Qualification
- Bachelor of Business (Majoring in Marketing and Accounting) Monash University, 2019
How did you get into your current line of work?
I joined Nestlé in 2019, under the Management Trainee Programme, where I was placed within the Marketing division. I have always envisioned working in a high-growth company like Nestlé, where I can gain significant exposure to challenging assignments.
What do you do day-to-day on the job?
Marketing in Nestlé covers both above-the-line and below-the-line activations. My responsibilities include closely monitoring market trends and curating campaigns for the brands’ targeted audience. Within Nestlé, I also get to work firsthand alongside colleagues from the Consumers and Shopper Insights team to understand upcoming trends and behaviour to serve our consumers and shoppers better.
What would you say is the coolest thing about your current role?
Nestlé Malaysia is a perfect example of an organisation that provides a holistic learning platform for its employees that highly encourages cross-functional collaboration.
Dynamic groups of talents from diverse backgrounds constantly surround me. Collaboration frequently happens within Nestlé, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to join forces with personnel across different divisions such as Sales, Digital, Supply Chain, Finance, and Shopper Insights.
When the Marketing team has an idea, we can brainstorm further with our Innovation & Renovation department and discuss production feasibility with our factory colleagues. After that, it’s time to create product awareness and knowledge with our Sales Team and sell to our consumers in the market.
What were the most challenging parts of your role, and how did you overcome them?
One of the challenges I faced was getting the brand to constantly stand out in the crowded marketplace, especially when the industry is extremely fast-paced and challenging. Trends are continuously changing quickly, and consumers’ interests evolve rapidly. Hence, it is tough for marketers to ensure that their brand constantly stands out and remains relevant. Our team tries to deeply understand the consumer’s portfolio to discover what makes our brand more appealing than the competition. In addition, it helps to localise marketing strategies and prioritise the customer in everything we do.
Everyone faces obstacles, professionally and personally, and I am no exception. Each task requires meticulous attention to detail for smooth execution. With the supportive people at Nestlé Malaysia, I can push through and deliver satisfying results.
What essential skills do you think are needed for your role?
I believe one of the essential skills required in any role is cultivating curiosity. Curiosity is imperative to our personal growth as well as our professional performance. Curiosity sparks inspiration and creativity, which results in an individual being determined to find better and more effective solutions. Do not be intimidated to pose your questions and be inquisitive because learning is a lifelong process, and there may be others who will benefit from the knowledge shared as well.
Do you have any advice for your fellow graduates/juniors?
My advice is to prepare for the future. You must develop competent, appropriate work habits and ethics early on. For instance, establish good time management skills at the beginning of your career, if not from your school time, and constantly work to improve yourself. It helps to have an excellent example to follow, whether it be a colleague, a leader you admire or even your parents. Though everyone should progress through life at their own pace, an individual’s responsibilities and workload will only increase with time. By having early preparation, you will be more ready to face life’s challenges head-on and persevere when the going gets rough.
