Eileen Soh

Background

About Eileen Soh

I’m not great at talking myself up, so this isn’t a list of achievements. Instead, I want to share a few stories that give you a sense of how I work and what I care about. First, I’m always in a rush. Not because I’m disorganised, but because we only get about 900 months on this planet. That thought sticks with me. It shapes how I spend my time, how I lead, and what I say yes to. I still remember groaning out loud when my boss called twelve of us into a 90-minute meeting to talk about next year’s work plan. Strategy matters, sure, but that one felt like a waste of human life. So I try to get more done with less. If I can delegate it, automate it, or ask Gen AI to take a pass, I will. I want to use my energy for the things that matter most. That probably sounds intense. And it is. But I’m not ruthless. I’m ambitious, yes, but not in a way that means someone else has to lose. It’s more like this. Tell me something can’t be done, and I’ll want to try it just to see. That mindset is how I ended up in Mensa, working at the Ministry of Defence, running Spartan Races, joining a dragon boat team for the first time at 33, and earning a diploma in Chinese-English translation. These aren’t things most people expect or attempt. I did them because they were hard or because someone said I wouldn’t. It also explains why I care so much about the teams I’m part of. When I joined Mastercard, I braced for the worst. Big-name company. Corporate America. I expected office politics, performative meetings, maybe even getting thrown under the bus before month one was up. But eight months in, that hasn’t happened. Instead, I found something surprisingly familiar. People who stay for 15 or 20 years. A team that reminded me of the best parts of the civil service. People who are competent, generous with knowledge, and serious about doing meaningful work. I really like that. I hope I get to stay a while. More than anything, I try to be real. It’s why people tend to warm up quickly. I had lunch recently with someone I met at a networking event. By the end of it, she said I felt like her long-lost niece. If any part of this made you pause, nod, or smile, maybe we’d get along.