Upon completing her legal education at The National University of Singapore and successfully passing the Bar examinations, Sulian Tan Wijaya undertook a short tenure at Hongkong Bank (Singapore), where she managed high-net-worth clients before relocating to Indonesia. In Indonesia, she became a part of Standard Chartered Bank, contributing to the establishment of its branch in the nation’s third-largest city. Sulian ascended through the ranks to ultimately oversee the branch, which provided comprehensive banking services to both corporate and retail clients. Her role as a senior banker presented a significant learning opportunity, as she was responsible for leading all facets of banking operations in a foreign environment.
Upon her return to Singapore, Sulian held the position of Senior Vice President in a hospitality group that managed multiple hotels across different cities in Asia. Subsequently, she transitioned to a real estate group, where she served as Senior Vice President overseeing a prestigious shopping mall located on Orchard Road and a Grade A office building in the Central Business District.
Subsequently, Sulian took on a role at the Singapore Tourism Board, where she led the Tourism Shopping Division. Following this, she became the general manager for The Fullerton Heritage at HK group Sinoland, which managed several prestigious properties situated along Singapore’s renowned Marina Bay. It was during this time that Sulian was approached by her current employer, Savills, to establish their Retail & Lifestyle business.
Throughout her career, Sulian has been presented with numerous leadership opportunities, demonstrating her willingness to engage in entirely new business ventures or roles. She has consistently embraced change, welcomed the challenges associated with managing new enterprises, and thrived in competitive environments.
Essential Qualities of a Leader
Contemporary leaders require resilience to navigate the ever-present changes that characterize our world. In an increasingly competitive environment, it is essential for leaders to possess steadfast determination and the bravery to confront emerging challenges and effectively handle crises. Furthermore, leaders must commit to continuous learning, foster collaboration among their teams, and motivate their personnel to reach their fullest potential.
Inspiring the Future Generations of Women in Business
Sulian aims to motivate other women to step beyond their comfort zones, explore new industries, work in different countries, and embrace new languages and cultures while establishing a successful career. She wants women to understand that it is entirely feasible to be a mother, nurture their children, and simultaneously assume leadership positions within their organizations. “Mothers, particularly single mothers, exhibit remarkable strength and resilience, and their capabilities far outweigh the sacrifices they endure in raising their children,” added Sulian.
Steps to Empower Women
Sulian highlighted, that there are already many examples of very successful women who seamlessly juggle raising children, family life and their jobs. Many of them can be as good as, if not better than, some of their male counterparts if they believe in their own abilities. Businesses who value these women and provide whatever support they can for them to thrive, will undoubtedly benefit from their contributions.
Advice to the Entrepreneurs
“The world we live in is changing so fast, with the rapid evolution of technology and constantly changing consumer trends. My advice would be to embrace and adapt to these changes and never stop learning,” says Sulian.
Additionally, to drive innovation, leaders should engage their young workers and maybe even pick up new skills and knowledge from this digital-savvy group. By encouraging innovation and empowering employees to bring new ideas to the table, leaders will be in a stronger position to innovate and stay ahead of their competition.
Another key trait is humility. It is easy for successful leaders become complacent or even arrogant, but humility goes a long way in building strong relationships and bonds with their employees and business partners.
My Role Model
“Throughout my life, my mom has always been my role model. She had a thriving career for decades. She is such a capable woman and always gives the best advice be it for work or personal life. Mom always encouraged me to be a multi-hyphenate, so I was inspired to represent my school and college in athletics, swimming, and squash. While in Law School, I also played keyboards in a rock band, became a DJ in dance clubs, a model, and a television host.”
Sulian believe that all these different skills she has learnt had a great influence on her working style and thought process. Sulian’s mom also taught her to always be humble and help those who were less fortunate.
Overcoming the Challenges
The most considerable challenge that Sulian encountered was likely when she was tasked with managing an entire bank in her twenties. Compounding this difficulty was her relocation to a new country, where she needed to acquire a new language, grasp an unfamiliar business culture, and lead a team that sometimes-exhibited skepticism due to her status as a foreigner and a woman.
Sulian had reached the pinnacle of her banking career when the Asian Financial Crisis struck, accompanied by violent riots in Indonesia. During this tumultuous period, the Indonesian currency plummeted, losing almost 90 percent of its value in comparison to the US Dollar. However, witnessing the resilience and composure of her Indonesian clients, who managed to retain their sense of humor, provided her with significant strength and inspiration.
Guidance for Emerging Leaders
Aspiring leaders ought to possess a strong conviction that their current business or occupation aligns with their genuine passions and interests. This realization constitutes a significant portion of the journey toward success, as engaging in work that one enjoys substantially increases the likelihood of achieving favorable outcomes.
Leaders should dedicate their time to training their employees and enabling them to assume greater responsibility for the success of the business. At times, it may be necessary to make minor sacrifices, such as working late or during weekends. Although failures may occur, it is through these setbacks and errors that we enhance our capabilities.
Future Roadmap
Sulian possesses several highly influential friends who have invited her to collaborate on a range of intriguing technology and lifestyle projects. While she remains passionate about her full-time position, she intends to assume only minor roles in these initiatives for the next few years. Additionally, she will persist in actively overseeing her investment portfolio, aiming to enhance her ongoing passive income, which will prove beneficial when she ultimately chooses to retire.\
- Visit Sulian Tan Wijaya – LinkedIn Profile
- Visit Savills Singapore – Company Website
