ITB Sep 2026 Final Book_rev - Flipbook - Page 32
MEMBER PROFILE
ONE PIECE OF ADVICE
“Always be curious.
What are the possibilities?
Keep going.
Keep learning.
Do not limit yourself
to what you know.
The world is so
big and there is
so much you do
not know, so
be curious.”
is smart about how it uses the data produced
by the system.
“For any transformation to succeed, the
journey starts by mapping the process from
end-to-end, ensuring clean data is captured
and establishing clear ownership,” she says.
“From there, we can strengthen stakeholder
engagement by transforming raw data into
intuitive, interactive visual analytics that make
insights more accessible across the business.”
GUIDING CHANGE
The most complex part of such transformation,
for those leading the effort at least, is the
human challenge.
“Because we are human, we tend to
prefer staying in our comfort zone, resisting
change,” Leow says. “That is natural.”
To drive transformation, she creates
awareness around the purpose and benefits
32 INTHEBLACK September 2026
of the change program, letting professionals
know why change is important and what
is going to improve as a result. In short,
explaining “what is in it for them”.
“To do this, it has to blend into normal
conversation,” Leow says. “That way, people
understand what the changes are, why we
are changing, what the group is hoping
to achieve and where are we heading.”
The language used in conversations
about change is important. It should not
be confrontational, Leow says. “For example,
we usually present financial data in Excel.
Above that, various pieces of ERP
software are used,” she says. “If we are
implementing change, we explain that
it is not about eliminating traditional
tools like Excel entirely, but about
elevating our teams’ time to focus
on high-value analysis rather than
manual consolidation.”
Such a shift away from Excel could be
concerning for some, but when explained
in the right terms, Leow says, it does not
need to be alarming. She sees a part of her
role as helping people to move from emotional
reactivity to responding positively when given
a clear understanding of the facts.
“This brings people from a place of resistance
to a place where they can acknowledge the
situation,” she says. “It is important because
along the way, team members realise that their
concerns have been heard. They then engage,
connect and feel a sense of purpose.”
Leow says that during a change program,
success often depends on understanding the
people who are being asked to change, instead
of simply implementing technology and telling
employees to use it. “The conversation needs
to accommodate your audience,” she says.
BECOMING FUTURE-READY
Throughout her career, Leow has
championed the evolution of the finance
function from a historical scorekeeper to
a proactive, strategic coach. In this modern
paradigm, the finance leader acts as a copilot
to the business, translating complex data
structures into commercial strategies that
drive sustainable growth.
Once the right technology is in place
and teams are genuinely engaged, tools
