In celebration of International Women’s Day, Benoy spotlights female trailblazers and aspiring leaders creating real impactful change.
Next in our series is Lorraine Yip, Senior Associate Director based in our Singapore studio. We talk about her inspirations, aspirations, the importance of self-care and what drives her as one of Benoy’s rising female leaders.
What is your personal story? How have you gotten to your current role today as a female leader at Benoy?
I am fortunate enough to be the product of a ‘third culture kid’, born in Malaysia, brought up in Australia from a young age and with a very deep connection to both countries as a result of my family working and traveling between both throughout my life.
This attitude towards unconstrained identity has shaped a career which started with a Bachelor of Architecture at RMIT University in Melbourne, then onto Sydney, Shanghai, Beijing and, for the past 8 years, Singapore.
In the earlier years I would often find myself as the youngest and only female in client and consultant meetings. Fortunately, the inclusiveness of my all-male mentors set a standard for what to expect and how to conduct myself without discrimination, both personally and towards others, regardless of gender, race or any label. Thankfully in today’s environment this courtesy is rather an expectation of professional conduct.
As a female leader I have learnt that identifying oneself as a person with unique ideas, skills and talent, offering respect and recognition towards gender, race and every facet of cultural significance and experience has a far greater impact than the limitations of a label.