International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder to celebrate women’s invaluable contributions and strengthen our efforts towards a truly equitable future. Within NIPSEA Group, talented female leaders drive success and pave the way. This feature explores the inspiring stories of five women: Arzu Uludag, Burcu Yaroğlu, Huang Jun, Kasira Krisrayaphach, and Sheng Thong Yin.
Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone
Arzu Uludag, Deputy General Manager of Marketing for Betek and Group Marketing Capabilities Lead for NIPSEA, encourages daring and exploration. Her philosophy, “Those who want to see a wolf must be willing and courageous to climb the mountain,” stems from her career, where she embraced undefined roles.
For example, she volunteered for a project establishing a new sales channel, which involved extensive travel and customer visits despite uncertainties. The project’s success solidified her belief in venturing outside one’s comfort zone.
Arzu champions diversity and inclusivity, deliberately building teams with varied experiences, mindsets, and life practices. She believes this fosters dynamism, creativity, and constructive challenge—her advice: “Know your priorities,” emphasising focus and strategic decision-making.
Embracing Uncertainty and Leading by Example
A recurring theme emerges: embracing uncertainty and cultivating a spirit of inquiry. Burcu Yaroğlu, Procurement Director at Betek, values hands-on experience and deep field understanding. She reflects on how an early, compulsory factory internship – initially viewed with some trepidation – instilled in her the value of “doing the job all by yourself and digging deep.” She vividly remembers working “inside autoclaves or metal hardening with the machines,” demonstrating a commitment to understanding every aspect of the work. This hands-on approach shaped her career, instilling empathy for workers and a passion for continuous learning.
Burcu highlights the evolving dynamics of procurement, stating it’s no longer solely about cost reduction but a multifaceted role demanding “market monitoring, relationship management, price and supply stability.” She explains, “The whole world has gone through very different and critical periods in the last 5 years,” requiring procurement professionals to act almost as “investigative journalists.” She champions “lead by example,” stressing openness and honesty within the team. Her advice: “Never forget what prepared you to be here and what is needed to carry you further.”
Leading with Curiosity and Courage
Huang Jun, Chairman of Nippon Paint Marine (China), champions curiosity and courageous decision-making. She believes leadership involves understanding people and building relationships alongside strategic thinking. A pivotal moment was her transition to a cross-business management role, where she faced scepticism. She overcame this by actively seeking knowledge from her team and suppliers, demonstrating the value of stepping outside one’s comfort zone.
In a specific instance, Huang Jun calmly challenged a stakeholder’s desire to rush a product promotion. She demonstrated the risks using data and case studies, leading to a consensus-based solution. Such an example highlights her ability to navigate disagreements and make data-driven decisions.
Huang Jun stresses the growing importance of environmental sustainability. She urges leaders to focus on technological innovation and cross-departmental collaboration for eco-friendly solutions, recognising that stricter ecological regulations demand innovation for competitiveness. Her advice: “Stay curious, keep learning, and be willing to take risks.”
The Power of Teamwork and Proactive Leadership
Kasira Krisrayaphach, Vice President, ICBU, Nippon Paint (Thailand) Co, Ltd., underscores collaboration and communication. A turning point was realising leadership involves creating value through teamwork, not just individual achievement. Transitioning from a technical role to one requiring cross-functional collaboration highlighted this.
She believes in the “power of teamwork,” where individuals support each other, recognise everyone’s role, and realise that collective effort yields more significant results. Kasira emphasises active listening, fostering others’ growth, and valuing diverse skills and perspectives.
She learned to navigate differing opinions by actively listening to colleagues’ reasoning before presenting her perspective with supporting data. By doing so, she fosters mutual understanding and compromise. She advises “not wait for permission to lead,” which encourages proactive initiative.
Resilience and Managerial Courage
Sheng Thong Yin, Senior Vice President of Group Corporate Planning and Business Development, exemplifies resilience and managerial courage, qualities honed not just in the corporate world, but also as an Ironman triathlete. She shares an insightful experience from a challenging time when she facilitated a staff transfer from a technical to a business focus during an economic downturn. This bold move, though risky, ultimately led to success, demonstrating that navigating a challenging situation requires advocacy for the individual involved and focusing on the company’s well-being. She emphasises that managerial courage is crucial: “Set the goal, maintain your focus, and train diligently to achieve it. Don’t be afraid of setbacks; if you stumble, try again. Each attempt will make you better.” A philosophy that resonates as strongly on the Ironman course as it does in the boardroom.
Additionally, Thong Yin highlights a pivotal moment when she had to advocate for herself to secure a leadership position. This instance underscores the importance of being proactive in self-advocacy and taking charge of one’s career path. Her overarching advice remains: “Focus, train, learn, recoup & repeat,” emphasising continuous self-improvement, being open-minded, learning from mistakes, and upholding ethical standards.
Let the stories of these extraordinary women at NIPSEA Group inspire us on this International Women’s Day. Their journeys remind us of breaking barriers and building a future where everyone can thrive. They demonstrate that leadership is about empowering others, embracing challenges, and fostering a legacy of innovation and inclusion.
