Fast, Femme and Furious: An inspiring interview with Eeleen Tan, a woman in tech

Women have always been vital in society, not just for being great mothers, listeners and caregivers. They are also known to excel in many industries such as fashion, design, retail, education, and sports. Many women are looked up to by their male counterparts for their strength, resilience, wit, passion, compassion and creativity. Let’s not forget that there are also women who serve important roles in the male-dominated technology sector. In the fast-paced age of our digital economy, women have become tireless, critical assets to modern tech organisations, gig economy-based businesses and companies dealing in disruptive technologies. We spent 20 minutes talking to one such woman working in tech – how she ticks and tackles the challenges in the digital economy.

Steely Guts: Meet Eeleen Tan

Don’t snub her demure looks. The youthful 37-year-old Eeleen Tan is a happily married mother of two kids aged 6 and 5. While her French husband may crave for the occasional duck confit, Tan still stays true to her Hainanese roots because she still tries to speak the dialect with her modern, forward-thinking parents. Her father is the current chairman of Hainan Tan Clan Association, so obviously dad’s indefatigable Hainanese spirit has rubbed off on her, too!

What gives you drive to come to work every day?

Eeleen Tan: I am currently the Chief of Global Expansion at Ninja Van, where our vision is to be the leading end-to-end logistics provider in Southeast Asia. We envision a day where anyone can make an e-purchase and have it delivered to their doorstep, enabled by Ninja Van technology and infrastructure. The fact that we are using technology to change and improve people’s lives drives me to work harder.

What is your opinion of a “woman” in today’s context?

E.T.: Today, a woman holds a multi-faceted role. When I was in school at CHIJ Saint Nicholas, a key motto we go by is a Chinese saying: “we must be able to step out of the living room and yet must be able to step into the kitchen”. I think this is very relevant in today’s world where women have to master the home and work fronts.

Why did you choose to work in the tech sector?

E.T.: It was by chance, actually. After having completed my Bachelor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College, followed by my Masters in Technology and Policy at MIT, I joined McKinsey and Company in Europe and the first project I was assigned to was in the technology and telco sector. From then on, my relationship with the tech sector blossomed and I have stayed on; covering the entire value chain, from hardware manufacturing to software for telecommunication companies, and most recently, last mile logistics.

Do you feel that the tech sector is a male-dominated industry?

E.T.: Yes it is, but the scene has improved tremendously over the years… from about 1 female in 10 males to about 3 to 4 females in 10 males now. In Singapore, Vietnam and China especially, the scene is more balanced.

What do you think are some strengths a woman should have working in today’s digital economy?

E.T.: I don’t think a woman’s strengths in this trade should be any different from her male counterparts. Specifically, I think it is always important to have an understanding of the big picture: what are the inter-connecting parts and how the specific portion you are working on contributes to the big picture or to the other departments.

Working in this sector, what do you think a woman can do differently that a man can’t?

E.T.: The minds of women are no doubt wired differently from a man. When solving a problem at work, the same solution may be derived but the two sexes might have a different approach. Women and men should bring different skills that complement each other.

What are some of the challenges you face at work?

E.T.: I work in a start-up and it forces me to get my hands dirty and to do things myself. This is good as it makes me become very hands-on, get in touch with operations on the ground and fully understand the problems they face each day. When I get ground feedback, I can then tweak and improve our processes and make them more practical, relevant and efficient.

Tell us about your most rewarding experience working in the tech industry as a woman.

E.T.:Lazada is the online shopping destination in Southeast Asia and seeks to democratise e-commerce in this region. But how would these goods get to remote villages? This is where Ninja Van comes in to improve people’s lives through technology and get their goods from Lazada faster without breaking a sweat. Ninja Van is also about empowering consumers – giving them access to products they otherwise might not have access to (i.e. if they don’t have a nearby shopping mall in their town).

When I started working with the Lazada team – of young and dynamic people – it was a very enriching experience because we solved problems together and we were keen to move fast. E-logistics is typically a male-dominated industry but there was really no female discrimination when I worked with Lazada’s male counterparts. The highlight of this project was when Ninja Van dovetailed with Lazada’s processes to achieve a common goal – a happy and satisfied consumer who has a good impression of both brands. Also, the opportunity to come up with innovative solutions and implement fast ideas to suit the digital generation – millennials – proved to be a very satisfying and collaborative effort.

Do you think there’s discrimination being a woman working in a tech sector?

E.T.: Where I’ve worked, I did not face any discrimination against women. In fact, the tech sector encourages more women to join. Ultimately, I think whether a person is male or female is not an important requirement. More importantly, he or she must be able to hold his/her worth to be respected in the chosen field.

What’s the most empowering advice you can give to a woman wanting to work in this sector?

E.T.: Be clear about the end goals you want to achieve, talk to your peers or colleagues about your ideas or goals. I’m blessed with many colleagues who do not mind extending a helping hand to help me achieve my goals.

How do you balance work and life?

E.T.: I think one has to start with the basis of enjoying whatever you do in life – work, play or family. Once you come to work and like what you do and enjoy the company of colleagues, it will take care of itself and the concept of work-life balance becomes secondary. Your colleagues become your buddies! When you switch off from work, you can come back home feeling positive and attend to your family’s needs.

What kind of change would you like to see for women working in the tech industry?

E.T.: I think the education system needs to be relooked. I think in schools, we need to encourage tech and engineering vocations for girls at an early age. The balance of men and women in engineering classes is very far from where it should be to bring in a balanced workforce.

Are there popular or famous women you admire? Who and why?

E.T.: To me, Ho Ching is the epitome of a woman who is able to combine business acumen and engineering background to succeed in the business world. In fact, my choice of study engineering was very much influenced by what Ho Ching advocated during my tertiary years.

If there were more women working in the tech sector, do you think it would be better? If so, how?

E.T.: I think it’s not about the number of women working in the tech sector per se. What is more important is that the people who work in the sector should have diverse talents, be well-qualified and passionate about what they do. In this way, the growth and development of the tech sector will be much assured.

Interview contributed by Joseph Lim.

* Joseph pursued lifestyle journalism despite having a background in Computer Science. In 1999, he was a technology writer but switched to writing and editing for luxury periodicals under the Singapore Tatler Group in 2007. At home, he is an avid home cook all thanks to his Peranakan lineage. He digs all things vintage and old school like vinyl and cassette tapes.

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