Leading, Her Way is a Leadership Development interview series featuring and spotlighting remarkable female leaders in Singapore, and their thoughts on self-exploration, career development, overcoming failures, and work-life alignment.
In this interview, we feature Ms. Seng Yi-Ying, Regional Legal Director of Heineken Asia Pacific. She has over 20 years of experience in leadership in the FMCG sector.
She shares her take on navigating multicultural leadership, and collaboration and working her way up the corporate world.
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Q: How do you adapt your leadership style to suit the cultural dynamics of Heineken's global teams?
A: At HEINEKEN, with operations spanning over 167 breweries worldwide and our brands enjoyed in more than 190 countries, navigating a culturally diverse landscape is crucial. Here’s how I adapt my leadership style:
i. Culturally sensitive leadership: Recognizing and embracing a global mindset is key. I cultivate cultural sensitivity by understanding local customs, communication styles, and respecting differences. For instance, I use a more direct communication style with colleagues from the Netherlands but adopt a more nuanced approach with colleagues in certain Asian countries. Leadership is not one-size-fits-all; balancing authority with collaboration is essential for building effective teams.
ii. Promote radical collaboration: I practice active listening and promote radical collaboration, which is to collaborate cross-functionally, breaking down silos and fostering a culture of openness, trust and mutual support.
iii. Embrace Diversity as a strength: I challenge unconscious biases and approach differences with curiosity rather than judgment. It's important to advocate for diverse voices in meetings and decision-making processes to ensure inclusivity.
iv. Focus on people-centric leadership: Be authentic and lead with empathy. Build relationships based on trust and respect – connect on a personal level. It is also important to demonstrate empathy and inclusion, making colleagues feel valued and heard regardless of their background or location. Always be there for your team when they need you
Q: What strategies do you use to ensure effective communication across diverse cultural and language barriers?
A: Invest time in understanding the cultural backgrounds, norms and communication styles of team members and adapt communication styles accordingly. English may not be the first language for everyone in the company so I make an effort to use plain English, speak clearly at a reasonable pace, and repeat/ rephrase as necessary. I like to use very clear presentation tools / visual representation to translate complex concepts when appropriate, especially if there are any potential language barriers. I also like to follow up meetings with quick notes of meetings and use translation tools where necessary.
Q: How has your career evolved over many years working at Heineken, would you have any tips for those looking to grow their career and climb the corporate ladder in a single organisation?
A: I started with Asia Pacific Breweries, back then a joint venture between HEINEKEN and Fraser & Neave and listed on SGX before HEINEKEN acquired the controlling stake in 2012. In the early stage of my career at APB/ HEINEKEN, I worked on several M&A projects, provided operational support to many HEINEKEN operating companies in the region and was exposed to many different areas of legal work. Visiting the different markets in the region and connecting with all the different colleagues energized me and I learned a lot about the business which allowed me to better support my stakeholders. I was transferred to the Singapore brewery for 4 years before returning to the APAC regional office in 2019 and taking on my current role as Heineken Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Regional Legal Director in 2020.
The nature of legal work became increasingly complex as I advanced in my career, embracing a wide range of areas, from corporate commercial matters to compliance, M&A, investigations, and dispute resolution. I found myself needing to adapt to ambiguity—a challenge that is not always easy to navigate.
I began my career as an individual contributor with no managerial experience, and now I oversee (both directly and indirectly) a team of more than 30 lawyers across the region. Leadership is not just about delivering results but also about being an authentic and inspiring leader for the APAC legal team. I feel both proud and grateful to lead a team of talented lawyers who approach their work with passion and professionalism.
To younger lawyers, my advice would be to stay curious, deeply understand the business (regardless of the industry), seek diverse work experiences, take accountability and ownership, prioritize and balance effectively, and have the courage and humility to accept feedback.
Q: Can you share some examples of cultural challenges you have faced and how you have successfully addressed them?
A: There is a preconceived notion that Asians are quiet, reserved, and hesitant to speak up. While some Asian colleagues may appear more reserved in meetings, I make a deliberate effort to invite them to share their views and provide them with airtime during calls or meetings. Additionally, I schedule regular check-ins with my team to coach and support them. To build their confidence, I often start by encouraging them to present to smaller audiences before gradually pushing them to speak during global calls.
Another assumption I’ve encountered is that Asian lawyers are typically not mobile. Since taking on my current role, I have actively championed opportunities for APAC lawyers to participate in both short- and long-term assignments within the APAC region and globally.
Q. What advice would you give to aspiring leaders about thriving in an international, multicultural business environment?
A: To truly embrace diversity and differences among all the different cultures without preconceived notions and prejudices, be authentic and adaptable to different styles of communication to build trust with the different stakeholders.
Author: Min Jiayi
Leading, Her Way is a series by YWLC’s Leadership Development Subcommittee, spotlighting remarkable female leaders in Singapore. For more information, reach out to leadership@ywlc.org.sg
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