Sonita Lontoh

I attribute my success to curiosity, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to learning. That curiosity has carried me from being an individual contributor to leading at the C-suite and boardroom level. As a first-generation immigrant from Indonesia who came to the United States alone as a teenager, I developed a global perspective and adaptability that have shaped the way I approach leadership and problem-solving.

I am also grateful for the support of my husband, my parents, who instilled in me the value of education, and the many mentors and sponsors who guided and encouraged me throughout my career. I believe success is built not only through individual effort but also through the people who believe in us and help create opportunities along the way.

The most meaningful lessons I have learned came from watching the people who shaped my life. Growing up in Indonesia, I was inspired by my mother, considered a triple minority, and belonged to a generation when women were often expected to follow more traditional paths. She challenged those expectations by becoming a successful entrepreneur while demonstrating that ambition and kindness are not opposing qualities—they are complementary strengths. Her confidence, resilience, and generosity showed me that leadership is about creating new possibilities, regardless of your circumstances. I have also been deeply influenced by my husband, whose unwavering support has been a constant throughout my professional journey. During my years as a global executive, I traveled extensively and led complex organizations through periods of transformation, and his encouragement and partnership made it possible for me to pursue those opportunities. The lesson I carry forward is that success is rarely achieved alone. It is built through the support of people who believe in us, encourage our ambitions, and walk alongside us through challenges and growth.

Build genuine fluency in your field through years of experience. Treat your career journey like a marathon, not a sprint. Over time, develop a distinctive and relevant point of view, and share that point of view. Be deliberate in finding both mentors and sponsors. Mentors are people you can talk to, exchange ideas and ask for advice. Sponsors, on the other hand, are those who talk about you and advocate for you in rooms that you may not be in. In addition, as you continue to grow in your own leadership journey, also invest in mentoring and sponsoring others. Remember leadership is not a solo journey so mentor and sponsor others as you advance.

The biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity are the same thing: artificial intelligence is moving faster than our systems for governing it. Most boards were built for an episodic governance — you meet a few times a year, you review what happened, you plan for what's next. But AI doesn't wait for the calendar. By the time a risk surfaces in a quarterly deck, the landscape has already shifted beneath you. I describe the change we need as a move toward continuous governance — from oversight that happens a handful of times a year to a posture of ongoing awareness and engagement.

The challenge is real. There are lags in how quickly boards receive information, how quickly they learn, and how quickly they can decide and act. Closing those lags is some of the most important work in governance today. But the opportunity is extraordinary. We are, right now, deciding what role this technology will play in human life — in how we work, how we live, how we care for one another. Those choices aren't being made only in research labs. They're being made in boardrooms, in the questions directors choose to ask.

I've always believed in technology for humanity, not the other way around. The organizations that earn trust in this era will be the ones that treat AI not merely as a source of efficiency but as something to be steered with intention — with fairness, transparency, safety, and accountability. Getting that right is the defining leadership challenge of our time, and I find it genuinely energizing to be working at the center of it.

Integrity is the value that guides me most, especially in the boardroom. Reputation is built over many years through consistent actions, and once trust is lost, it can be difficult to restore. I believe how we lead matters just as much as what we accomplish because leaders leave a lasting impact on the people and organizations they influence.

I also believe in pursuing work at the intersection of passion, skills, and purpose. When those three elements come together, it creates a deeper sense of fulfillment and allows us to make a meaningful difference.