ReWrite The Rules

After 31 years navigating male-dominated consulting in Vietnam, Ha Do's conclusion will surprise you: being a woman isn't the obstacle — it's the edge.Ha Do started her career applying for a secretarial job at PwC. She had no industry connections, came from a poor family, and had no idea what Big Four meant. Over the next three decades — turning down a UK secondment when her son was one year old, naming the cultural barriers senior women are trained to stay silent about, and working through years of self-doubt — she arrived at a conviction most people would never expect from a Big Four partner: womanhood itself, with all its emotional intelligence and resilience, is a structural advantage. This episode is the story of how she got there — and the principles she's been passing on to every young woman who's sat across from her since.What You'll LearnWhy self-doubt — not external barriers — is the real obstacle holding women back in leadership, according to Ha Do's 31 years of observationHow Ha Do made barriers become invisible: the self-love mechanism she built slowly over her career, and what it actually means in practiceThe difference between sacrifice under pressure and sacrifice by choice — and why only one of them will break youThe two mistakes Ha Do still sees women of every age repeating, and the reframe that cuts through both of themWhy "you can have both" isn't wishful thinking — Ha Do's career and family life as a lived proof point, not a motivational posterChapters00:00 | Intro: Working Hard and Staying Humble Isn't Enough01:02 | The Achievement That Outranks a 31-Year Career02:14 | Turning Down the UK Secondment — and Never Regretting It07:14 | From Secretary to Partner — The Career Nobody Planned10:35 | "The Answer Is a Big Fat Yes" — Naming Hidden Barriers13:31 | Self-Doubt to Self-Love — How Barriers Become Invisible15:36 | Leading with Warmth Without Losing Authority17:35 | Two Mistakes Young Women Keep Repeating21:17 | Women Are Powerful — The Only Thing Stopping Us Is Us25:12 | You Can Do Both — Being Woman Is a PrivilegeHa Do | KPMG, VietnamHa leads the Government and Public Sector, and International Development Advisory Services practice for KPMG Asia Pacific. She serves as a board director of Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), an international business association that promotes cross-border trades. She also sits in the Asia Pacific Advisory Council for Global Infrastructure Project Financing Association (IPFA), a global organization for the infrastructure and energy financing industry.https://kpmg.com/xx/en/contacts/d/do-ha.html Ritu Mehrish | Founder and Author | ReWrite The RulesRitu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/ https://www.ritumehrish.com/ #HaDo #RewriteTheRules #RituMehrish #WomenInLeadership #WomenInBusiness #KPMG #BigFour #WomenEmpowerment #AsianWomenLead #CareerAndFamily #SelfLove #LeadershipAdvice #WomenMentor #VietnamBusiness #MindsetShift

In this episode, I sit down with Kanchana Gupta, from climbing the corporate ladder to founding a global mentorship platform for women, her journey is anything but linear. We get into how she found the courage to redefine success, why surviving breast cancer taught her the true meaning of resilience, and what it takes to break access barriers for women.She breaks down why female leaders struggle with executive sponsorship and brand building and why asking for help is the ultimate career superpower.This one goes beyond the highlight reel. Real insights on reinvention, mentorship, and navigating change.IN THIS EPISODE00:00 | Breaking the Access Barrier for Women 00:35 | Introduction: Meet Kanchana Gupta 01:48 | Embracing a "Squiggly" Career Path 03:26 | Finding Common Ground Across Ecosystems 04:21 | Leaving the Corporate Rulebook Behind at 33 06:59 | Art School, Failure, and Finding Her Voice 09:09 | Redefining Success: Who Are You Without Your Title? 11:36 | True Resilience: Navigating a Cancer Diagnosis 13:52 | The Birth of vLookUp During Chemotherapy 19:19 | How vLookUp Democratizes Mentorship 21:46 | Why vLookUp Will Always be Free24:31 | Sponsorship & Branding: What Women Leaders Need Now 29:12 | Unlearning the "Waiting for Permission" Trap 30:46 | The "Five Meters" Rule for Navigating Change 32:00 | Episode Wrap-Up & Takeaways 32:27 | Gift SegmentKanchana Gupta | Founder and CEO of vLookUp.aiKanchana Gupta is the Founder and CEO of vLookUp.ai, a global mentoring platform built to break access barriers for women through technology. With over two decades of cross-functional corporate experience, she has led teams across geographies before intentionally stepping off a traditional career path to explore entrepreneurship, art, and new ways of working. A multidisciplinary visual artist, mentor, and investor, her journey spans corporate leadership, creative reinvention, and community building. Today, she brings these parallel experiences together to champion more inclusive career pathways – enabling women to navigate non-linear journeys with greater clarity, confidence, and access to the right guidance.https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanchana-guptaRitu Mehrish | Founder and Author | ReWrite The RulesRitu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/ https://www.ritumehrish.com/ 

