Nicki Soffe

The recently announced guidelines on flexible work arrangements have prompted Singapore-based companies to rethink their workplace policies.   Many local employers, including those with flexible work arrangements already in place, see the potential for increased productivity and employee satisfaction, but smaller firms appear less convinced.   Dropbox has operated on a #VirtualFirst model since October 2020, where remote work is the default for all employees.   We will be eagerly following the roll-out of the changes in Singapore, as there may be takeaways we could consider for our own model #lifeinsidedropbox #dropbox https://lnkd.in/gyU2CbH2

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My APAC Lead Generation Journey: Insights from Analyst and Public Relations Strategies The Asia-Pacific (APAC) market presents unique challenges and opportunities for B2B marketers. In my experience, strategically integrating Analyst Relations (AR) and Public Relations (PR) can be a game-changer for lead generation. Analyst Relations: Building Trust and Credibility Fostering strong relationships with industry analysts has been critical to my success. Analysts possess deep knowledge of market trends and customer needs, making their validation incredibly valuable. By engaging with them through briefings, demos, and thought leadership content, I've seen how positive analyst reports, like the IDC case study on NetApp's data storage solutions for badenIT (https://lnkd.in/gbgTwUgk), can significantly boost a company's reputation and attract potential customers. Public Relations: Amplifying Reach and Capturing Attention PR has been essential for expanding reach and visibility in the crowded APAC market. Securing coverage in relevant B2B publications and platforms like ITWire allowed me to showcase successful customer stories, like how NetApp empowered the TasNetworks IT team (https://lnkd.in/giM6HVqK). Such stories generate brand awareness, drive website traffic, and capture leads. Additionally, contributing insightful articles and opinion pieces to industry publications has helped position companies as thought leaders, effectively attracting and engaging potential customers. Integrating AR and PR for Optimal Results By combining AR and PR, I've created a synergistic effect. Positive analyst coverage amplified through PR campaigns reaches a broader audience and reinforces credibility. Sharing thought leadership content with analysts further strengthens relationships and keeps them informed. Key Takeaways My experience has taught me that a well-executed AR and PR strategy can be a game-changer for lead generation in APAC. Marketers can effectively attract and engage potential customers in this dynamic region by building trust with analysts, amplifying brand visibility, and positioning the company as a thought leader. #AnalystRelations #PublicRelations #LeadGeneration #B2BMarketing #APAC #MarketingStrategy #ThoughtLeadership #BrandAwareness

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🌟 Leadership Lessons we can learn from Lawrence Wong: A Blueprint for the Sales and Marketing Leaders 🌟 As we congratulate Lawrence Wong on his upcoming role as Singapore's next Prime Minister in May 2024, his decisive and data-driven leadership during challenging times, particularly noted during the COVID-19 pandemic, offers profound insights for business leaders, especially in sales and marketing. 💡 Decisive Leadership Mr Wong's decision-making during the mask policy shift showcased the need for bold and informed leadership. In business, this translates to leveraging data to make quick decisions that can pivot strategies and seize market opportunities effectively. 📊 Data-Driven Strategy Mr Wong’s reliance on data mirrors best practices in sales and marketing. Utilizing AI and CRM systems can help align teams and strategies, ensuring a unified approach to customer engagement and enhanced business performance. 🔄 Embracing Change Just as Mr Wong adapted policies in real-time, businesses must also remain agile. Embracing digital transformation and new technologies like AI can keep your strategies ahead of the curve and highly competitive. 🤝 Building Trust Transparency was key in Mr Wong's leadership. Similarly, in sales and marketing, being open about product benefits and business practices builds lasting trust with customers, encouraging loyalty and attracting new clients. As we observe Mr Wong’s journey to premiership, his approach to leadership offers a powerful model for aligning sales and marketing strategies in our businesses. Let’s discuss how we can apply these lessons to foster a culture of decisive and data-driven leadership in our industries! 🔗 Read more about Lawrence Wong's leadership style in the link. #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Sales #Marketing #DigitalTransformation #LawrenceWong —— ✨ Repost to inspire B2B digital transformation in your network. 🌞 I write posts like this daily at 7am Singapore time. Follow me (Charles Lau) so you don't miss the next one.

