Be in Front of Transforming Global Talent

Read how Shelley’s global mindset and agile skillset shaped her journey with KPMG and her approach to talent strategy.

In her professional life, Shelley Chan has always said yes whenever she has been asked to take on a new role, even if it is entirely out of her comfort zone – an attitude exemplified by her decision to move from KPMG’s office in Edinburgh to the Singapore office in the first place, without ever having set foot here.

“When an opportunity comes my way, I ask, ‘Can I learn something from it?’ If the answer is yes, I will do it,” she says. “I apply that to everything I undertake. Whether it’s the people management leader role for Audit or the Head of People role, I may not have had the direct relevant experience, but what I bring to each role is an analytical mindset, a business acumen and a positive attitude.”

As a result of these qualities, combined with both agility and rigour, Shelley has built extensive experience through various roles across multiple disciplines and markets. Today she wears two important hats at KPMG in Singapore – as partner in Audit and as the partner in charge of helping to make sure that its people are capable, relevant and competitive in any industry and ecosystem anywhere in the world. In this vital mission, Shelley identifies several crucial factors from her own experience shaping KPMG’s talent strategy.

Global mobility creating global talent

The first of these is global mobility: “It should be part and parcel of what we do, our DNA," Shelley says, noting that international experience helps professionals develop adaptability and broader perspectives that are crucial in today's interconnected business environment.

Shelley’s journey from the UK to Singapore exemplifies the value of global mobility in developing well-rounded leaders. Her experience of navigating different business cultures - from learning Asian business etiquette to bringing British workplace practices to Singapore - has shaped her perspective on talent development.

KPMG takes a nuanced approach to international development, recognising that traditional long-term overseas assignments may not suit everyone's life circumstances. "We look at mobility within the firm itself, or it could be mobility in a nearby location... Even shorter secondments, six months instead of two years, or on a project basis," Shelley explains.

To support the ecosystem in Singapore with globally mobile talent, KPMG in Singapore and KPMG Vietnam had partnered with the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants’ (ISCA) for its Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification (SCAQ) Career Mobility Programme, which aims to promote the cross-border exchange of accountancy talent in the region. KPMG was the first to enroll in this initiative.

"It's being creative about our needs and putting some of the more pressing agenda items at the forefront of what we do – among which is to build a talent pool that is globally mobile.”

The agility to be in front

Another crucial aspect of talent development is agility – in both management and staff.

In response to evolving workforce expectations and market demands, KPMG has launched new initiatives like the Explore programme, which is a fundamental shift in how the firm recruits and develops talent from among next-generation high performers.

"The younger generation is looking for a bit more; they don't want to specialise as soon as they graduate,” Shelley says.

Through Explore, new hires rotate across tax, audit and advisory over two years, before they decide on a specialisation that includes an understanding of the breadth and depth of KPMG’s offerings. Along the way, those graduates also hone essential skills that cut across functions and businesses such as problem-solving, intellectual curiosity, and teamwork.

“What underpins the skills each person acquires is the curiosity to learn,” Shelley explains. “In order for them to be successful and to be able to move around, say from audit, to advisory or tech, they need to be agile and to take what they have learned onto the next role. This is essential given the ever-changing environment we‘re in now, where things are moving so quickly.”

Putting people at the center

Shelley’s talent strategy boils down to the fundamental approach of putting people at the center of everything KPMG does.

"Put people at the center of everything you do. Whether it’s talent acquisition, onboarding or offboarding, or training, we need to think about it from a holistic and user's perspective, making sure the experience from start to finish is as pleasant and rewarding and beneficial as it can be, while also ensuring our people strategy hits the mark for our business.”

This approach underscores KPMG’s commitment to equipping its people with the values and attributes to foster success for themselves and their clients, whatever their role, wherever they are. Shelley is a living example of this commitment.