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Annie Lam, Head of Group HR, highlights that the interventions have created intentional conversations around mentorship, visibility, and succession planning.
At YCH Group, women have long been treated as equals, not just in principle, but in practice. As Annie Lam, Head of Group Human Resources emphasises, "It’s no surprise that many of our leaders are women, including two of our Executive Directors."
This commitment to amplifying the visibility and impact of the remarkable women driving the company’s business has helped the team secure the Bronze award for Excellence in Championing Women Leaders at the HR Excellence Awards 2025 in Singapore.
Reflecting on what inspired the initiatives to support and spotlight fellow women leaders, Lam catches up with HRO to share how this has strengthened pride in the organisation’s inclusive culture.
Q Tell us about your inspiring HR initiative – what sparked the idea, and how did you know it was the right path to take?
At YCH Group, women have long been treated as equals, not just in principle, but in practice. It’s no surprise that many of our leaders are women, including two of our Executive Directors. The initiative wasn’t about “introducing” women into leadership; it was about amplifying the visibility and impact of the incredible women already driving our business forward.
What sparked the idea was a desire to be intentional in how we support and spotlight women leaders, ensuring their stories and successes inspire others. We knew it was the right path when we saw how naturally it aligned with our culture and values. It wasn’t a shift; it was a celebration of what’s already strong, and a commitment to keep building on it.
Q Every journey has its ups and downs – can you share a challenge your team faced and how you worked through it together?
One challenge was navigating perceptions, especially in an industry like supply chain and logistics, which has traditionally been male-dominated. At YCH Group, we’ve long had strong female representation across leadership, from our business development heads — who lead high-performing verticals, to functional heads, IT professionals, and beyond.
The initiative wasn’t about introducing equity; it was about reinforcing and celebrating it. The challenge was in ensuring our message didn’t feel like a correction, but a recognition. We addressed this by engaging leaders across the board, sharing real stories, and anchoring the initiative in our existing culture. My team worked with authenticity and clarity, and together we turned a potential misunderstanding into a powerful affirmation of who we are.
Q What impact has this initiative had on your organisation so far, and what do you hope it inspires in the wider HR community?
The initiative has deepened pride in our culture of inclusion. It’s sparked renewed appreciation for the women who’ve long been leading with excellence - many of whom were already shaping strategy at the highest levels. Internally, it’s created more intentional conversations around mentorship, visibility, and succession planning.
Externally, I hope it challenges the notion that gender equity must always start from a deficit.
"Sometimes, the most powerful thing HR can do is to spotlight what’s already working and scale it."
I hope it inspires other HR leaders to look within their organisations and ask: Who’s already leading, and how can we elevate them further?
Q Looking back, is there a moment, person, or value that kept you and your team motivated throughout the journey?
What kept us going was the collective strength of our women leaders across the organisation. Each woman leader brought authenticity, resilience, and purpose to the table. In a traditionally male-dominated industry like supply chain and logistics, their presence and performance are especially powerful.
There wasn’t just one moment or person, it was the consistent, quiet leadership shown every day that inspired us. The value that anchored us was intentionality. We weren’t creating something new — we were honouring what already existed and making sure it was seen, heard, and celebrated. That sense of shared purpose kept our team focused and energised throughout the journey.
Q If you could offer one golden nugget of wisdom to HR professionals aiming for excellence, what would it be?
Excellence starts with self-awareness. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking everything is fine just because it’s familiar — like an ostrich with its head in the sand. We must constantly challenge ourselves to identify areas for improvement, listen to feedback, and stay open to change.
At the same time, recognise and build on what’s already strong. HR isn’t just about fixing problems — it’s about scaling impact. When we lead with clarity, humility, and intention, we create space for people to thrive.
My advice:
"Be honest about where you are, bold about where you want to go, and deliberate in how you get there. That’s how excellence becomes sustainable."
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
Lead image: Provided
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