‘Women Power’

MANILA, Philippines - Wisdom, strength and courage are qualities women have acquired, standing up to their right as an equal contender to men in society. Driven by change and inequality, women find themselves on top in the succeeding years  which in some cases, dominating a sole enterprise with its promising leadership.

Primer Group, an international company of a consortium of the world’s top brands and premium products, prides itself on its women leaders, who inspire motivation, resilience and hard work to every female (or male) in the world of business. They share with us encouraging words one can ponder on.

For example, Marvie Samala, who has a time-demanding job as country manager of the company, manages her responsibilities well while overseeing the needs of her family. She shares, “Success is never defined by your position or how many properties you own or how much money you have in the bank. For me, success is how and what your children and the people whom you have helped and inspired speak well of you. When your children speak highly of you and they want to follow your footsteps, then you can say that you are truly successful.”

In order not to get stressed at work, AVP regional operations Leslie Santos, who’s preoccupied with e-mails, meetings and calls all day, finds an output to release tension — through photography. “I am grateful that my career with Primer Group has indulged my love for travel and continuous learning. I get a high from immersing in different cultures, and the people I deal with are constant sources of learning not just about business but also about people in general.”

R.O.X. assistant vice president Ruby Palma, who loves the outdoors, makes sure to always start her day with a prayer, “I ask God’s guidance that I may be able to overcome whatever trials that will come that day. Problems will always be there and you just have to be prepared to face them and be ready in handling them. I’m the optimist type and I believe that we can hurdle whatever comes our way. There’s always another day.” Aside from trying new adventures, she also aims to influence people to enjoy what nature has to offer.

AVP for Primer Group International Camille Karaan, whose job entails a lot of travelling as well, is satisfied with how things have turned out for her. She says, “I am very happy with what I do and what I have that it never crossed my mind to switch places with anyone. As my job entails a lot of traveling, I am not really confined in an office environment. We are actually encouraged to go out and expand our horizons. As they say, the worst place to make an important decision is from behind a desk.”

For regional manager Clytie Choa, this is what she has to say about what molded her into the woman she is today. “Everything that happened in my life, be it good or bad, is part of who I am today. All of us learn from our mistakes. It is because of them that we become stronger. Success is being happy with what you are today. Success is about staying humble in spite of one’s achievements.”