International positions I’ve held
B.A. in Pharmacy / MBA (Ross School of Business)
Product Management (Houston, USA / Singapore / Korea)
Commercial Leadership for the Asia Pacific (Korea)
Global Marketing (Switzerland / Philadelphia, US)
Pharmaceutical Sales & Brand Management (Korea)
My dream for a global leader began during my 1st international trip to Europe.
I was a senior in University, traveling from Switzerland to France via TGV high-speed train. We crossed the border just sitting on a train, without any immigration check.
“I was thrilled because my stage is no longer just my country but also the big World.”
With the dream, my journey began. I went to the US to learn English, worked in multinational pharma companies in Korea, took MBA in the US, worked in Philadelphia, moved to Switzerland to join a new company, came back to my home country to assume Commercial Leadership for the Asia Pacific, moved to Singapore, then Houston USA to work as Product Director. Every 2 or 3 years, I was in a different location with a new role. Yes, I realized my dream of being a global leader.
The journey was exciting, but also challenging. During the 1st working year in Philadelphia, people perceived me as a quiet person. I had to listen and smile because I understood only half of the conversations. A more significant challenge came to me when I moved to Switzerland. Everything was new – job, company, country, people, and even language.
“While adaptation to a new environment was one challenge,
the biggest challenge was always demonstrating success in those new environments.”
When I look back, my biggest lesson was to keep confidence in any situation. Often, I felt incapable and blame myself for it. It took time to realize that it is not about me, but it is a time for me to learn new skills. Besides, it takes time to learn. I began to be open, patient, and enjoy new challenges. And success began to follow.
I created Kelly Coaching, with the dream of helping more Asians become a Powerful Global Leader. I have learned the way through multiple mistakes, errors, and loneliness.
You can accelerate your growth to become an effective leader, and beyond, a powerful global leader. Your journey can be also more pleasant and confident. Kelly Coaching wants to be with you on the journey!
Your Growth Partner
Kelly Hwang