Mega Global Corp., the makers of Mega Sardines, remains to be the preferred sardines brand in the Philippines since 2015, according to the AC Nielsen charts. Founded by Mega Global president & CEO William Tiu Lim 45 years ago, Mega retains to be a leader in business by continuously innovating and introducing new products in the market.
In this PeopleAsia article, get to know William’s daughter, Michelle Tiu Lim Chan, Mega’s chief operating officer, as she takes the lead in growing the family business in the best ways she knows how.
When Michelle graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Commerce degree in 1999, she had to choose between getting a high-paying job in Canada or coming home to help her parents run their business. But, it didn’t take her long to choose the latter.
“I was brought up to believe that as children, we have to give back to our parents for the sacrifices they have made. And this is, for me, the way I chose to give back,” Michelle shares.
When Michelle joined the business, she made sure to tackle all the departments. From operations, sales, marketing, promotions, logistics, and accounting, she experienced working on them all.
“Experience is my best teacher. I want to immerse myself first in a role to get the hang of things before fully committing to it. Think of it as a self-induced internship. It’s what has allowed me to take on the roles I play in the company today,” she expounds.
Although Michelle knew early on that being part of Mega Global was a possibility, she never took it for granted and still proved herself capable of leading. “I think my early exposure to business became very critical in succession planning, and it’s part of what made me grow my love for the company my family built,” she adds.
After 22 years in the business, Michelle is now Mega Global’s chief operations officer—an extraordinary ‘girl boss’ who inspires her women employees to find the ‘superwoman’ in them by being a role model and an excellent leader to them.
“I make it a point to encourage our women employees to step up and take bold responsibilities by pushing them to the limits. I do not hesitate to ask them to speak up. It’s my way of teaching them to be vocal about their opinions,” the COO shares. “I believe in equal opportunities. So, I am always happy to open doors for other women who are willing to step up and charge on.”
Out of all the achievements Mega Global has accomplished through the years, Michelle is most proud of its most extensive fishing fleet in Zamboanga, as it mirrors the hard work her father has put in to grow the business into what it is today. “Our Filipino engineers, together with my father, designed and built our own vessels. Aside from this, we have two world-class manufacturing plants which are certified with quality management systems which allow us to export Mega Sardines products worldwide,” she
As of late, Michelle is currently hands-on with the operations in Zamboanga, where the fishing and manufacturing of Mega happen. She also leads the sales and distributions in Manila, together with her brothers Marvin, Mega’s chief growth and development officer and Malcolm, Mega’s chief technical and innovation officer.
