Could you give us some background on your career and any interesting information about Nastassja Singh the person?
I have always been interested in working in the legal field, within a corporate environment. To pursue my interests and goals, I studied a bachelor’s degree in Law at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (Howard Campus) and thereafter a master’s degree in Commercial Law at the University of South Africa (UNISA). After completing my articles in law, I was employed by EOH Legal Consulting based at ArcelorMittal.
It was my first time working in a Corporate environment–I enjoyed the challenges that I experienced and overcame. The following years after that, I had the opportunity to work for corporates that included the Chartis Insurance (AIG) and Unilever South Africa as Legal Counsel before moving to Samsung Electronics South Africa. During my career, I gained vast knowledge and experience in Compliance, Privacy Law, Competition, Intellectual Property, Marketing, Contract Law and Company Law among others. Based on all this experience and my business interests, I chose Corporate Compliance as my speciality and my personal career choice.
Besides being a careerwoman, I am also a wife and proud mother of two beautiful children. I enjoy spending my spare time with my family, travelling and exploring the outdoors.
The sad reality is that the corporate world is not always an easy place to navigate as a young woman. What are some of your personal values and characteristics which have helped you become a success?
I would like to say that respect, compassion and integrity have always been my core values. Although it may not be reciprocal at times, I believe that sticking to your personal values no matter what, provides a good foundation and helps to navigate challenging work environments.
I am an introvert, which may be perceived as a weakness. However, it has surprisingly worked to my advantage. This is because of my amazing ability to listen more and speak less. When it is my turn to speak, I believe that my response is always well formulated, researched and relevant.
What would you say have been some of the major challenges you have faced as a young woman in corporate? How did you overcome them?
For me, the major challenge would be a breakdown in communication between colleagues in a workplace, specifically where there is no transparency when it comes to business or team goals. It can create a hostile working environment, which can even end up demotivating the employees.
My recommendation is to continuously strive for an environment where there’s two-way communication and an opportunity for feedback on an ongoing basis. There is value in having open conversations with team members, asking questions on an ongoing basis and addressing issues immediately before they escalate and negatively affect the working relationships.
What advice do you have for your fellow young women who are working their way up the corporate ladder?
Young women should wholeheartedly embrace their pursuit of self-actualisation, meaning and addressing social, environmental and economic challenges.
In this journey, they should strive to always be authentic, never compromise their set of values, and most importantly, always endeavour to promote diversity and inclusivity. Young women should also commit to a lifelong journey of acquiring and sharing knowledge. It is very important to always be open to learning, even from those that are younger or less experienced than you.
What have been some of your major achievements which you will carry with you as inspiration for the rest of your career?
One of my greatest achievements in life would be obtaining my professional qualifications and having the opportunity to practice what I have learnt. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to study. As Tata Madiba said: “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world”.
Another major achievement is the strength of the networks that I have created over the years. During my professional career, I have had the opportunity to build both my personal and professional network. Within these relationships, I have been inspired and have inspired others. I am also grateful to have been selected as a Mentor for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow programme, and I look forward to continue inspiring and empowering others.
How important is support when it comes to navigating the corporate world? Do you have a mentor who has helped you? This could be anyone from work or your personal life.
In a corporate environment, each employee is working towards meeting a bigger personal and business goal. By helping each other, we support our colleagues to grow personally, we create a great working environment and at the same time help to meet the company’s business goals. I currently do not have a dedicated mentor; I do however prefer to build relationships with key individuals that can support my personal development and learn from them on an ongoing basis.
Briefly, what does your role as Compliance Lead at Samsung Africa entail?
I am responsible for drafting the Africa Compliance Strategy Framework in collaboration with the Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs: Africa as well as key business leaders to ensure that we align with the overall business strategy. I am also responsible for implementing the Compliance Plan with the support of dedicated Compliance Counsels. We ensure that Samsung is complying with all laws and regulations affecting the Electronics Industry. In addition, I draft and implement policies, provide training, conduct audits, monitor processes and assist the business with compliance advice.
How important is compliance within an organisation? Have you got any words of wisdom in this regard?
Compliance lays the foundation for a strong corporate culture that is built on core values that include integrity, trust, dedication and respect.
Having a strong Compliance culture leads to increase trust in investors, consumers, suppliers and other stakeholders. It ultimately supports the sustainability of the organisation in challenging regulatory environments. My words of wisdom in relation to compliance would be: ‘You cannot control the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails. Jimmy Dean’.
What do you hope to be remembered for in your role as Compliance Lead?
I hope to be remembered as the Compliance Counsel that took time to understand business requirements and a person that supported the company to achieve its objectives, while ensuring that it is fully compliant with the country’s laws and regulations.
What does the future hold for Nastassja Singh?
I hope to continuously invest in my education and develop my leadership skills, influence the corporate vision, strategy and long-term Sustainability. I would also like to help in developing, supporting and empowering others to become better leaders as well.
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011 549 1646
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at https://news.samsung.com/za/
