Alumni Spotlight
February 2012
Alumni Profile: Michael Chew
Michael Chew is an Environment and Climate Change Specialist, working for the international NGO Concern Universal Bangladesh, in Dhaka. His role includes integrating environmental and climate change considerations into project proposals, and working with the UK head office to encourage climate change considerations across the entire organisation.
Asian countries of interest?
After spending 9 months in Bangladesh it is definitely a country in which my interest keeps growing, a place of both inspiration and shattered dreams. My father is Malaysian-Chinese so I also have a long-standing interest in China and its various cultural manifestations. I’ve travelled and volunteered in various countries in East Asia off and on so find the complex and evolving cultural mix there fascinating, especially the gastronomic aspect!
I seem to return again and again to Thailand, particularly Bangkok – it is hypnotic city. I am also still in love with India, having lived there twice and run education and community arts projects. It’s a place I know I’ll keep coming back to. Finally East Timor - I have only visited once but its people, promise, proximity and intermingled history with us fascinates me and I will no doubt return.
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest?
- Regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing over climate adaptation and mitigation
- Evolving perceptions of place and citizenship in an increasing integrated region
- Hybridization of Australian cultural identities
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on?
Not much currently, though I do keep an eye on climate change developments! The Australian government recently committed $15m of climate funding to Bangladesh which was received well, however many here in Bangladesh are justly critical of Australia’s modest emissions reduction target.
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program?
I co-founded the small NGO Friends of Kolkata in 2005 to run short-term volunteer placements with two Kolkata-based NGOs, which focus on children’s rights and women’s empowerment. Through doing this and supporting the volunteers I saw first hand how crucial cross-cultural experience is in building long term connections between the communities in Melbourne and those in Kolkata.
I therefore wanted to understand more about the dynamics of cross-cultural interaction, as well as to learn from others who had greater experience. At first I thought the Leaders Program was just corporate focused, but a friend who had done the program through her NGO work encouraged me to apply, and I did. I think Friends of Kolkata was probably the smallest organisation to participate in the program!
What have you been doing since?
After completing the Asialink Leaders Program, I worked in a local environmental organisation, Moreland Energy Foundation, in community programs, while scaling back my involvement with Friends of Kolkata. I somehow found the time to also coordinate a photography project working with multicultural youth in Footscray, teaching them to use images to share their stories and express themselves. Perhaps hearing too many stories of far away places whet my appetite for Asia again and I left for my current role in Bangladesh at the end of April 2011.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play?
Well I’m currently writing this from the heart of Bangladesh so something must be keeping me coming back! I’ve been lucky enough to visit Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos and Malaysia in the last year for a combination of work and personal exploration and never tire of learning more about their cultures. Having a photographic background I was in paradise and have tried to convey some of the stories and experiences over my time here through images and text on a blog.
In terms of what I learnt on the program, I actually found after the program that getting my Asialink project (an internship program) off the ground was a crucial help to Friends of Kolkata in terms of bringing extra capacity and new blood into the little organisation. I greatly enjoyed the psycho-sociological aspects of cross-cultural engagement covered in the program and it has deepened my understandings of working across cultures.
What’s next?
In my current role I’m looking forward to recruiting and working with some partner NGOs in Bhutan and China on the extension to my current capacity building project in next few months. In particular I’m keen to learn how NGOs work in these two countries and the scope for regional cooperation. I expect to return to Australia by mid-year and will be looking to find the best ways of engaging and connecting up Australian communities and organisations with those in Bangladesh and helping the stories from the latter spread over here. As part of this I’m exploring the idea of an evolving Aust-Bangla photography exchange/exhibition. From then on who knows in this exciting world of ours! But I doubt that I can stay away from Asia for long…
October 2011
Alumni Profile: Elaine Montegriffo
Elaine Montegriffo is Country Director, Lao PDR for Oxfam Australia. She moved to Laos within months of completing the Leaders Program and is now developing a new 5-year strategy for Oxfam in Laos.
Asian countries of interest? Asian countries are so diverse and complex I’m fascinated to learn more about all of them. Working in Laos I am particularly focused on this country and others in this region as their histories, cultures and future development are so closely intertwined; so I’d say Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and China.
