LEESA KOW, MANAGING DIRECTOR, JN BANK

AN experienced financial professional and business developer, Leesa Kow was appointed managing director of JN Bank in July 2022.

She rose to her current position after serving as deputy managing director for JN Bank, a role she assumed in November 2017. As deputy managing director, she led the implementation of JN Bank’s strategic digitalisation initiatives, overseeing both the operational and change management processes to ensure alignment and success. She also guided the development of the bank’s compliance culture and management of its risk framework, including the risk, compliance and operations portfolios, and the alignment of the bank’s business strategies.

Q: What strategies do you employ to #InspireInclusion within your own sphere of influence?

A: Being mindful that diversity in perspectives and approaches is very important to me. When you are mindful that differences in opinions and differences in perspectives, and differences in approaches can lend themselves to greatness, then you can be more open to receive the value that diverse perspectives and different ways of achieving things offer, rather than being closed-minded and judgmental. We must be mindful of the value that genders and generations bring and be aware that when we truly acknowledge and recognise that each of us is created for greatness, then we can maximise our human potential.

We must be intentional about not seeing differences through the lens of gender and resist the urge to judge perspectives and approaches that are different from our own. Differences in perspectives don’t need to be labelled wrong or right, early or late, modern or old-fashioned, a man or woman thing, or a generational thing. When you’re open and curious enough to see things exactly the way they are and process them without judgment, then you’ll harness a lot more value from the variety of perspectives and approaches.

Q: How are you investing in yourself, and in other women/girls, to accelerate progress and empowerment?

A: I try to continually strive to be better than my best. One of the ways I accelerate progress and empower myself is by seeing myself as my greatest competitor. My absolute best is my last accomplishment, and my next accomplishment must be better. So, I’m always deepening my perspective and bringing a new me to the table, and that is the approach that I coach girls, young women, and even young men to adopt — focus less on the externals and focus on how you can challenge yourself.

I also believe that maintaining a healthy balance in your life is important. Proverbs 11:1 says an unfair balance or “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord…” So, I believe that to be fully empowered and to accelerate progress on an individual basis, or within an organisation, or a team, it is important that each person brings a healthy balance to everything — balance in mind, spirit and body is important.

You also don’t have to make every mistake yourself. Learn from others’ mistakes, and when you make mistakes share them so others can learn from you. Mentoring is certainly one of the ways I try to accelerate progress and empowerment. I share my lessons and my successes, but most importantly, I encourage people to be their authentic selves. The greatest you is the ‘you’ that you were created to be and, therefore, when we individually bring our authentic selves to the table, then humanity will achieve its potential. Leave room for people to be their best selves. Eliminate judgements and embrace differences. Those are key ingredients for achieving true beauty.