How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business, majoring in catering and hotel management, from Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne. Australia. Unfortunately, the economic climate was unfavourable then. Jobs were scarce and many were unemployed. In such an economic climate, employers would prioritise candidates with experience.
I chose to build my career from the bottom of the ladder by consistently applying for jobs in departments such as waitressing, housekeeping and front desk at many hotels, restaurants and bakeries, performing basic tasks such as baking, cleaning rooms, tagging undergarments, turndown services and washing clothes. This went on for almost eight months until I finally got a job as a receptionist in a three-star hotel in Australia.
Through that chosen path, not only was I able to get my feet wet in all facets of the industry, it also provided me with a good understanding of the psyche of the people working at every level.
As such, when it comes to hiring today, I make it a point to give fresh graduates a chance as I was them once. Candidates with a good attitude always stand out. Traveloka will train them to be future leaders if they want to be groomed. In addition to that, my illustrious career journey made me see all jobs as important, within an ecosystem. There is not a single job or role that can be done independently, in order for any company to succeed, or to be the best.
What traits do you look for in your talent or how do you decide who is right for a job?
As the current country manager of Traveloka Malaysia, I am always on the lookout for talent with not only the right skillsets to fill an opening, but also have a growth mindset to progress with a brand that has innovation as the strongest part of its DNA.
Apart from this, I am also always open to new talent with or without experience, and have the right attitude and mindset to explore new ideas and think out of the box. The ideal team for me is to have the best of both worlds – a good mix of the experienced and the freshies.
I also make it a priority to groom future second liners to promote from within. This, to me, is not only good for the employee’s morale, but also to ensure seamless orientation towards the brand’s DNA.
How do you think the industry you are in will evolve?
The evolution of the travel industry has been ongoing in the past decade. Even at Traveloka, the brand had gone through massive evolution over the past 10 years. It started as a metasearch engine – an online aggregator of flight ticket comparison – to Southeast Asia’s lifestyle superapp, that fulfils consumers’ lifestyle needs with over 20 products and services under two pillars: travel and local services, as well as financial services.
In Malaysia, we are a travel superapp with over 5,000 partners under two main pillars: travel and local services, as well as experiences.
This is evolution at its peak. We believe that technology innovation is and will always be the driving force of this evolution.
As such, for us, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data analytics are key to providing travellers with the best and most relevant solutions to fulfil their travelling needs and aspirations.
Rooted in this belief, I think the industry can only get more predictive and experiential, while encompassing a larger part of a travellers’ lifestyle in the near future.
What advice can you offer those looking to start their career/own business?
There is no job that is too small for a person. Every role provides an opportunity to grow.
Regardless of the role one is currently in, always seek out opportunities to grow in one or more of these three areas – administration and people management, business acumen or technical skills. Such aptitude makes the person more valuable to an organisation be it as a specialist or a manager.
Be proud of everything that you do, regardless of how small or big the task is. Do it with passion and never give up, regardless of how demotivating the situation may seem.
Every difficult situation can only make you a stronger person.
We all know about the industrial revolution, are we in for a technological revolution? Your thoughts.
I think we are experiencing a technological revolution at its peak. Traveloka is a good example. Backed by the most advanced data analytics and AI technology, the superapp moved from being an online travel ticket aggregator, to a travel superapp that is able to fulfil all its users’ travelling needs in Malaysia.
As we move into endemicity now and learn to live with Covid-19, Traveloka is able to point users to the nearest Covid-19 test centres.
Apart from that, with the nature of Covid-19 being highly unpredictable, Traveloka provides easy rescheduling of bookings for travellers.
Thanks to the application of analytics, we are also able to work with our platform partners in the flight, hotel and experience sectors to provide promotions and solutions that are most relevant to the superapp users’ lifestyles.
How has mentorship made a difference in your professional life?
Three mentors have guided me throughout my career. One taught me to seek talent from within the organisation and nurture them by providing opportunities for them to grow. Another taught me that setting clear goals and strategies, as well as providing the tools are important when it comes to creating an empowering and trusting environment for employees to grow. The third one taught me patience and communication skills – to listen and understand a particular issue.
As leaders, sometimes we want fast results but, at times, we need to let things run its course. Hence, from all the mentors, I learned the value of patience, listening and clear communication, and I constantly apply them in my role, before making any decisions.
Best piece of advice you ever received on your career.
Life is never a bed of roses. Those who persevere will find a way to rise above all challenges.
How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry?
I read and surround myself with industry experts. Given that I am in the tourism industry,
I also network with people outside the tourism industry, whenever I can as everyone is part of the tourism ecosystem. Apart from that, social media is also a big part of my everyday life, as this is the fastest channel to-date, to get a piece of news.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced? What did you learn from it?
Being a woman, having a family and climbing the corporate ladder. When I had my first-born back in 2006, I made the decision to stop working temporarily, and subsequently faced the anxiety of not knowing if anyone will employ me as I was out of a job for a period of time.
This makes me more understanding towards women who want to have a family, as well as a career. I want all my employees to be able to integrate work and life well, as a happy family promotes a happy work life.
What are the top three factors you would attribute your success to?
Definitely my understanding peers and leaders at Traveloka throughout my career here, who entrusted and empowered me to manage the Malaysia office.
The pandemic took a toll on everyone but the leaders kept us motivated with their clear vision, by innovating throughout for a better post-pandemic success.
I also have a strong team that is able to keep the team spirit alive at all times. Without their support, laughter, and idea exchanges, I would not be able to grow.
Last but not least, my children and family.
They bring me joy when I am not at work. They are understanding and they know their mother has to be a breadwinner. So they help prepare meals, and help with the household chores. All these started during the pandemic, when we had to stay home while I was busy planning for the endemic period.