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? I’m interested in how Australia can better leverage its relations with the public and private sectors in Asia to influence more equitable and sustainable development here; not just through providing, or not providing funding, but by collaborating on complex issues like climate change.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? I have been working on Oxfam Australia’s East Asia program for about 3 years, with a focus on the Laos and Cambodia programs. Although based in Melbourne, I spent considerable time in Laos, including a 3-month secondment. Then, in February this year, I was delighted to be appointed Country Director, Lao PDR.
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program? After spending 18 months working in rural East Java I returned to Australia and what struck me immediately was the lack of understanding in Australia of our largest, closest neighbour, its people, their religion and their values. One of the things that attracted me to the Asialink Leaders Program was the focus on fostering stronger relationships with Asia through a better understanding of its peoples and cultures.
What have you been doing since? Within months of finishing the Leaders Program I moved to Laos with Oxfam. The fact that I had already built strong relationships with the staff here during my secondment and knew the programs well made for an effective transition into the role. My role in Laos is extremely varied; I am responsible for the delivery of our programs here focusing on improving food security and livelihoods for the most vulnerable communities; managing 30 staff, and representing Oxfam to a wide range of stakeholders including government, donors and local organisations. As part of the leadership team I’m helping develop a new 5-year strategy for Oxfam in Laos.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? A highlight of my role is that every couple of months I travel to the very remote areas where we are working to meet with poor, rural communities; I am constantly amazed by their achievements in desperately difficult conditions. Working in a different culture unearths so much about your own beliefs, preferences and values, allowing you to examine them critically, in a way that you simply do not have to at home. The Leaders Program reinforced for me the significance of cultural context and perspective in the interpretation other people’s behaviour, but living and working with Laos people I also see the many things we share in common and how these things help us to overcome our differences.
September 2011
Alumni Profile: Jonathan Barlow
Jonathan is the Legal Director for the Asia Pacific Region for pharmaceutical company, Hospira. He recently spent twelve months working at Hospira’s Japan office in Osaka.
How did you come to be living and working in Osaka? Unlike many industries in Japan, Hospira’s business of generic pharmaceutical products is a growing market in Japan, mainly due to the rapidly ageing population. This has meant much of our activity in this region has been focused on Japan. It was clear that by spending some time in Japan, I could better get to know my colleagues, our partners, the industry, the market, and most importantly, the culture - which would enable me to better advise and contribute to the growth of our Japanese business. This coincided with an opportune time in my personal circumstances, enabling my family and I to move to Osaka (where our company’s Japanese office is located) for the past 12 months.
What are some of your daily work activities? These days my work activities are a mix of commercial legal work – negotiating agreements, structuring deals, etc; business development; and strategic development. One of my major projects whilst in Japan was working with our Japanese colleagues to develop and execute a market entry strategy for our oncology pharmaceuticals business in Japan. On top of this, as the only gaijin in an office of about 80 Japanese, a lot of my time was spent simply as an intermediary between my Japanese colleagues and colleagues in the global business – trying to get both sides to better understand what the other was saying! This as much as anything taught me the critical cultural differences between Japan and the rest of the world.
In your role, what are the highlights of working with different cultures? One of the best things about my job is that every day I work closely with a range of people across Asia. One minute I may be dealing with a commercial deal in China, the next a distributor in Pakistan, and the next a project in Korea. The sheer variety of issues to consider, problems to resolve, and opportunities to investigate, is a constant learning experience and is what makes the job so interesting. I also love travelling in the region and experiencing the diversity of cultures first-hand.
How do you manage the cultural differences? I try to remind myself that there is usually a good reason for the cultural differences – they do not exist simply to make my life difficult! It’s no secret that there are many cultural differences between Japan and Australia – and in the business context the need for consensus-building before decision-making can be one of the most frustrating for a westerner. However, after spending some time there you begin to understand the benefits of differences such as these, which does not necessarily make them perfect, but does enable you to put them in context and work to some degree within the system.
