Find out more about our diverse exco, as they share about their personal journey with YWLC, their upcoming plans for their sub-committees, as well as some of their perspectives and experiences.
WONG JIA YUN
CHAIRPERSON
Regional Business Development Manager, VISA
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
Luck the first time, and a renewed belief the second. I was part of an energising young women’s network - formed as we were all in a predominantly male environment - when I was in Germany, and was determined to do something to the same effect when I came back.
2. What is your direction for the 6th Exco, and what exciting projects are happening in line with that?
Diversity, innovation and sustainable growth are key goals for the 6th Exco. Externally, we’re working on new ways to delight and bring value to our mentors, partners, members and the broader community; internally, we’re helping each other in the Exco build up a broader range of skill sets and exposure, while having fun doing so!
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
The willingness to grow, and to grow others, got me into taking on the role of YWLC chairperson, as well as my current job in payments (a totally new industry for me). But more importantly, the people who believed in me and supported me every part of the journey catalysed these.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act? “Permanent beta” - Reid Hoffman, The Start-up of You
5. What is your most memorable journey?
Quitting university in my first year without a back-up plan, and finding my purpose again. I learned about pride, passion and failure; I found out about who mattered and will continue to matter.
6. Do you have any experience where you worked with anyone completely different from you, and found that your differences made the outcome much better?
I was based in the UK Midlands for a year, working on one of the most technically challenging projects in my early career. After an initial fallout with a very seasoned colleague who looked and thought different from me, we grew to respect each other's capabilities and experience, beyond age and the colour of our skin. We’re still friends today.
KELLEY WONG
VICE-CHAIRPERSON
Associate, Lee & Lee
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
In 2017, I chanced upon YWLC's flagship International Women's Day event through a Facebook ad. Having just returned to Singapore from a couple of years out, I was keen to find a local community to spend my time meaningfully. To that end, YWLC has exceeded my expectations and showed me how the collective of driven and growth-minded ladies can do so much more together.
2. What is your direction for the 6th Exco, and what exciting projects are happening in line with that?
With each term comes new problems and as we step into YWLC's teenage years - having celebrated our 10 year anniversary in 2018 - the challenge for our team is how to build a lasting and sustainable infrastructure to meet the growing demands of YWLC and at the same time, stay relevant for our members, mentors and partners with a strong culture of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.
We are fortunate to have been awarded the Seeds of Change funding and thrilled to be rolling out a platform in the year ahead that will enable us to leverage on past data and curate targeted programmes and content for our members.
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
The desire to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with my God.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act? “Features which are important when assessing fairness differ in each case. And, sometimes, different minds can reach different conclusions on what fairness requires. Then fairness, like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder.” - Lord Nicholls, White v White [2001] 1 AC 596
5. What is your most memorable journey?
Road tripping down the endless roads of Iceland with the closest of friends, singing our hearts out to the tunes of a local band, Of Monsters and Men.
6. What does “together” mean to you?
Being able to put aside our differences, focus on the common good and strive forward as a whole.
CLAIRIE TAY
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Capital Markets Broker, CBRE Group
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
I joined YWLC during the last year of my university days. I was in a phase where I wanted to achieve so much but didn't know where and how to begin. I got introduced to YWLC by a friend and immediately came to realise it was an organisation that naturally created an emotionally safe space for equally ambitious, hungry, determined ladies. The rest was history, I never left! It's probably been 3 years now...
2. What exciting projects is your sub-cmmittee working on now?
Building a pipeline of partners to create bespoke leadership development content and creating thought leadership articles!
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
When I was in university, I majored in Economics and Finance, thinking I'll spend the rest of my professional life as a private banker. The world has its way of working out what's the most appropriate for you at a particular point in time.
I experienced a very interesting internship doing equity fund-raising for a Commercial Real Estate (CRE) asset in Australia and opened my eyes to the CRE world. I tried my luck in applying for my current firm, the world's largest CRE services and investment firm, and got accepted!
The dynamic nature and satisfaction from my job just cements my choice albeit not knowing about this industry initially. I am a very happy Capital Markets Broker now, truly!
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act? “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - The Man in the Arena by Theodore Roosevelt
5. What is your most memorable journey?
My most memorable journey is now. Because every minute, when I make choices - large or small - I am empowered to dictate my life. That's liberating.
6. “People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” What habit do you intend to work on this year, and how do you think this can shape your future?
To eradicate background noise and focus on my goals; this way I can be more effective in achieving them.
Clairie and her team are organising The Art of Decision Making, an exclusive three-part Leadership Development workshop series with management consulting firm Korn Ferry. The series aims to equip you with the skills you need to gain personal awareness, understand how to overcome perceived barriers in life, and exert influence effectively in relationships.
