“Innovation flourishes when people feel empowered to take risks and challenge the status quo—and that is the kind of culture we are nurturing.” – Lin Hong Ming, HR Country Services Leader, Asia-Pacific and Site Director, Tetra Pak Singapore
Across industries, organisations are realising that their greatest asset is not just technology or products—it is their people.
At Tetra Pak, a food processing and packaging solutions company, this belief is deeply embedded in how the organisation develops talent, drives innovation, and ensures long-term sustainability. With a focus on empowering employees at every level, Tetra Pak is building a workforce equipped to navigate complexity, embrace change, and lead with purpose.
Guiding these efforts is Lin Hong Ming, HR Country Services Leader for Asia-Pacific and Site Director at Tetra Pak Singapore, whose career journey bridges the worlds of technology and human development. In this conversation with HRM Asia, Lin explores how Tetra Pak’s people strategies are shaping the future of the organisation, advancing leadership, and keeping the organisation at the forefront of a fast-changing business landscape.
You have had an interesting career journey, transitioning from an IT specialist to a People Leader. How did that shift impact your approach to leadership and organisational change, and what lessons from your IT background have you found most useful in your current role leading people development at Tetra Pak?
Lin Hong Ming: Transitioning from an IT specialist to a People Leader has shaped my leadership approach in profound ways. My early years in IT taught me the importance of listening deeply to user needs, solving problems systematically, and guiding teams through uncertainty—all of which are skills that translate seamlessly into people development and organisational leadership.
In particular, the mindset of uncovering root causes before jumping to solutions has proven incredibly valuable. In IT, understanding the “why” behind a system is key to designing effective fixes. Similarly, in people development, it’s about understanding what motivates individuals and how that aligns with organisational goals—only then can we craft meaningful strategies for growth.
That same adaptability required in technology, where change is the only constant and learning is non-negotiable, continues to influence how I lead today. Striving to create an environment where experimentation is encouraged, failure is viewed as a natural part of the learning process, and continuous improvement is a shared responsibility. Coupled with the ability to stay calm under pressure and think critically, these traits enable me to lead with empathy while maintaining a focus on outcomes.
Can you walk us through how your mentorship programmes support employee growth and career advancement, and how you identify and nurture future leaders within Tetra Pak?
Lin: At Tetra Pak, we believe learning and development should be employee-led but organisation-enabled. We encourage individuals to take ownership of their growth through tools like the Individual Development Plan (IDP), which helps them reflect on their career aspirations and assess their current capabilities. These plans are then brought to life through regular conversations with managers, ensuring development is purposeful and aligned with business needs.
Our approach to mentorship reflects this same philosophy. We offer both formal and informal mentorship programmes that promote two-way learning, broaden exposure, and build leadership capabilities, which include:
In addition to structured programmes, we support informal mentoring, learning events, and platforms such as Learning Conferences and My Career Day that facilitate direct interaction with senior leaders and experts. We have also invested in LinkedIn Learning to provide employees with access to micro-learning content, enabling them to develop skills at their own pace.
When it comes to identifying and nurturing future leaders, we take a multi-faceted approach. We do so by providing exposure to real-world leadership challenges through a blend of job rotations, strategic projects, and targeted learning initiatives such as:
By integrating leadership development into the core of our culture and embedding it at every stage of their career, we are future-proofing our employees while actively shaping them to be the best versions of themselves.
Sustainability is another core focus for Tetra Pak, not just in environmental terms, but also in terms of people. How do you see the role of HR in driving both business sustainability and employee development in tandem?
Lin: Sustainability at Tetra Pak is more than environmental responsibility. It’s about building a resilient, future-ready organisation where people thrive. From an HR perspective, this means fostering a workforce that is engaged, continuously learning, and well-equipped to meet both today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
We firmly believe that people are at the heart of business sustainability. That is why we have invested in development programmes specifically tailored to our frontline teams, creating opportunities for them to grow and contribute to transformation in tangible ways. Whether it is structured learning sessions, skills training, or wellbeing initiatives, our aim is to enable every employee to reach their potential while supporting broader organisational goals.
Equally important is maintaining an inclusive and supportive work environment—one where employees feel safe, respected, and motivated. Our commitment to employee wellbeing, work-life balance, and diversity is central to how we keep our workforce energised and aligned with the company’s purpose of “Protecting People”.
Beyond development, HR also plays a critical governance role—embedding ethical leadership, transparent practices, and accountability into the fabric of the organisation. By aligning values, cultures, and leadership behaviours, we ensure that our people practices directly contribute to long-term business performance and sustainable growth.
As Tetra Pak continues to innovate and expand, how do you envision the future of HR in supporting the organisation’s growth, particularly in fostering leadership, developing new skills, and maintaining a culture of innovation?
Lin: As Tetra Pak continues to grow and adapt to a rapidly changing world, the role of HR is evolving from a support function to a strategic driver of transformation. Our focus is not just on enabling business performance today, but on building the capabilities and culture that will power the organisation in the future.
Leadership development remains a top priority, particularly cultivating leaders who can balance technical competence with emotional intelligence. We believe the leaders of tomorrow will need to lead with empathy, build trust, and foster collaboration across diverse teams. By doing so, they can better inspire innovation, manage through ambiguity, and keep their teams engaged during times of change.
Equipping our workforce with future-ready skills is also essential. This includes technical capabilities, such as AI literacy and data fluency, as well as the human skills necessary to navigate complexity, including critical thinking and adaptability. We are committed to integrating continuous learning into the workflow, ensuring that employees continually develop, regardless of their career stage.
To support this, we are cultivating an environment that encourages curiosity, experimentation, and collaboration. Innovation flourishes when people feel empowered to take risks and challenge the status quo—and that is the kind of culture we are nurturing.
Programmes like Future Talent also highlighted how HR is evolving to meet the needs of a more dynamic, global, and purpose-driven workforce. By embedding structured, business-led learning opportunities from the outset of an employee’s journey, we not only accelerate development but also lay a strong foundation for innovation and long-term engagement.
Lastly, HR is leading the charge in organisational transformation. This means designing future-fit structures, modernising our technology platforms, and simplifying internal processes to enable agility and responsiveness. By rethinking how we work—and who we need to be to succeed—we are helping shape a Tetra Pak that is not only ready for the future but actively defining it.
© 2025 HRM Asia Pte. Ltd (199404819K) | All rights reserved. Website designed by VeecoTech.
