From Small Town to Scientific Success: Mei Gan’s Journey at P&G SgIC

3 pictures of Mei Gan: 1) Mei Gan at the office, holding the Zzzquil products she helped to launch. 2) Mei Gan against a backdrop of foliage, smiling at the camera. 3) Mei Gan playing a piano duet with her husband

February 17, 2023

Meet Mei Gan, a senior scientist on the Personal Healthcare team at P&G Singapore Innovation Center (SgIC).

As a child, Mei helped her parents run a general merchandise store in a small town in Malaysia. They emphasized the value of education and provided her with scientific toys and a wide variety of books. Mei's drive to excel in school landed her a spot in a chemical engineering program at National University of Singapore, which eventually led to a coveted role as a researcher at the SgIC.

For the past three years Mei has been the technical leader for #ZzzQuil Natura, a range of sleep supplements, which is a completely new product category for P&G in Asia.

Launching a new product category is a daunting task, made more challenging by the fact that they started off as a very small team. “My first onboarding meeting was with a manager 3 levels up, and it went something like, ‘Welcome! How can we make this happen?’” she recalls.

Mei's strong internal drive, coupled with her passion for science, allowed her to quickly become an expert on sleep and melatonin, despite having no prior experience in the field.

Still, there were periods of uncertainty. “I remember asking myself, ‘Are we going to be able to make this happen?’ Innovation is hardly ever picture perfect – for every success, there are a group of people who work really hard to resolve challenges,” she reflects.

So it was no small triumph when Vicks ZzzQuil Natura finally launched in India. The non-addictive sleep aid comes in the form of a gummy that contains a blend of melatonin + Vitamin B6. It has been well received in India, where a national sleep survey found that only 15% of Indians on average get good sleep at night.

Mei's story is an inspiration to all of us, especially those who come from humble beginnings. At P&G, we're committed to fostering a culture that values and invests in our employees. If you're looking for a company that supports your growth and development, look no further than P&G. Join our team today and be part of an organization that believes in you.

#personalhealthcare