As the driving force behind Accenture’s external talent strategy group across the Asia Pacific, India and Japan region, Sue-Ann Yong has redefined the landscape of contingent or external talent workforce strategy. With a career spanning over two decades, she has garnered expertise in talent acquisition and workforce optimization.

Bringing in talent from other countries became an impossibility due to closed borders during the pandemic, so Yong developed creative solutions to address talent shortages. She conceptualized and drove customized trainings, partnering with preferred suppliers to meet the specific needs of Accenture’s projects.

Hundreds of talented individuals were onboarded onto Accenture projects after completing training programs designed to upskill and prepare them for diverse roles. Yong’s team worked with supplier partners and Accenture project leads to select right-fit candidates in order to hit target onboarding numbers.

Training was provided in technical skillsets but also in presentation and communication skills, and on-the-job training was given in some cases to immerse individuals in a project environment while being trained in a particular skill. The combination of training approaches enabled individuals to be effective on their projects on day one.

By listening to stakeholders and working with partner suppliers to quickly adapt, innovate and develop ideas, Yong not only strengthened the company’s talent pipeline but has also solidified Accenture’s position as a trailblazer in talent acquisition and management.