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𝑺𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒉 / reflect It's been 1 full year since my return to Singapore from my pandemic travels, left my role in VC and embarked on a new adventure... Some highlights: 🗞 Started my own newsletter (https://lnkd.in/gch4qSrF) 🤝 Organised over half a dozen networking events for startups, scale ups and investors (international founders night, pitch night, panels, hikes & bbqs!) 🇲🇲 Saw Crossworks Myanmar's Employees Under Management double as we double down on stopping the brain drain of the country's best and brightest 🧠 🏝 Visited Bali & Batam for the first time + cycled to JB way too many times. 🇸🇬 Hosted 4 team members in Singapore & celebrated Crossworks' 5th anniversary with employers 🎉 🚴‍♂️ Cycled 2000km from Singapore to Bangkok & raised $62k+ (still fundraising till the end of the month) for the Mae Tao Clinic (https://bit.ly/2000cycle) 🇨🇳 Joined an inaugural overseas team holiday in Sichuan, China (📸 taken as Jiuzhaigou National Park's Primitive Forest) Lowlights: 🚲 Bike & helmet got stolen/lost at the end of 2023 + spent >$400 on parts/servicing (much more than what I paid for the bicycle!) 💸 Dealt with 2 cases of old clients refusing to pay up at Startupmedia 🚪 Closed J Rental Centre's City Hall Collection Point after 6 years at Peninsula Plaza, still clearing pre-loved photography/filmmaking equipment... 😢 Watching fear grip the hearts of people and making difficult choices between home and security On balance, the last year has been eventful, fruitful, not all up-into-the-right/bed of roses, rainbows and unicorns, but one that I'm thankful for 🙏. Thankful I'm not caught up in the rat race of life 🐀 🏁 , struggling with safety/security or aimlessly living day by day without much to look forward to or work towards. ❗ Yet there is a fine line between contentment/gratitude and settling for what's good instead of what's best. It is far from time to settle... There is much work left to be done, the mission is clear though the path is one I'm still in the midst of discovering, building the plane as it flies 🛫. In quiet reflection I take stock of the year that has bolted by, give thanks for the people, events and opportunities - both good and bad, and reaffirm my commitment to do my level best and nothing less toward doing what I can. #reflections #selah #rest #reflect #lookingback #throwback #review #year #singapore #myanmar #travel #adventure #learning #perspective #gratitude #thanksgiving

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Top HR tech concerns CHROs in Singapore are addressing Having ambassadors, champions or cross-departmental taskforces will ensure all employees feel like they have a say in any change process – this is one of the best practices to enable a smoother transition into HR tech, as we learnt at a recent roundtable by HRO x Grab For Business. Report by Sarah Gideon.  The ways teams work, the tools employees use, and the expectations that top talent have are all constantly evolving. And no greater factor impacts these changes more than the utilisation of technology, which helps to equip employees to perform better, both quickly and efficiently.  At a breakfast roundtable held on 15 April 2024 (Monday), organised by Human Resources Online (HRO) in partnership with Grab For Business, 15 HR leaders sat together to discuss how technology comes into play in their talent management strategies, and how these have, ultimately, helped improve employee engagement. Setting the context for the conversation in her opening address, Chin Yin Ong, Chief People Officer, Grab, talked about understanding what a holistic and great employee experience entails.  At Grab, the leader and her team are looking to weave together what they call “the P-H-D of employee experience”:  👉 Physical, in terms of the office space: Infusing, for instance, wellbeing into the office space, acknowledging the impact a workspace can have on the employee; 👉 Human: Looking at the company’s policies, and how the leadership team engages its people, and 👉 Digital: Leveraging technology advancements to bring the employee experience forward. In addressing these, Ong noted, the aspiration is to be able to design work that allows employees to be more and more productive without having to work more and more hours. Wouldn’t that be an ideal scenario?  Well, keeping this wish in mind, the conversation moved to the key challenges leaders are facing in elevating the employee experience in their organisation through tech-powered human capital strategies, as well as their approach to ensuring these concerns are met. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g4Fhuh4F Special thanks to the attendees at the roundtable: Raymond Soh, IHRP-SP, SHRM-SCP Siu Ming HONG (GRP, CCP, IHRP-SP) Tina Sharma -IHRP SP Jasmine Chen Sanjoy Shaw Jessie Cheing Helen Snowball Anupam Trehan Stepfanie Kee Swee Lin Andral Lim (林依穎） Clement Chew Jonathan Filmer Vasumathi Parthasarathy And thank you to Chin Yin Ong and Lorraine Ng for sharing your insights from Grab For Business Special thanks to Aditi Sharma Kalra for moderating the roundtable discussion! It was truly and honour sitting and writing this piece, and learning so much from so many leaders 💫

