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Reflections in the New Year: An Intel Director Looks Back on Her 17-Year Journey with Intel

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Helen Wang was born in Beijing and grew up in China, but she always believed herself to be a global citizen. Working at Intel has helped her achieve that dream. Helen’s journey with Intel started 17 years ago and in that time she has gained unique experiences working in multiple sites, spending four and a half years in Beijing, five years in Dalian, three years in Malaysia and the United States respectively, and a  year in Singapore. Altogether, she has lived and worked in five countries, including Canada. This diversity has enabled Helen to build strong business acumen and interpersonal skills and equipped her to work effectively in a multi-discipline and multi-cultural environment.

Having prior work experience in the PC industry, Helen joined Intel after graduating from the MBA program at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her extensive career here has benefited from Intel's devotion to talent development. Intel is committed to creating an inclusive environment where every team member can bring their best to their work, take risks to try different opportunities, and receive support and coaching from managers and mentors.

Helen is currently the regional director of Intel’s Strategic Parts Supply Chain (SPSC). When asked what keeps her motivated after all these years, she explains there’s always room for improvement, especially when in a leadership role. She enjoys building her team and guiding them to learn from mistakes and strive to be better. In her current role, Helen and her team are focusing on developing alternate suppliers in Asia and non-OEM solutions that enable Intel to optimize production costs and maintain a world-class operation in semiconductor manufacturing.

 

Changes, challenges, and opportunities

The year 2021 marked Helen’s first year living in Singapore and her role managing the SPSC in Asia. With a robust support system in place, she experienced a smooth transition with the help of Intel’s relocation team along with local co-workers and friends who greatly helped her settle down and made the move an enjoyable one. Part of Helen’s new responsibilities was partnering with the Singapore government and industry associations to assess and consult supply chain capabilities in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic threw some additional challenges her way, especially when conducting visits and meetings with potential suppliers outside of Singapore. Working from home also limited face-to-face meetup opportunities for Helen to build a strong bond with her team.

However, recent market developments have brought good news for Intel's plans within the United States and the Asian region. An investment of USD20 billion to build a new semiconductor facility in the midwestern state of Ohio is one of the most significant semiconductor manufacturing development in American history. Also, the recent announcement of an expansion of Intel’s manufacturing capabilities in advanced semiconductor packaging technology in Penang, Malaysia—said to be around USD7 billion—amid a global shortage points to a promising and exciting future full of possibilities for the company and its employees.

 

Emerging stronger than ever, together

As she begins the New Year, Helen acknowledges that the pandemic has caused great challenges not only to businesses but people's personal lives. She is starting 2022 on a note of gratitude for everyone's talent, dedication, and optimism during the most disruptive period in recent times. Her hope is for us to emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, together.

When asked on how her team plans to achieve greater heights in the New Year, Helen says focusing on innovation, challenging the status quo, and taking risks are key pillars of Intel’s culture and will lay the foundation for the team's success. She explains, “Strong teamwork and collaboration across different departments will accelerate how we get there. This quote from Robert Noyce [one of the founding fathers of Intel] resonates with me: ‘Don't be encumbered by history, just go out and do something wonderful.’” Under the leadership of CEO Pat Gelsinger, Helen has complete confidence that Intel will overcome any and all challenges and deliver its promise to the market.

We asked Helen why she thinks Intel is the right place for those seeking new challenges and wishing to achieve greater career heights. Without hesitation, she said, “I’m a firm believer in Intel as a global company and as an industry leader in the semiconductor business that aims to make more than just tech—Intel provides a unique opportunity for professionals who want to drive results that have a profound impact on society.”

Are you interested in growing your career at Intel Singapore? Explore our open opportunities today.

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2 Comments
EeLinTan
Employee

Love it!!! Thanks for sharing your story, Helen!!!

Eugen
Employee

Many positive messages in this story. Great quote from Noyce.