2024 Star Women in Convenience winner: Laura Kong

Trade loyalty, engagement and communications manager

JTI-Macdonald Corp.

What do you like most about your job?

Collaborating with colleagues cross-functionally and globally, and witnessing a concept transform into a real program that garners positive feedback. Seeing growth.

What are you most proud of during the last 12-18 months?

I am responsible for managing our trade loyalty website. I had to get this off the ground, starting from scratch. It’s running strong and there has been tremendous growth.

What was the biggest challenge of your career?

Managing the trade loyalty website. This program was initiation by fire. It was a challenge to ensure we adhered to our vision and got retailers behind this program. We had to create processes, generate new ideas and build engaging content. 

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

Be yourself and work hard. 

What excites you most about the future of this channel?

The ability to leverage digital technologies to improve the whole ecosystem of our business.

What will shape the business in the next 5 years?

I have a feeling that artificial intelligence will shape the business in the years to come.