Dr. Malina Ngai, CEO of AS Watson (Asia & Europe), joined LinkedIn's Talent Connect Event in Singapore and shared a topic titled "Cultivating Future Talent – Nurturing Change-Makers”.
Malina believes that the next generation is our future, so she is deeply passionate about talent development, both as an individual and as a company.
Drawing from her personal experience as an athlete, she shared how her journey in competitive sports influenced her leadership style. Following an injury during a javelin throw competition, she made a remarkable transition to rowing and, within two years, represented Hong Kong and won the bronze medal in the Asia Games. All the valuable lessons she learned from competitive sports have helped her lead the company and develop talent.
Malina then explained the meaning of nurturing talent, “Cultivating talents is the process of nurturing and developing the skills, abilities, and potential of our people. It involves creating an environment that supports growth, provides learning opportunities, and encourages individuals to reach their full potential. At its heart, talent management is simply a matter of anticipating the need for human capital and then setting out a plan to meet it.”
Recognising the importance of talent development, AS Watson has been working on its people strategy since 2016. The company not only invests in technology but also in its people. A variety of innovative programmes have been launched to empower its talents and foster their professional growth, including Innoteam, Reverse Mentors Programme, and the Next Gen Sustainability Committee.
Continuing her address, she shared her fresh perspectives in talent development, “What I’ve learned from my athletic experience and put into the company is that we need to step out of our comfort zones. Instead of using the traditional ways, we need to embrace new ways. It's crucial to fast-track talent development so that our talents can effectively handle challenging projects and get advice very quickly. This enables us to deploy talents to manage. By doing so, we can ensure continued success and maintain a winning business."
Finally, Malina concluded, “In the company, it’s important for everyone to change the mindset and realise that the world is evolving at a rapid pace. We must all step out of comfort zones, embrace change, and adopt new ways for talent development.”