How can Australia make a stronger contribution towards building positive relations with the Asian region? To state the obvious, Australia will always be in the Asian region - so we need to ensure that all parts of Australian society take a long-term view of the importance of our relationships in the region and make decisions accordingly. This applies across government, business, culture, sport, etc. If Australia can demonstrate it is not easily influenced by short-term drivers in our regional commitments, we will continue to be accepted as a critical player in the region and be able to share in the cultural, economic, security and other long-term benefits that come with any strong relationship.
August 2011
Alumni Profile: Viisti Dickens
Viisti has experience in corporate affairs, policy, strategy and project management, and is now working as a change management and communications consultant. She recently had an article published in the Australian Financial Review’s BOSS Magazine, entitled Sharpen your Asian cultural IQ [pdf, 899kb, 3 pages].
Asian countries of interest? As a young professional I spent a year working in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam as an AusAID Youth Ambassador for Development. It was exciting, chaotic, and challenging. More recently, I visited China and Indonesia, to experience development on the ground and understand the challenges and opportunities of working and living there, by meeting with ex-pat business people and talking to locals. It sparked my interest in working more in the region.
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? I am particularly interested in Australia’s geo-political relationship with China, India and ASEAN countries, particularly Vietnam, where I lived. With a Masters of International Relations and Business Law, I am interested in political economy, trade and investment and their intersections with society. I also really value the role of the arts in track-two diplomacy and as the tangible expression of cultural and geo-political dialogues.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? Stakeholder relations and communications have been my focus. For example, I recently worked as a Project Manager of a cross-cultural team with highly skilled colleagues from Pakistan, India, the Philippines, China and New Zealand. Technically based, the project involved a high degree of collaboration. I have also worked on projects working with and hosting delegations from China for arts and trade-related events. This entailed research, reports, project management and logistics. I am interested in further exploring opportunities in the Asian region.
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program? After spending a year in Vietnam, I formed part of a committee in Brisbane of people interested in Australian-Asian relations, including professionals from Brisbane City Council, Queensland Art Gallery, a law firm, Queensland Government, a journalist and a business consultant. It was at that time that I first heard of the Asialink Leaders Program. It has been on my ‘to do’ list ever since. After completing a Masters of International Relations, working overseas in France and returning to Sydney, I felt it was the right time to do it.
What have you been doing since? Since finishing the Asialink program in 2010, I have been working as a Change and Communications Consultant, and growing business opportunities. I am also currently working on a number thought leadership pieces. In May I had an article published in the Australian Financial Review’s BOSS Magazine: Sharpen your Asian cultural IQ [pdf, 899kb, 3 pages]. I focused on the importance of increasing cross-cultural skills for business. Based on a number of in-depth interviews with senior executives as well as additional research, I found there are some very experienced and passionate people out there, and an opportunity for Australian businesses to grow this talent and skill set.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? I just returned from a trip to Vietnam where I worked ten years ago. Spending most of my time in Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tao, I saw the impact of foreign investment and development through infrastructure, as well as the evident growing middle class and wealth creation in Vietnam. The Asialink Leaders Program underlined the importance of trust, time and understanding in building such relationships. I have applied this to new and existing networks. The program definitely also highlighted the importance of culture, context and communications in everything we do, both personally and professionally.
What’s next? Deciding on which interesting and challenging project to take on next! I am interested in working more in the Asia Pacific region, building on my experience in communications, cross-cultural negotiations, project management, stakeholder relations and everything I learnt from the Asialink Leaders program.
To read more on leadership, and access the current issue of BOSS magazine online, visit http://www.afrboss.com
May 2011
Alumni Profile: Adam Wand
Adam Wand completed the Leaders Program in 2008, whilst working as the Chief of Staff to Australia’s Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law. He is now working at Visa as the Head of Public Affairs for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Asian countries of interest?
I’ve always had a passion for Asia. As a kid I was fascinated by the cultures of my classmates in South Western Sydney – different, interesting and their food was better than mine!
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest?
As I’ve developed professionally I have grown even more fascinated with Asia but the focus shifting to more strategic issues. When I was at the London School of Economics I began focussing on the deeper issues at play in both the current and past relationship between Australia and Southeast Asia and whether there were any features of our polity that structurally inhibited our relationship with our northern neighbours.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? When I was working in the political field I was always conscious to consider how our economic decisions would impact our critical economic and trade linkages with Asia. Now at Visa, I need to stay closely plugged into my colleagues in Asia. I report into our Asia-Pacific, Central Europe, Middle East and Africa hub, which is located in Singapore.
