YOU’VE BEEN PROMOTED. NOW WHAT?

Getting the job is one thing. Learning how to lead is another. The mentors of this year's Her World Mentorship Programme are here for exactly that moment.

- Text Amelia Chia & Karen Fong

REIMAGINING CUSTOMER CARE IN THE AGE OF AI

RAE CHUA Head of Customer Experience Singtel

What keeps Rae Chua going at Singtel after 15 years is her ability to make a real impact on people's lives.

The head of Customer Experience at the telecommunications company is now frontlining one of Singapore's most consequential corporate transformations: reimagining what customer experience looks and feels like in the age of AI. In her day-to-day work, Rae shapes Singtel's customer experience strategy, and strives to make the experience of being a Singtel customer more consistent, seamless and human.

Even as she drives AI adoption across Singtel's care teams, her guiding principle remains unchanged. She adds: "We use AI very purposefully and intentionally to reduce friction, but not to remove care."

Rae's view is that technology should always have a human fronting it. While AI frees people from repetitive and manual work, this is so that people can spend more time on what machines cannot replicate — which is building real relationships with customers. She hopes to bring this same relational quality to the Her World Mentorship Programme, and "create a trusted space where people can ask questions and navigate ambiguity together".

Why do you think mentorship is important for women who are new to leadership roles?

Because leadership is not developed through capability alone. It is also shaped through perspective, confidence and support. Leadership can feel isolating. Having someone who can share experiences, challenge your thinking, and be there through difficult moments makes a real difference. For women who are new to leadership roles, mentorship creates a trusted space to build confidence, ask questions openly, and navigate ambiguity with greater clarity.