen the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), driven by political polarisation, economic uncertainty from the pandemic and geopolitical conflicts, and concerns about reverse discrimination. Yet, there is a growing demand for inclusive, empathetic, and ethical leadership. This is especially important for Gen Z, the most diverse generation in history.
According to reports from Deloitte, Gallup, McKinsey, and PwC, 83% of Gen Z value DEI, which significantly influences their decision to join or stay with a company. 63% expect their workplace to promote inclusive decision-making, ensuring that voices from diverse backgrounds are heard and respected. Gen Z is 2.4 times more likely to feel engaged at work when they perceive their leaders as inclusive and supportive. Additionally, 53% of Gen Z workers would leave a job if they felt the company lacked diversity or inclusivity efforts.
At EHL Hospitality Business School, we interact daily with Gen Z students from around the world. We have witnessed firsthand their confidence in voicing their perspectives, eagerness to be heard, and desire to contribute meaningfully to collective goals. This is such a crucial topic that we made it the central theme of EHL’s annual Women in Leadership conference this year. We invited top student participants to share their insights with professionals, including hoteliers, C-suite executives, and board members. They discussed what work means to them, how they see the future of work, their expectations from the workplace, and how they plan to contribute to company goals. We also explored the best ways to make them feel valued and included.
To answer the question about how business communities can benefit from DEI practices, do not abandon DEI just because it is no longer the latest trend. Stay committed, monitor progress, measure results, and refine your approach. When these young professionals choose their careers, your company will stand out to the high performers and talented workforce of the future.
What advice do you have for women navigating leadership roles while balancing personal aspirations, and how can organisations better support them?
There is no perfect path or universal solution and achieving both is undoubtedly challenging. First, choose both your spouse and company wisely. Select a partner who stands by you, especially when life becomes hectic. Family life involves daily routines, such as childcare and household management, as well as unexpected challenges like losing a loved one, job loss, or a global crisis. These stressors can strain communication and disrupt family harmony. Research shows that the spillover between work and personal life is significant, so choose a partner who is free from stereotypical gender biases and committed to sharing family responsibilities. Someone who celebrates your successes and sees you as an equal, not as someone doing you a favour by “allowing” you to work or thrive.
Similarly, choose a company that genuinely values diversity and flexibility and applies these principles at every level. Look at their leadership team and board members – if there are no women, that is a red flag. Assess how they approach flexibility, whether fully or partially, and whether it aligns with your needs.
Executives in the hospitality industry often argue that flexibility is impossible in businesses that operate 24/7. While it is true that these businesses never stop, no human can work around the clock. My research shows that flexibility is ultimately a mindset. In industries like hospitality, ensuring flexibility for frontline employees comes down to smart scheduling that adapts to both business and staff needs.
“As a leader in the tech space, I believe in never stopping learning. My personal mantra is to always be better than yesterday, even if only incrementally.”
FELICIA TAN
Director, Tribe Academy
Your background spans both public education leadership and the private tech sector. What motivated your transition from shaping STEM education in schools to driving tech upskilling at Tribe Academy, and how has this dual perspective shaped your approach to preparing tech talents for the future?
My transition from education came from recognising a growing disconnect with real-world applications, as teaching was my first job straight out of university. While I could design pedagogically sound lessons, I realised I couldn't provide students with genuine insights from actual business experience. This motivated me to widen my horizons – I joined a startup as their first employee, immersing myself in everything from operations to marketing and business development. This experience gave me far more than I had anticipated, providing firsthand exposure to the complete makeup of a company.
What really crystallised this decision was seeing how school curricula were evolving to embrace real-world contexts. In mathematics education, we moved away from traditionally scaffolded problems with parts A to E. Instead we present students with complex, open-ended scenarios that mirror real-life situations. Students need to break down these problems themselves, identifying key components and developing systematic solutions – exactly like what we do in real life and at the workplace. This shift reflected a fundamental truth: Learning mathematics is both about mastering concepts while developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities that translate directly to real-world challenges.
At Tribe Academy, we've always maintained a practical approach. We focus on teaching actionable content and practical implementation strategies while partnering with industry practitioners who enrich the lessons with their own experience. Rather than covering basic concepts that learners can easily find online, we weave in real-world scenarios they might encounter. For example, in our Generative AI in Digital Marketing programme, learners tackle challenges like developing an integrated AI strategy for multi-channel personalisation. They can then evaluate different AI tools' capabilities for customer segmentation, analyse the performance metrics of AI-generated content across channels and optimise prompt engineering strategies to maintain brand consistency and maximise engagement. Our industry partners then provide feedback based on their experience scaling similar AI solutions in their organisations. This combination ensures our learners gain not just theoretical knowledge, but practical skills they can immediately apply in their careers.
