Li Ling Chong

Operations Director | General Manager | Retail & Commercial Strategy | Scaled 600-Store Networks | Award-Winning Pharmacy & HABA Business | P&L Leadership | Retail Transformation

Singapore, Singapore

About

Commercial and retail executive with 20+ years of leadership experience across Asia Pacific, specializing in health & beauty retail, pharmacy networks and large-scale retail transformation. Previously served General Manager at FairPrice Group, leading the Unity Pharmacy business and Health & Beauty category within Singapore’s largest supermarket ecosystem with full P&L responsibility. Within 18 months, led the business to win five major industry awards, including Retail Asia Drugstore of the Year (Singapore) and Singapore’s Best Customer Service 2025/2026 recognised by The Straits Times and Statista. Served as Operations Director for Guardian Malaysia, overseeing a 600-store national retail network, delivering record-breaking sales for two consecutive years while leading the largest store expansion pipeline across Southeast Asia Guardian markets. Known for combining commercial strategy, retail operations and supply chain expertise to deliver sustainable growth, improve profitability and elevate customer experience. Career highlights include: • Leading large-scale retail networks across multiple markets • Driving award-winning retail transformations • Building high-performing teams with record engagement results • Scaling health & beauty retail categories within complex ecosystems • Delivering measurable improvements in sales productivity, availability and operational efficiency Earlier career experience spans luxury beauty, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics and FMCG, building strong expertise in supply chain optimisation and commercial operations. Passionate about building scalable retail platforms, developing strong teams and delivering customer-centric growth strategies.

Experience

  • Career Break at null
    May 2026 - Present · 2 mos

  • General Manager at FairPrice Group
    Nov 2023 - Apr 2026 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    Head of business for Unity Pharmacy + HABA in supermarket. 1st submission, 5 awards in 2025: - Retail Asia award : Drugstore of the year in Singapore 2025 in 18 months. - recognised as one of Singapore's Best Customer Service 2025/2026 by The Straits Times and Statista. - FMCG Asia 2 awards: Digitalisation Initiative of the year & Health and Wellness Initiative of the Year. -PSS: Young Pharmacist award Achievements: - improve psf sales intensity, space intensity to hold more assortments - continous increase in marketshare - New store design + improve customers’ shopping journey - Improve in-store availability and reduce ageing stocks. - Introduce new auto-replenishment logic - Introduce new ways of working for better collaboration across functions. Roles & Responsibility -Full P&L responsibility - working alongside with supplychain to improve supplier to in-store availability -Increase marketshare & network. -Business Strategy and propositioning. -Develop people and nurture team

  • DFI Retail Group (6 yrs 4 mos)
    • Operations Director (Guardian MY)
      Dec 2020 - Oct 2023 · 2 yrs 11 mos

      Achievements: 1. Highest new stores opening in SEA Guardian 2. Record breaking sales in consecutive 2 years in Malaysia history with my supply chain and stores operations knowledge. 3. Highest YVC scores in Malaysia history by achieving all Green. Taking care of island wide 600 stores in East and West Malaysia. Continue to strive for better operating models & executions to drive differentiation from competitors. Working closely with supplychain to ensure stocks arrive in stores and mitigate any risk. Nurturing team members and Improve engagement. Curate Property strategy on new stores expansions / future relocations. Involved in store design and creating a good shopping experience according to customer’s journey. Driving new in-store pharmacists service.

    • Director of Operations
      Dec 2020 - Oct 2023 · 2 yrs 11 mos

      Led retail operations for 600 stores across East and West Malaysia, overseeing commercial performance, property strategy, store expansion and operational excellence.

    • Operations Director (Guardian SG)
      Sep 2019 - Dec 2020 · 1 yr 4 mos

      Taking care of island wide stores in Singapore, continue to strive for better operating models and nurture team members. Including property strategy on new stores expansions / future relocations. Involved in store design and creating a good shopping experience according to customer’s journey.

  • LUXASIA (1 yr 10 mos)
    • Demand Planning Manager
      Sep 2015 - Jun 2017 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Led demand planning and inventory optimisation for regional luxury beauty brands.

    • Demand Planning Manager
      Sep 2015 - Sep 2016 · 1 yr 1 mo

      -Manage and coach demand planners (uplifting skillsets) -Focus on demand planning, driving statistical forecasting. -Inventory Optimization - supplychain process improvements -Improve process efficiency & implement s&op meeting -Participate in S&OP meeting - drive down inventory from 360days to 200days within 4 months, driving incremental sales at the same time. - improve service level from 85% to 93% within 6 months. - hit all time low inventory provision within 1st year in organisation -Management Reporting

  • Regional Demand Management Manager at MSD
    May 2014 - Sep 2015 · 1 yr 5 mos

    -Drive Statistical forecasting -Improves Process efficiency -Drive improvement initiatives -Participate in S&OP meetings -Engage with stakeholders to to understand/support business initiatives -Drive forecast accuracy & inventory control - Improve forecast accuracy from 76% to 90% within 6 months -Reduce inventory level and discards