Forging a Path Through Uncharted Territories … in Size 40 Boots

From Losing Oversized Boots in Mud to Establishing a New Norm During Pandemic. Find Out How Hazel Overcomes Gender Norms in a Male-Dominated Industry to Conquer New Heights.

Cainiao Group
4 min readMar 6, 2021

Speaking to the petite and youthful Hazel, one would be surprised to learn that she is not only working for a logistics company, but also one of the pioneer employees breaking new grounds and forging a path through uncharted territories amid its foray into overseas markets.

Having spent three years at Cainiao, we sat down with Hazel as she reminisces her early days with the business — a whirlwind of an experience where she was plucked from the local team to manage overseas procurement in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US after five months into her procurement role in 2018.

Currently, Hazel has spent the past few months overseas, through the festive periods of Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year as she and her team travel to another country to pave the way for new market expansion. Despite the restrictions and hurdles brought on by the pandemic, her team has found a way to establish a new norm to ensure business continuity so that project milestones can be achieved on time.

Going Where No One Has Gone — Elevating the Role of Procurement Amid Rapid Expansion

This new undertaking was no small feat. As the pioneer team, she had to take on the responsibility of establishing the core foundation for overseas procurement, which extends beyond traditional procurement remit and further into new market research, strategic expansion and business development.

“I had to develop a deeper understanding of what is required for a successful and sustainable overseas expansion and operations. This meant that I had to speak to a myriad of third parties, ranging from real estate developers, vendors to service providers, while conducting physical site visits to gain insights into proper SOPs for overseas construction projects,” commented Hazel, as she recalls her experience managing new market expansion projects.

“From large procurement projects to narrow down location site for eHubs by conducting technical due diligence, to vendor selection for site development and local market research to create vendor database to support various business needs such as consultancy, the procurement team is hands-on in every aspect from start to finish to ensure we deliver the most optimum outcome in our expansion journey.”

Procurement might be misunderstood as a purchasing division but to Hazel, the business unit plays an instrumental role in the broader business objectives and most importantly, molding the right perception of the organization to external stakeholders.

“My role is more than just purchasing. It is about upholding the transparency and fairness of the entire system while working closely alongside business leaders to ensure the most efficient use of corporate resources.”

Conquering a Male-Dominated Industry One Step At a Time in Size 40 Boots

When asked about her challenges working in a traditionally male-dominated logistics industry, a smile spread across her face.

“In most work scenarios, although I am often the only female in the group or meeting room, I never once felt any form of gender discrimination or discomfort. On the contrary, I would describe the culture as gender agnostic where people are evaluated based on their capabilities and performance, not their gender, race or nationality. Personally, I feel that this is the perfect balance where females can truly thrive and excel professionally.”

As the rare female in places like construction sites, Hazel also jokes about how she has to wear size 40 boots (the smallest one available) and oversized vest when conducting site visits. “Once, I stepped into mud and my oversized boots slipped off my foot and got stuck in it!”

During her business trips to visit new markets, she recounts how she would often be mistaken as the secretary as she was the only female in the group. “The sense of satisfaction I get is when people change their perception of me and women in logistics in general when they come to acknowledge and respect my knowledge and skills. Soon after, we were all working alongside as equals, regardless of gender.”

Dismissing these as minor inconveniences and interesting tales that come with her job, she goes on to conquer her role, one step at a time in her hugely oversized boots.

Follow us on LinkedIn to stay updated on Cainiao news and industry developments

--

--

Cainiao Group

The smart logistics arm of Alibaba Group. Follow us for content on smart logistics and supply chain management