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"In the race for niche and digital skills, we can sometimes be too quick to look externally and overlook the potential of our own people," she says, adding why total rewards should help organisations recognise, develop, and retain internal talent.
With almost two decades of experience across commercial, transformation, and people leadership, Stephanie Leong (pictured above) has built her career by looking at people through a business lens. Today, as Head of Culture & Change Transformation at U Mobile, she leads culture transformation, organisational change, internal communications, and employee engagement, helping translate business strategy into meaningful action for employees.
Unlike many HR leaders, Leong did not begin her career in human resources. Her journey from marketing and new product introductions roles into people leadership has shaped a practical philosophy: organisations perform better when people understand, believe in, and contribute to the company's direction. It is this intersection of business ambition and human behaviour that continues to fuel her passion for HR.
Ahead of Total Rewards Asia Summit 2026, Malaysia, where she will be speaking on sustainable talent strategies, she tells Mary Ann Bundukin why creating clarity, fairness, and opportunities for growth is key to helping both employees and organisations thrive.
Read the full interview below.
Q What first drew you to HR, and what keeps you passionate about it today?
I did not start my career in HR. My early career was in marketing and new product introduction, before moving into large-scale business transformation and eventually people leadership. That journey shaped how I see HR today — through a business lens.
What keeps me passionate is the opportunity to influence how organisations perform through people. Whether it is culture, change, talent or employee experience, HR sits at the intersection of business ambition and human behaviour. I enjoy turning strategy into something people can understand, believe in and act on. When people move, organisations move — and that is what continues to excite me about HR.
Q Can you share the core belief that guides your approach to designing rewards strategies that truly support employees?
My core belief is that rewards must make sense to both the employee and the business. It cannot be designed in isolation from performance, culture or the organisation's future direction.
Employees need to understand what is valued, what good performance looks like and how their contribution connects to outcomes. At the same time, organisations need to be intentional about where they invest, especially as skills and workforce expectations evolve.
For me, a strong rewards strategy is not simply about paying more. It is about creating clarity, fairness and meaningful differentiation — while ensuring we recognise the skills, behaviours and impact the organisation needs for the future.
Q What is one common misconception about total rewards that you'd like to challenge?
The misconception I would challenge is that the solution to every talent problem is more money.
When critical skills are scarce, the immediate reaction can be to increase salaries or pay a premium to hire externally. Sometimes that is necessary — but it cannot be the default strategy. Constantly buying talent at a premium can create internal inequity and destabilise the wider workforce.
Total Rewards and Talent Acquisition need to make more intentional decisions together. Where should we buy? Where should we build? And which capabilities will truly differentiate the business?
Pay matters, but sustainable talent strategies require a broader view of skills, growth, culture and the employee experience.
Q Please tell us a fun fact about yourself that people may not know.
A fun fact about me is that I paint to destress. My day-to-day work involves transformation, culture and navigating complex organisational challenges, so painting gives me a completely different space to slow down and create without a PowerPoint slide or action tracker in sight!
I enjoy the process more than trying to create something perfect. Perhaps there is a connection to my work as well — you start with an idea, experiment, make adjustments and gradually see something take shape. It is one of the ways I reset, recharge and step away from the pace of corporate life.
Q As a speaker at #TotalRewardsMY, what do you hope attendees will take away from your session?
I hope attendees leave thinking more intentionally about the talent that already exists within their organisations. In the race for niche and digital skills, we can sometimes be too quick to look externally and overlook the potential of our own people.
The bigger question is how we identify talent earlier, build the right capabilities, recognise their contribution and empower them to grow, perform and lead teams. This requires Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition and business leaders to think beyond hiring and pay, and take shared accountability for building talent from within.
Ultimately, sustainable talent strategies are not only about finding great people — they are about creating the environment for great people to thrive.
I want to attend the conference: If you're keen to attend this closed-door conference, kindly register your interest here. For speaking opportunities, please write in to Mary Ann Bundukin. We look forward to welcoming you!
I want to sponsor: Engage in meaningful dialogue through dedicated speaking slots, roundtable discussions, and at your booths! If your organisation provides any talent solutions and products that you'd like to showcase, you’ll fit right into this event. To learn how you can sponsor, please reach out to a member of our team now!
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