People of Suntory Global Spirits: Shelly Liao

People of Suntory Global Spirits: Shelly Liao

Shelly Liao’s nine-year journey at Suntory Global Spirits is a story of transformation and growth. Starting in Brand Marketing, Shelly then moved to Trade Marketing before finding her current role as an Account Manager in Sales. In this role, Shelly oversees one of our most significant customer accounts, 7-ELEVEN in Taiwan.

For Shelly, challenges like career pivots are not obstacles, but rather opportunities to grow, approaching them with curiosity and determination.

“Each role has been a stepping stone, equipping me with tools to tackle new challenges. What I’ve learned is that stepping out of your comfort zone doesn’t mean starting from zero…it’s a chance to build on what you already know and grow even further. Over time, I’ve moved from simply accepting change, to embracing it and eventually welcoming it.”

Shelly’s dedication and impact have not gone unnoticed. In 2024, she was honored as the Top Employee in Taiwan, a recognition that she describes as humbling and deeply meaningful.

“In the past, I’ve also nominated some amazing colleagues for the Top Employee award. Looking at my own experience and those of other outstanding colleagues, I think what we all have in common is that we always put the success of the project and the team first. No matter what kind of project we were given, we always gave our best effort as one team. True success comes from working together.”

Being a Top Employee, however, does not come without significant growth and development. Shelly believes that being open-minded and proactive has been essential to her success, especially in her current role.

“I never thought I could become a salesperson. I didn’t have any sales experience, and I wasn’t a very talkative person. After stepping into sales, I slowly started to unlock skills that I never knew I had within me by keeping an open mind and just going for it. What used to make me nervous has now become something I enjoy. If you have a specific role or direction you’d like to develop in the company, be proactive and take action. When the right opportunity comes, people will know you’re ready to take on the challenge.”

Want to learn more about Shelly? In our video interview, she shares how running helps her stay grounded, her most memorable Gemba experiences and the personal mantra behind her Yatte Minahare spirit.

Watch our video interview to see how Shelly continues to inspire brilliance, one step—and one bold moment—at a time.