My career journey in sustainability and contributing my part at the Emobilty industry.

Joining the Technology Giant

Siemens is a very well-known brand in the electrical industry, and has a long-standing reputation for being a sustainability champion. This is the area I specialise in, so when I saw an opening for the role of Solutions Lead in Singapore, I quickly jumped at the chance.

I have been interested in solar renewable and sustainable energy since I started studying engineering. It was around 2006, at a time when solar energy was really kicking off, when my career in this sector began and it hasn’t stopped since.

Now that I’m at Siemens, I am enjoying working with the support of such a powerful and well-resourced company to develop and deliver sustainable electrical solutions around the world.

My journey through the industry

Once I had decided that the renewable energy space was the direction I wanted to go in, I started doing internships, which turned into roles in different areas of solar, and eventually, I started working in utilities.

It was while I was in utilities that I realised I wanted to move away from that more passive side of things (policy and so on) and into really fronting solutions instead – real projects that I could help to develop and execute. That’s when I made the decision to take the role I have now at Siemens.

Edna and Siemens Versicharge AC chargers installed at a condominium in Singapore.

Why I’m passionate about sustainability

I have always felt that a person’s choice of career somewhat defines who they are and what they stand for. For me, going into sustainability enables me to contribute to protecting the environment, which is very important – especially when you become a parent and want to be a good role model for your children. My kids ask me what I do, and it is great that I can say I work with technology that has a positive impact on the planet.

I also think about the environment we will leave for them 30 years from now. We have to make sure there is something left!

A couple of my most exciting projects

Throughout my career I have been a key driver for various solar power plants and solar rooftop solutions in several organisations. A notable recent project is my involvement with rural electrification in Indonesia, which I drive remotely from here in Singapore. In conjunction with our partners, we have so far impacted about 40 villages that can now generate their own power sources in places that are too remote for cables to be installed. It’s amazing to see the economic and social impact of a project like this.

I also recently worked on a big project for a leading logistics company in Singapore. Together with our partner, we installed EV chargers at two of their depots to charge their newly expanded fleet of electric delivery vans, helping them to reduce their carbon emission.

A happy Edna collecting the Letter of No Objection for Siemens Versicharge AC charger at the Singapore Land Transport Authority office.

Commitment, education & persistence are key to driving sustainability in business

Embedding sustainability in business is a fundamental need in our fight against climate change. This requires committed leadership, continuous education and persistence. You have to repeatedly drive home the message on sustainability. In the past, a lot of technologies were first launched in Europe and the US, and Asia would follow suit within a few months or years. Now we see this time gap becoming almost negligible. Technologies with impact should be introduced in regions where there is a need.

Also, you have to reach out to a lot of people to make them understand that sustainability is more than a buzzword – it’s a mindset. Singapore has been at the forefront of sustainability and created an environment conducive to piloting state-of-the-art tech across sectors. This has significantly bolstered introduction of technologies and products that impact society.

Siemens’ leadership has always been very supportive of embracing EV, especially in Singapore, where we have a built environment. The culture within Siemens is also very sustainability-minded. People here are very open to new technologies and driven to find solutions that are sustainability-oriented for our customers. It’s easy to love my job in an environment like this!

Interested in joining us? To explore the latest career opportunities, head to the Siemens website.