She was building AI before the world even knew what it was.In this episode, I sit down with Ayesha Khanna—from coding complex financial models on Wall Street to founding a leading AI company in Asia, her journey is anything but typical. We get into how she spotted the artificial intelligence wave early, why most companies still struggle with AI adoption, and what it really takes to build AI-powered businesses today.She breaks down how leaders can use generative AI, automation, and machine learning to drive productivity—and why AI won’t replace leadership, but will redefine it.This one goes beyond the hype—real insights on AI tools, future of work, and building a career in AI.IN THIS EPISODE00:00 | Will AI replace your job—or make you more powerful? 02:44 | Simple ways to use AI in your daily work 05:48 | How she built a career in AI before it was a trend 07:18 | What AI companies actually do (and why it matters) 08:18 | Biggest AI myths that are holding you back 09:31 | Why people resist AI—and how to get ahead anyway 11:19 | How AI can unlock your creativity and time 14:44 | AI tools that can 2x your productivity 16:58 | How women leaders can win in the AI era 19:39 | Where to find AI tools that actually help you 21:57 | The human skills AI still can’t replace 24:30 | Should you use AI for content or not? 27:35 | Should your kids be using AI already? 29:34 | The real risks of AI nobody talks about 34:32 | The skills you need to stay relevant in AI37:01 | The AI question that actually matters for your career 39:28 | Mid-career? How to stay relevant (and get ahead) with AI 40:29 | Final takeaway: what to do next with AI todayAyesha Khanna Dr. Ayesha Khanna is a globally recognized AI expert, entrepreneur, and CEO of Addo, helping businesses leverage AI for growth. With 20+ years in digital transformation, she advises Fortune 500 CEOs and serves on global boards, including Johnson Controls and NEOM Tonomus. A graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and the London School of Economics, she spent a decade on Wall Street advising on information analytics.A thought leader in AI, Dr. Khanna has been recognized as a groundbreaking entrepreneur by Forbes, named to Edelman’s Top 50 AI Creators (2025), featured in Salesforce’s 16 AI Influencers to Know (2024), recognized by Reuters as one of the Trailblazing Women in Enterprise AI (2026), and named among LinkedIn’s Top 10 Female Founders in Singapore.Committed to diversity in tech, she founded the charity 21C Girls, which taught thousands of students the basics of AI and coding in Singapore, and currently provides scholarships for mid-career women through her education company Amplify.Ritu Mehrish | Founder and Author | ReWrite The RulesRitu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/ https://www.ritumehrish.com/ 

