Lazada has become a household name in the local eCommerce game. From its humble beginnings in 2012, it has evolved into the go-to online eCommerce platform and lifestyle destination it is today. Since being at the helm, Ray has continued to grow Lazada’s business, expanding its product offerings and services to provide more opportunities for partner brands, sellers and consumers.
Growing with Lazada, Ray started in the Business Development team, progressing to Chief Commercial Officer, before being appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2018. Leading over a few hundred dynamic and hard-working professionals in a fast-paced company requires commitment, care and empathy. Despite a constant hectic schedule and the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 situation, Ray continues to steer the team with sharp focus and determination. His little solace amidst all of the uncertainty is a surprising bonus from working at home and being able to spend time to bond more with his 11-year-old son.
Lazada in the time of COVID-19
With the announcement of the initial quarantine measures, Ray shared that Lazada was one of the first companies to declare a work from home setup for its employees to ensure everyone’s safety. Activating the company’s business continuity plan, health and safety protocols including guidelines on proper handling of deliveries in the warehouse and sorting facilities, and safe distancing measures were implemented alongside the rules announced by the government.
After assurances that the health and safety of staff were safeguarded, Ray turned to ensuring Lazada continued to be able to provide essential services for the Filipino community. He shared, “This COVID-19 crisis was for me, one of the most rewarding experiences as a leader; it was a defining moment for myself and for Lazada to do the right thing for our people, our logistics frontliners, our partner sellers and brands, and our customers. I am glad that eCommerce is able to be of service to everyone and most importantly, help those in need.”
Balancing work at home
Working from home has its own ups and downs, especially the pressure to always remain available for work-related matters. But to Ray, it has been a welcome change as working from home has afforded him something more precious – family time.
Football has been one of the hobbies he and his son have bonded over and always look forward to in the past few months. A few more activities they bond through during the quarantine has been learning to play the piano and learning new languages like Spanish and Chinese.
These few months have been fulfilling and irreplaceable for Ray. For his son to also witness Ray in his “work element”, Ray hopes his son will be inspired and take on his values and work ethics when building his own career in future.
Making an impact through leadership
Growing up, Ray was surrounded by leaders in his family, who have greatly influenced his path to becoming one himself. “Being able to create something has always been a dream of mine. Another was to be of help to people and a bigger community,” he shared. A medical doctor by profession, Ray gradually realized his desire to impact lives could be fulfilled in other ways.
“I wanted to build something that could directly impact lives,” Ray shared. “With Lazada, I was able to help establish the flourishing eCommerce industry in Southeast Asia and make it grow in the Philippines. Slowly but surely, I want to be able to empower our partners – whether they are sellers, brands or our loyal consumers to achieve their dreams and desires. This is why we are building Lazada as a premier lifestyle destination. Whatever you need, you can easily find and discover on our platform as an entrepreneur or simply to access products and services easily as a consumer.”
The country is fueled by start-ups and SMEs, and Ray firmly believes that Lazada is able to futureproof businesses to flourish with the extensive tools and services provided. “I see Lazada as a means to empower Filipinos. I hope that one day, my son is able to fully grasp what it is that I do so it can inspire him to be a great leader, and more importantly, serve a greater purpose by being a helping hand to anyone in need.”
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