Women in Pharma® Member Spotlight on Mei Ping Lee, Chair of the ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma®

In this interview, Mae weighs in on how she got involved with ISPE, the benefits she’s experienced thus far, and more.

1. How did you get involved with ISPE’s Women in Pharma® Professional Community?

Two years ago, the ISPE Malaysia Affiliate celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Here, the idea was proposed to set up a new Women in Pharma professional community within the ISPE Malaysia Affiliate. I was humbled and honoured to be entrusted the task to establish Women in Pharma for the ISPE Malaysia Affiliate by our ISPE Malaysia Affiliate President, Zarina Noordin.

The core of the Women in Pharma mission—to provide a platform for women and men who are ISPE members to inspire, connect, and collaborate on topics that impact their technical work and career advancement—was at the heart of this. The ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma was founded in July 2022, after half a year of groundwork and strong support from Vivien Santillan, Chair of the Women in Pharma International Steering Committee.

2. How has ISPE’s Women in Pharma contributed to your personal and/or professional development?

It has been a rewarding journey, both at a personal and professional level, to be involved in the Women in Pharma International Steering Committee and to pioneer our ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma. For the last two years, I have had the opportunity to connect with a strong network of professionals locally, within our Asia-Pacific region as well as globally.

Each encounter and event has provided an invaluable learning experience. The wealth of knowledge gained, perspectives enhanced, and opportunities to engage in many crucial conversations have all taught me so much about how different matters are perceived by different generations of the workforce within every country.

Being involved in the Women in Pharma International Steering Committee has also enabled me to take part in crafting strategies for our ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma. This involvement has also helped me bring forth and champion the Women in Pharma initiatives on the local front, while tapping into collaboration opportunities with others across geographical locations.

3. Is there any Women in Pharma story/moment that stands out as particularly meaningful to you?

“I joined ISPE because I see the value in being a woman in pharma.” This feedback from some of our members has been the source of my motivation.

For the past two years, we have been able to see many new faces within the ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma, with some joining ISPE because they wanted to be involved in our programs.

One of our key initiatives, the 2023-2024 ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma Mentor ISPE Program,  is exclusively designed and tailored with a local touch for our ISPE Emerging Leaders, which include recent graduates and student members. Members who sign up for our mentoring program will undergo a complimentary set of structured modules, available over the course of nine months, which provide one-to-one direct access to their designated mentors. We are blessed to have the full support from our group of experienced and prominent industry leaders who willingly volunteer to mentor our mentees, who we recognize as our future leaders. Our first cohort graduated in August; some have already started their careers in the industry while others are in their final year of studies in universities. Witnessing the positive impact this program has had on our participants has been especially fulfilling.

4. As an active member of ISPE Malaysia Affiliate and ISPE Women in Pharma, why would someone benefit from involving themselves both internationally and locally?

Our involvement at both the international and local levels has allowed us to build unlimited experiences and learnings for our members. We’ve been able to tap into a diverse set of cultural and geographical backgrounds of like-minded professionals within our industry to have a better understanding of the broader industry on a global scale.

At a local level, you can network with a diverse background of professionals from the pharmaceutical industry ecosystem, while serving as an inspiring source of guidance to ISPE Emerging Leaders, which include our recent graduates and student members. ISPE members can learn about the latest industry developments while establishing strong professional connections. Staying abreast of industry developments within our ever-evolving pharmaceutical landscape is crucial and ISPE events tailor their content to address the latest advances in our field.

On the international front, ISPE members get to learn about industry trends professionals in other countries and regions are experiencing, enrich their understandings surrounding the interpretation and application of regulations and guidelines across the globe, gain exposure to innovative and cost-effective solutions, and build a strong global network that enables opportunities for collaboration.

5. If you could give an ISPE Emerging Leader, including students and recent graduates, a piece of advice, what would it be?

Learn as much as you can as your future self will thank you for all the knowledge and experience you gain now! It is by learning and doing can you only build yourself both professionally as well as personally. Accelerate your learnings by hearing about others’ experiences and perspectives. You can gain heaps of knowledge just from that. For some, the experiences shared by others may not make much sense in the short term, but one day, when you encounter a similar situation, the bell will ring and you will have your “aha” moment. Time is of essence: build your credibility today and start young.

6. In your own words, why should someone join ISPE?

Joining ISPE can bring you to a world of endless opportunities and possibilities!

Connecting to a network of like-minded professionals can have an immense impact on your professional development journey. ISPE provides a great platform for keeping on top of cutting-edge insights and industry trends, contributing to and understanding the latest industry areas of focus, sourcing solutions to pain points from the extensive options available, accelerating learnings through crucial conversations, and perspective-sharing.

ISPE also provides a place to those new to the industry to get access to a network of mentors, role models, and educational resources to support their professional success.

For anyone eager to keep learning and continue to add value to their field, ISPE is a must-go-to in terms of trusted resources!

7. What does the future of Women in Pharma look like?

It is exciting to see how Women in Pharma is turning into a magnet force—drawing communities in who are interested in Women in Pharma-related initiatives and programs. Women in Pharma will continue to foster a supportive community—providing a place where women and men inspire, connect, and collaborate on topics that impact their technical work and career advancement.

Let’s join forces to shape the future of the pharmaceutical industry with Women in Pharma.

8. Are there any exciting opportunities or events coming up for ISPE’s Women in Pharma Malaysia Affiliate?

Certainly! We kick-started the recruitment for our second cycle of 2024-2025 ISPE Malaysia Affiliate’s Women in Pharma Mentor ISPE Program, which is exclusively designed and tailored with a local touch for ISPE Emerging Leaders, including student members, following a request to continue this initiative after the successful completion and graduation of our first cohort. The onboarding session began in October and a nine-month program is directly following for our new batch of mentees.

As we wrap up 2024, we will be organizing a roundtable discussion event, where men and women will gather, connect, and engage in conversations on exciting topics over lunch. This event will be held as part of our ISPE Malaysia Affiliate GDP Seminar, 3 – 4 December 2024. Everyone is encouraged to join us—see you at Bangi Resort Hotel, Selangor! To learn more, visit the ISPE Affiliate/Chapter calendar of events page or email ask@ISPE.org.

Stay tuned for an exciting line of initiatives for 2025, powered by ISPE’s Women in Pharma, just for you!

Learn more about ISPE’s Women in Pharma^® events.

View upcoming Affiliate/Chapter events.

Learn more about Women in Pharma^® or make a donation to the ISPE Foundation to support ISPE’s Women in Pharma around the globe.