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program? As soon as I was told of the Asialink Leaders Program I put my hand up straight away. I was keen to participate in a program that draws together a wide range of young professionals to work through the challenges in the Australia/Asian relationship.
What have you been doing since? After my completion of the Leaders Program I continued on as the Chief of Staff. When the minister was promoted to Assistant Treasurer, I moved into the Chief of Staff role in that new portfolio area. The Assistant Treasurer oversees the Australian tax system as well as foreign investment issues, so there was an important focus on Asia. I have now moved into the private sector to work for Visa, where I head up all of Visa government, industry, regulatory and corporate affairs, along with issues management.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? As I’ve described above, my engagement with Asia has been constant since the Leaders Program. The insights into business, conversation and meeting-conduct psychology, particularly through the lens of culture, which I gained on the Leaders Program has proven to be very valuable. Being able to analyse the true meaning of what people are communicating has been eye opening and has helped me deliver better results again and again.
April 2011
Alumni Profile: James Johnson
A former professional footballer, who played in Vietnam, James Johnson is sports lawyer and administrator. He has recently moved from working as the Player Relations Executive of Professional Footballers Australia to become Legal Executive (Relations with FIFA, Confederations and National Associations) with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Asian countries of interest? In my role with Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), I worked closely with players’ associations in India, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia, and consequently I developed an interest in those countries. Now at he Asian Football Confederation (AFC) I will be working closely with each country’s football governing body from Japan to Saudi Arabia (46 member countries in total).
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? I am fascinated by the social, cultural and political relations between Australia and China and Australia and ASEAN. In my opinion, this is where Australia’s future lies.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? Football is unique in that Australia is a member of the AFC – we are considered to be part of Asia in the football world. Asia-Australia relations in football are therefore crucial! My work requires me to establish and foster relations with all Asian countries (including with Australia).
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program? My work at the PFA included close working relationships with several players’ associations in Asia. It my former employer and Leaders Program Alumnus recommended that I do the course to assist with developing players’ associations throughout Asia.
What have you been doing since? I only completed the course last year, but I have since then changed jobs and relocated to Malaysia. The Leaders Program certainly contributed to my career move to Asia.
Engagement with Asia since the Asialink Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? The cultural intelligence module has helped me in dealing with the players’ associations and football authorities throughout Asia. I am looking forward to using the other skills I learnt during the program to better football in our region.
What’s next? I am now based in Kuala Lumpur so my focus is two-fold: firstly, to settle into my new role; and secondly, for my wife and I to assimilate into the local culture. I will then be able to focus on developing football in Asia, which is where the future of football lies.
February 2011
Alumni Profile: Anna Harvie
Anna Harvie is the Operations Manager for Europe and Morocco for Intrepid Travel. Based in Morocco, Anna finds that a lot of what she learnt about cross-culturual communication and working in different business environments is very relevant.
Asian countries of interest?
I spent several years working in China and still find that incredibly interesting in terms of business and politics and the huge differences between regions in one country.I’m also interested in Cambodia from more from a personal point of view, as my work there really made me love Cambodian people and take an interest in the development of the country. The current developments in mass tourism in Cambodia are really interesting as they are at the stage where the sector could become incredibly beneficial for the country, creating jobs and educating foreigners about the countries history and politics, or it could go the other way and suck a lot of resources out of the country with few benefits going to the local people, all depending on how it is handled.
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest?
I work in tourism, so obviously I find this aspect of Asia-Australia relations interesting, from the image that different Asian countries have in the media in Australia; to Australian travellers to how we can share ideas about Responsible Travel and eco tourism. The growing middle class in countries like Thailand, China and India are also interesting as they are potential large tourist markets of people wanting to travel outside of their own countries and Australia is a big destination for them.From a developmental point of view I am interested in NGOs and the work they do in a lot of Asian countries. I have seen quite a few in operation and in general Australian agencies have quite a good reputation, but there are many situations where different agencies seem to work against each other – environmental agency outcomes can be different to human focus agencies etc, and I would like to see a more co-ordinated effort between the different agencies working in countries to understand what each is aiming for and work together to achieve this.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on?
