As our Malaysian team continues to grow, we sat down with Li Lian Wong not long after she joined us at Parkside to find out more about her career, her ambitions and lifestyle. With more than 20 years of sales experience, 13 of those in the packaging industry, Li Lian is an excellent addition to our team in Malaysia.
How long have you been working at Parkside?
I’ve been working here since January 2025.
What is a Senior Business Development Manager?
As a senior business development manager, my role is to conduct market analysis on our packaging production in Asia, benchmarking against our competitors and understanding how we can improve on sustainability in flexible packaging. Another area is scoping the market and searching for potential customers through referrals and targeted websites. When out in the field, I often visit potential customers to understand what their requirements are for flexible packaging and their long-term goals in terms of sustainability.
Describe your job in three words
Fulfilling, inspiring and motivating.
What does a typical day look like?
My typical day involves going through my emails in the morning, setting up various customer appointments and internal discussions with the technical team, management and colleagues. After lunch, I’ll usually meet up with a customer to discuss where Parkside can assist or perhaps conduct a market survey.
What’s the best part about your job?
I think the best part is working as a team with my colleagues. At Parkside, everyone is like a family with the same goal and targets. Information is always shared and there’s always such motivation in the team to keep improving. With such close teamwork, it’s like nothing is impossible!
What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now?
I’m currently working on a project for freezer bags and freezer paper – more on that soon!
What are your main challenges?
I would say having detailed product knowledge and understanding of each product application – particularly because I’m new to Parkside and its products. Ask me again next year as I’m sure this will be one of my strengths then!
What’s the best thing about being part of the Parkside team?
Being part of a genuinely caring team that motivates each other, day in and day out, to be better both in our roles and in ourselves.
What are your main achievements inside and outside of work?
During my career, I’ve won best sales person of the year award in 2020 and I’ve managed to learn Mandarin when I worked in China for eight years. Outside of work, I would say it’s when I volunteered at the disabled children’s centre when I was in my early 20s.
Interests
If I had to pick just three, I would say shopping (because who doesn’t love some retail therapy?) and active sports like hiking and diving.
If you could pick up a new skill in an instant what would it be?
I would love to learn a new language, perhaps Japanese or Korean.
What’s the best place you’ve visited?
Granada, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Spain, is one of my favourite places, specifically for its historic architecture and beautiful walks.
What’s something that you’re proud of?
My two children – they are my world.
