Celebrating International Women’s day 2024

08 March, 2024

 

Empowered Women at our Motion Design studio

 

Celebrating Empowered Women in Creative Industries This International Women’s Day 

At Carbon, we’re thrilled to honour the achievements and relentless drive of the strong women who are integral to every facet of our operations—from taking the frontlines on award-winning campaigns to spearheading innovative design projects, animations, live action productions and more. These talented individuals are not just team members; they are the heart and soul behind our success. 

Founded in 2004 by Tereza Tan, Carbon has witnessed a remarkable transformation under her guidance. As a visionary business owner and creative leader, Tereza has navigated the ever-evolving landscape of creative services. Her leadership has catapulted Carbon from a small boutique video production studio to a mid-size, end-to-end creative content powerhouse with offices in both Hong Kong and Singapore

This International Women’s Day, we invite you to jump in and get to know some of the trailblazing women who make Carbon stand out. Meet Tereza, Jessica, Kexin, Merry, and Sarah—a group of extraordinary professionals whose creativity and vision daily inspire us. Through their eyes, explore the innovative spirit and the influential women who motivate them to lead and forge new paths in the creative sector.

 

Tereza Tan

I am Tereza Tan, the founder and Chief Creative Officer. Before Carbon, some called me “The Pocket Rocket” because I was always ready to launch into action, leading to the creation of Carbon. Being a woman at Carbon makes no difference to me, as I see it merely as a matter of gender. The challenge I face is being a female “boss” and a right-brained thinker, as creative individuals can often be led by their emotions. I find myself daily trying to “mother” my coworkers, hoping they aren’t annoyed by me!

On another note, being a female film director in a male-dominated industry was quite challenging for me. It took years of experience and persuasion to be taken seriously. Now, I’m still learning every day from my peers, my clients, and I’m thankful for those who have guided me along the way. I believe women are born resilient, and I am grateful that many of us at Carbon have proven to stand the test of time in roles typically filled by men. These women have also inspired and guided me. In short, I don’t see myself as a woman at Carbon; I see myself as an individual striving to prove that one’s abilities should not be confined to any gender. We are all equals.

 

Jessica Triffitt

I am the Regional Managing Director at Carbon, based in Hong Kong but responsible for overseeing the teams across the region (which means frequent trips to Singapore, always fun to see the team!). What do I do as an MD? A bit of everything to be honest! From operational management and business strategy, to growth, client management and financial management. Only possible with all the amazing talent we have at Carbon! 

Being a woman and a leader in the creative industry means a lot to me. When I moved to Asia 14 years ago, agencies, media firms and up and coming martech companies were stereotypically run by men, and lacked diversity. To be working for Carbon, with a female founder, and to see the growth of leaders across the industry, whether that be more diversity in gender or race, is an exciting one. Ideas and growth come from not having the same opinions and through exposing each other to different backgrounds, opinions and views.

It is tough to choose just one personal female hero! So I’m going to go with more than one. Starting with Sheryl Sandberg, who I think has been instrumental with her Lean In movement, which has had a profound effect on my career. Whitney Wolfe, for empowering women to own their dating lives and for not giving up. And lastly, my Mum (cheesy, I know!). I have no idea how she managed to run a business with my Dad whilst bringing up 3 children!

 

Kexin Shi

Hello! I’m Kexin and I’m our one and only woman 3D Designer here in Hong Kong. But for me, I don’t see myself as any different from my male counterparts – other than we go to different toilets! One insight that I bring to the table is a personal knowledge of our beauty products though. I mean for guys…you know…let’s just say it’s my place to shine!

But there are definitely challenges, in the topic of gender, 3D traditionally is titled to be more logical, and technical, and some people think girls can’t excel with these skills but I do my best to use these skills in my work everyday. 

As for my role models, well, I’d say Taylor Swift ‘cause that girl seems to run half the world’s economy! Just kidding. But when I was trying to think of strong lady motion graphic designers…there are sadly not that many that get the recognition they deserve. However, there are a few lesser known ones that I really love.  @curry_tian, @cabeza_patata are a couple that everyone should check out! Their technical side is great but it’s really their art style that I love so much. @lubonnie_art is another one who shows that women can do everything men can do!

 

Merry Lo

Hi hi! I’m Merry and I’ve been at Carbon for almost two years now. As a Senior Account Manager, I am responsible for overseeing project scopes, managing budgets, and working closely with the creative team to ensure seamless project delivery to each and every one of our clients. Basically, I am a jack-of-all-trades and always willing to jump in to get things done! 

Being a woman at Carbon holds a significant meaning for me. It goes beyond simply leading projects of all different scales. For me, it means the opportunity to openly collaborate with a team of passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, all working together to bring remarkable things to life. And the fact that it’s founded and run by strong women like Tereza and Jess is so inspiring to me. 

When I think of personal female role models, my mother always takes the top spot. She is always so positive and always comes up with a solution for any problem you put in front of her. This has always had a deep impact on every part of my life but especially the way I approach my job here at Carbon. 

 

Sarah Wang

Heya! I’m Sarah, I’m an art director specialising in 2D animation motion design out of our Singapore office. 

More than just being a woman in the design industry, it’s tough being a designer in Asia regardless of gender. It’s completely different from the stereotypical Asian ‘dream’ job – aka accountant/doctor/lawyer. But you know what? I would never trade my job for any of those. For me, I’m living my own dream and overcoming challenges is all part of making it happen. 

I’m really passionate about the craft that is a huge part of my job. And being able to communicate and tell stories in a visual manner is what makes me come into work everyday.  They say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life! And saying I love what I do is an understatement! 🙂

Although it’s expected, my Mum is definitely one of the women I look up to. She’s my number one supporter, devil’s advocate when need be, understands my ‘eccentric’ job and, no matter what, is always proud of what I accomplish. She plays a variety of roles in my life and I wouldn’t have gotten this far if not for her (and my whole family!).