Disney executive on moving to S’pore, meeting S’poreans & helping young leaders

Savita Iyer’s journey has taken her across continents: born in India, she moved to the U.S. at the age of 10, later spending a few years in Sweden and then nearly a decade in China before settling in Singapore.

In the past 17 years with The Walt Disney Company, Iyer has held regional roles in business development and finance, bringing together business insights and a deep understanding of various markets.

It was only when she landed a new role within the company in 2020 that eventually brought her and her family to Singapore — the latest stop in a global career.

Speaking to Mothership, Iyer tells us about her experiences contributing to Singapore and mentoring younger Singaporeans.

Paying it forward with mentorship

For an experienced leader like Iyer, leadership is about keeping people engaged and helping them see the value in what they do.

“Working with people in Singapore, they understand that the domestic market is small so they’re always thinking about opportunities to grow globally,” she said.

Iyer recognises the importance of supporting younger leaders, and believes that every generation is shaped by their own context and worldview.

Reflecting this commitment beyond her day job at the Walt Disney Company, she joined the Singapore Leaders Network (SGLN) as a mentor in 2024 and has since guided several young professionals through six-month mentorships.

On some Saturdays, she’s also actively engaged with Phoenixus, a network of women professionals passionate about nurturing the next generation of female leaders while supporting underprivileged women and children in the community.

Thinking back, Iyer says her younger self would have greatly benefitted from mentorship — which is why she now feels compelled to “help people come along,” particularly those just starting out.

“I couldn't have gotten here without the help of lots of people along the way. If I'm in this fortunate place in my life, I need to pay it forward.”

SGLN mentorship programme

Through SGLN, Iyer mentors mid-career professionals — those with over a decade of experience, a background in management, and aspirations to step into regional or global leadership roles.

Rather than following a rigid structure, her mentorship takes place through informal one-on-one sessions.

She lets her mentees shape the conversations, whether by exploring a single theme in depth over six months or tackling a different focus in each meeting.

During the sessions, Iyer starts by listening. Really listening. Then she asks lots of questions to help her mentees gain clarity on what they hope to achieve.

“I shouldn't tell them what to do, because it's not a mentor's job to tell them what to do. It's to help them come to their own conclusion.”

That approach seems to resonate. Even after the formal mentorship ended, one of her mentees returned to seek her advice on a dilemma she was facing.

“It meant a lot to me that she got something out of the programme and that she felt comfortable enough to reach out to me. Sometimes you just need that support from someone. I was happy that I was able to do that for her.”

How mentors like Iyer offer unique perspectives

Yeo Sueann joined the pioneer batch of SGLN’s mentorship programme in 2024, hoping to learn from a mentor with global management experience.

Yeo, who is from investment organisation EQT Group, was transitioning into a Managing Director role as the Head of Asia-Pacific Private Wealth Client Relations and Capital Raising.

“Now I have to manage people across countries with different cultures, time zones, and societal nuances,” Yeo said.

Iyer, as Yeo’s mentor, complemented her existing knowledge and skills by offering fresh global perspectives — something Yeo especially appreciated, having lived and worked in Singapore all her life.

Conversations with Iyer encouraged Yeo to take a step back and develop a deeper appreciation of Singapore. For instance, hearing about Iyer’s experiences working and living abroad reminded her not to take things like safety and reliability for granted at home.

Iyer’s ability to adapt to various work cultures has also been insightful to Yeo, in navigating the working styles and decision-making processes of various cultures.

In addition, Yeo valued hearing from Iyer as a woman leader juggling professional development alongside motherhood.

“I focus a lot on my career, and so I have yet to set up a family… I think working mums have it very difficult in general, and that's a challenge that career women face,” she said.

Even though their mentorship period has concluded, Yeo tells us that they still catch up regularly through SGLN events and occasional texts.

“We’re very, very happy here”

In the past three years, Iyer has grown to appreciate Singapore’s cultural diversity — the food, the festivals, and the mix of traditions that her family gets to experience.

“Singapore is so multicultural, it’s quite easy to find a lot of friends and hobby groups,” Iyer said.

During the weekends, she enjoys exploring a new park or a hawker centre with her young son. They usually take the bus because it’s “easy to get around”, she tells us, even for those with children.

She also values the sense of safety her family feels living here.

Each experience abroad, she says, offers a chance to learn more about herself, and she remains open to whatever new lessons come her way.

But in the meantime: “We are very, very happy here. I could see myself staying for a long time.”

This sponsored article by the Ministry of Manpower highlights how foreign professionals have contributed to Singapore in unique ways.

Top photo composite image from Savita Iyer