ReWrite The Rules

After 31 years navigating male-dominated consulting in Vietnam, Ha Do's conclusion will surprise you: being a woman isn't the obstacle — it's the edge. Ha Do started her career applying for a secretarial job at PwC. She had no industry connections, came from a poor family, and had no idea what Big Four meant. Over the next three decades — turning down a UK secondment when her son was o...

In this episode, I sit down with Kanchana Gupta, from climbing the corporate ladder to founding a global mentorship platform for women, her journey is anything but linear. We get into how she found the courage to redefine success, why surviving breast cancer taught her the true meaning of resilience, and what it takes to break access barriers for women. She breaks down why female leaders struggle...

She was building AI before the world even knew what it was. In this episode, I sit down with Ayesha Khanna—from coding complex financial models on Wall Street to founding a leading AI company in Asia, her journey is anything but typical. We get into how she spotted the artificial intelligence wave early, why most companies still struggle with AI adoption, and what it really takes to build AI-power...

I met two women who turned a friendship that started in a Hong Kong maternity ward into a global mission.  Christine Fellowes, former media CEO and board leader, and April Swando Hu , a Yale engineer turned EdTech entrepreneur , are now co-founders of NINEby9 , a nonprofit tackling gender equality, AI, and the future of work in Asia. In this episode of Rewrite the Rules , they share how decades of...

She once asked women to be shameless… and that’s exactly where this conversation begins. In this episode, I sit down with a woman who’s moved seamlessly from public service to corporate leadership at Mastercard, and then into shaping women’s leadership across Asia. We talk about confidence without apology, speaking up without shouting, and why power skills—not “soft skills”—are what really shape l...

If someone told you they dropped out of kindergarten, went on to sit on global boards, and now runs half marathons in Greenland… would you believe it? In this episode of Rewrite the Rules , I speak with Su-Yen Wong, global board director, former Chair of the Singapore Institute of Directors, and a leader who has quietly rewritten every rule around leadership and careers. We unpack her journey into...

How often do you see women take the top seat at the table… and what happens when they do? Hosting this season of Rewrite the Rules has been eye-opening for me. I’ve heard stories of women who fight for funding when only 1% ever reaches them, leaders who juggle boardroom bias with personal hurdles, and bold voices learning to say no to people-pleasing. What stuck with me most? The power of allyship...

What makes someone stay at the same company for thirty years—and still love it? I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Supriya Rao Pat, EVP at DHL Group, who’s been with the company for three decades. We talked about how she’s grown through the ranks, created roles for herself, and balanced leadership with life as a mother and now a grandmother. Supriya opened up about the turning points in...

Ever wondered what it takes for a group of young women from flat, humid Singapore to climb Mount Everest? When I sat down with Peh Gee Lee, Jane Lee, Li and Hui Lee, and I wasn’t just expecting stories of grit—I found lessons in building strong teams, facing doubt, and tuning up that inner light when no one else believes in your big, crazy dreams. From pulling off a historic first for Singaporean...

Ever been told you're “too much”? Too loud, too emotional, too aggressive? Amrita Randhawa owns it - and I loved every minute of this chat with her! In this episode of Rewrite the Rules , I sit down with Amrita, the CEO of Publicis Groupe for Singapore and Southeast Asia, who’s spent 25 years shaping brands across Asia. From crying at work to calling out “work-life balance” as a scam, she gets rea...

What makes a senior banking executive step up as a champion for women at work? In this episode, I speak with Bruce Perry—MD Head of Operations for Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa at Barclays, and co-chair of the bank’s Women’s Network in the region. We dive into Bruce’s unexpected journey from elite university rowing to supporting gender equity in the boardroom. He shares how sport shaped h...

Women groups—essential or overrated? I sat down with Yolanda Lee, founder and CEO of Uncommon, to unpack why women leaders need spaces to connect, share, and grow. Yolanda’s journey—from navigating leadership roles in fast-growing tech companies to building a global network—proves that leadership doesn’t have to be lonely. We dive into confidence, burnout, setting boundaries, and why women sometim...

Could your hobbies shape your career success? Dive into this episode of Rewrite the Rules where our host Ritu discusses the art of bringing your whole self to work with Josefhine Chitra. Josefhine, the Head of Corporate Communications at GoToGroup and a mentor at WomenWorks, shares her insights from Jakarta on balancing personal passions with professional responsibilities. From handling life's cur...

