Making a difference as a Chief Happiness Officer

Ever wondered what life would be like if your company had a Chief Happiness Officer?

Ms Meryl Zucco's colleagues will be more than happy to tell you how the 28-year-old made sure that the winner of fitness challenges to boost morale during the pandemic got a real-time, surprise home visit from the CEO to deliver an award during a company-wide Zoom meeting.

Going the extra mile drives Ms Zucco, graduate of ESSEC Business School and current APJ Partner Marketing Manager at VMware. French-born, Singapore-based and a triathlete, she has covered great distances both as a businesswoman and as a sportswoman, reflecting her dual commitments to building connections between people and living a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

Ms Meryl Zucco representing VMware APAC at Dell Tech World 2022 in Las Vegas, USA. Photo: Meryl Zucco

"I always grew up close to nature and the environment. Today, I make sure this is part of how we do our business, helping our customers reduce their carbon footprint while transforming the lives of the people we encounter - oftentimes tapping on technologies and bringing to life new uses and capabilities."

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Ms Zucco's firm commitment to creating mutual understanding and collaboration between people springs from her own personal journey.

She studied and interned in four countries during her stint at ESSEC from 2011-15. She completed two exchange programmes: the first at Emory University in Atlanta, the United States, where she worked on a consulting project for Coca-Cola; the second at Tongji University in Shanghai, China, where she worked part-time at a French wine shop, localising French culture for Chinese people. She also had multiple internships which took her to Oman, Guadeloupe and Switzerland.

"I loved the open-mindedness that is part of the programme. It has a highly international aspect, and I was introduced to many different cultures," she says.

These experiences ultimately took her to Singapore as part of a team setting up an Asia office for a Swiss bank to help them in their digital and IT transformation. Among some examples of business metrics and success factors she put in place, she set up "lunch and learn" events bringing together team members to have conversations with one another.

Creating connections

This knack for building bridges is something Ms Zucco attributes to her ESSEC experience. As the eldest of a four-child family, she knew the importance of cooperation from her childhood, but at ESSEC she learnt to do effective group work.

"Nobody can do anything without other people," she notes. "You need to be good at building relationships - giving as well as receiving; developing empathy and understanding; stepping into others' shoes."

Hence as Chief Happiness Officer in the companies she has worked for, she has created programmes to improve employee satisfaction, motivation and overall well-being.

Ms Zucco also wears the mentor's hat.

"I'm here to help you ask yourself the right questions, so you can move in the right direction," she says. "It is important to ask for help when you need it, as we are all works in progress."

Sustainability

Your body is an integral part of who you are, believes Ms Zucco. Thus, knowing yourself - your body - is essential to making the most of your life. "Our body is smarter than any AI, any software. It can be super powerful," she adds.

She eats a plant-based diet that not only protects the planet, but also increases her energy levels.

Ms Zucco also creates recipes for start-ups that rescue "ugly foods" (produce that is not aesthetically appealing) to help them promote their company and attract customers. At work, she proposed that her company support a charity working with women in rural Indonesia to develop more sustainable farming practices, and she focused on having this engagement gain traction globally to bring about awareness.

The bottom line for Ms Zucco? "Keep learning 365 days a year. Never stop pushing yourself. Speak up, ask questions and listen to the answers."

Which means everyone, too, can aim to be his or her own Chief Happiness Officer - by being open to others, building connections and taking care of the body and the planet.