International Women’s Day: Women of SCC 10

I believe great organizations reflect how societies look like, and that is why we need a more balanced, diverse and inclusive team. As a fast-growing software company under IBM, we at Red Hat are committed to that goal. That is also a personal mission of mine, and my APAC leadership team actively supports it. This goal is also significant in Singapore, where female representation in the important fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is, at best, a mixed affair. Only 30% of local researchers and engineers here are women. Also, only 58% of women with STEM qualifications in Singapore work in jobs they are qualified for, compared with 70% for men. That is according to a study by the Nanyang Technological University. We know that diversity drives innovation, and being innovative is crucial in a tech environment if you want to stay ahead. Good ideas can come from anyone, and diversity helps make us smarter. In fact, there is a business case for diversity because companies that are more diverse can earn 19% more in revenue than those that are less diverse, according to Forbes. And how do we encourage diversity? We need to create a business environment that is inclusive. We also need to make sure we have more women in the STEM industries.

That is why I am honoured and humbled to have been selected in the SG100 Women in Tech list of female leaders. I am using that platform to help spread the message that we need more women in this field.

We need more female role models, and capture the interest of girls from a young age and keep them engaged. Building a bank of highly visible and active female role models can positively influence girls' confidence, achievement levels and mental well-being. We can do this through youth outreach, community initiatives and upskilling. Here is where the “Kampong Spirit” approach comes into play. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a community to nurture talent. Role models take on a community mindset and lead their employees and youth groups in an open and inclusive manner.

This creates a virtuous cycle that allows the community to nurture talent and encourage greater workforce participation.

I think the word ‘powerful’ has some negative connotation to it. It is not how we would describe ourselves at Red Hat, as we work in the open-source software industry, and we put to action our openmanagement principles, including meritocracy. For me, being powerful has to be more about paving the way for others. Within the organization, this means nurturing talent, including the younger and more senior colleagues. Externally, this is about having the ability to ensure your customers’ voices are heard, and you adapt to their needs. It is being able to pull the levers to make this happen for the people around you. For me, real power is not about just yourself. It is about looking after the people around you, your teammates, and the customers you serve.

Change is constant, and with technology, that change gains lightning speed. This means agility is very important for the next generation of female leaders. I have four tips for young female leaders in tech. First, in being agile and adaptable, make sure that if you are good at a technical skill, like coding, you also need to develop commercial and business acumen. That also applies the other way round. If you have business acumen, gain some technical skills, too. Second, stretch your abilities, mentally and professionally. The brain is a muscle and it needs to be flexed and challenged to remain strong. This can be developed faster if you engage a mentor. Third, try and do a stint outside of Singapore. This country is a mature market, so it would be good to gain experience in emerging markets, and be exposed to different cultures. Fourth, find your voice. Women need to speak up in meetings and in the boardrooms. By this, I also mean you speak up in decibel. From when I was a younger executive, I pushed myself to make at least one relevant comment at every meeting. From there, I started taking on bigger responsibilities, and I am happy to share my experiences now.