As I lead the DEI taskforce within Frasers Property, I’m really encouraged by the continuous advancements we are making and I believe such diversity brings us closer to the communities we serve.

I am proud to share that Frasers Property was ranked by Equileap for the first time last year as one of the top three most gender-equitable companies listed in Singapore. In Australia, we have held the Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency for four years. These external recognitions really speak to not only our progressive workplace culture, but also the collective work of everyone across our Group to make this happen.

As a young leader, do you face any challenges in trying to champion the change that you have pledged for?

Firstly, thank you for referring me as a young leader (youthfulness is indeed all in the mind!). Any kind of change takes time and requires patience. In addition to patience, we should also have grit – a combination of passion and perseverance – keeping the long game in mind. For example, just because you introduced or champion DEI in the workplace, it does not immediately become an aha moment for everyone to get on board or be on the same page – that’s why there’s diversity at the workplace! There is a lot going on for organisations and everyone is bombarded with a lot of information in the world we live in today and it can feel discouraging. So, you need to be persistent, consistently communicate and reiterate (as it can take at least seven times/ impressions before a message sticks in today’s context) and just keep swimming (as Nemo might say!).

Another way to overcome challenges is to create awareness and educate the organisation on topics like inclusive leadership and unconscious bias, which we are rolling out now at Frasers Property. A deeper understanding of these topics can make the process of change easier for individuals. The last aspect is to continually advance policies and processes. Change can be a slow and long process, so take time to celebrate taking progressive steps.

In this journey as a champion of change, are there any success stories of advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) which you can share more about?

Approaching diversity is certainly good for business. At Frasers Property, this is about maximising the inherent value of our multi-asset class, multi-market business. We want to ensure people of all backgrounds can do their best work when treated with respect, dignity and fairness. Last year, we committed to a more inclusive parental leave policy for all employees, while further advancing our commitment to the empowerment of women. Enhancing our parental leave policy helps us empower all employees and their families. It also lowers barriers preventing men from taking parental leave.

Essentially, there are three aspects to it – extending paternity leave; acknowledging broader definition of direct familial relationships; and driving more equity in leave policies.

The extended paternity leave policy at Frasers Property in Singapore, enables all husbands or partners, regardless of their nationality, to receive the same benefits. All fathers have two weeks of paternity leave. We have achieved greater equity in leave policies by providing the same leave policy for same-sex couples and single parents.

Across the Group, we are supportive of extending gender-neutral, compassionate leave to support pregnancy loss. In Singapore, we provide three days of paid compassionate leave for female employees and male employees whose partners experience a miscarriage. This is above and beyond existing leave entitlements. For stillbirth in fuller term pregnancies, we provide the full 16-week maternity and two-week paternity leave. Miscarriage is not something that is often talked about and through this leave policy, we hope to support both women and men going through such losses. This change might not impact a lot of people, but it can be very meaningful for the individual who is going through those difficult times.

I am encouraged by the progressive efforts we have made within the organisation, but am more excited about how we have and are expanding our DEI efforts beyond Frasers Property to impact the communities we serve.

What advice would you give to young female entrants to the real estate industry?

With any new entrant to an industry, I would say… remain a student in life… always stay curious.

Firstly, consider how you want to progress in your career. You do not have to know exactly where you are going but it is vital to own your career and feel empowered to have conversations on your progression within your organisation with your managers. I noticed at times, some feel the need to prove themselves to deserve a role, versus the potential and capability to succeed in a role.  However, in your career journey, be real and empathetic in your working relationships.

Secondly, create your own personal brand – this is a piece of advice that is not exclusive to females. In any role, you are a ‘salesperson’. It’s not just about working hard, you also need to pitch and position your strengths and your achievements. Creating your personal brand also encompasses having authenticity.  Have clarity of your personal purpose to connect to your organisation’s purpose.

Lastly, with five generations together in the workplace for the first time (Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z), generational stereotypes can mount from a lack of awareness and understanding of age issues that can drive bias. Age-diverse teams are valuable because they bring together people with complementary abilities, skills, information and networks. If managed effectively, they can offer better decision-making, more productive collaboration and improved overall performance. This isn’t exclusive to women, but it is important for everyone to recognise the strengths of each generation. Adopt an open mindset of learning from the older generation and be mindful not to fall into exhibiting ageism. Ultimately, every generation plays a significant role in the workplace and they each have their own contributions to the company, regardless of age.

Could you share some ways in which yourself or the firm participate in building the women leadership talent pipeline?

As a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles and ULI Singapore’s Champions of Change pledge, we strive to promote gender equity and women’s empowerment in the workplace and community. Women represented 38% of our senior management. At Frasers Property, we find ways to showcase our women leaders and we make it a point to not only spotlight women in functional roles, but also women in business roles that are usually male dominated. We have several initiatives to advance women at the workplace. We often engage with women leaders from within and outside of our company through interviews and fireside chats to share their journey and the significant role they play in the organisation. Last year, we featured the women at Frasers Property who champion sustainability across our multinational network. Personally, I believe that the more we showcase women leaders, it rewrites the dominant narrative of there being fewer women in leadership positions and inspires the future generations of women leaders to aspire for such key roles within the company.

How do you manage the stress that comes with your job given the demanding nature of the industry?

There’s a song lyric by Mumford & Sons that I go by, “Where you invest your love, you invest your life.” Family, food, flowers and music are my passions. I love cooking for family and friends and arranging flowers. Perfect combination when you have guests over on a weekend! Flower arrangement reduces stress and is such a mood booster for me. I picked it up on my own from flipping through interior décor and architectural magazines. I will check out the florist at the market, curate from available flowers, and then do 2-3 arrangements for the home. I like the meditative nature of the design flow, which is strangely soothing and chaotic all at once as I mix colours, textures and shapes, while a good Spotify playlist runs in the background. This weekend therapy enables me to unplug, get creative and in a zone where my heart guides me in the creative process, not being concerned about the end-product. It is such a welcoming sight when I get home after work and gives me a sense of purpose.