Currently not much, as I am now looking at Europe and North Africa.
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program?
When I was working in the Melbourne office of Intrepid Travel, our Responsible Tourism Manager mentioned it to me, as Intrepid had done some previous work with Asialink.
What have you been doing since?
After the Leaders Program I helped to set up a company in China, which in the past three years has finally got wholly-owned status in China, not an easy task for a smaller foreign company.
My current focus is on to Europe and North Africa. I am based in our office in Marrakech but get the opportunity to travel to Europe ever few months to run training and oversee our operations. We have also just opened an office in Cairo, so there is a lot to set-up.
Engagement with Asia since the Asialink Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play?
Running different training sessions in both Asia and Morocco I have spent a lot of time discussing cross-cultural differences – for example, a Chinese leader who will be travelling with Australian passengers, needs to know what they expect and how they will react to different situations.This also flows into office staff and work habits. The sessions we did in the Leaders Program about different countries and how they work, and how you need to understand this before you can work successfully in different countries is very relevant. For example, in Morocco it took me a few months to learn that it is a verbal society and it is harder getting anything written out of people and so I had to adjust my work habits and expectations, and use this to my benefit.
What's next?
This year I am starting a Masters Degree in International and Community Development which I can do from Morocco and also planning a wedding to my Moroccan partner in Marrakech - it will be a week-long party so there’s lots to organise! Who knows what happens next, but I miss Asia and plan to head back there to work in the next few years.
December
Alumni Profile: Aaron Levine
Aaron Levine is currently working as a private sector development adviser to the Asian Development Bank. His work is part of a broader Pacific-wide initiative to eliminate some of the constraints to doing business in the region. Aaron’s focus is implementing business law reforms and improving access to finance in the Solomon Islands (where he is based full time), and Vanuatu.
Asian countries of interest?
As in 2004, when I did the Leaders Program, I still have a passion for Thailand and South-East Asia in general. I haven't yet found myself working there directly, but hopefully someday…
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? From my perspective, the development of the Pacific is a really important component to the reduction of poverty in our region. Most Asian nations are faring well, but the Pacific is lagging behind. I enjoy being part of the efforts to narrow the gap, and I think Australia sees itself as having an important role in that respect too.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? The initiative that I work on is co-funded by AusAID and the Asian Development Bank. The Solomon Islands has a very strong Australian contingent in the development sphere, working on development partnerships.
What have you been doing since? Spurred on by some of the other participants in the Asialink program, I pursued another passion of mine, and took off to a village in France for a few months to learn French, before taking a corporate law position in a firm in Paris. After that, I moved into sports law in Switzerland, where I worked on broadcasting deals for the Champions League soccer coverage in Asia, Africa and Europe. It then came time to change focus, and I stepped into the development world in the middle of the South Pacific.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? Through my previous work, I've dealt at a business level with various broadcasters and companies and have found the cross-cultural tools to be very useful – especially in building relationships and navigating negotiations. Being exposed to inspirational people was also a real encouragement for me to leave Sydney and take the big leap into overseas work.
What’s next? I’ll remain in the Pacific for a while yet to see this projects through, then I'd like to move into business reform and access to finance, perhaps in South East Asia. We'll see how that all sits with our first child too, expected early next year.
November 2010
Alumni Profile: Imran Lum
Since completing the Asialink Leaders Program in 2007, Imran Lum has moved from a role overseeing nab’s Microenterprise Loans to an exciting position setting up nab’s Islamic finance capabilities. Asialink caught up with Imran to talk about his work and Asia-related interests.
Asian countries of interest? I have a particular fascination for Malaysia; I love the food, the people, the weather, the durians, and the teh tarik! Everything’s just so intense or laid back, depending on where you go. I guess that having a Malaysian background, I’m a bit biased. I also have an affinity with West Asia, which has come about through learning Arabic for a number of years. Arabic is an incredibly rich and deep language and through my language study I’ve developed a real appreciation of the different cultures in the region as well.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? My particular interest is the intersection between Islam and the West, and that’s why I find Islamic finance exciting. This is a fast growing industry and, given Australia’s good relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, proximity to South-East Asia, there are a lot of opportunities in this space. Most importantly, instead of the usual patronising discussion on integration or conflict, the conversation is more centred around trade and business.
