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Robert Walters - NUSBSA CEO Breakfast Talk: "Leadership in a Globally Integrated World"

The third Robert Walters - NUSBSA CEO Breakfast Talk on 26 October 2007 held at Marina Mandarin Hotel saw the first woman invitee for the series - Ms Teresa Lim, Managing Director of IBM, Singapore. She was invited to talk about leadership in a globally integrated world.

To an audience of about 100 alumni and guests, the NUS Arts graduate underscored the importance of integration in any company that wants to be a competitive player in the globalized world.

"A globally integrated enterprise with only one supply chain, one global human capital, is essential. To be competitive, any individual must learn how to adapt continuously to the changing business landscape by acquiring new skills. In order to give yourself the competitive advantage, innovation is the key."

Ms Lim also stressed the importance of good leadership to be successful in a globally integrated world. She pointed out that good leaders in this era no longer lead by authority, but by influence.

"The leadership comes from influence; how to influence others; how to get things done; how to transform a vision into reality, and risks into rewards. Leaders must exude competence, connections and character."

During the panel discussion chaired by Mr Sonny Yuen (BBA 1985), Director of NUSBSA, members of the audience quizzed Ms Lim on topics ranging from IBM's culture on recruitment to her perspective on leadership.

When asked if adaptability could be trained, Ms Lim responded that "at IBM, values and the environment are important. We treat our staff with respect and based on the staff's performances. We will reward them accordingly. Adaptability is all about the person's attitude. Everyone can be adaptable; it is all about embracing change."

At the end of the lively exchange, Vice President of NUSBSA, Mr Benny Lee (BBA 1976) presented a plaque to Ms Lim and thanked her for her time.

Managing Director of Robert Walters, Mr Mark Ellwood, is happy at the success of the talk. "We're happy to be part of this prestigious series and I'm looking forward to the next event."