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Foreign workforce. Don't think anyone will disagree that Singapore is where we are today because of immigrants nor will many disagree that we must have foreigners in our workforce to continue our progress. And with our declining birth-rates and increasing proportion of retirees, we will be digging a large hole for ourselves if we do not increase number of foreigners in our workforce. But there are risks. Will we be diluting our Singapore identity; relegating native citizens to "lower-tier" jobs; become overly reliant on foreign labour etc etc. I do not believe there is a perfect solution. We will need to keep welcoming foreign talent while: 1. re-engaging younger retirees back into the workforce. 2. enabling more women & people with disabilities to take meaningful roles at work. 3. branch out into new industries that we can re-skill our native citizens to step into. 4. continue to enhance policies to encourage proportional citizen to foreign labour numbers in all industries. 5. leverage tech to reduce reliance on foreign labour. There is a 6th point. We should encourage foreigners to integrate into our society and become Singapore citizens. ;) https://lnkd.in/gt9s-iQc

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📢 Calling all B2B Marketing leaders: Save the date for Forrester's #B2B Summit APAC! Join us on October 1st in Singapore to explore how to reinvent your strategy, technology, and operations to win new B2B buyers amidst disruptive market forces. Register now before the early bird promo expires today! (June 28th) #CMO #Marketing #Events

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RETURN TO BASICS After 17 years in a career that some would envy, I, as a Singaporean minority female leader, having climbed the ladder and accumulated the markers of 'success,' found myself confronting an unexpected reality—I was profoundly unhappy and unfulfilled, more importantly, I was no longer connected to myself. How could someone with a beautiful family, a successful career, financial stability, and professional industry respect feel such a void? The truth hit hard when I was skiing earlier this year with the wind was on my face (a feeling I associate with freedom). It reminded me of what my purpose was, and that in order to do so, I needed to journey back to the essentials of life, a path less about accumulating more accolades and titles and more about appreciating and generously giving back. This time of mind decluttering has taught me that: 💡 Simplicity Brings Clarity - In stripping back the unnecessary, I've found clarity. This is time I need to focus what genuinely enriches my life and discarding the rest. 🥰 Relationships are Riches - The most fulfilling moments now come from deepening relationships with family and friends, connecting with others in meaningful ways, and giving back to the community. ❤️ Passion Over Prestige - I've shifted my focus from roles that look impressive on a resume to personal projects that deeply ignite joy and passion. It’s purely about the impact and fulfillment the work brings. 🧘🏽‍♀️ Wellness is Wealth - Prioritizing my physical, mental, and emotional health over professional achievements has been a game changer. A well-balanced life is a truly fulfilling one. I am happier than I have been since Covid. I am fully present in every activity. This journey back to basics is mine towards a more meaningful existence. To anyone feeling the pangs of dissatisfaction despite outward success, consider this your invitation to explore what 'back to basics' could mean for you, and it does not have to be the extreme of leaving your job to find yourself. What’s next for me? Only time will tell… but until then… Have you ever felt the need to reset and focus on the basics? What changes did you make, and how have they impacted your happiness and success? #LifeLessons #Simplicity #CareerChange #MentalHealth #WorkLifeBalance #EmpowerWomen #DiversityWins #UnityInDiversity #DifferentButEqual #SuccessMindset #NeverStopLearning #BeBetter #EmbraceChange #EffortEqualsSuccess #LearnFromMistakes #MindsetMatters #PersonalDevelopment #SelfGrowth #PositiveChange #HealthyHabits #GoalSetting #Mindfulness #MotivationMonday #WellnessWednesday

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I was recently talking to my boss, Catherine Chia, about how to be successful in driving our #Prudential transformation. She said, “Competence and hard work are necessary but not sufficient; it will take real empathy and wisdom for us to be successful.” And I started wondering where I would get wisdom from. I think I have a sense now. 💡 Wisdom comes when you combine knowledge and experience. 💜 You need knowledge, you need competence, and you need to know at least the core elements of how something works to start the journey. Let me give you an example: when my son was 3 years old and I was in a traffic jam with him, he kept saying, "Look at the red car and the blue car." All he knew were colors, not the car brands. So, for him, his ability to understand the environment was limited by the knowledge he had. 💜 But you also need real experience, where you were fully ‘present’. Real experience is crucial because there are times when you are doing something in a disconnected way; that experience is okay but doesn’t count as much. However, if you were truly present, felt the emotions of the ups and downs, the conflicts, the victories, and the failures, then you develop this intuition. Intuition is nothing but the ability to recognize patterns almost instantly. ✨ You know whether something is on track or off track by picking up signals and noticing patterns long before the actual data comes in. This is because intuition-led wisdom is a lead indicator. You see the landmines before they blow. 🌪 You can sense in which direction the wind is shifting. This is important because the success of any major transformation depends on your ability to sense the wind and adjust your sails. With wisdom, we can be successful. And we will be! Here’s to building the #NextHR for the #NextPrudential. We are the protectors of #EveryLifeEveryFuture.

