To further drive change in the industry, the Group introduced the Female Leadership Programme in July to accelerate female talents within the organisation. Aimed to encourage more women participation in management and emerging leadership roles and achieve at least 35% female representation in leadership roles, the programme provides a platform for development for both mentors and mentees. By enabling an open, two-way communication, Gladys Goh, SVP of Strategic Innovation and Marketing at NIPSEA Group, said “Mentees often bring fresh perspectives, ideas, and questions that can challenge my own thinking too. This gives me opportunities for personal growth.”
JiangJiulong, from Nippon Paint China’s Purchasing Department, said, “A targeted training like this has helped me improve my thought process of the roles and responsibilities I undertake and has broadened my ability to understand the problems encountered by others and their perspectives.
Gladys further added that aspiring women should focus on development, from developing their critical thinking and stress management skills, personal and well-being growth, as well as practising self-reflection for a heightened sense of self-awareness.
Nippon Paint India’s N. Rajeswari, NPI-Deco-HR&A, CSR, D&I, ESG support, said she has a new approach to inspiring the team by supporting them with resolving day to day and work life challenges. “I’m now cultivating the habit of ‘nothing is impossible’ and focusing on goals rather than the roadblocks faced through assertive and authentic facts.”
The mentorship programme also touched on personal branding and encouraged women to build a brand unique to their strengths. “Personal branding can help us connect with others and while this is important for an individual, through the process of a brand development, we also gain new perspectives on the key elements that make others who they are. In a larger picture, this understanding will aid individuals and the team with efficient management and accomplishment of goals,” said Zhu Xiangqi, Product Development, Nippon Paint China.
