Branding is the skillful process of consciously creating a company's identity. With the right amount of creativity, expertise, and planning, a company can build a name for itself in the market and immediately connect with its target demographic. Successful companies owe their success and longevity to their branding. Considering the significance of branding, companies, and organizations need to establish a solid brand identity from the get-go and work hard to keep it intact as they expand. With this in mind, JiAnn is fostering business expansion in her role as head of a branding firm. JiAnn believes that helping companies develop a solid brand strategy, determining the precise kind of innovation required by the product or service, and delivering it via design are all essential steps toward a successful brand expression.

Originally from Malaysia, JiAnn Ng earned a BA in Mass Communications with a specialization in Public Relations and Journalism. JiAnn also has a few years of experience in the world of advertising, where she honed her talents in creative problem-solving.

Engaging in an exclusive interaction with Women Entrepreneur magazine, JiAnn Ng spoke about her leadership journey so far.

What are some important features of your expertise as a business leader?

I spent my formative years in Malaysia and then went on to live and work in Indonesia and China. And in both Indonesia and China, I mostly served in route-spanning regional roles, interacting with customers from a variety of nations. As a result, I credit all of this for shaping my personality, and I believe that my increased adaptability and openness to new experiences are a direct outcome of the wide range of cultures and professions I've worked with.

"Our Customers' Trust And Collaboration Put A Great Deal Of Responsibility On Me As An Agency Leader To Ensure That We Are Up To The Task At Hand"

What factors influenced you to take up the leadership role at Dragon Rouge? Give us an overview of Dragon Rouge.

Dragon Rouge is a French firm that was founded in 1984 in Paris. Since then, it has expanded globally, and we currently have eight branches across different countries. I am in charge of the operations in China. When considering what sets us apart from other agencies, I believe that Dragon Rouge's combination of strategic thinking and design heritage are values that come with being French. First, we do not just create beautiful designs, we ensure our designs solve the challenges the brand is facing, and we do this through the right strategy or innovation which is defined before we create the designs. Being French there’s always a level of detail we put in the design and craftsmanship that’s core to our values. The quality of our work depends not only on its appearance but also on the care and attention we put into every little element of its planning and creation. We make sure that people are drawn to it and that it convinces them on a visual level. These are values I believe in as well. Also in Dragon Rouge, we have quite an “open” culture where we are very open to new ideas and have the freedom to explore new thoughts or experiment with new ways of solving a challenge. All these factors are important factors or values that influenced me to take up the leadership role in Dragon Rouge.

Tell us about the different responsibilities you shoulder as the CEO of Dragon Rouge. What are your primary focus areas in your current role?

To fulfill my responsibilities as the CEO of Dragon Rouge, I must wear several hats. First and foremost are the brands we work with, we want to provide them with the right brand strategy, define the right innovation the brand/product needs and deliver them through design to express the brand correctly. I’m personally involved in most of the projects and work closely with the team to deliver. But I can’t work on all of it alone, so therefore I also spend a lot of time making sure I have the right team delivering the projects. Our client’s trust and collaboration put a great deal of responsibility on me as the agency leader to ensure that we are up to the task at hand and deliver quality work.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a professional?

Growing the team, expanding the company, implementing new practices at the agency, and improving the way we operate were all significant turning points in my life and career. In the six years that I've worked with Dragon Rouge, I've been leading the team’s expansion and growing the business significantly. To tell the truth, there have been challenges along the way but I am quite pleased with the final impact this has had on the development of our team and, by extension, the expansion of our business.

Jiann NG, CEO, Dragon Rouge

JiAnn Ng completed her Bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Curtin University in 2007. In her professional journey so far, JiAnn Ng has been part of various companies like Ogilvy, AirAsia, McCann, and SGK. JiAnn is currently serving as the CEO of Dragon Rouge in China.