Editor’s note: In today's A Day in the Life interview, Raymond Ngan (pictured), Area Vice President Asia – Sales, Coupa shared with FutureCFO audiences his work day and how he switched from a consulting role to a sales one in his career journey.
FutureCFO: What does a typical day look like for you?
Raymond Ngan (RN): My day starts with my morning routine—getting my morning walk and some stretching done.
My morning coffee gives me the boost and sets me up for the day. The quiet morning allow me to review key reports, analyse important metrics and review urgent emails or messages that need immediate attention.
After prioritising activities for my day, I will use my blocked time to review and prepare for strategic meetings, presentations and calls for clients, partners, and team huddles.
The rest of the day is set aside for coaching calls and meet-ups as these sessions are important to keep track of team performance, to provide feedback or guidance and motivate team. Challenges and conflict resolution discussions are important to foster a collaborative and positive work environment.
In the late afternoon, I will review data and reports and prepare for weekly and monthly management presentations and reports submission.
My end of day review includes assessing outstanding issues or activities and planning for the next day’s activities.
Most of my evenings are set aside for networking and relationship building with clients, prospects, partners, or colleagues.
Before I retire for the day, I will have some personal time with my family. Usually, I will have dinner with my family if I am not on business travels. It is a day well spent when I wind down for the night, looking forward to the next fulfilling day.
FutureCFO: What excites you the most when you work with CFOs and finance functions?
RN: I have an accounting background and started my career as a financial system consultant. Hence, I understand the finance function and have been working with CFOs.
I enjoy working with CFOs, as they know their respective strategic business goals and its metrics well.
They are usually direct and straight forward with their needs if you have earned their trust. I appreciate dynamic, and goal-oriented CFOs calling out their business’s priorities and detailing what is of importance for their business given any point in time and acting on it with determination.
Strong partnerships are built when CFOs can describe what success looks like and the metrics that we should be measuring success for any initiatives.
Within my organisation, I appreciate working with our finance team which plays the role of a business partner enabling responsible growth of our business and one who communicates openly to their stakeholders.
It is fulfilling to work with CFOs who are keen to help you meet your goals and who understand what works and what doesn’t does in your non-finance function.
FutureCFO: Can you share an experience which was key to your professional growth?
RN: Throughout my career, I have been blessed with managers and mentors giving me opportunities and encouragement to explore new functions within the organisation.
I have always been curious if I can do well in a new function and that drove me to take calculated risk.
I had very supportive leaders who trusted my capabilities—with that I could make the change. They gave me the sponsorship and guidance I needed for switching from a consulting (delivery) role to a pre-sales and later to a sales role in the same organisation.
I am grateful to them all. I have learnt that as long as someone is willing to put in the hard work and persevere through, they should be given a chance and be coached along the way.
I like to believe that everyone has the intention ‘to be a better version of yourself’ and we should always help the other person grow.
As long as someone is willing to put in the hard work and persevere through, they should be given a chance and be coached along the way.
FutureCFO: Is there anything outside work—such as a travel experience, a book, participation in a sport event or any volunteering experience—that serves as an important inspiration to your work or life? Can you tell us more about it?
RN: I love being in nature, scuba diving in different regions, trekking in the wild and probably just sitting still in the mountains. It is relaxing observing nature especially when I am experiencing that with my loved ones.
These experience recharges me and sometimes helps me find renewed my conviction that “I am enough!”
Giving back to the community through volunteering at the soup kitchen and with my family, friends and colleagues while celebrating a birthday is very fulfilling too.
