Employee Stories
Felicia Ong
From a technical specialist to a strategic leader
For many professionals, career progression is often defined by the roles they hold but Felicia Ong’s career has been shaped by the ability to adapt, apply skills in new environments and continuously expanding her sphere of influence.
Her career began in the defence industry, where she first developed expertise in Cyber Security. From there, she moved into banking, taking on leadership roles across Information Security, Compliance, Operational Risk and Technology Controls. Each role added a different perspective, strengthening both her technical expertise and leadership capabilities. Looking back, she credits her growth to her willingness to step into unfamiliar territory and apply lessons learned in one role to succeed in another.
The decision that mattered the most
One defining moment came when she had to decide between continuing along a technical specialist path or stepping into people leadership. It was a decision that would shape the rest of her career.
“I chose the managerial path because I knew it would allow me to increase my sphere of influence and help move the needle in the right direction within the organisations I was part of.”
That decision opened doors to broader leadership opportunities, allowing her to guide teams, shape strategy and contribute to organisational outcomes beyond her core area of expertise. Over time, she continued to build experience across industries and functions, eventually returning to Information Security leadership roles before leading a large-scale Cyber Security function responsible for both strategic oversight and operational defence capabilities. Today, she brings together expertise gained across multiple disciplines and sectors at Standard Chartered.
Leading through complexity
While her career has spanned different functions and industries, she believes the foundations of leadership remain consistent. She believes that success requires a strong sense of purpose, clear communication and the ability to guide teams through uncertainty while remaining focussed on the outcome.
For her, overcoming challenges is less about having all the answers and more about maintaining perspective, staying objective and creating an environment where teams can navigate complexity together.
The ability to remain clear-headed, inspire confidence and find solutions collaboratively has been a constant throughout her leadership career.
Building teams that think differently
Her approach to leadership is rooted in the belief that strong teams are built through diversity of thought and experience. To Felicia, inclusion begins long before decisions are made, it starts when teams are formed.
“For a team to be successful, we need different experiences, expertise, tenure and personalities.”
She advocates that inclusive leadership requires leaders to actively seek out different perspectives, listen with intention, respect differing opinions and follow through on commitments. It is all part of creating an environment where people feel heard and valued, thus fundamental to building high-performing teams.
One of the most important lessons she has learned is that career growth does not need to be viewed solely through promotions or hierarchy. Instead, she encourages people to think about what motivates them and where they create the greatest impact.
“Progression does not have to be measured in the vertical sense.”
By understanding what energises them and what gives them purpose, individuals are often better placed to identify the opportunities that will help them grow, even when those opportunities do not follow a traditional path.
What excites her the most about Standard Chartered? – The pace of change.
She views change as an opportunity, not a disruption. “In Standard Chartered, change is constant and with change, it brings opportunities.” As she looks to the future, Felicia remains motivated by the chance to work alongside talented colleagues, drive meaningful outcomes and help shape the next chapter of the Bank’s journey.