Catherine Kong

Strategic Leadership: Spearhead regional quality roadmaps aligned with long-term strategic plans (LTSP) across Asia-Pacific manufacturing hubs. * Operational Excellence: Oversee seasonal inspection planning (AQL), Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA), and self-inspection programs (SIP) to minimize the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ). * Talent Development: Lead, coach, and build talent pipelines for a multinational team of Quality and Technical Specialists across China, Bangladesh, Sril Lanka, Vietnam, and Indonesia. * Vendor Governance: Drive sustainable Quality Management System (QMS) improvements through monthly vendor scorecard governance and rigorous procedural audits. * Digital Transformation: Elevate data analysis and internal quality reporting through the deployment of modern BI dashboards and analytical tools.

Development Quality • Currently lead the technical team overseeing fabric and product development, production, and the QC inspection team in Hong Kong, China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos. • Monitor the team closely to ensure their understanding of customers' products, safety requirements, fitting, and fabric performance. • Utilize technologies such as Optitex 3D, DigiEye, and DigiTouch to enhance autonomy in the region Production Quality • Develop and implement a QMS at vendors to support business strategy and quality targets. • Drive supplier autonomy through the establishment of quality KPIs and a certification process for continuous performance improvement. • Launch monthly quality reports, develop corrective action plans, and implement preventive measures to reduce failure risks. Projects and Collaboration with Other NS Offices • Lead a global QMS digital transformation project, collaborating with the IT department and Next Sourcing offices. • Standardize inspection processes and launch an online inspection booking system and app across multiple offices. • Conduct regular meetings with regional and international technical teams to drive company objectives COP, Sustainability & 3rd Party Lab • Work closely with suppliers and the UK Code of Practice team to ensure compliance with company requirements. • Manage the sustainability of the supply base, including initiatives such as ZDHC, Higg, MMCF, Cotton Policy, and traceability of sustainable materials. • Collaborate with third-party testing labs and licensed brands for new product testing and performance reviews Training and Budget • Provide technical training and guidelines internally for staff and externally to vendors. • Regularly review team structure to align with business needs and departmental budget. • Responsible for budget management, recruitment, training, development, and performance management of the technical and production team.

• Headed up the Technical Development Team from fabric to garment, working closely with the UK team to commercialize products while fulfilling technical requirements. • Managed the Production Team to conduct QMS and Product Safety Audits, ensuring that manufacturers have the right capability and systems to produce the products before setting up new vendors. • Led the regional central hub for QMS, Product Safety, and AQL inspection teams, identifying quality strategies, best practices, and efficient processes for the Far East region, with main production in China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia. • Developed and led various global quality projects, including Supplier Quality Ranking, QMS Certified Auditor Program, and modernized various quality trackers in Bangladesh, India, Turkey, and Sri Lanka. • Initiated and designed world-class QMS and Product Safety audit systems for all product types and implemented a benchmarking process across the business. • In charge of Regional Supplier Certification, including QMS, Product Safety, and AQL training and implementation. • Analysed Quality KPIs for Supplier Quality Ranking to drive improvements in the supply base. • Responsible for the digital transformation of QMS Audit, Product Safety Audit, and AQL inspection. • Established CFS Inspection centres in China and Myanmar to consolidate inspections at the forwarder warehouse, minimizing AQL inspections at factories for better efficiency. • Standardized and upgraded CFS SOP and launched it globally across the business. • Established industry and academic links with reputable universities or organizations to raise standards in quality and innovation.