Editor’s note: This story is part of an interview series highlighting women — who make up 40% of the supply chain workforce — shaping logistics, procurement and operations.
Finding a mentor who will speak up and advocate on your behalf is critical for accelerating a supply chain career, according to Olivia Hu, senior director of autonomous trucking and electrification at Uber Freight.
Hu has worked at Uber for more than seven years, starting with business development and strategy before transitioning to leadership roles at Uber Freight, per her LinkedIn profile.
During that time, Hu worked to provide strong results and gain the trust of company leaders. Having such a strong base of mentors and supporters within her network has been key to her career development.
“Make sure to recognize your voice is important and it should be heard."
Olivia Hu
Senior Director of Autonomous Trucking and Electrification, Uber Freight
At its core, finding a mentor requires building a bond of two-way trust, often over a multiyear process, Hu said. She added that leaders want to tap into the talent of “rising stars” with aligned incentives.
“They want to help you and because it ultimately helps them as well,” she said in an interview with Supply Chain Dive.
In Hu’s case, her initial mentor at Uber Freight was her manager. Once he saw that she was equipped to deliver results, he trusted her with more responsibility. This opened up new opportunities, including more engagement with company leadership and invitations to speak at conferences.
But working hard is just one part of the puzzle. Being able to demonstrate and showcase that work so it is visible across the organization is also important, Hu said. This requires speaking up, she said, noting that the person with most control in a room is often the one with the most airtime.
"I would sit there and I'd have all these questions like, ‘Oh, is this really important enough? Does this really matter?’ And ultimately, yes, the answer is yes.”
Olivia Hu
Senior Director of Autonomous Trucking and Electrification, Uber Freight
“Make sure to recognize your voice is important and it should be heard,” Hu said, noting that she has had to overcome self-doubt during her career.
“I would sit there and I'd have all these questions like, ‘Oh, is this really important enough? Does this really matter?’” Hu said. “And ultimately, yes, the answer is yes.”
Given how critical supply chains are to the global economy, by lending her own voice and encouraging other women to do the same, different perspectives can be brought to the table, ultimately making the industry better.
“Without supply chain, there is no economy, essentially,” Hu said. “If we don't include the female voice and the female perspective, then that gets lost to such a crucial part of the economy.”
