Porsche Asia-Pacific joined hands with Tatler’s Front & Female in honour of UWS’s Girls2Pioneers Programme, hosting an evening of inspiring conversation that saw trailblazing women from the STEM industries discuss what it takes to be a great leader
Porsche is a brand for those “driven by dreams,” said Brendan Mok, Head of PR & Communications in his opening remarks at an event hosted in partnership with Tatler’s Front & Female and United Women Singapore (UWS) on March 31.
“We have seen first-hand the power that dreamers have to change the world. And since 2021, we have partnered with UWS to support and empower bright young women with big dreams,” he continued, addressing the Analogue Room at Mandala Club, where Tatler guests had gathered alongside 20 young women aged between 17 and 19 from UWS’s Girls2Pioneers Programme, an initiative that Porsche supports and which aims to inspire and encourage young women and girls to explore and pursue careers in STEM. Since its inception in 2014, more than 28,000 girls have participated in the programme.
“When we have the ability to dream, that’s when all the possibilities come about,” said Georgette Tan, President of UWS, which focuses on gender equality and equity, and on building a pipeline of future women leaders. “And that’s what we at UWS, in collaboration with Porsche, understand and want to provide to these young, bright women. Everything we do is about empowering girls and helping them to discover their possibilities and potential,” continued Tan, adding that for programme participants it’s not just about competence but also about inspiring confidence, a sentiment so key that it would be repeated throughout the evening.
The event’s panel discussion saw trailblazing women leaders in STEM Bee Kheng Tay, president ASEAN of Cisco; Jane Wang, CEO and co-founder of soft robotics company Roceso Technologies; and Vickie Liao, business development manager at Porsche Asia-Pacific come together to share their insights and advice on the topic Dare to Dream, Dare to Lead: Inspiring Change and Overcoming Differences. The panel was moderated by Front & Female’s Rachel Duffell, and saw the speakers discuss what it takes to be a great leader and to inspire others and lead amid the challenges in today’s world.
“Change is constant, so a leader needs to be constantly learning,” said Tay. “That is so important, because things today are not static. You must have a mindset of constantly looking at the dynamics in the environment and adapting.”
“Showing care and concern for your team, being adaptable to the times and always evolving and being open to change,” added Liao of the leadership traits she admires. “There are a lot of unpredictable things, from Coronavirus to war, and the measure of a great leader is someone who can adapt to these changes and be the anchor.”
As an entrepreneur who has been running Roceso Technologies for seven years, Wang said that for different stages of growing a business, different leadership skills are necessary. “Fast learning and being extremely resourceful is very important, and understanding there are a lot of changes along the way. Leadership style changes constantly in the startup journey.”
