Bob Aubrey, Stephen Weatherseed and Joe Xu quoted in A+ magazine

Three Partners at Mazars have been interviewed by Jemelyn Yadao for her article on corporate mentoring programme.

Bob Aubrey, Partner in charge of People Development Consulting in Asia-Pacific, presented the one-year mentoring programme Mazars has launched in Asia in May 2012, when the firm found that it was not efficiently developing the leadership skills of its employees in Asia. 

“The mentoring programme is not only about enlarging the Asian talent pool but also to further develop the qualities of our future leaders,” says Singapore-based Bob Aubrey, partner and practice leader for people development at Mazars, who created the firm’s cross-border mentoring programme.

“Our Asian high potentials had good technical education and experience but lacked leadership skills and were not prepared to work across borders,” he notes. Through the scheme, promising junior employees across Asia are mentored by partners in a different country. “We believe that developing leaders from different parts of the world contributes to the long-term success of the firm,” Aubrey explains.

Stephen Weatherseed, Managing Partner of Mazars Hong Kong office, and Joe Xu, Partner based in Shanghai, shared their experience as mentor and mentee.

Stephen Weatherseed, managing director at Mazars Hong Kong and an Institute member, also agrees that the mentor has much to gain from mentoring. “I am always interested in getting to know people better – especially of a generation some years removed from my own,” he says. 

Weatherseed meets or speaks to his mentee, Joe Xu, now a partner at Mazars in Shanghai, around once every three months. “There’s a satisfaction in knowing that this is a big help for an important individual in making their career or life decisions,” Weatherseed says. 

While some younger professionals may feel reluctant to open up to those in more senior roles about certain issues, Xu notes that Weatherseed has made it easy for him to discuss anything. “Stephen started the first conversation and shared his experiences when we first met last year,” says Xu. “He has successfully managed to create a taboo-free, friendly environment.” 

For mentees, being keen and ready to commit is a must. “They need to trust the process,” says Weatherseed, “and only by doing so will they get the most out of it.”

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Credits

• Extract from A+ Magazine, March 2013 issue
• Article written by Jemelyn Yadao
• Illustrations by Alan Ho