Women-led SMEs and start-ups compete for top prize in growth-focused challenge

Rising through the ranks of her family’s freight-forwarding business, Janet Ng, chief operating officer, Trimanson Express, has had to deal with preconceptions of being a woman in a male-dominated sector and push through comfort zones to get to where she is today.

Trimanson is a Hong Kong business in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) bracket. It was acquired by Ng’s father in 1986 and specialises in air and marine cargo services. After graduating from university, Ng joined the company in 2010 to learn the operations of the business from the bottom up, undertaking basic tasks such as typing up air waybills and calling airlines to book freight space.

Ng was also introduced to the customer service side of the business, where she gained an understanding of the essential role it plays in developing successful long-term partnerships. “Because I’m in the family business, I have been able to connect and communicate with many airlines and overseas partners much earlier in my career than some people,” she says. “The minus is, no matter how hard I work, I still have to prove myself because I’m second generation.”

Rather than letting this demoralise her, Ng plays up to her strengths as a problem-solver, which has helped her gain exposure within the industry and, under her leadership, expand Trimanson’s operations into the African market. “We’ve seen major growth in the last seven to eight years because we are ahead when it comes to serving the African market, giving us an edge in the industry,” she says. “We felt that though it’s hard to tap into Africa, at least we don’t have to fight in a very competitive market like Europe or America. Now, we’re seeing more freighters flying to Africa, and we are growing together.”

Ng, who was a winner of the GBA Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award in Family Business in 2020, says there can be days when she feels underestimated within her sector. “Some people have this idea that women don’t understand the operations of the business,” she says, adding she has had to navigate her way confidently in rooms full of men. “This business involves a lot of relationship-building, with many meetings and social gatherings that require a lot of energy. And as the only woman in the group, I have to know how to negotiate with them.”

Ng’s focus on connecting with colleagues and business associates has helped her earn respect in the industry, and to excel in her role. “The connections I have made in the last 15 years – they are now vice-presidents of airlines, or the CEOs or COOs of companies, which has helped me a lot,” she says, adding that they have at times advocated for her and supported her in business meetings, becoming allies.