The first installment in this series, The Awareness Choice, explores building personal awareness by helping you reflect on your current state of mind. This session will dive into context setting and key principles, and will cover areas such as: self-talk about successes and failures, and identifying contrasting mindsets about development.
In view of the DORSCON levels being raised to orange on 7 February, YWLC has implemented new protocols and general precautions for the safety and wellbeing of all our participants. We will be postponing all February and March events, including The Awareness Choice, until further notice. Keep a look out for more information on the event on our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages!
WAN SHI YUN
SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY
Payment Networks Manager, PPRO
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
To be honest, me joining YWLC was a coincidence! Back in 2015 when I was still an undergraduate at SMU, my SMU alumni mentor (who was Special Projects director in 2015) roped me in to help plan the programme for YWLC International Women's Day 2015.
Over the course of planning IWD 2015, I met so many inspiring members and mentors who gave me much needed career advice - hence I decided to join YWLC.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
We are organising YWLC's annual flagship event - International Women's Day 2020! This year's IWD is themed "Together We Can: A Celebration of the Community of Women", where we feature three related themes around the idea of togetherness: i) Achieving more through partnerships, ii) Embracing diversity and inclusion, and iii) Journeying forward together.
In addition, Special Projects also runs Interest Groups such as the YWLC Reads! Book Club. Feel free to approach me if you would like to start and Interest Group for YWLC members!
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
I have helped out in 3 YWLC IWDs - Challenging The Status Quo (2014) doing marketing, Make It Happen (2015) doing programmes, and Braving The Wilderness (2019) doing business development. I saw it as a natural progression to step up as Special Projects Director to lead IWD 2020!
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
"Forgiving is not forgetting; its actually remembering - remembering and not using your right to hit back. It is a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don't want to repeat what happened."
This quote is from The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu. It is a very heartwarming book about how you can forgive people who have caused you anger and/or hurt - and that includes forgiving yourself too.
5. What is your most memorable journey?
I would say that my most heartening journey is seeing how my mentoring connections have borne fruit over the years. In end 2019, I travelled overseas with my SMU alumni mentor and my SMU co-mentee, 7 years after we first connected as mentor and mentee!
From sharing advice on what modules to take, how to strategise for overseas exchange to managing job changes, we have become close friends over the years and we are now planning our 2020 trip to Europe!
6. "People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” What habit do you intend to work on this year, and how do you think this can shape your future?
I intend to work on leading a healthier lifestyle - eating wholesome meals, exercising more frequently, practicing meditation and having better work-life balance to stay energised and keep burnout at bay!
Shi Yun and her team are organising International Women's Day 2020, themed "Together We Can: A Celebration of the Community of Women" .
This event is about harnessing the power of “we” rather than just “me”. It takes a village to go the distance — whether that’s in the form of a helping hand from another woman leader ahead in the game, the courage of an enlightened male ally, or supportive mentors, colleagues and families to get her through the toughest times.
In view of the DORSCON levels being raised to orange on 7 February, YWLC has implemented new protocols and general precautions for the safety and wellbeing of all our participants. We will be postponing all February and March events, including YWLC x Citi: International Women's Day 2020, until further notice. Keep a look out for more information on the event on our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages!
BEATRIX SIO
MENTORSHIP DIRECTOR
Manager, Concord Associates Pte Ltd
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
Finding a community of women, with the same objective of wanting to support each other, with the many initiatives and events.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
The team is actively working on how we can ensure a more fruitful mentorship journey for our members: more networking opportunities among each other, with the mentors and also alumni-mentees. Over the next few months, we’ll be working to showcase a series of interviews with mentors and their respective mentees to share on their mentorship journey.
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
I am actually working in my family business, though it was not what I had planned to in my undergraduate days. Naturally, it progressed into the thought of “Why don’t I just try it and see how it goes first?”. So here I am still!
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - The Princess Diaries
5. What is your most memorable journey?
That would have to be my first attempt to reach the summit at Mount Fuji! I was feeling ill and had to keep going even though the weather was really bad, and we didn't make it. But I went back 2 years later to attempt it again, and we made it this time. It was the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen. That's the most literal way of telling me not to give up and try again!
6. At the end of 2020, how would you like your life to be transformed?
Being more self-aware, paying more attention to my health and well-being.
