How the First Woman Regional CEO Helms Japanese Beauty Brand

How did Nicole Tan climb to the top of the beauty industry during a global pandemic? In this episode, Nicole Tan, the President & CEO of Shiseido Asia Pacific (APAC), delves into her journey, the challenges as a woman leader, and the keys to her success. From joining Shiseido amidst the turmoil of 2020 with a rich 25-year background in beauty, to balancing the demands of career and family, Nicole’s story is one of perseverance, networking, and the crucial role of support. As Shiseido’s first female regional CEO, she shares valuable advice for aspiring leaders, emphasizing the importance of calculated risks and patience in achieving professional growth!

Discussion Topics: How the First Woman Regional CEO Helms Japanese Beauty Brand

• Introduction to Nicole Tan and a brief overview of her career trajectory.
• Joining Shiseido During a Pandemic – Nicole discusses the unique challenges and opportunities of stepping into her leadership role amid the global pandemic.
• Trailblazing as Shiseido’s First Female Regional CEO – Exploring Nicole’s achievement as the first female regional CEO at Shiseido, reflecting on the significance of female leadership in the beauty industry.
• How to Balance Career and Family – Insights into Nicole’s personal journey balancing career ambitions with family responsibilities and the choices that have shaped her path.
• Overcoming Professional Challenges – Nicole shares her experiences with overcoming obstacles in her career, emphasizing resilience and strategic problem-solving.
• The Power of Networking and Seeking Support – The importance of building a strong network and seeking support and the role these factors have played in Nicole’s career development.
• Advice for Emerging Women Leaders – Nicole’s advice to aspiring female leaders, focusing on the value of not trying to solve everything alone and the importance of taking calculated risks.
• Looking Ahead: Goals and Aspirations – Reflections on the future, including Nicole’s personal goals, aspirations for Shiseido, and her vision for the beauty industry’s evolution.
• Wrapping up

Our Guest: Nicole Tan

Nicole Tan is President & CEO of Shiseido Asia Pacific (APAC), regional headquarters of leading Japan-based beauty group, Shiseido. Ms Tan is the first female Regional CEO at Shiseido and member of the Global Leadership Committee.

In her role, Ms Tan is responsible for driving the strategic vision, transformation and growth for Shiseido’s business in APAC – a region that includes more than 5,000 employees spread across eight markets offering iconic makeup, skincare and fragrance brands including Shiseido, NARS, Cle De Peau Beaute, Drunk Elephant, D&G and Anessa, amongst others.

Your Host: Ritu Gupta Mehrish

Ritu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.

Rajita Saxena is a leader and people manager with over 20 years of business experience in sales, sales support, strategic operations, and learning & development. She builds strong, high-performing teams and believes in being a Level 5 leader to unleash the potential and performance of teams. She thrives in an environment that provides an opportunity to problem solve or create impact, whether it is a situation that is full of change and ambiguity or one that requires creating a strategy.