What first inspired you to pursue a career in this field?

What I do falls within the cross-section of entrepreneurship and education. The education part is in the genes - I'm the 5th generation in my family to work at a university even though I never consciously set out to do so. The entrepreneurship part I think has to do with growing up in 1980's China, seeing enterprising businesses spring up in every field, transforming my every day life experience and creating wealth for the proprietor. When I first started primary school, a 'future career' book series was introduce, with titles like 'I want to be a scientist/politician' etc. I chose the one titled 'I want to be a business tycoon'. 

What is biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome this? 

The biggest challenge to me is a constant one, not something you overcome once and never worry about again. As alumni of a world-class institution such as UNSW, we are so fortunate to have access to so many exciting business and career opportunities. But to achieve success at anything we need to put all our effort into one area. How do we pick and how do we stay focused at every decision point? It's a challenge both for navigating career progression and for deciding the direction of a business. We need to be very self-aware, prioritise what's most important, and ruthlessly say no to everything else. Sometimes it'll feel very difficult as the 'fear of missing out' can be very strong and it may not be obvious for a long time that we are making the right decision. But we have to have faith that one day that our focused efforts will pay off. 

How did your time at UNSW Sydney prepare you for this?

The most valuable thing UNSW provides me is a network of inspiring and successful individuals (other alumni, professors) who are all experiencing or have experienced any challenge I might be facing. I'm able to learn from their perspectives when I have trouble deciding the best course of action. 

What do you love the most about your role? 

Getting to work with smart, hard working and incredibly talented/knowledgeable entrepreneurs from all professional and cultural backgrounds. Everyone has as strong sense of purpose, and the ability to execute fast on their vision. It's an incredibly empowering community to be part of. 

Name a woman or women you look up to most – why do they inspire you?

When I was younger, I always felt most inspired by the idea that I could lead a life that inspires myself, I could be my own hero. That approach has served me well in terms of taking personal responsibility but as I get older, as life gets more complicated and challenging, I value the wisdom of others so much more. A name a couple: Michelle Obama for inspiring everyone to think beyond themselves, to dedicate our lives to the greater good even at personal costs, even when it doesn't seem to make any difference. Something that sounds very simple when we are young and idealistic, but gets increasingly difficult to do as we get older and take on more personal responsibilities in life. Jing Ulrich who is the MD of JP Morgan Chase Asia Pacific for the complete mastery of her field. I was blown away by her knowledge and poise as a leader speaking on highly technical, complex and controversial issues at an Aus-China business summit. This is what an ultra-high performing individual looks like! 

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Be involved, be experts, be vocal influencers in areas that really matter for the future development of humanity, especially fields (STEM, finance/economics, politics) where women are woefully under-represented. Many forces, technology being a key one, are disrupting our world, and women's voices are not heard when key decisions are made about what this new world is going to look like. I recently went to a blockchain technology event where I counted, including myself were 6 women in a room of over 100. Being in the startup industry means I'm used to being a minority, but this was minority at a new level of extreme. 

Do you think your industry is doing enough to champion gender diversity? 

More work could always be done but this year I have seen an increase in girls studying computer science at UNSW. Supply is definitely a big part of the problem and I am so encouraged to see changes beginning to take place.

Have you seen a change in gender diversity in the workplace over the last few decades?

I don't know about absolute numbers, but I do see much more focus being placed on considering diversity when business decisions are made. From hiring to event logistics to how a brand is marketed etc. Diversity results in better business outcomes, and as a community we are growingly accepting and embracing that concept, and adopting more inclusive practices as a result. 

 

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