FIRST OF HER KIND

In her first media interview, Stefanie Ng talks about what it means to be Audemars Piguet’s first Singaporean chief executive for Southeast Asia.

- CANDICE CHAN

To say that Stefanie Ng’s journey as Audemars Piguet’s regional head of operations hasn’t been smoothsailing would be an understatement. Barely two months into her appointment as CEO of Southeast Asia, including India and Australia, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. Four months later in April, Singapore went into a two-month-long “circuit breaker” lockdown, which saw all retail operations temporarily grinding to a halt.

Despite the curveballs, Ng, who was promoted from within the company, is unfazed by the pressure of having to prove her mettle as Audemars Piguet’s first Singaporean and first female chief executive in the region. The challenges she faces, she says, are no different from that of any other leader.

“Crisis brings about creativity. We need to be resourceful and learn to challenge ourselves. This means adapting our strategies to the restrictions we are faced with today.”

To that end, Audemars Piguet rolled out virtual sessions and intimate presentations to engage clients across the region. New timepieces — Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph and Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Minute Repeater Supersonnerie — were also launched digitally, with the manufacture’s head of complications Michael Friedmanconnecting with guests over Webex.