LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT SERIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH KA-HO YAN
September 25, 2024

In our Leadership Spotlight Series, we are highlighting executives across our Company who are driving innovation, transforming business practices, and positively impacting the communities where we live and work.
Through his strategic approach to process improvement, Ka-Ho Yan, Senior Vice President, Quality & Compliance, Centric Asia has played a pivotal role in aligning our operations with international benchmarks, fostering a culture of excellence throughout our Asia operations.
Since his arrival, Ka-Ho has been at the forefront of driving performance improvement initiatives across the region. His leadership is centered on implementing data-driven quality and compliance measures, ensuring that our Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) processes not only meet but exceed global standards.
Ka-Ho shared more with us about his leadership style and his commitment to growing and developing his team to ensure sustainable growth in the long-term.
What have been the most significant achievements of your team since you started?
When Centric Brands Asia was established in 2022, a top priority was to onboard associates from various business groups across different countries, many of whom had previously worked in silos or for different companies with distinct cultures. For nearly 12 months, I focused on rebuilding the teams, ensuring a proper span of control, and aligning them on common goals.
What aspects of Centric’s culture have you found most aligned with your leadership style?
The people-centric approach closely aligns with my leadership style. I am a strong advocate for performance management, recognizing it as a crucial factor in talent retention and development. By rebuilding teams with appropriate spans of control and delegating responsibilities effectively, I have successfully empowered individuals to make decisions that benefit the company, fostering high morale and motivation. Additionally, I am committed to developing robust succession plans for key positions within my organization, ensuring sustainable business growth in the long-term.
How have you supported your team’s professional development and growth?
In line with my leadership approach to people management, I have focused on fostering a culture of continuous performance management. I have observed that our teams increasingly embrace the process of setting meaningful goals and providing ongoing feedback. This has energized the teams throughout the performance management cycle, as they recognize the importance of these practices in driving their development and growth.
What’s something surprising that not many people know about you?
Many of my friends refer to me as “Yan Can Cook.” While this nickname isn’t because I resemble Martin Yan, the renowned chef from the TV show, it’s simply because I genuinely enjoy cooking and have a knack for It. As the family chef, I enjoy preparing Chinese and Asian dishes every weekend.