Andrea Lau In Action: Pioneering to new heights

From Malaysia to Indonesia to China, Senior Commercial Manager Andrea Lau is widely recognised for her regional impact at Teleport.

Andrea has been a key part of Teleport’s expansion into China — the centre of the global eCommerce boom. Business has grown exponentially in the past year, thanks to the perseverance of Teleporters like Andrea.

With a resilient, can-do attitude and a steadfast belief in the power of purpose, she has demonstrated what it means to do it with intent and foster a pioneering spirit.

Let’s dive deeper into her journey to see how.

Leaping boldly into the unknown, over and over

Andrea’s journey with Teleport started in 2021 when she was introduced to the company via LinkedIn. The energy and positivity she felt during her interviews immediately stood out to her; combined with the company's dynamic culture, it made Teleport an easy choice.

She joined the Strategic Projects team, working closely with Head of eCommerce, Kerry Davis, on cross-border commercial projects. She quickly proved herself by taking on challenging assignments and demonstrating a keen eye for problem-solving, laying the groundwork for what would become an exciting career.

By 2022, Andrea was tasked with a new challenge: launching Teleport Solutions in Indonesia.

“As the account there was growing rapidly, there was a month where Indonesia’s volume and revenue were second largest after Malaysia. I still remember the excitement the team felt in seeing the day by day growth,” she reminisces.

Taking The Teleport Way to China

Andrea’s ability to spot and seize opportunities is a hallmark of her working style. But when she was sent to China in 2023, her pioneering spirit truly came to the forefront.

Her mission? To expand our service offerings beyond air freight.

“I had a hand in prospecting all the accounts in our Solutions segment and refining the operational process with our local partners along the value chain,” she says.

Together with Kerry and Chief Business Officer, Jan P?ter, Andrea attended 33 meetings in 3 weeks across 7 cities to identify our eCommerce clients.

“I pioneered our Solutions product in China, onboarding several leading eCommerce customers in 1.5 years. Our monthly revenue from this portfolio increased USD $7 million in that time.”

It was no walk in the park, though.

“The eCommerce customer base in China has very high expectations — they want fast solutions, tight SLAs, and 24/7 customer service,” Andrea explains. “I had to develop a thick skin and learn the art of negotiation while navigating a network of stakeholders with diverse interests.”

She quickly adapted to the complexities of the Chinese market and the eCommerce giants that dominate it. As of Q4 2024, Andrea’s monthly revenue contribution is the largest in Teleport China.

Freight not, there is a solution

As Teleport expanded into China, Andrea’s team faced numerous obstacles — from operational difficulties with the freighters to the ever-growing demands of high-stakes clients. But it was during these testing times that her resilience and problem-solving skills truly shone.

When Teleport first introduced its freighters, filling them was no small feat.

“I began proactively adjusting our eCommerce client rates. This was tough because we had to make our rates sufficiently competitive while maintaining excellent relationship and service quality,” she shares.

She credits her team in China for the remarkable result: the yield from the Solutions portfolio was the highest among all clients that quarter.

Andrea also spearheaded the introduction of a freighter charter service. This innovative product involved combining cargo from various destinations onto a freighter and then distributing it across Teleport’s wide-body network.

“Operationally, it was tough,” Andrea recalls. “There were different SLAs for each sector, different connection timings, and constantly changing requirements. It took a lot of effort to ensure that every detail was handled efficiently, but we pulled it off.”

By April 2024, the freighter service was fully operational, and Andrea’s team was scaling their accounts while maintaining high-quality standards. Through strategic adjustments and innovative solutions, Andrea helped the company meet SLAs and KPIs while achieving record-breaking yields.

Sparking inspiration among Teleporters

Andrea’s contributions and achievements have inspired her colleagues, especially the then-new local team at Teleport China. Business Development Manager, Simon Lai Wei Cai, shared his admiration for Andrea’s work ethic and professionalism:

“Andrea’s ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with such efficiency and attention to detail is truly impressive. Despite handling numerous projects, she consistently delivers excellent results. What stands out most is Andrea’s high level of professionalism in client service. Her approach ensures that customers feel valued and well-served, which in turn enhances their overall experience. Her ability to maintain this balance between quality and efficiency is something I aspire to emulate.

As our business in China grows rapidly, we have to handle tasks quickly and effectively. I am committed to learning from Andrea's approach to improve my own performance and contribute to the success of our team.

Simon’s words underscore Andrea's value — not only as a pioneer in Teleport’s growth but also as a mentor and role model for her colleagues.

In her own time, Andrea pursues several entrepreneurial ventures. She is a certified drone pilot who has raised and led a competitive drone soccer team; they represented Malaysia at the International Drone Soccer World Championships in South Korea. Another passion is songwriting. Fun fact: she has penned and rapped a few songs, which can be found on Spotify.

Whether through nurturing others or expressing herself, Andrea's wide-ranging interests energise her to reach higher and further.

When potential becomes purpose

Reflecting on her career at Teleport, Andrea is particularly proud of her time in China. “When we maximised the usage of our Hong Kong outbound freighters, it felt like a major milestone,” she says. “It was a reward for all the hard work and the support from the regional teams.”

But Andrea’s journey at Teleport is far from over. As she looks to the future, she remains excited about the potential to break new ground, continue learning, and contribute to the company's ambitious goals, including moving 2 million parcels daily by 2025.

Her advice to others growing their career at Teleport?

“Offer to venture into the unknown, take risks, and surround yourself with good counsel. There are so many great people here who can help you chart your growth trajectory.”

By embracing The Teleport Way, taking bold risks, and moving with a clear sense of purpose, Andrea has not only contributed to Teleport’s success but also paved the way for other young pioneers to reach new heights.

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