Welcome to the team, Fanny! Could you tell us a little about yourself and your experience?
I am a strong believer that to build a future of food that is nourishing, diverse, and resilient, our food systems must also bring meaningful livelihoods to farming communities. Prior to this role, I worked in impact assessment as a research associate in the UK, and later in public relations and branding at an agrifood company in Singapore in the promotion of agrobiodiversity. I have also been fortunate to be mentored by great people in my early career. Because of that, I built a branding and communications boutique consultancy based in Vietnam, which advocates for responsible business models as drivers for social and environmental good.
I think much of ‘spheres of influence’, which I define as the abstract space in which stakeholders have an effect through their actions (or inaction). Every stakeholder, large or small, has their own sphere of influence. Impact emerges when these spheres of influence intersect and work together to bring about lasting change. That is why I was drawn to Grow Asia, where nurturing partnerships sit at its core. I grew impressed by its forward-looking philosophy, one that is inclusive of both private and public entities and pays particular attention to the people who grow our food.
Could you tell us a little about your role at Grow Asia? Why is this work important?
At Grow Asia, my role is to cement its position as a leader in building multi-stakeholder, market-driven, and action-oriented partnerships for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems. I believe good communication builds and nurtures relationships and searches for common grounds, which can unite diverse thoughts and people. This is particularly important at Grow Asia, where we engage with people from all walks of life, with different and sometimes diverging values, backgrounds, and interests. While diversity adds complexity to finding common ground, it is also the greatest strength Grow Asia brings in truly fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships that work for all. With that in mind, I will be developing and implementing Grow Asia's communications strategies to highlight Grow Asia's successes and communicate the complexity of the issues facing our region's food system. I will also manage Grow Asia's public relations efforts and support the planning and execution of Grow Asia events, including the annual Grow Asia Forum and regional meetings. I am impatient to learn from my peers and see our multi-stakeholder platform in action.
What are your priorities for your first 100 days in this role?
Grow Asia has a story to tell, and that requires the work of everyone involved in the organization. My role is to build on that work and translate our story to our many stakeholders at regional and local levels in a way that is meaningful to them. In my first 100 days, understanding the needs of my team and being a pillar of support for their success is my highest priority. Once I have achieved that, I look forward to developing Grow Asia's brand to reflect its direction and outlook, especially ahead of the Grow Asia Forum in October. This includes revising our brand's visual and literature guidelines and updating its external-facing assets such as the website, its social channels, and internal documents for stakeholder engagements. I look forward to strengthening Grow Asia’s positioning and supporting my colleagues in bringing about true public-private partnerships for a more resilient food system.
Fanny can be reached at fanny@growasia.org. To learn more about Fanny, you can read her bio here.