Who says you can't change the game from the East? Join us in this special episode where Ritu Mehrish, co-author of "Rewrite the Rules," appears on Money FM radio and shares her journey of empowering Asian women to lead on their own terms. Ritu also dives into her experience interviewing 200 Asian women, uncovering the unique challenges and triumphs that come with leadership in Asia compared to the...

How can you become a better ally for women in your workplace and beyond?  I'm your host, Ritu, and today we're diving deep into this topic with Amit Ray, a former tech guru at Uber turned serial entrepreneur, and Richa Goswami, one of the world’s top CMOs and a trailblazer on global private equity boards. In this episode, they share their firsthand experiences with allyship, overcoming industry bi...

Ready to shake up the status quo?  Dive into "Rewrite the Rules: Powerful Stories of Senior Asian Women Leaders" with authors Ritu Gupta Mehrish and Rajita Saxena! This episode flips the script, putting our usual hosts in the hot seats. Hear firsthand how they captured stories of resilience and triumph that are changing the narrative for women in leadership. From challenges to actionable insights,...

How are the most iconic landmarks brought to life? In this episode of Rewrite the Rules, I sit down with Charu, a passionate architect working with the legendary Moshe Safdie. Charu shares her incredible journey from learning the basics in Boston to shaping Singapore's skyline with projects like Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport. She opens up about the people who shaped her, the lessons fr...

What drives a tech leader to truly love their work? In this episode of Rewrite the Rules, I talk to Ursula Chang, a leader at PayPal Singapore with a remarkable career journey. From her childhood in Taiwan to building a tech career in Canada and now thriving in Singapore, Ursula shares the key moments that shaped her path. She opens up about how curiosity, connecting with people, and finding work...

How do you rise in the corporate world? In this episode of Rewrite the Rules, I sit down with Sonia Gupta, Managing Director of Growth and Innovation at Accenture, who shares her unique journey from brand marketing at Coca-Cola to leading transformative projects for global businesses in Singapore. Sonia’s story is one of resilience, learning from experience, and discovering her own leadership styl...

What would make someone leave a secure corporate career for the unknown world of radio? In this episode, I’m excited to chat with Freda Liu, someone I’ve long admired for her bold career moves and her inspiring journey. From her corporate days at IBM to becoming a leading voice in Malaysian radio, Freda shares the pivotal moments that shaped her life, including the personal challenges that led her...

What makes someone leave a 16-year career in banking for the unpredictable world of tech? In this episode, I’m thrilled to chat with someone I truly admire—Sandhya Devanathan, the incredible Vice President of Meta India. We dive into her personal journey, from watching her husband thrive in the startup world to taking a leap of faith into tech herself. Sandhya shares the highs, the challenges of b...

Are you ready for a brand new season of Rewrite the Rules with Ritu Mehrish?  In Season 3 of Rewrite the Rules, I, Ritu Mehrish, am bringing you the boldest stories yet. I’ll be sitting down with inspiring leaders who’ve challenged the status quo, from overcoming personal setbacks to making real impact in their fields. We’ll dive into their journeys, explore their leadership lessons, and share pra...

What defines success in a winding career journey? In this episode, I sit down with Gigi Parco, who has held C-level roles in companies like Johnson & Johnson, DHL, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. Gigi shares how her journey from engineering to sales taught her valuable leadership lessons, especially as a woman in male-dominated industries. We also explore her transition to entrepreneurship and her pa...

How does a chemical engineer become a top business leader? In this episode, we sit down with Zinnia Rivera, a seasoned business executive and former president of Johnson & Johnson Philippines and Red Ribbon Bakeshop (Jollibee Foods Corp). Zinnia shares her inspiring journey from R&D to the boardroom, revealing how she embraced unexpected opportunities and overcame challenges in the FMCG an...

Have you ever wondered how an HR director finds her way to the top? In this episode, we speak with Gloria Ngooi, the HR director at Ikano Retail, better known as IKEA. Gloria shares her journey from starting as a recruitment consultant to becoming a key player in HR. She opens up about how she initially wanted to be in sales, how her father's advice to think outside the box-shaped her approach, an...