Vision, tenacity, and the capacity to motivate people toward common objectives are traits of effective leadership. These traits are best shown by leaders who are committed to promoting innovation, encouraging teamwork, and approaching problems strategically, like Simran Singh, Managing Director of Ferrero Innovation Center in Singapore.

Simran's parents were in the armed forces, thus she had to move about a lot as a child, living through nine different schools and developing a wide outlook at a young age. She majored in Biotechnology, Genetics, and Biochemistry in three different courses at Bangalore University. She then went on to the University of Manchester to earn a master's degree in Immunology and Immunogenetics. After earning her master's degree, she began working as a Research Assistant at UCL. She soon moved into a part-time PhD program at UCL while keeping her full-time job, earning nearly five years of priceless experience.

Simran relocated to Singapore to join A*STAR in quest of warmer weather and fresh challenges. She first pursued biomedical research before opting to make a career change from academia to industry. A turning point in her career was when she joined Ferrero as an Open Innovation Lead for Asia-Pacific. From there, she moved on to project management and strategic R&D positions at the company's headquarters in Luxembourg. Simran's path led her to her current position as a leader at Ferrero's Innovation Center in Singapore covering Asia Pacific, where she still drives innovative projects and fosters creativity inside the company.

Embarking on a distinctive exchange with The Global Women Leader magazine, Simran divulges the intricate facets of her journey as a prominent leader in Singapore. Let's delve into it.

Tell us about Ferrero and what makes it different from other organizations.

Founded in 1946, Ferrero has become one of the most prominent brands globally in the sweet packaged food (SPF) sector. Now run by the third generation of the Ferrero family, Ferrero is a distinctive family-owned company with a global presence and over 47,000 employees.

I was drawn to Ferrero because of its continuous dedication to innovation, among other things. In contrast to many businesses that introduce new items regularly, Ferrero adopts a more methodical approach, making sure that every product introduced to the market is flawless. Famous Ferrero brands like Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, Nutella, and Tic Tac, demonstrate this commitment to quality. These products are hard for rivals to imitate because of their distinctive value propositions, creative structures, and unwavering quality.

The Ferrero family and the entire organization put a lot of love and effort into their work, which is evident in the rigorous attention to detail that they pay in their research and development. When a new product is introduced, it guarantees that customers will have the finest experience possible because of this emphasis on quality and innovation.

What are the key responsibilities you shoulder in your role as the MD at the company?

My main duties as the Managing Director of the Ferrero Innovation Center, which is situated in Singapore and serves the Asia Pacific area, are to oversee and manage seven essential functions that are vital to our innovation endeavors. Product creation, scouting and R&D of new raw ingredients, open innovation, toy innovation, consumer and market analytics, food trend analysis, and ecosystem management are some of these. It is my responsibility to make sure that all of these teams work well together under one roof while promoting an innovative and flexible atmosphere.

Our goal at the Innovation Center is to draw inspiration from the rich diversity of the Asia Pacific area. This entails understanding regional product preferences, finding local components, and utilizing cutting-edge technologies to create new goods and technical advancements for the Company to leverage globally.

What are some of the major challenges that you encounter in your current role at Ferrero? How do you overcome the said roadblocks?

Coordinating teams from many departments and locations might make it challenging to get everyone focused on the same objective while navigating multiple layers of stakeholders. Working with different people fosters enormous creativity and learning, but it also necessitates reaching a consensus on decisions.

"Combining innovation & tradition with a strong focus on community and quality is what makes Ferrero stand out from other businesses"

My top priority is honest and transparent communication since it encourages team trust. In conversations, I also place a strong emphasis on context by giving background knowledge and perspectives that enable stakeholders to grasp the wider picture. I use my conviction in honesty and integrity to help me get through a variety of circumstances.

In your opinion what have been the biggest ‘wins’ that you have achieved so far in your professional journey?

Within my career, there are two notable 'wins' that I am extremely proud of. First, I had a turning point in my life when I was named Managing Director of the Ferrero Innovation Center in Singapore. I had always hoped to run an innovation powerhouse like this, and I joined Ferrero in 2017 when the Innovation Center was founded. It was a personal accomplishment as well as a testimonial to the guidance and support I had from excellent peers and leaders during my path to reach this position in just five years. I felt a great feeling of gratitude, duty, and personal accomplishment. I was one of the few non-white women in such a top position at the time and one of the youngest which adds to my sense of responsibility to put my best foot forward for other aspiring women in the Organization.

Second, finishing my doctorate was a significant turning point in my career that affected it greatly. A doctorate is a hard, lonesome undertaking that is full of unknowns to the finish. I was challenged with discovering something completely new without any precedence to assist me. Through this journey, I had some of the most important learnings of my professional life, that I apply in challenging situations in my current role.

How do you define success as a leader? What has been your success mantra over the years?

As a leader, I measure success by the development and accomplishments of my team. My motto is to foster an atmosphere where my team members are inspired to succeed, enabled, and supported. For me, success entails helping every team member realize their greatest potential on both a personal and professional level.

My success mantra over the years has been built around teamwork, empowerment, and trust. For my team to flourish, I think it's important to trust their knowledge and skills, provide them with the freedom and tools they require, and promote an environment where open communication and teamwork are valued.

Simran Singh, MD, Ferrero

Simran completed her bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology, Genetics, and Biochemistry from Bangalore University. She pursued further studies in Immunology & Immunogenetics at the University of Manchester and earned her PhD in Liver Immunology from University College London. Simran moved to A*STAR in Singapore to pursue biomedical research on liver cancer after finishing her PhD. She later joined Ferrero, which propelled her into roles in open innovation, project management, strategy, and ultimately, leadership of the company's innovation center in Singapore.

A business leader you admire and why: I am a great fan of Indira Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, whose inspiring leadership and remarkable achievements have left a lasting impression on both me and many of my colleagues who have worked with her.

Message for aspiring women leaders and entrepreneurs: My advice is to be authentically yourself, trust your strength, and own it with confidence. Keep your core values strong, believe in yourself, and don't let the world dim your brightness.