As part of your journey to becoming a Director at Tribe Academy, can you elaborate on what it takes to be a successful and competitive leader in Tech? Are there any key instances you can highlight on how it has shaped your role at Tribe Academy, especially in understanding what steps you took to run an education programme on GenAI?
Tribe had always been focused on blockchain and Web3 technologies. As the tech landscape evolved with the rise of AI, we strategically expanded our offerings to embrace this transformative wave. From my experience running AngelHack's global hackathons and other tech programmes, I knew that successful tech education must go beyond what's readily available online. This insight led to the birth of the Generative AI in Digital Marketing programme in partnership with SMU Academy – our first initiative designed specifically for non-developers. We saw both businesses and individuals eager to join the AI revolution, but struggling with practical implementation, and we recognised an opportunity to help bridge this tech gap.
As a leader in the tech space, I believe in never stopping learning. My personal mantra is to always be better than yesterday, even if only incrementally. In our team, we maintain a dynamic approach: We have a Slack channel where we share and highlight leading news in the space, and we dedicate weekly time to experiment and implement new ideas. To complement this continuous learning environment, we bring in industry practitioners who've “been there, done that” to share battle-tested strategies and real-life experiences, creating shortcuts in the learning journey for our students. This combination of quick-turnaround experimentation and practitioners' real-world insights helps our learners avoid steep learning curves and equips them with practical wisdom for the next stage of their careers.
Mentorship and fostering camaraderie are crucial in career development, especially in male-dominated fields like technology. Can you share any impactful mentorship experiences – either as a mentor or mentee – that have shaped your journey?
My leadership journey began when I became Head of Department in Mathematics at a local secondary school, where 90% of my team members were more senior than me. While my predecessor had decades of experience, I had to discover a leadership style that would work for both my team and me. Like many career progressions, being promoted based on strong individual performance meant stepping into a role that required an entirely different skillset. I focused on bringing together different strengths from the team, tapping on everyone's unique expertise and experience to achieve our goals. I learned that everyone wants to be heard, and effective leadership isn't about ruling with an iron fist but creating an environment where diverse viewpoints are valued. It was a humbling first experience leading a large, senior team.
These experiences have profoundly shaped how we run Tribe Academy today. We view all stakeholders – staff, industry partners, and learners – as equal, valued members of our community. They're all co-leaders in our journey, and we take every suggestion seriously. Our learners, in particular, play a crucial role in helping us refine our programmes, ensuring each intake benefits from continuous improvements.
(Related: Portfolio Revisits - Dr Pauline Erica Tay)
As an advocate for diversity in STEM, what challenges do you see women facing in the tech industry, and how is Tribe Academy helping create more opportunities for female professionals?
Apart from addressing common challenges like support systems for working mothers, pay equality, and career advancement opportunities, what's crucial is expanding our vision of what's achievable in tech. I see this shift happening when my eight-year-old daughter drops terms like 'hackathon', 'Generative AI', and 'blockchain' from overhearing my work calls. She, like many children today, is growing up seeing mothers make an impact in tech – a huge shift from traditional expectations.
At Tribe Academy, we've run multiple mid-career programmes helping professionals (not limited to women) return to the workforce or pivot into new careers. Life comes in different seasons, and we've seen how professionals who prioritised family can successfully return to tech when the time is right for them. One of our previous learners embraced a decade of motherhood, and when ready, found her path back to technology through our programmes. Today, she's thriving as a software engineer at a leading tech company.
Last year, we also organised Microsoft's Code Without Barriers hackathon – an inspiring women-only event where female developers created innovative solutions in Data & AI and Cybersecurity to address real-world challenges.
Through these efforts, we're showing future generations that different life choices and successful careers aren't mutually exclusive.
Leadership is often about fostering a strong community. How do you ensure that Tribe Academy not only equips talent with technical skills, but also cultivates a supportive network for long-term career growth?
Building strong communities has always been close to my heart. Coming from an education background, I've seen how learning and growth really happen when people connect and support each other. That's why at Tribe Academy, the community isn't just a nice-to-have – it's at the core of everything we do.
We regularly bring in industry practitioners as guest speakers who share relevant experiences and unique perspectives – a resource that learners might not encounter easily in their daily lives. Sure, there's plenty of information online, but nothing beats learning from someone who's been there, done that. Their successes, their failures, all become valuable learning moments. We create a space where people feel comfortable taking bold steps, knowing they've got a whole community backing them.
It is heartening to hear learners tell us that while acquiring hard skills is great, it's the community that helped them move forward in their careers. Many come in expecting to learn from just one instructor, but end up getting so much more – insights and inspiration from 40 other peers who are on similar journeys. That multiplier effect is powerful! This is why what we offer goes beyond just another programme.
Taking that first step to develop yourself could be the difference between feeling stuck and finding your next big breakthrough through a community that gets it.
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