I met two women who turned a friendship that started in a Hong Kong maternity ward into a global mission. Christine Fellowes, former media CEO and board leader, and April Swando Hu, a Yale engineer turned EdTech entrepreneur, are now co-founders of NINEby9, a nonprofit tackling gender equality, AI, and the future of work in Asia.In this episode of Rewrite the Rules, they share how decades of leadership across Asia led them to research AI and women in the workplace, revealing a surprising gender gap in AI skills and opportunities.We talk about AI careers, leadership, gender equality, and the future of work, and why women could shape the next wave of AI innovation and workplace transformation.Trust me, you’ll want to hear the full story behind NINEby9 and their bold mission to close the gender gap before AI widens it.IN THIS EPISODE00:00 | Meet the Founders Changing Women’s Futures01:26 | Why “Nine by Nine” Matters Now02:36 | The Unexpected Way They Met04:35 | The AI Report Everyone Should Read05:12 | April’s Journey from Engineer to Changemaker06:59 | Christine’s Path to Global Leadership09:06 | The Surprising Truth About Women at Work15:04 | The AI Skills Gap Women Can’t Ignore18:57 | Speed vs Ethics in the AI Workplace19:52 | Asia’s Biggest AI Opportunity22:04 | Why HR Must Become Human Again23:04 | Career Advice for Women 25–3524:40 | Why Your Skills and Network Matter26:05 | Get Sponsors, Not Just Mentors26:43 | Staying Grounded in a Changing World28:32 | The Rule They Chose to Rewrite30:06 | Redefining Success on Your Terms31:18 | What’s Next for Nine by Nine33:16 | Where to Find the AI ReportChristine Fellowes | Founder | NINEby9Christine is an accomplished global business leader and public company board director with three decades of experience driving growth for Fortune 500 multinationals in media, technology and consumer services.Christine is the Co-founder and Chair of NINEby9, and currently serves as a Non-Executive Board Director of National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB) and leading property investment and development company, Guocoland Group (SGX:F17), listed on the Singapore Exchange. She previously served on the Board of Directors of technology company VIQ Solutions Inc (TSX:VQS), listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Christine also serves on the Board of Directors of the University of Western Australia Business School.April Swando Hu | Founder | NINEby9April Swando Hu is an impact entrepreneur and community builder with 30 years of experience in Asia. Merging a family legacy of education with a background in science and leadership, she works to democratize access to impact education and sustainable energy. She founded Youth Leaders Davos, a global youth forum held during the World Economic Forum and drives the adoption of Chinese hydrogen fuel cell technology globally. In 1992, April established the Zigen Fund, providing 200,000 scholarships to girls in rural China. She also co-founded NINEby9, researching gender equality and the impact of AI on the Asian workplace.Ritu Mehrish | Founder and Author | ReWrite The RulesRitu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.

She once asked women to be shameless… and that’s exactly where this conversation begins.In this episode, I sit down with a woman who’s moved seamlessly from public service to corporate leadership at Mastercard, and then into shaping women’s leadership across Asia.We talk about confidence without apology, speaking up without shouting, and why power skills—not “soft skills”—are what really shape leaders today.She shares what she’s learned working across sectors, building women leaders, and bringing men in as true allies—not by theory, but by practice.If you care about women in leadership, board diversity, career transitions, or building real influence at work and at home, this one will stay with you.IN THIS EPISODE00:30 | Why Women Should be “Shameless” at Work06:18 | Speaking Up Without Being Labeled Difficult07:55 | How She Moved Across Sectors Without Losing Momentum11:01 | The Skills She Had to Learn—and Unlearn—to Grow15:39 | Why Male Allies Matter More Than We Admit20:20 | Board Diversity: Why Targets Beat Quotas25:25 | Raising Daughters Who Aren’t Afraid to Fail30:13 | The Gender Expectations We Still Don’t Talk About36:27 | The One Rule She’s Truly RewrittenGeorgette Tan Adamopoulos | Board Member | United Women SingaporeExperienced Board Member at a number of NGOs focused on women’s empowerment, gender equality and education. Experienced Senior Vice President Communications with a demonstrated history of working in the technology and services industry and non-profit sector. Strong media and communication professional skilled in Marketing Strategy, Corporate Reputation, Organisational Communications and Management. A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, and women’s empowerment. Ritu Mehrish | Founder and Author | ReWrite The RulesRitu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/ https://www.ritumehrish.com/