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My Professional Journey In Numbers... -20 years in B2B marketing -15 years in professional services -10 years in enterprise software sales *1st marketer in a global firm to be promoted as a partner in Apac *Transformed marketing in 3 companies *Managed a team from 12 countries -Written an Amazon #1 bestseller -Won #1 student award in NYP for brand management *Interviewed by 3 TV and Radio channels *Keynote speaker in 6 countries — Each number tells a story of challenges met and milestones achieved. But the true measure of this journey isn't just in the data; it’s in the helpful connections, the unquantifiable moments, and the infinite possibilities that lie ahead. With gratitude for every lesson learned, I stand ready to inscribe new chapters of innovation and leadership. — Connect with me if you aim to achieve successful shifts from: ► Brand awareness to demand generation ► Features and benefits to commercial insights ► Reactive PR to proactive storytelling #cmo #leader #growth #lbfalumni #skyhightower #marketing #communication

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19 Apr 2024, Fri. It is a day off for me... to "fill my time" (selfishly 😁), I have thus jio my friend of more than 20 years KC Tan and my former colleague Lim Choon Hong, David to catch up. There is no agenda, just simply catching up! What do we have in common? We are all citizens of SME. While KC Tan is a long time business owner of SME, both Lim Choon Hong, David and I were once upon a time MNC Corp Citizens. Naturally, we exchange views about the SME Business Model, what are the Best Practices we can adopt from MNC and SME, what worked well, what needed to be tweaked to suit SME. What government schemes SME can leverage on, what perks SME can introduce vs competing on base salary under the Comp and Ben with the big boys for talent attraction and retention. It was a great catch up and fruitful exchange and we concluded our meet up with simple desserts. More collaborations among SME are encouraged so that we can leverage on each other's strength and network to achieve Business and Financial excellence! Collaboration on CSR is also possible... the way forward! Thanks KC Tan and Lim Choon Hong, David for the company! TGIF!

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Most of us are GCash (Mynt - Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.) users now. Often, birthday gifts or Christmas presents are simply requested through Gcash due to its convenience and ease of use. But did you know that GCash only began to be widely adopted during the pandemic, where everyone couldn't go out and only online transactions were possible, resulting in millions of users being loyal to this platform? I believe the same will happen with people adopting Blockchain Technology (Crypto, NFTs, and Metaverse), where it provides more benefits such as data ownership, opportunities, and borderless payments. So join me, Socials, in my journey here at NFT.NYC and discover the latest trends in this space. Video by: ÂTTN.LIVE #NFTNYC #NFTNYC2024 #ATTNLIVE #AmplifyTheFuture #mksocialhub #kayelabay #blockchaintechnology #cryptoph

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From smart cities to advanced healthcare, South Korea is at the forefront of embracing AI for digital transformation. Explore the fascinating insights in our latest article. #SouthKorea #AI #DHRGlobal

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There are 3 angles to execute a brand awareness campaign. Emotional. Thought-provoking. The usual humour. We went for a thought-provoking approach. Pragmatic and relatable. If we do not have that pre-conceived judgement that Athirah was born with low vision, we would not have doubt her capabilities. We wanted her to demonstrate composure and eloquence as a Customer Service Associate on how she deals with day-to-day issues like anyone else. By having her interview her CEO of 1.5 years. On the decision to hire her. She has been serving VITAL, central agency for corporate shared services, a department under the Ministry of Finance. She might have picked up your call, solved your issue as you go on your daily routine. Like any other Customer Service person we’ve dealt with. Athirah has been performing consistently for VITAL’s workforce. We wanted to impact business objectives on both ends. SPD Contact Center to continue to do good and present opportunities for the PwDs. And SMEs, businesses to take on a new perspective and offer opportunities to SPD Contact Center. The business of doing good is good for business. Have a view. Propagate. Amplify. This is more than an awareness campaign. To SPD, this is a form of motivation and encouragement. To the PwDs, this is their dignity. Find out more on SPD Contact Center: https://lnkd.in/gFgRfRTa SPD VITAL (Ministry of Finance) ABrandADay (ABAD) #brandawareness #inclusivehiring #partnerships

