The first time I met Anjali was in a bowling alley somewhere in midtown New York. She'd just arrived from a long-haul flight and went straight to what I think was her first team gathering after she joined Facebook. I went up to her and introduced myself and what I did. I was never formally a part of her team, but she always made me feel like I was one.
Anjali is a natural leader – that was obvious from the very beginning. She knows how to motivate a team and orchestrate the wide range of work across regions and teams.
It wouldn't be surprising if I say that she can be tough on her team (in a good way, because our work was the-kind-that-never-has-an-ideal-solution work), but I always knew it came from a place of concern and care. That sets her apart.
When I left for New York, she offered to help me settle in at work with a new team, even though she was in Singapore. And when things didn't go as planned and I lost my job, she was just a text away.
There's so much I'm grateful to Anjali for. She found my now manager at Reuters when the role was first posted, and was there every step of the way until I landed the job.
One of the joys of coming back to Singapore is hanging out with Anjali outside of work. We've had countless drinks, gone to Yishun to buy an ant colony, played badminton, and saw Lady Gaga. And most recently, a weekend in Bath for no specific reason other than seeing a city outside London.
I spend a good amount of my time working with senior leaders, articulating what they need to know and where I need their help, in the clearest, most succinct way possible. Throughout all of it, there's always a voice in my head reminding me to focus on what matters, and be tough because we care. And that voice is Anjali.