If the word “boardroom” brings to mind a stuffy meeting involving a group of men with graying hair, think again. Boardroom Limited, a Singapore Exchange-listed company with an impressive and extensive portfolio, is anything but.

By Melissa Leong

Angelin Loh and Yang Shuzhen, both accounting graduates from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, have come a long way since joining the Boardroom Limited group 11 years and two years ago respectively. Both unhesitatingly describe their work as “challenging yet satisfying”...

An established business provider in Singapore with a strong presence in Hong Kong and Malaysia, Boardroom Limited boasts a clientele of over 4,000 clients, some of whom are Fortune 500 companies listed in big Asian markets.

The local Boardroom headquarters has three companies under its wing—Boardroom Business Solutions Pte Ltd, which provides accounting and payroll services; Boardroom Corporate and Advisory Services Pte Ltd, which offers corporate secretarial and share registration services; and Boardroom Communications Pte Ltd, which provides corporate communications and investor relations consultancy.

Life in the “boardroom”
As a manager at Boardroom Corporate and Advisory Services, Angelin’s typical day at work is always fast-paced and dynamic. The same goes for Shuzhen, an assistant supervisor at Boardroom Business Solutions, who reviews accounts and payroll, liaises with clients and auditors, and plans project timelines for her team members.

Each day begins with checking of emails and getting down to daily operations. Angelin also reads the newspapers to keep abreast of the latest industry developments, and attends internal and external meetings, all of which are part of her corporate secretarial duties.

Focusing on client satisfaction, Boardroom constantly aims to provide value-added, professional, and high quality service and advice to its clients. Integrity, objectivity and accountability are essential values that the company abides by.

Of course, challenges abound in an organisation as large as Boardroom. Shuzhen’s main challenge lies in meeting urgent deadlines when there are last-minute amendments. “If this happens, I must stay composed, delegate the work, and coordinate closely with my colleagues to make sure that the work will meet the same deadline,” she said.

Angelin’s biggest hurdle is similar—time management. “We use a time sheet system to clock in the time we spend on each client. We bill them on this basis. There must be a good balance of focus and research work we do for them (which is not billed),” she explained.

However, this doesn’t mean the Boardroom culture is all work and no play. “My department works closely together. There is excellent team spirit, department outings and birthday parties,” said Shuzhen. “There is also open communication among colleagues and superiors in the office. Besides, the company has excellent annual growth,” Angelin added.

Growing exponentially
Boardroom’s recognition of high performers shines through in the career paths of both Shuzhen and Angelin. For Shuzhen, who has an unyielding passion for accounting, Boardroom is a dream come true. She has been promoted twice in two years, from Accounts Associate to Senior Associate to her current position of Assistant Supervisor.

Close to becoming a full-fledged Chartered Secretary upon completing a course at the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Angelin’s efforts to constantly upgrade her skills have paid off. Her progress chart from Corporate Secretarial Assistant doing routine secretarial work to Manager is truly inspiring. Her current designation sees her leading a team and managing portfolios, staff training, marketing and client retention.

“Boardroom has good career prospects. Employees can upgrade their technical and soft skills,” said Angelin. “There are even sponsorship programmes to fund newcomers if they want to pursue courses in related fields.”

No looking back
Despite having spent 11 years at Boardroom, Angelin is not itching to leave. “We are one of the largest corporate providers for secretarial work and we handle a few hundred listed companies,” she revealed. “There is a lot of planning and exposure here, thus I stayed on for so long.”

The strength of the company was also a strong pull factor for Shuzhen when she was searching for a job. “I looked up The Straits Times’ recruitment section. That was where I saw the Boardroom advertisement,” she recounted. “Since it was an SGX-listed company looking for an accounts assistant, and I thought it would be quite prestigious to work in a listed company, I decided to apply.”

Shuzhen derives the greatest job satisfaction when clients acknowledge the efforts of her team, and trust in their professionalism and advice. Meanwhile, despite her daily challenges, Angelin remains very motivated. “Attending board meetings of listed companies and being involved in the company’s corporate actions are most satisfying for me,” she said, smiling.

Interest and passion
When asked what is most important when it comes to choosing a job, both ladies agreed that interest and passion win hands down. Angelin is a good example of a passionate individual who commits herself to doing what she loves. Although she graduated with a diploma in accountancy, she decided to pursue her interest in secretarial work. “Passion and interest has kept me going for the past few years,” she enthused.

“You have to like what you are doing because you need to face the work every day,” Shuzhen said in agreement. “Also, the quality of work will reflect your interest. If you are really passionate, you will put your whole heart into your work.”

Shining in the workplace
Clearly, loving your job has an impact on your attitude towards work. If you are a fresh graduate, never hesitate to find a job that follows your passion. If you are good at what you do and enjoy doing it, that’s already half the battle won. Like Angelin and Shuzhen, being true to themselves has given them opportunities to shine in their specialised fields.