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It was very apt that I attended the “Fundamentals of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)” the past 3 days with my team during Privacy Awareness Week. At Focus on the Family Singapore, we’re committed to steward and protect the personal data we collect. I believe this helps us to build trust with our stakeholders and enables us to serve effectively in the community. Have you started on your personal data journey for your organisation? What’s your DPO persona? Take the quiz by Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and follow them on LinkedIn to find out more. And if you’re an expert in personal data, I would love to catch up over coffee/tea to learn from you! #PAW24

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Women who love reading and on a journey to walk the talk around money, I have a copy of a book to pass on to you. I bought an extra copy because it didn't arrive in time for the book launch event with Sharon Sim Serena Wong and decided that another woman would definitely love this collection of different women and their journeys around their relationship with money. So thought I try giving it away on LinkedIn - this is my first attempt on this platform - so that it will pass on to another women who might benefit on this journey and even pass it on: 📖 1 x copy "𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆" 𝗧𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲: Please comment "Book" if you are interested to participate, and if you are open to do so, why this book sounds like your next exciting read. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 on: Mon, 24 June 2024, 8pm SGT. 🔔 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀 & 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:  1. By entering the competition you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. This giveaway is not affiliated to LinkedIn in any way.  Participants must release LinkedIn from any and all liability related to the contest.  2. Participant entry is done via LinkedIn.  3. This is open to women, aged 18 years and above.  4. Only one (1) winner will be selected, after the participation closes on Mon, 24 June 2024, 8pm SGT.  5. Only open to participants based in Singapore.  The book will be mailed to the giveaway winner, notified after Mon, 24 June 2024.  The address and contact number of the winner must be provided to enable the fulfilment of the prize.  6. No purchase necessary. Winners are not required to pay to participate.  7. Giveaway winner will be randomly selected by an app for random giveaway picker.  8. The giveaway host will not be liable for any failure of receipt of entries and takes no responsibility for any entries that are invalid.  9. Prizes are non-negotiable, non-transferable and non-refundable. No cash alternative is available. 10. All results are final.      ----------------------- 📚 For book recommendations because I can't stop reading > Andrea T. (these are the ones read in 2024) #booklover #buildmylibrary #selfleadership #creativity   #undilutedbyAT

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Connecting with industry leaders is always good, especially when they appreciate and critique your insights. Recently, I received a message on LinkedIn from a fellow leader who had come across our 7-Point Framework for strategically entering the APAC market. What struck a chord with her was the emphasis on Product-Market Fit.  Reflecting on our discussion, I couldn't agree more. Product-market fit is indeed a cornerstone of successful market entry strategies. It's that perfect harmony between what you offer and what your target market desires and it's often the difference between success and obscurity.   It's about listening to the market, adapting to its dynamics, and continuously refining your approach to ensure that your offerings meet and exceed expectations. As we navigate the complexities of the APAC market, let's keep Product-Market Fit front and centre, ensuring that we not only enter but thrive in this diverse and dynamic landscape.  Achieving the right Product-Market Fit isn't just about having a great product; it's about understanding the unique needs, preferences, and nuances of the market you're entering. It's about aligning your offerings with the demands and desires of your target audience, ensuring that your solutions resonate and add value.  Thank You Sunita Venkataraman for mentioning the importance of Product-Market fit the other day! #innovation #technology #inspiration #apac #ceomindset #digitaltransformation #leadership #framework

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Elevate Your Employer Brand: Unlock Success in Singapore's Talent Market" In Singapore's dynamic talent landscape, differentiation is paramount for success. Your organization's ability to attract and retain top talent relies heavily on a robust employer brand strategy. Cultivate an authentic reputation by showcasing your unique culture and values across social media platforms. Offer ample opportunities for professional development and competitive perks to foster employee satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, actively listen to your team's feedback and take decisive action. Investing in your employer brand not only shapes your present but also secures your organization's future success. Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey to unleash the full potential of your employer brand and outshine the competition? Take the first step today and contact us to learn how we can help you achieve your goals!" Elevate your talent landscape to new heights! #EmployerBrand #TalentAcquisition #SingaporeJobs

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