Voice of Experience: Eu-Lin Fang, Partner, PwC Singapore

Welcome to The Glass Hammer’s Celebration of Asian Heritage Month! All month long we will be profiling successful women here in the US who have Asian heritage as well as spotlighting some amazing women in Asia and discussing what it means to work there.

According to Eu-Lin Fang, a Partner at PwC Singapore, the professional world can be demanding, and in order to persevere, you cannot lose sight of you who are at the core. “It is important to continue to ask yourself, ‘Who am I, how do I live my life purposefully?’” Fang said.

“A rewarding career can consume your time, but it is good to devote some time for yourself to regroup and spend time on areas that bring balance to your life,” noted Fang.

Career Path

With a degree in accounting and finance, Fang naturally decided to pursue a career in accounting. Fang was drawn to the firm because of its reputation for being one of the best and biggest global accounting firms. “I came to PwC because I wanted to qualify as an accountant,” recalled Fang, “like others, I was fortunate to be given opportunities by the Firm to develop myself professionally”

An auditor by training, Fang was able to work on several bank audits and regional audits, as well as audits in the oil and gas, property and retail amongst others. “In my earlier years as an auditor, one was able to cover a few industries, but now given the complexities within each industry including increased regulation in those industries, there is inevitably more specialization”

Before she made manager, Fang had the opportunity to be seconded to the PwC London office in 2005 until 2007. “It was a different business environment,” said Fang, “and I had a very steep learning curve which I overcame quickly.” When she returned to Singapore, Fang observed many positive changes as a result of the demand for more specialization occurring in the profession. Soon after returned from London she joined PwC’s Financial Services Industry Practice (“FSIP”) to specialize in financial services and made partner in FSIP.

“Making partner was a surreal experience and something that I am proud of,” remarked Fang. “It drives me and motivates me to keep going forward in my career.”

Currently, Fang continues to serve as a financial services auditor specializing in banking, and she also is part of the Risk Assurance department which offers risk advisory services for clients. “Our team is very solutions based,” said Fang, “which results in a very collaborative work environment. We work on so many different engagements, and yet I observe that there is rarely conflict or disagreement. This aspect of teamwork is something I greatly appreciate about working for PwC.”

“It’s been quite a journey,” said Fang, who has been with PwC for her entire career.

Trends in Professional Services

“Productivity, innovation and technology is especially important in our field right now,” said Fang, “and you see it a lot from the client side as they are constantly thinking of new ways of doing business to stay more competitive and more productive.” Fang indicated how interesting it is to work in such a dynamic industry where everyone is forward thinking and always looking for ways to progress.

“From my professional perspective, the focus on productivity, innovation and technology poses unique challenges. We have to ask ourselves how to enhance our services in order to remain relevant to our clients,” Fang added. “How do we identify and mitigate risk for our clients in this hyper-world?”

According to Fang, this involves staying up to date with developments. However, she laments that generally there is a high amount of information available and one must be careful and responsible in extracting the right information. “News aggregators only give you the headlines, so you have to be strategic about compiling information, analyzing it, and discerning what applies and what doesn’t.”

Women in the Industry

Fang praised PwC for being meritocratic and she has never personally encountered any different treatment because she is a woman, however, she indicated that as a global business community there is still some progress to be made in terms of gender diversity in certain strata. For example, the representation of women on boards does appear to be rather low in certain jurisdictions.

“It is important that you do not apply limitations on yourself and your own career advancement,” said Fang. “If you want to achieve something, you need to believe that you can go after it and accomplish it.”

“Don’t be shy,” said Fang. “Take your seat at the table.”

There are many formal programs at PwC to support women and there is also a shift toward flexible work arrangements, said Fang.

Advice for Professional Women

“When I first started out in my career, I did not waste any time before immersing myself completely into my work, as most professionals do,” stated Fang. While this dedication served Fang well, she does wish that she had the foresight to form relationships with mentors earlier in her career. “I never knew how powerful it could be to have mentors, and I would definitely advise women to have a few mentors that can play different roles in their career advancement,” she noted.

Fang continued, “You have to be proactive and seek out mentors. They will not always come to you.”

As she advanced in her career, Fang established a few mentors who provided her with good feedback and advice, which she said is something that has been very advantageous for her and professionally fulfilling. “I still rely on mentors,” said Fang.

According to Fang, professional services can be a tough and complex industry, but that perseverance is a key to career longevity and success. She advised, “If you hang in there, you will reap the benefits of a rewarding career, including gaining knowledge and experience, which are both very powerful life tools.”

Outside the Office

When she is not at work, Fang stays busy and actively involved in her community by serving on the committee for the organization BoardAgender, whose purpose is to increase awareness in Singapore on gender diversity on boards.

She also sits on the National Youth Council Board in Singapore. “I have always believed in giving back,” remarked Fang.

Fang also enjoys music, photography and the arts, and makes a concerted effort to maintain these hobbies and interests when she is not at work.

By Michelle Hendelman