Set goals and never settle: Chloe Lin shares her leadership journey 

Chloe Lin, Regional Director, Asia-Pacific at Allianz Trade for Multinationals boasts a robust finance background. After completing an economics degree as well as an MBA in the United States, she held roles at Bank of America, JP Morgan, and GE Capital International across Hong Kong, China and the US. Chloe joined Allianz Trade for Multinationals as Regional Manager for Sales and Marketing in Asia Pacific in 2013 – but her expertise extends beyond numbers. For our Women in Leadership series, she describes how she harnesses her people skills, determination and lateral thinking to drive her own success, and that of her team.  

I've always enjoyed working with people from different countries, which is why went to study in the US. That's also what attracted me to Allianz Trade when I was approached by a headhunter almost 10 years ago – its multicultural environment. Then, during the application process, I found out about the development opportunities within the organization. And that’s what inspired me to say “yes” to my first role here. Since then, I have indeed grown through both lateral and upwards moves. So, I’m happy with my decision! 

Leadership was a natural progression for me, but it didn’t happen overnight. I am, and always have been, aware of my strengths and where I can add value. Of course, it always takes time for a company to get to know you and understand that, too. For example, when I first joined Allianz Trade, I was recognized for my achievements in sales but not beyond that – so I had to prove myself.

Over the course of my first four years, I successfully managed diverse business portfolios and established new multinational ventures across Asia. That enabled me to demonstrate my capabilities in driving business growth from the ground up, from articulating an initial goal to structuring and coordinating projects for a successful outcome. The company noticed that I could really add value across the board, which put me in a strong position.

In 2018, I received my first promotion to Regional Director for Sales and Marketing, Multinationals. That led to a move to Regional Director for Account Management, Multinationals just a year later, and then my promotion in 2021 to my current role. 

Very early on in my career I worked with a commercial director who encouraged me to think holistically about people’s strengths. He explained to me that a colleague may not excel in one area, yet bring other qualities that we need in a team. And that one mistake doesn’t determine someone’s capability. He believed in giving individuals the opportunity to try again, recognizing that external factors could have influenced their performance on a given day.

That’s really important to me, especially as a woman because I understand the challenges and inequalities that we face in different parts of our lives, and how they can impact us in the workplace. However, with a more understanding approach to leadership we can foster inclusion and make sure everyone on our teams is set up to succeed. Ultimately, he taught me to strike a balance between the business and human aspects of leadership, and this has enabled me to make fairer judgment calls. 

I have always been someone who watched and learned from others. From day one of my career, I would make lists of areas I’d like to explore, such as successful management techniques and how to leverage the strengths of my team to achieve a goal. I keep this up today to ensure I continue learning and growing.

I’ve also had two official mentors through Allianz Trade’s program. They never told me what to do, but when I shared my challenges, they helped by opening up about their experiences and thoughts on the situation. That helped me to come at issues with a fresh perspective.