What lead you to the Asialink Leaders Program? I actually presented a session on Islam to the Leaders Program and thought, “hang-on, this all looks pretty interesting”, so I applied the next year!
What have you been doing since? For work, before my current role I looked after nab’s Microenterprise Loans, which are small business loans for people who are excluded from mainstream banking. Nab have one of the largest microfinance programs in the developed world, so it was a fantastic experience being able to assist people with awesome ideas, but perhaps no access to start up capital. More generally, I’ve been hanging out with my two little kids and finishing off a PhD.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? One thing that really stuck to me was the concept of cultural intelligence. It’s something that I always thought about when I was growing up but it was never put to me clearly until I did the Leaders Program. It’s something that as a country we’re seriously lacking.
What’s next? The focus for me in the next year or so will be perfecting my nappy changing techniques and hopefully having a good crack at building the Islamic finance business at nab.
September 2010
Alumni Profile: George Catsi
George’s work as a producer, performer, writer and a health media consultant has led to his recent receipt of the 2010 Kit Denton Fellowship. He won this award, which promotes courage in performance writing, for his comedic and ironic project, I Want to be Slim.
Asian countries of interest? My current work draws me to the spread of evangelist churches in China against the propaganda forces of the government. I am also looking at the work of Reverend Sun Myung Moon in South Korea and other transformation churches.
What lead you to the Asialink Leaders Program? When I participated in the Leaders Program in 2005 I was working as an Executive Producer of RPAtv, a Health TV channel that I had visioned and was building. I was drawn to two challenges that I though that program would provide. The first was personal, as I wanted to enhance my leadership skills and get a better understanding of how I processed the complexities of work/life and how I presented as an individual. Secondly, my work involved communicating messages across the cultural spectrum and the cross-cultural communication focus of Asialink was an important in point for this learning.
What have you been doing since? A key part of what I personally took from the Asialink Leaders Program was to engage with my strengths and my passions, so I have worked to marry those two together. I successfully applied for and spent three years as a Leadership awardee of the Future Summit (DAVOS). I moved on from the Executive Producer position in 2007 and set up independently, consulting on building internal TV networks in hospitals. However I primarily went back to my early passion for creative arts and have focused on writing and performing original material, which I have also wrapped around a Doctorate of Creative Arts at UTS.
Engagement with Asia since the Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? My direct engagement is primarily beginning as I look at the performing arts markets across Asia and at the breadth of possibilities of touring and collaborating.
What’s next? The Kit Denton Fellowship allows me to focus on my current work - so right now I am clearing the decks of certain projects so I can bunker down and write. Concurrently I'll begin to put in place the ‘where’ and ‘how’ of the project to ensure people get to see it in Australia and, if it's successful, overseas too. I will also continue to develop other creative projects whilst developing my health media business, and maybe I'll write about my leadership experiences.
August 2010
Alumni Profile: Bridgit O'Donovan
Bridgit is Senior Account Manager, Corporate and Finance at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in Singapore. She has spent the last seven years in Asia, both in Singapore and Taiwan, where she has developed a career in public relations. Asialink caught up with Bridgit about her work and Asia-related interests.
Asian countries of interest? Professionally I’m interested in Singapore and Southeast Asia, whilst I’m more interested in Taiwan and China on a personal level.
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? Natural resources are an issue I’m particularly interested in.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? I manage a regional communications programs for a variety of clients across industries and the public sector. My work is across markets, so while Australia maybe one of them, it is not usually a key sector as most of my work focuses on emerging economies and building companies in Asian markets.
What lead you to the Asialink Leaders Program? At the time I had just started working and really missed living in Asia (I had spent a year in China and two in Taipei). Joining the program allowed me to stay connected to Asia and to learn more about the region from people with similar connections.
