Serving 600,000 parents
in Asia & still growing.

JANICE ONG

Chief Executive Officer, Cordlife Singapore
Joined Cordlife Singapore in 2006

How did I get to where I am today after 16 years?

For our latest employee story, we had a chat with Janice Ong, CEO of Cordlife Singapore, to learn more about her journey with Cordlife and how she has built a long-term career here. Janice’s journey at Cordlife began in 2006, when she first joined the company as a sales executive. She has worked her way up the ranks over the years and is now overseeing Cordlife’s business in Singapore. Janice has the qualities of a leader who has been in the business for a long time and knows everything there is to know about it. We often see her rolling up her sleeves at consumer fairs and leading by example behind the scenes. She believes in empowering her team because having the right person in place entails trusting them to do the right thing at the right time. 

Can you describe a typical work day for you?

“A typical work day for me consists of reading emails, responding to them, holding and attending meetings, communicating with colleagues, and fostering relationships. I enjoy interacting with people and find that face-to-face communication helps me get more done in a day.”

Being at the helm of a company comes with a great deal of responsibility. Janice's job is to come up with and implement plans to get more people to know about and use Cordlife's services. She also has to keep an eye on the company's financial performance in areas like scaling up by distributing services in local and regional markets and launching new products or services. 

What opportunities has the company given you to get where you are now?

“The opportunities that I’ve been given are plenty, and I’m very grateful for them. They include the chance to learn how to manage a team; cross-functional learning from sales to marketing; taking on a regional role in which I learn how to work in a different market with a different culture; and now managing the overall business in Singapore.” 

Looking back fondly on her journey with Cordlife, Janice credits the company with providing her with the freedom to grow and the right environment to thrive. As a company that cares about its employees' growth and development, Cordlife has also paid for Janice to get her bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration.

How would you describe Cordlife's working culture and values, and how do they resonate with you?

“Teamwork and drive for excellence: Cordlife believes that everyone has strengths and the will to succeed. Accountability: We’re not only accountable for our teams, but we also have the grand mission of providing reliable healthcare solutions and safeguarding our clients’ precious biological resources through our commitment to quality.” 

Janice shares her experience as a volleyball player in school, which taught her the importance of trust, teamwork, hard work, and good strategy, all of which form the foundation of a strong company. As a mother of two, Janice is also a strong advocate of Cordlife’s mission and has stored her children’s cord blood and cord lining with them. She understands that, as a mother, she is committed to the families who have entrusted Cordlife with their baby’s cord blood and assures them that her team is working hard to give them peace of mind. 

Why should someone join Cordlife, and what advice do you have for them?

“We're a dynamic bunch! If you care about the intangible side of things, you’ll love our collaborative culture, learning mindset, and the meaningful services we provide to families while adhering to sustainable practices.”

Janice appreciates Cordlife’s flexibility and empathy for their employees. The company encourages community diversity at work by holding team-building sessions every quarter. It also creates a supportive atmosphere to help employees reach their full potential.