Cover Crystal Lok, head of relationship management, Asia for OANDA
Crystal Lok, head of relationship management, Asia for OANDA
1 / 1
Tatler+
Taking charge in the world of fast-paced finance can be hard, but Crystal Lok, head of relationship management, Asia for OANDA boldly gets the job done by nurturing and supporting her career and the company’s greatest asset: the people
Mention “the five Cs” and most—if not all—Singaporeans will know exactly what you’re talking about: Cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club membership. However, Crystal Lok, OANDA’s head of relationship management, Asia, has her own three “Cs” going for her: Communication, collaboration and compassion. These “Cs” form her leadership style—traits that have served her well at OANDA, an award-winning, multi-asset online trading company.
“To me, an organisation is like a ship and the crew on board is what matters the most. Having a team with the right attitude and mindset is important as they are crucial in propelling the ship forward,” affirms Lok, who has spent over 10 years at OANDA rising through the ranks from retail sales executive and premium relationship manager to the head of relationship management across Asia today.
“I believe in the power of transformational leadership and its ability to empower a team. Providing the team with a safe space to learn and develop their skillsets enables an independent, resourceful and self-sufficient team.”, she adds. “I’m grateful for having a team of experienced individuals, who are given the empowerment to make decisions, problem solve and not be afraid to fail. I encourage people to speak up and question the status quo when they identify something that can be improved. Since the start of my career, I have proactively approached people across different levels, with a focus on solving the issue at hand.
Don't miss: 10 empowering books by women to inspire you this International Women’s Day
Above At OANDA, Lok looks to instill the notion of "smarter trading" to clients by enabling them with the right tools and resources
At OANDA, Lok looks to instill the notion of "smarter trading" to clients by enabling them with the right tools and resources
1 / 1
It is this exact blend of tenacity, empathy and open-mindedness that successful, modern-day leaders are made of. Lok’s contribution to OANDA’s corporate culture reflects the company’s similarly progressive motto: “Dare to be Bold, be Open, Own and Focus”.
Here, she shares more about her journey to the top, the most rewarding parts of a career in finance, advice for budding female leaders, and the importance of cultivating a diverse, inclusive and understanding environment that “removes the fear of making mistakes and encourages ownership, accountability, productivity and goal-orientedness”.
Can you share more about your career journey? How did your career in finance begin, and what made you decide to go in this direction since university?
With a solid academic background in finance, it felt natural to pursue a passion close to my heart. Given my outgoing personality, alongside the booming financial industry back then, I decided to join OANDA as a Customer Support Officer, supporting client onboarding in Singapore, ASEAN and Oceania.
Here at OANDA, there is a culture that aims to create a respectful and fast-moving environment with equal opportunities, where everyone can realise their personal growth. Since joining the company, I have ventured into numerous opportunities, moving from sales to client reactivation and relationship management. Besides that, investing in internal programs help fuel my drive to be a more effective leader. This includes being a Conflict Resolution Advisor, Respect in the Workplace Advisor, mentor for the OANDA Mentorship Program and part of the social committee.
Lifelong learning is essential to my career development. Every day is a learning opportunity to grow and work towards becoming a more effective leader.
Is there a break-out career moment you can share? What’s your proudest moment?
Interestingly enough, I attribute a major part of my success to two break-out career moments that shaped my approach and led me to where I am today—leaving OANDA and rejoining them. I am a firm believer in taking ownership of my decisions. The saying 'as you sow, so shall you reap' resonates deeply with me. It has been a reflection of my key ethos that drives me forward and keeps me persevering on my journey.
After almost two years here, I embarked on a new journey to seek new pastures for growth and development. It was no easy pickle but in light of the changing environment, I was determined to put in the extra hours to fine-tune my skillsets. I was also fortunate to have met a fantastic and supportive mentor who imparted fundamental ethical and professional values that made me who I am today.
Upon rejoining OANDA, I continued to explore different roles within the company to diversify my portfolio of skillsets. My second stint also saw a greater focus on honing my craft in relationship management which ultimately enabled my passion and understanding of relationship building. These were some of the key factors that really helped me develop a greater understanding of our clients’ needs, which ultimately led me to my proudest moment so far in my journey—head of relationship management, Asia.
The process of growth requires us to be uncomfortable yet determined. By embracing change, we allow ourselves room to expand and nurture our mentality and attitude.
Can you talk about the moment you became the head of relationship management, Asia?
It felt surreal—a blend of excitement, pride and anxiety. The sense of jubilation was momentary as the anxiety of venturing into unknown territories quickly set in—I mean, who doesn't get nervous about that?
While there are certain circumstances in life that are beyond our control, we can always determine our reaction and response. Taking ownership of my attitude and mindset enabled me to perceive the challenges ahead as an indication that I was progressing in the right direction.
