We Are NXP | Part One: Ho Wai Wong-Lam: 'Innovations Can ...

Ho Wai Wong-Lam is a VP of Strategy at NXP with a long history in engineering and the semiconductor industry. More than 30 years ago, ... AboutNXP Careers ContactUs Diversity,EqualityandInclusion Employees Events History InvestorRelations LeadershipTeam Newsroom Quality SmarterWorldBlog SmarterWorldPodcast Sustainability TradeCompliance WeAreNXP WorldwideLocations SmarterWorldBlogWeAreNXP|PartOne:HoWaiWong-Lam:‘InnovationsCanHaveGreatSocialImpact!’ WeAreNXP|PartOne:HoWaiWong-Lam:‘InnovationsCanHaveGreatSocialImpact!’ Feb8,2021 byDavidScherpenhuizen Share Twitter LinkedIn Facebook HoWaiWong-LamisaVPofStrategyatNXPwithalonghistoryinengineeringandthesemiconductorindustry.Morethan30yearsago,shestudiedelectronicengineeringinHongKong,whereshewasborn.AscholarshipfromPhilipsbroughthertoEindhoven,TheNetherlands,wheresheobtainedhermaster'sdegree.Inthefirstpartofatwo-partprofile,HoWaitalksaboutherresponsibilitiesatNXP,hercareerchoicesandwhyNXPisagreatplacetowork. Inpart2,HoWaitalksaboutbeingawomaninengineeringandthepositionoffemaleprofessionalsatNXP. WhatAreYourMainTasksandResponsibilitiesAsVPofStrategy? AsaBusinessLinestrategist,IhaveanadvisoryrolefortheGMsandotherBusinessLineleadersinthestrategydevelopmentprocess.TheGMsownthestrategies.Manypeopleinthecompanycontributestrategicinputsandideas,includingthestrategistswhoarethetrustedadvisorsofferingstrategicinsightsandconsolidatingdifferentinputsintoacoherentstrategy. TellUsaLittleAbouttheStrategyDevelopmentProcess. BusinessLinestrategistsdonotdevelopstrategiesinisolation.Strategydevelopmentisacollaborativeprocessinwhichbusinessstrategistssupportthebusinessestodevelopthestrategiesandalignthemwithcorporatestrategy.Strategydevelopmentcoversabroadspacethatincludesportfolioandroadmapmanagement,gapanalysis,technologyandmanufacturingstrategy,strategicpartnerships,R&Dandgo-to-marketexecutionstrategy,andsometimesalsoinorganicM&A(bothacquisitionsanddivestitures). ThatSoundsReallyInterestingandDemanding.DoYouHaveTimeforAnythingElse? Otherthanmyregularbusinessstrategistwork,IalsorepresentNXPthroughtheirsponsorshipoftheExtremeTechChallenge(XTC)topromote“technologyforgood”.TheXTCconsortiumisledbySamsungandsponsoredbyourCTOLarsReger.It’saworldwidecompetitionthatempowersentrepreneurstoaddressglobalchallengesfacinghumanityandourplanet,inspiredbytheUnitedNations17SustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs). Let’sTakeaLookatYourCareer.WhyDidYouChoosetoStudyEngineering? Iammostfortunatetohaveverylovingparentswhosupportedandnurturedmycuriousyoungmindandallowedmetoexploremanyfieldsofinterest,includingmusic,art,sports,volunteerwork,scienceandmath.BythetimeIreachedmiddleschool,I'dfoundmypassioninscienceandsawthebeautyinmath.Tothisday,Iderivejoyfromlearningandgetakickoutofproblemsolving.Whenitcametimetochooseauniversitystudy,IchoseengineeringbecauseIcouldincorporatewhatIloveintomydailywork. AnyOtherReasons? Ialsothinkthatengineeringinnovationscanhavegreatsocialimpact,mostlygood,butsometimesalsowithunintended(bad)consequencesthatweasengineersneedtopayattentionto.Makingapositiveimpactontheworldinspiresme. WhyIsNXPSuchaGreatPlacetoWork? NXPisatrulyinternationalcompanywithgreatpeoplewhoaremotivated,customer-focusedandhavethepassiontowin. WhatDoYouFindMostInspiringAboutWhatWeDoatNXPinGeneral,andinYourWorkinParticular? Iaminspiredtocontributetowardstechnologyforgood. WhatIsYourWorkMotto? Iactuallyhavetwo:“Goalloutineverythingyoudo,thenfindpeacewithyourself,whetheryougetwhatyouthinkyoudeserveornot.”Also:“Gointotheworldanddowell,butmoreimportantly,gointotheworldanddogood.”Iamhappywithalltherewardsthathavecomemywayinmycareer,andI’dliketothinkIhavedonesomegood. WhatAdviceWouldYouGivetoYoungEngineersJustStartingOutonTheirCareer? Keepyourcuriositylikeayoungchild.Learnhowtolearn,astechnologyadvancementisfastpaced,soyouneedtolearntoreinventyourselfthroughoutyourcareer.Believeinyourselfandreachouttomentorswhobelieveinyou.Someofthemmayhelpyoutobecometechnicalexpertsandleaders.Othersmayhelpyoutobroadenyourhorizon.Stillothersmayhelpyouinsoftskillssuchasemotionalintelligence,workingwithpeopleorleadershipandteamwork. YouWereAskedtoSupporttheGSAWLI(GlobalSemiconductorAlliance,Women’sLeadershipInitiative.)TellUsSomethingAboutThat. TheGSAWLIshowcaseismeanttoshowcasewomeninthesemiconductorindustrytoencouragewomentoconsideracareerintechnology.JodiShelton,GSAco-founderandCEO,reachedouttomewhenshestartedtheWLI.Iamhappytosupportbysharingmyexperiencetoencouragemorewomentojoinin.Itismoreaboutpromotingthesemiconductorindustrytowomenthanaboutmepersonally. TheWeAreNXPprogramembodiesthepeople,spiritandvaluesofNXP,whichiscommittedtoadvancingtheworldbymakingitsaferandmoreconnected.Wepursueourambitionsthroughtechnologicalinnovationsdesignedtoenhancethequalityoflifeofouremployees,ourcommunitiesandtheworldatlarge,allthewhileensuringsustainabilityandminimizingourimpactontheenvironment.Readmorehere. Tags:WeAreNXP Share Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Author DavidScherpenhuizen SeniorWriter/Editor DavidScherpenhuizenisamemberoftheNXPImpactteam,whichprovidesinspiringstoriesaboutNXP'stechnologicalandsocietalimpact. RelatedArticles UnveilingtheLatestBreakthroughsThatAnticipateandAutomateOurWorldatCES2021 January07,2021 byJaceyZuniga WeAreNXP|ManishKumar—NXP’sManintheWi-FiAlliance December21,2020 byFreekvanVlerken WeAreNXP|HubertBode:AManofVision December08,2020 byDavidScherpenhuizen