VP Bank’s Asia chief executive Pamela Phua spoke about the need to appreciate the financial sector’s support for women without making gender your calling card.
«I am who I am today not because I am a woman but because I am a proven professional with over 20 years of diverse experience building up businesses,» said VP Bank’s Pamela Phua in a recent interview with «Tatler Asia» that covered various areas including female leadership.
«[Being a female leader] is the same as being a male leader in my field. Putting this another way, I feel that gender labels sometimes limit rather than expand us. What is more important for any leader, whether female or male, is to inspire with conviction, empathy and integrity.»
Pro-Women Sector
According to Phua, the financial sector in the region has made strong efforts to spotlight women and provide them with opportunities but success must extend beyond gender and the associated stereotypes.
«I am fortunate to be in a field that supports women, especially in Asia,» she explained. «A lot of times, we are our own worst enemy. So in any industry, it is about breaking our own stereotypes and the glass ceiling in our minds.»
Julius Baer
When asked about her banking career thus far, Phua recalls a time when she was working in Hong Kong that «did not have a strong presence in Asia at the time» – likely referring to her 13 years with Julius Baer including 11 leading the Greater China intermediaries business.
«I went literally door-to-door to introduce and promote the bank. You can imagine the level of rejections that I initially received,» she said.
«However, in the end, I managed to grow that intermediary business into one of the largest in Asia.»
VP Bank
And on her new role as VP Bank’s Asia chief, Phua underlined a focus on empowering managers.
«I joined VP Bank with the goal of making a difference. I believe a strong leader is approachable, decisive and inclusive,» she said.
«Therefore, it is important to me to promote a dynamic, open and direct culture, one that removes hurdles from managers and empowers them to lead their teams effectively.»