What have you been doing since? I moved to Taipei towards the end of the Asialink Leaders Program on a scholarship from the Australia China Society. After my studies were completed I started working at Edelman Public Relations in Taipei. After four years in Taipei I moved to Singapore and have been working here ever since.
Engagement with Asia since the Asialink Leaders Program and how has what you learnt on the program come into play? I always knew that I would come back to work in Asia and perhaps I am a little surprised that I have already been away for seven years. A lot has changed since then and one of the best things for the Program is that now there are people actually working and living in Asia. In particular, the Leaders Program provided an opportunity for me to come face to face with people I did not always agree with and still find a way to share and learn from each other.
What’s next? Hard to say – there is lots going on for me in Singapore! I am expecting my first child in November. I think that I am most likely to stay working in Asia and I would love to work in another market in the next few years.
May 2010
Alumni Profile: Bei Yin
Bei is Manager, Economic Policy and Public Diplomacy, at the Australian Consulate-General, Guangzhou, China. Prior to moving to China, she worked as a consultant at GerrardBown, a sustainability strategy firm, integrating social and environmental considerations into business decision-making. She has also worked as a commercial lawyer at Baker & McKenzie, in its Major Projects practice group, and has been a financial analyst at the Ford Motor Company.
Asian countries of interest? China
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? The trade, political and cultural (including people-to-people links) relationship between Australia and China, and how this relationship is shaped by each country’s global power position.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? Australia’s trading and cultural relationship with China
What lead you to the Asialink Leaders Program? Potential opportunities to further develop knowledge and skills to better navigate between Australia and China. The Asialink Leaders Program allowed me to better understand the complexity of Australia's bilateral and multilateral relationships within the Asia Pacific and therefore Australia's place within this region. The other participants in the Program, being some of Australia's most talented, motivated and interesting Australia-Asia links, gave me insight into the many different dimensions of engagement between Australia and Asia.
What have you been doing since? Researching and reporting on economic issues relevant to China-Australia relations in south China. Also exploring opportunities for Australia to engage China across various dimensions, including through sports, trade, sustainability and indigenous / minority exchanges.
April 2010
Alumni Profile: Peter Kerr
Executive Editor at The Sydney Morning Herald, Peter is responsible for handling reader complaints, corrections and legal issues as well as staff management, key editorial projects and managing certain senior writers... Asialink caught up with Peter about his work and Asia-related interests.
Asian countries of interest? Indonesia in particular. It is vast, diverse and endlessly interesting, with warm-hearted people and a new adventure every day.
General Asia-Australia relations areas of interest? I'm most interested in the relationship between Australia and Indonesia, politically and culturally. I am fascinated by Indonesia's rich history and culture and the relationship with Australia. We have much in common, including our down-to-earth attitude and irreverence, as well as much to learn from each other - and many opportunities to grow together.
In terms of your work, what are the areas of Australian-Asian relations you focus on? In the past few years I've moved away from the daily world news role I had as Foreign Editor, but I retain an interest in developing Asian stories and themes, whether they be in the foreign pages or happening as news in Australia, and in associations between the paper and a range of Asian countries including Japan and Indonesia.
What led you to the Asialink Leaders Program? My previous experience with Indonesia, including an Asialink Medialink placement at The Jakarta Post newspaper, and encouragement by the inestimable Julia Fraser.
What have you been doing since? The Leaders Program has given me more confidence and skills to strengthen my leadership role at the Herald. I've enjoyed being involved there at a more senior level, and especially gained a lot of pleasure from having the confidence to help people around me set goals and improve themselves and their workplace.
Engagement with Asia since the program: How has what you learnt on the program come into play? The cultural intelligence component and immersion in Asian affairs have helped in my dealings with delegations to the newspaper from various countries, as well as my diplomatic role on behalf of the paper attending consulate and embassy functions. In December I represented Australia at a media accountability forum in Bali organised by the International Federation of Journalists. It was very interesting to be involved, as different cultural characteristics played out in discussions about the media and accountability mechanisms in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
What’s next? I keep a close eye on any opportunity to do with Asia, and Indonesia in particular. I'm involved with a number of editorial projects involving Asian countries, especially the growing role of China internationally. I hope to take my three young children to Indonesia for their first time in 2011.