Above Lok has risen through the ranks, leading with expertise and empathy in a male-doiminated industry
Lok has risen through the ranks, leading with expertise and empathy in a male-doiminated industry
1 / 1
Describe a day in your life at work—what goes into your daily job?
My typical day revolves around meeting clients, vendors and being present at onsite events to oversee and manage projects, ensuring that our clients are well-provided for. Experiencing our plans come to fruition first-hand provides me with key insights and a better understanding towards building best practices that the team can provide our high-value clients with.
What would you say is the most rewarding part of your job, and your role in the finance world?
With technological advancements and automation widely prevalent these days, I believe the human element is still critical. A big part of relationship management is helping clients interpret data and striking a balance between technology and the human touch. There’s no greater reward than being able to value-add to their trading experience with key insights and financial counsel to aid them in their success.
After all, trading is personal, just as how success is personal to everyone. We hope to instill the notion of “Smarter Trading” among our clients by enabling them with the tools and resources that OANDA offers.
Also read: These three top female Asian philanthropists are finding new ways to heal the world
What advice do you have for other budding females in finance seeking senior leadership roles?
Be bold and believe in yourself. Developing confidence is a key process that takes practice and ongoing reflection on your strengths and weaknesses. We need to celebrate and recognise our achievements at work, which ultimately affects how we perceive our value with the company.
As the saying goes, "comparison is the thief of joy". It's easy to compare your abilities to your coworkers, but it is important to understand how these differences provide value to the overall goals of the team. By setting realistic expectations and goals, we allow ourselves to effectively evaluate our performance and set specific steps to improve.
Today, many top global institutions and teams are helmed by women—but there is still a significant number of companies/industries dominated by men. In your view, how has gender diversity progressed over the years, and what can be done to encourage more women at the top?
In recent years, we have seen more conversations around gender equality which were seldom discussed in the past. Organisations are more mindful of creating a culture of respect and allow female leadership and empowerment to be celebrated and encouraged.
It is important to encourage all stakeholders in the organisation to work together to maintain and accelerate progress on gender equality. We need to continue to elevate avenues for more females to speak up and step up. One way is to train hiring managers and leaders on how unconscious biases can manifest within the organisation, which will trickle down to workplace culture.
I’m thankful that OANDA champions equality and respect in the workplace - to provide people with a safe and comfortable place to work and be effective and efficient at the same time. The HR department has done a fantastic job to build an inclusive workplace through conducting EDIs (equity, diversity and inclusion) programmes across our global offices. We have collected employee feedback through surveys on a wide range of topics and put in place a committee to run initiatives and provided training to educate people, leaders and employees.
As a key player of OANDA's team, how would you say one can create the right culture and mindset, engage employees, and reinforce the right behaviours? What’s your experience with how progressive corporate governance?
It all starts with having open and honest conversations. The future of work now relies on two-way communication to create the right culture that develops efficient and collaborative cross-functional teams. Leaders need to engage employees and value feedback from internal and external stakeholders so that the organisation can improve and progress as a whole.
In 2020, OANDA worked on a project to develop a set of corporate values which I was involved in as well. The 4 values are, Dare to: be Bold, be Open, Own and Focus. These are fundamental values that are interconnected. Practising these values creates an environment that empowers employees to align their mindsets and take action to achieve greater progress.
Today's leaders must create a safe space for employees to take risks and eliminate any fear or trepidation about voicing their needs. In return, we can better focus on delivering the best experience for our clients.
Above OANDA was voted "Most Popular Broker" by TradingView
OANDA was voted "Most Popular Broker" by TradingView
1 / 1
Founded in 1996, OANDA was the first company to share exchange rate data free of charge on the Internet, launching an FX trading platform that helped pioneer the development of web-based currency trading five years later. Today, the OANDA group, which includes OANDA Asia Pacific and other subsidiaries of OANDA Global Corporation, provides online multi-asset trading, currency data and analytics to retail and corporate clients around the globe, demonstrating an unrivalled expertise in foreign exchange. With regulated entities in nine of the world’s most active financial markets, the company remains dedicated to transforming how the world interacts with trading, enabling clients to trade global market indices, commodities, treasuries, precious metals and currencies on one of the fastest trading platforms in the market.
OANDA won the prestigious ‘Most Popular Broker’ award at the TradingView 2022 Broker Awards, marking its recognition by that community for a third consecutive year. It was also recognised by Investment Trends as having the highest Overall Client Satisfaction in Singapore for the second year in a row, demonstrating the company's emphasis on competitive spreads and commitment to excellent client support. ForexBrokers.com named OANDA 'Best in Class for Ease of Use' and 'Best in Class for Research' at their 2023 Annual Awards. Find out more here.
NOW READ
How Asian women in STEM are contributing to scientific progress
9 must-read non-fiction books from 2022 selected by Front & Female
Opinion: Remembering the origins of International Women’s Day is key to our feminism today
Topics
