To be successful in Asia requires successfully managing talent and developing leaders who are able to navigate the diverse challenges and opportunities in the region. Gooi Soon Chai of Agilent Technologies shares how the company has nurtured a steady stream of leadership talent, which in turn has prepared the company for the rise of Asia in the new millennium.
Agilent has been in Asia for the past 50 years of its 70-year history. The region accounts for 39 percent of the company’s revenue, 40 percent of its employees, and a third of the company’s executives, most of whom are Asians. The key responsibilities in Asia include global business charters with P&L accountability, global and regional business hubs for infrastructure activities, mega manufacturing sites with global order fulfilment oversight and regional sales and marketing. Asia also houses the company’s R&D centres of excellence...