Here’s what’s new, and who’s changing roles and stepping up across the HR community in Southeast Asia.
Maria Lourdes Benito-Escalona
HR Director
Havas Ortega
Philippines
Maria Lourdes will oversee all aspects of human resources for the organisation in her new assignment – working closely with senior leadership to provide insights and recommendations on workforce planning, organisational design, and diversity and inclusion initiatives to ensure the long-term success of the company.
She has over 25 years of industry experience that began in the field of real estate development where she credits her foundational skills to develop and implement recruitment and retention strategies. She also worked at Strategic Works, Inc. (Stratworks) for almost 12 years before her recent appointment with Havas Ortega.
Leslie Co Martin
HR Director
FrieslandCampina Professional
Singapore
Leslie took over the role of HR Director in FrieslandCampina Professional, a manufacturer of dairy products and a business arm of FrieslandCampina early this month. She will be responsible for the continued development and growth of the Professional business unit, taking the lead in elevating the company’s digital capabilities and implementing data-driven ways of working.
Prior to this role, she is Talent Development & Change Lead in FrieslandCampina’s ACE (Agile Commercial Execution) programme. She joined the company in 2019 and was one of the pivotal persons in driving talent management initiatives, particularly in the areas of commercial, medical marketing, and digital capabilities.
Valerie Wan
Group Head of Talent Management
Biomed Global
Malaysia
Valerie was appointed in June to support the top management in developing and implementing HR strategies aligned with the company’s business objectives. With her extensive experience, she aims to address talent shortages while fostering cultural transformation in the workplace.
She was previously an HR Manager for SINMAL at Astellas Pharma Malaysia and was also the Interim HRBP Lead for Southeast South Asia.
