Be open, inclusive and authentic

Isabel Chong, power management company Eaton’s country manager for Southeast Asia, tells SunBiz about the lessons she learnt that have made her a leader today

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

As the country manager for Southeast Asia at Eaton, I oversee the growth and development of the company’s electrical business in the region. I believe it is important that leaders are open, inclusive and authentic.

During my time at INSEAD, where I worked with classmates from over 35 nationalities, I realised the importance of respecting cultural sensitivities as we brought different managerial experiences to the table.

These learnings translated into my work at Eaton where I lead a highly dynamic region, which requires me to trust and empower the respective country leaders to be the best. With over 20 years of experience, I value the local perspectives and counsel of my country leaders, that is based on a well-informed understanding of their markets. I’m also fortunate to be a female in a male-dominated STEM industry, where I’ve had access to a myriad of training and exposure to grow as an individual and a leader. This has allowed me to pursue my passion for mentoring and nurturing female engineers in this sector, in their perceptions towards the industry.

What traits do you look for in talent or how do you decide who is right for a job?

Rather than focusing on technical skills, it is equally, if not more, important to identify individuals with the right attitude, who possess the aptitude to contribute.

In this age of digital disruption, enterprising individuals who can adapt and have the ability to tackle issues in a decisive and time-efficient manner will thrive. These are traits we look for as they are essential to making power management safer, more reliable and efficient. We value talent with open and optimistic mindsets. These individuals have the foresight to leverage on opportunities in emerging technologies, yet remain aware of risks one may have to mitigate in adopting new technologies.

How do you think the industry you are in will evolve?

There’s no doubt the energy market will move towards a low-carbon future. It’s predicted that by 2035, 31.2% of total world power generation will be produced by renewable energy sources.

Closer to home, efforts to curb emissions are under way with Asia maintaining a 60% share in renewable jobs worldwide. In Malaysia, solar energy is not only a priority in the nation’s efforts in transition to renewables and low-carbon economic growth, but has also brought about broader socio-economic benefits such as job opportunities.

However, the transition will be an uphill battle fraught with challenges. In Asia, the demand for electricity is growing rapidly in both emerging and developed markets. Coal-fired sources remain dominant in the energy mix. The advent of greater connectivity, in the form of Internet of Things and 5G, will only continue to generate even-larger amounts of data and by 2025, data centres could be using as much as 20% of available electricity in the world. Countries in emerging markets will need to focus on building power infrastructure, while countries with relatively more developed infrastructures such as Malaysia, could focus on increasing power generation efficiency.

On industrial revolution, are we in for a technological revolution?

The current technological revolution is well under way, with public-private collaborations paving the way for the acceleration of digital innovation.

An example of this is the Malaysia City Brain project that will leverage on big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to better manage the urban transportation needs of Kuala Lumpur. In pursuit of these digital innovations, the role of robust power management cannot be understated, without which many of these initiatives will not be possible as they hinge on reliable power systems to facilitate the transmission and critical analysis of real-time data.

Another key development in the ongoing technological revolution is the rollout of 5G networks globally. In recent months, Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, the Philippines and Singapore have already announced plans to accelerate 5G network deployment. This will bring enhanced connectivity, allowing data from AI, robotics and IoT applications to be transferred at faster speeds. More organisations will adopt big data analytics that will drive the rising demand for data centres and other critical IT infrastructure. In turn, power management firms must assume the vital role in providing reliable, efficient power solutions to ensure maximum uptime of critical IT infrastructures.

What do you want to accomplish in the next five years?

Power is such an integral part of our lives that it’s often taken for granted. Often, living in developed parts of the world makes us far removed from communities where a reliable power supply is a luxury.

Beyond lighting up streets and homes, the lack of power can affect even the provision of basic services such as clean water and medical care. For many Southeast Asian countries where communities are speckled across many small islands, microgrids could be the solution to overcoming common power challenges. It is a reliable, self-sufficient power solution that can integrate multiple distributed power generation sources, such as generators, wind, solar and energy, on a common grid structure.

As Eaton continues to expand its operations in the Southeast Asian region, I hope to make what matters work, and that is to work with other organisations to bring robust power infrastructure to these communities and empower them to adopt renewable energy sustainably. Being in a male-dominated engineering industry, I make it a priority to nurture aspiring female engineers and leaders in STEM fields, encouraging them to pursue their passion. Although there has been better representation in recent years, more can be done.

At Eaton, diversity and inclusion are highly regarded, we strive for more balanced representation. We make the recognition of success, regardless of gender, the norm rather than the exception. I count myself fortunate to have the support of brilliant female colleagues in the power sector, and to champion the notion that talent should not be restricted by gender.

Best piece of advice you had on your career, e.g. perspective as a woman in the STEM industry?

To aspiring women in STEM fields, my advice is to never feel intimidated by people’s preconceptions of women in the industry. Women often bring unique perspectives to the table dominated by men. Our contributions can help engineer innovative ideas and solutions that solve some of the world’s most challenging and pressing problems, impacting the lives of millions for the better.

How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry?

I frequently engage my customers to hear their challenges and feedback, so we can deliver better-suited solutions to help them and the communities we’re working in achieve their goals.

I attend trade shows and exhibitions, read widely on technology issues within the industry, and attend networking sessions hosted by Eaton’s verticals to stay abreast of the industry’s latest happenings and gain a better grasp of challenges.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced? What did you learn from it?

I had to turn around a lossmaking business unit. The experience taught me to avoid making judgement calls based on face value because there is always an explanation behind the outcome.

Understanding the root cause is key to understanding and acting upon the situation. It also taught me how, regardless of the circumstances, one can overcome the challenges with courage and perseverance.

How do you expect policies on climate change to impact businesses in the future?

As the effects of climate change intensify, the pressure is on for international governing bodies and governments alike to implement policies that support the move towards a low-carbon economy.

This includes increasing adoption of renewable energy in place of traditional carbon energy sources. Within Malaysia, developers of green projects can apply for green Islamic bonds, or sukuk, supported by the Securities Commission Malaysia, to be eligible for tax benefits.

At Eaton, sustainability is the core of our business; we work to positively impact the environment while helping solve pressing climate issues. For this reason, we do not rely on regulatory changes to advance our solutions. Instead, we proactively develop power management solutions with sustainability in mind.

What are the top three factors you would attribute your success to? There are obstacles in every endeavour. These could be unforeseen circumstances or even mental barriers that prevent us from achieving our full potential.

The key is to have the grit to persevere and stay motivated in view of one’s long-term goals. The ability to engage with all stakeholders, both internal and external, has played a significant role in shaping who I am today. Their feedback helps me become a better version of myself. Last but not least, my passion and love for my job and the power industry.