Balance in Motion
From Singapore to Hamburg, from assistant to expert in Trade Management: Louisa Tan’s career is built on curiosity and courage. In a demanding environment, she grows across roles, bolsters collaboration – and turns change into opportunity.
Grey skies, red brick and cobblestones. A typical scene in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt, the “City of Warehouses.”
We meet Louisa Tan here for a walk past some of the city’s landmarks. She watches the ships closely as they glide along the Elbe River. Long before she got into shipping, vessels on the horizon fascinated her.
“I always wondered how everything worked behind the scenes,” Louisa says. That same curiosity has defined her career journey and led her to Hamburg for a three-month-long international work assignment.
“In Singapore, we embrace diversity, work hard and always stay practical.”
Multilingual roots Mother of three and fluent in four languages – Louisa’s multicultural upbringing in Singapore shaped her adaptability early on.
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Embracing change and global collaboration
Raised in Singapore, Louisa learned early to navigate diversity. “Being Singaporean means embracing different cultures while staying practical and hardworking,” she says, adding that adaptability became her second nature – including in her work life.
Family first Director in Trade Management and “CFO” of the family: Louisa is balancing global capacity with her three daughters’ busy schedules.
After working in a Japanese manufacturing firm, Louisa’s gateway into shipping came when she took a job as personal assistant to a managing director at United Arab Shipping Company (UASC). “It wasn’t the typical entry, but I saw how decisions connect markets.”
Determined to grow, she moved into commercial roles at Hapag-Lloyd, expanding her expertise step by step. “Working in Sales and Customer Service challenged me and helped me grow a lot,” Louisa says. Each role broadened her understanding of the business. “My willingness to try and learn helped me succeed.”
Today, Louisa works in the heart of global trade flows – i.e. Trade Management – where she steers capacity, monitors cargo movements and aligns regional needs with global network strategy. “I’m passionate about ensuring optimal vessel utilization and helping our customers get reliable service.”
When offered a chance to deepen her knowledge with an international work assignment, she didn’t think twice – not even if this would mean being away from her family and temporarily moving halfway across the world. “You can achieve anything with determination and dedication.”
Global perspective, local impact
During her assignment abroad, Louisa changed perspectives and worked closely with the Headquarters teams to strengthen alignment and collaboration.
“My time in Hamburg served as a catalyst for a stronger network,” she recalls. Like Louisa, more than 80 Hapag-Lloyd employees across departments have participated in similar global mobility programs in 2025.
“Trust your instincts. The right career doesn’t start with knowing all the answers.”
For Louisa, Hamburg became a platform for closer cooperation between her global and regional teams. Headquarters priorities became clearer, and market realities in Asia could be translated more precisely into global planning. Working side by side with her Hamburg-based colleagues fostered trust better than virtual meetings. “You understand constraints and expectations better when you experience them firsthand,” she says.
And the results were quickly visible. “Our coordination became smoother and our decision-making much faster,” she says, adding: “In the end, we can contribute to providing more reliable service to our customers and forging stronger partnerships.”
Beyond the office, Louisa experienced many memorable things in Hamburg, from autumn colors to her first snowfall. And German culture left an impression on her, too. “At first, I was surprised by how structured everything is,” she says. “But now I appreciate the orderliness.”
Standing in Elbphilharmonie Plaza, Louisa overlooks the ships gliding across the port. “I’m grateful I trusted my instincts,” she says. "The right career doesn’t start with knowing all the answers."
“It’s all about being curious, courageous and determined to take that first step,” she continues. “In 10 years, I’ll tell my grandkids about my amazing adventure in Germany, where I learned a lot and visited enough Christmas markets to last a lifetime!”
Connected across oceans During her international assignment, daily video calls strengthened global collaboration at work – while keeping her close to home.
“It’s all about being curious and determined to take that first step.”
24 hours in Singapore – Louisa’s picks
Start your day with a cup of kopi o siew dai. Head to East Coast Park for great ocean vibes and beautiful palm trees. Go shopping at Paragon Mall. Try tasty treats like chicken rice, laksa or prata.
What Louisa likes about German culture
“I appreciated German’s discipline, their love for the outdoors, and local traditions like Christmas markets and hearty food. People appear more reserved at first glance but are welcoming when you strike up a conversation.”
Did you know?
Singapore is a premier global hub port
- with more than 130,000 vessel calls annually
- connected to more than 600 ports globally
- and also the top LNG bunkering port in the world.
Photos by: Christoph Niemann, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Louisa Tan (personal images)
Text by: Lisa Wagner
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