SUA WAN XIN
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR
Lead, Industry Alliance, SGTech
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
I first came to know about YWLC through the Mentorship Programme. I was inspired by the diversity and energy of the young women whom I had the opportunity to connect with. More importantly, I knew I wanted to be part of a community that enables me to grow both professionally and personally.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
I am proud to share it’s a wrap for the flagship programmes by the Community Engagement team, as the year draws to a close, with the recent programmes being the 100 Wishes, and pay-it-forward Mentorship Programmes, Y-Connect and Y-Ignite.
Earlier this December, we partnered Luxasia Foundation to organise Headstart!, a half-day workshop targeting tertiary female students aged 17 to 23 from vulnerable backgrounds who are looking for their first job. The workshop encompassed a rich and varied programme for the participants, including a careers panel, confidence-building, personal grooming and interview skills training.
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
I am part of SGTech, a business advocate for the tech industry in Singapore. My role involves working with leaders across public and private sectors, to create an ecosystem where tech is central to enabling businesses, facilitating information exchange and enriching people’s lives. That’s what attracted me and keeps me going at work!
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” – Helen Keller
5. What is your most memorable journey?
My very first climb at Mount Batur, which I totally mistook for a leisure trek and was unprepared for! It was a real sense of achievement when I made it to the top.
6. At the end of 2020, how would you like your life to be transformed?
I look forward to investing a little more time in myself to pick up new skills such as cooking and travel videography – both of which I am really excited about!
EVELYN CHEW
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Relationship Manager, OCBC Bank
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
The opportunity to contribute back to an organisation through creating events that helps to bring fellow women together, and to gain knowledge from the events and the process of organising them.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
We are actively working on strategies and initiatives to cultivate long-term partnerships, including identifying synergies through collaboration and finding ways to empower young women together with our partners.
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
Being an economics undergrad, my interest in banking grew as I took more financial economics modules.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
“It is the hard days – the times that challenge you to your very core – that will determine who you are. You are defined not just by what you achieve but by how you survive.” - Sheryl Sandberg
5. What is your most memorable journey?
My most memorable journey was when I stayed in Warsaw despite the language barrier and extremely cold weather. This allowed me to gain a different perspective on life and made me appreciate my strengths and learn about my weaknesses.
6. What new skill have you picked up this year, and what made you think about doing this?
I’m currently taking “Introduction to Computer Science” online to better understand the complexity of technological skills that is currently in demand.
KRISTIN LOO
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Founder, Kayloo Prints
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
I wanted to be a part of a community of women who are brimming with passion for what they believe in and who support other women.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
We are looking to bring YWLC to life through different channels and content, such as telling the stories of the women in our community and their experience in YWLC, sharing thought leadership and mentorship insights, as well as doing more live and video coverage for our events. We are also refreshing the look of our website and newsletter, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
I chanced upon the Finnish design house Marimekko and experienced so much joy from the colours and prints around me. This inspired me to dabble in digital art and made me yearn to recreate a similar experience for everyone around me through colours and prints.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
This is not a specific quote, but rather, a summary of a part of an article that greatly motivates me – “Everything you do in life either helps you level up or is a distraction.” – Mark Manson
5. What is your most memorable journey?
The Galapagos Islands. I had the chance to see wild sea lions lying on the horizontal beams of the port, “punk-looking” marine iguanas swimming in the sea, marine birds with incredibly bright blue feet diving at a great height for their food, giant sea turtles, baby penguins (they surprisingly live at the equator!), and my ferry was trailed by a flock of large frigate birds. It was a very different kind of trip, and I just felt awestruck being so close to the many species of wild animals.
6. What new skill have you picked up this year, and what made you think about doing this?
I have taken up travel videography this year - it is a great way to capture beautiful memories, and I can potentially use these skills for my business video campaigns in the future. For now, I’m also creating YWLC event videos!
On a side note, if you are interested to create videos for YWLC events, do let me know!
ZHIYING CHUA
DATA & INNOVATION DIRECTOR AND TREASURER
Head, Finance, Neuron Mobility
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
Mostly curiosity, but it happened as I was looking for a community to be part of as I was trying to figure out answers to The Big Questions.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
The Data & Innovation sub-committee is looking for innovative ways to help YWLC grow sustainably. The first major project we are working on is a platform that will enable us better understand, develop and leverage our network that includes members, community engagement (CE) beneficiaries, mentors, corporate partners and sponsors.
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
Again, mostly curiosity and through searching for something or somewhere that enables continual growth and learning.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
One that struck me most recently was from an episode titled 'Becky and Jo' off the podcast, Heavyweight: "Becky and Jo, for their part, head out into a beautiful LA afternoon, doing their best, to keep taking care of each other".
A reminder that sometimes we cling too much to the past, or are so expectant of the future, that we forget to turn to the people next to us right now and ask "Are you OK?".
