AS Watson names Malina Ngai as new group CEO

AS Watson has promoted Malina Ngai to group CEO, effective from 1 May 2024. Ngai currently holds the position of group chief operating officer, AS Watson, and CEO, AS Watson Asia and Europe.

She will report to Dominic Lai, group co-managing director of CK Hutchison and group managing director of AS Watson, who assumes the position of chairman of AS Watson. All senior leaders who currently report to Lai will report to Ngai.

Within her new role, Ngai will be fully in charge of defining AS Watson's vision, leading the team to formulate strategies to meet its strategic objectives of putting customers first and continuing the growth journey of its global portfolio, according to Lai.

Ngai joined CK Hutchison (formerly Hutchison Whampoa), the parent company of AS Watson, in 2000. She started with Hutchison Port Holdings, and then at Hutchison Whampoa corporate affairs department.

She was transferred to AS Watson in 2001 and has taken on various leadership roles, becoming group chief operating officer in 2013 and CEO of AS Watson (Asia & Europe) in 2019. Before joining CK Hutchison, Ngai worked in sports marketing consultancy and the Hong Kong government's statutory body for sports development.

Lai said, “After a very fulfilling 17 years of leading the AS Watson Group, I think it is the appropriate time to pass on the baton. Ngai has been crucial in successfully driving AS Watson’s digital transformation, implementing the O+O (Offline plus Online) business model, and fostering positive cultural change in the past decade.”

“Ngai has worked in CK Hutchison and AS Watson for 24 years. Her career path started in corporate communications and later expanded to international management positions in international buying, technology development, sales operations, marketing, big data, and sustainability. She demonstrated strong adaptability, strategic agility, and the ability to drive tremendous momentum across the entire organisation. Her significant achievements have continued to propel our organisation forward. Malina is perfectly prepared for this role," he added.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to AS Watson for more information.

Don't miss: AS Watson promotes gender equality with new global campaign

Back in March, to align with the “Inspire Inclusion” theme of International Women’s Day, AS Watson and its 12 retail brands launched a series of women empowerment activities for both their people and customers across 28 markets.

Watsons kicked off with "Our time is now" campaign on 8 March, furthering the commitment to empowering women to be their true selves. Throughout the month, Watsons has engaged the community through a range of activities.

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