Winnie Lau
Winnie Lau is currently Chief of Staff, Head of Operations at Novilla Pharmaceuticals, Inc. She is also Co-Chair of her high school alumni association, the Bergen County Academies Alumni Association, and she has been involved for almost 10 years. Winnie started her career in investment banking before moving to being one of the first operations hires at multiple start-ups (all acquired). She also co-founded the largest online dog training school during the pandemic.
Connect with Winnie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winniewylau/
Committee of 100: What inspired you to work in your professional field?
Winnie: I have always worked in a finance / operations role in startups, scaling them from pre-seed to Series B or C. I really enjoy seeing the rapid change and how fast and efficient a company can grow. I really find the power of many individuals working together and the enablement through capital to be fascinating. I love my pharmaceutical job because we are working on a pain drug that can put an end to opioids. I really value working on something that I care about.
Committee of 100: What are some of the challenges you have encountered to become a leader in your respective field? Are Chinese Americans well-represented in your field, and what do you think are the reasons they are/aren’t well-represented?
Winnie: There are many Asian research scientists and in other scientific roles in pharmaceuticals. On the business / corporate side, there are very few women – let alone Chinese American women. There are some Chinese American men, but they too are more on the scientific side. I believe that Chinese Americans are less represented on the business / corporate side of pharmaceuticals due to the fact that Chinese Americans excel in math and science. When I was growing up, my fellow Chinese American friends were more focused on math and science due to parental pressure while I focused my energy on meeting others and clubs.
Committee of 100: What do you believe needs to be done so that more Chinese Americans feel empowered to follow and achieve their dreams?
Winnie: I really believe in mentorship. I have seen only two Chinese American women in an executive pharmaceutical role in my entire life. Seeing more would be inspiring, and it would normalize that as well.
Committee of 100: How can your NGL community support you and your work? Do you have any recent or upcoming projects you’d like to highlight?
Winnie: I really enjoy helping plan events and social gatherings. Connection and relationships are very powerful. I am looking forward to help plan events in NYC.
Committee of 100: For those who just recently graduated college or are early in their careers, what advice would you give to them?
Winnie: You probably have or had a five year plan. Think about what that five year plan was just a year or two ago. In just a year, your five year plan has probably changed. It’s impossible to plan every detail, and sometimes that can even cause you to shut down new opportunities. Try to enjoy everything you do and/or have a very close circle of loved ones.