5. What is your most memorable journey?
One of the most memorable journeys I was ever taken on was when I was on holiday with my family as a teen. My dad had decided it was a good idea to bring us on a hike of the Blue Mountains without a proper map, water or food. I've since learnt that perceptions of distance can differ significantly from person to person, and to always bring a filled water bottle wherever I go.
6. What inspires you?
The people and team around me.
LYNETTE TEO
IMMEDIATE PAST LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Account Manager, Google
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
A sense of community with other like-minded women who are ambitious yet also share the view that we should be lifting up other females around us.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
We have a workshop with Amazon coming up on the Culture of Innovation, so we are currently prepping logistics and coordinating registration for the event, which is the last one for the year!
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
I’m currently in digital advertising sales, and this is an industry that started booming in the last few years with the advent of digital growth. I was lucky enough to join a graduate programme by the government and Google that helped to train fresh graduates with the digital marketing foundations, which then helped me get more experience in agencies where I learnt more practical skills. This paved the way for me to grow the Tech and Telco industry’s digital maturity, in my current position as an account manager in Google.
4. What is your most memorable journey?
My most memorable journey would really be post graduation and finding my passion in digital advertising - the journey from knowing nothing at all to now lecturing students in universities on these very same topics - that’s a knowledge journey I hope to be on for as long as I can!
5. What principles, processes or habits do you hold or practice to be innovative in your work or life?
I always tell myself to take the path of learning in whatever I do - I think that always reminds me to be humble and know that there is always more to learn and grow from!
Lynette and her team organised the workshop, YWLC x Amazon: The Culture of Innovation, aimed at entrepreneurs or someone who dreams big to help them learn about leadership principles, culture and processes that underpin innovation.
The member-exclusive workshop was held on 13 Nov (Wed), 6:30pm – 9:00pm. You can find out more about the workshop here.
YVONNE MAK
YWLC RECRUITMENT DIRECTOR
Associate, Withers KhattarWong
1. What inspired you to join YWLC? I was drawn by its mission to develop women in leadership.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now? We are starting to plan our annual Future Women Leader’s Forum for female undergraduates, as well as a new event series focused on extending YWLC’s reach to a more diverse group of women.
3. How did you get into what you are doing now? Deciding to be a litigator was a natural choice for me. I have always loved wielding words: as a means of expression, a tool for persuasion, and as a weapon.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act? “We shall see evil and all our pain sink away in the great compassion that shall enfold the world. Our life will be as peaceful and tender and sweet as a caress.” - Uncle Vanya, Chekhov
5. What is your most memorable journey? Learning to appreciate the beauty and discipline in classical music through two weeks I spent traveling through Asia as a personal assistant to an acclaimed conductor.
6. Amid the ever-increasing demands on a modern woman, what are your tips to beating burnout? Cultivating discipline, taking time to engage in your passions, and reminding yourself that life is a marathon not a sprint.
BRENDA LEE
YWLC MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Analyst, Gateway Partners
1. What inspired you to join YWLC?
I was seeking a community for young women to learn to nurture, cultivate and navigate their ambitions.
2. What exciting projects is your subcommittee working on now?
Our sub-committee hopes to connect more of our members through welcome socials and fireside chats on top-of-mind issues. We’re also launching a series of members socials centred around ‘kick-ass’ young women leaders and entrepreneurs, starting with a gin distillery tour on 6 Dec where members will have the opportunity to meet the distillery’s inspiring young female founder!
3. How did you get into what you are doing now?
I was looking for a dynamic and rewarding career which allows me to delve deeper into what makes businesses tick beyond what’s on their P&Ls.
4. What is your favourite line from a piece of writing or act?
桃李不言，下自成蹊 - 史记. Literally translated, it means “peach and plum trees do not speak, yet a footpath forms organically beneath them [because of their fruit and flowers]”. To me, this phrase refers to how a person with good qualities need not brag to attract admiration from others
5. What is your most memorable journey?
My service trip to Cambodia which was the first time I’ve visited the country.
6. Amid the ever-increasing demands on a modern woman, what are your tips to beating burnout?
What helps me is being intentional about prioritising self-care. When I’m overwhelmed, I find that spending some time talking through my stressors with someone (a friend, my partner) rejuvenates me, reduces anxiety and helps to keep me centred.
Yvonne and Brenda co-led the workshop, Beating Burnout, held on 26 Oct 2019 (Sat). This workshop is part of YWLC's annual Milestones & Transitions series aimed at equipping mid-career women at the crossroads of change with new skills and perspectives.
Find out more about the workshop here!