BBDO 'Heels of Steel' stars Nicole Tan

Nicole Tan, Country Director for Facebook (left) with Farrah Harith McPherson, GM General Manager. 

BBDO Malaysia recently launched part two of their ‘Heels in Steel’ initiative; the second event since launching in July. 

The initiative, aimed at sharing the inspirational stories of some of the most influential women working within the marketing industry, featured Nicole Tan, Country Director for Facebook Malaysia. 

Formerly the head of an advertising agency and with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, both in Malaysia and overseas, Nicole’s successful career provides a wealth of guidance for attendees.

“My advice is to discover what you are good at, what you enjoy, but most importantly, discover what your values are. This means both personal values, and company values too. It’s not simply enough to put the posters on walls, it’s about standing by your own values, despite tough conversations or situations,” said Nicole.

She spoke of her experience as she was just starting out in the industry, and how at 17 had set herself the goal – or her ‘North Star’, as she put it – to rise to MD by 35. 

By committing to her values of showing grit, focusing on impact and being bold, she was able to achieve her career goals. Prior to her move to Facebook, Tan was MD at JWT Malaysia.

Farrah Harith McPherson, General Manager at BBDO Malaysia commented, “Heels of Steel is an initiative which is a key part of our own values at BBDO. Our goal is to inspire and enable women to pursue their ambitions within the industry, at all levels, and go as far as their talent will take them. By inviting some of the most influential women in the business to share their inspirational stories, we hope to show that success is always achievable, regardless of gender.” she concluded.

Heels of Steel is open to all, men and women, and free of charge. For details of the next talk, and how to attend, visit BBDO Malaysia’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bbdomy