"I&rsquo;m a firm believer that gender should not play a role when your value and performance in a company exceeds expectations."

Her name is no stranger in the Malaysian fashion scene as a woman of style and charisma who has always been an entrepreneurial mind and a philanthropist at heart.
She is Datin Sri Linda Chen (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/xxlindaclxx/">@xxlindaclxx</a>), the Marketing and Communications Director of Bonia and Braun B&uuml;ffel. Having joined the family legacy officially in 2019, both Bonia and Braun B&uuml;ffel have been propelled into new heights under the leadership of Datin Sri Linda.
As she sets her eye to take both brands to the world stage, we sat down with this charismatic mind to talk about being a woman in the business of fashion and how she navigates through it all.

What are 3 traits you think a modern woman today needs to excel in the business world?
<ul>
 <li>The ability to be calm through adversity and challenges</li>
 <li>Competitiveness to constantly evolve the brand and stay top-of-mind</li>
 <li>Communicate efficiently</li>
</ul>
People who are more concerned with getting to the right answer than with being right, make the best bosses/managers. That&rsquo;s because they keep learning and improving, and they push the people who work for them to do the same.

As someone who has worked in a male-dominated industry, what would you like to see change for women?
In this modern age, I&rsquo;m a firm believer that gender should not play a role when your value and performance in a company exceeds expectations. The heart of great leadership is a curious mind, heart and soul; and it&rsquo;s great that there are so many female leaders emulating this.
I personally achieve this by continuous learning and reflection; and feel it&rsquo;s important for any female leader. I enjoy improving my skills through online courses, coaching and mentoring.

In your experience, what is something unique women bring to the table in a work setting? Why should more employers place more focus on this? 
Women leaders are more likely to lead through inspiration, transforming people&rsquo;s attitudes and beliefs, and aligning people with meaning and purpose (rather than through carrots and sticks), than men leaders normally do.
If a company spends more time trying to win people&rsquo;s hearts and souls, leading with both strong EQ and IQ, as opposed to leaning more on the latter and nurturing a change in beliefs rather than behaviours, the company would definitely do better.

With the younger generation reshaping the future of the workforce, breaking traditions and championing inclusivity, do you think women will still find it as hard to have both career and family?
The difficulty of balancing between family and work is a myth. It&rsquo;s already being done by many female leaders now and the younger generation of leaders will continue to find that balance and kick ass doing it.
Having spent over 2 years with Bonia, what would you say has been your most memorable experience? 
There were many memorable experiences, from our rebranding journey and the opening of our first flagship store in KLCC but the one thing I come back to is all the challenges that we faced and how we managed to pull through. Every experience is a learning moment and I feel there are more great moments to come.

What advice would you give women aspiring to become leaders in the workforce? 
Always be curious and never stop learning. Embrace your emotions but find a balance and be calm in your thoughts and actions. And always try to structure your thoughts and communicate clearly.

Would you please share with us some interesting/challenging moments in the course of your daily work? 
There are times when I'm bound to make certain tough decisions that would be perceived as demoralizing or that I was too emotional in making decisions. That feedback made me doubt myself for a moment until I did some soul searching and realised it&rsquo;s a perception that many people have of women leaders.
I cannot change people&rsquo;s perceptions of how women should behave at work but I can do right by myself and be more curious, calm and communicate better.

Where would you like to see Bonia in the next 5 years? 
Bonia will by then be a fully developed lifestyle brand with a men's and ladies ready-to-wear line and additional lifestyle items added to the brand. We&rsquo;d also have our own brand museum established with an immersive art and culture experience.

What are some initiatives that the company is doing to help women achieve their fullest potential
We&rsquo;re proud to have a strong workforce of women who hold important roles here in Bonia. To help cultivate and nurture their potential, we have a mentorship and leadership development programme in place and regularly conduct workshops to build their skills.

Can you share with us an anecdote of a woman you admire? 
23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams once said &ldquo;the most important thing in a leader is ownership. Leaders must not be afraid of owning up to mistakes, things that are not great, and should not be afraid of standing up to them.&rdquo;
I believe female leaders are like any leader, we make mistakes at times but the most important part is we own it and learn from it.

Interview: Datin Sri Linda Chen on women in fashion and the rise of Bonia

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