By SGN | 2 Sep 2025
Every morning in her Manhattan apartment near Central Park, JuE Wong starts her day by deliberately doing everything that has nothing to do with business.
She exercises for 20 minutes regardless of weather, walks two miles, and uses this time for something most would avoid: imagining worst-case scenarios.
“During those times, I’m thinking, what if I open my email and the first thing I see is a disaster? What would I do?” says Wong, who has led six companies as President and CEO since 2009. “I’m always scenario-planning in my head.”
This unconventional morning routine reflects the mindset that has made Wong one of the most successful executives in America—someone who has turned uncertainty from a liability into her greatest asset.
Surviving 10 years as a commodities trader
Wong’s journey began in Singapore’s male-dominated commodities trading world, where she forged her path from soft to hard commodities trader at Cargill. In those early days, she learned a harsh but valuable lesson.
“Every day, my books get closed. And every day I’m either a hero or a zero.” The trading floor was unforgiving territory. . “We had seven people at the start. By the time I left in year 7, I was the only one left standing,” she recalls. But rather than breaking her spirit, this crucible forged the resilience that would define her career.
It was also in Singapore where Wong learned her first pivotal lesson about asking for what you want. When she decided to resign from Cargill after just 18 months to pursue opportunities in Hong Kong, her boss challenged her reasoning.
Instead of accepting her resignation, he asked: “What is it that you want?” When Wong explained her desire to move to Hong Kong and run a trading program, he surprised her: “If that’s all you want, you can make it happen.” “You realize sometimes you ask, and you may receive,” Wong reflects.
“And obviously, you have to deliver.”
Moving from commodities to lead Olaplex
Wong’s most visible success came when she joined Olaplex as CEO on January 8, 2020—just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down salons worldwide. With 50% of their business in professional salons, many would have seen this as a death sentence. Instead, Wong saw opportunity.
“I love uncertainty. I love risk,” Wong says matter-of-factly. “The first 10 years of my career, I was a commodities trader. That’s very hard because you may have all the facts, data and info and still not have the best outcome. But then you must learn to move on.” Over time, she discovered that her tolerance for volatility gave her a clear edge—uncertainty acts as a natural filter, discouraging many and narrowing the field for those bold enough to persist.
Under her leadership, Olaplex grew from a $145 million company and was closing in to half a billion. In 2021 it was the 13th largest company to IPO on NASDAQ, valued at $15 billion after IPO.
Her secret? Embracing what others flee from.
“I told my team, it’s not the end of the world. If there was any group of people that can turn this around, it would be us, primarily because I have 30 hairdressers who know the pulse of the industry.” Wong transformed the 30 hairdressers others might have laid off into powerful brand educators and content creators. “I tap into people’s strength. I know that everybody has their superpower and everybody has something unique about them that I don’t have,” she explains. “Therefore together, we are definitely stronger.”
And when her IT team was having challenges for Olaplex to update Shopify with an affiliate program for direct- to -professional sales, Wong took matters into her own hands.
She called Shopify directly and, when asked if she was an engineer, replied “Yes” and recorded their instructions on her phone to pass along to her team. This hands-on approach, combined with the authentic advocacy of her hairdresser employees who became content creators and brand evangelists, drove remarkable growth.
The company at that time had a library of user-generated content that equated to billions of dollars and earned media value equivalent to 30% of marketing spend—while actually spending only single-digit of revenue on marketing at that time.
Pragmatic Optimism: The Leadership Style That Crosses Continents
From Hong Kong to London to New York, JuE Wong carried with her a distinctly Singaporean mindset—pragmatic, people-focused, and rooted in meritocracy. “In Singapore, you didn’t have the luxury to think that being a woman meant anyone should cut you slack,” she reflects.
That early conditioning shaped her direct yet tactful leadership style: one that sets high expectations but also supports others to rise.
Today, Wong remains grounded in the values she grew up with—giving back and lifting others as she climbs. “I remember every pivotal moment where I have been given the opportunity because somebody lent a helping hand and somebody actually believed in me and gave me a chance,” she says. “So I do the same thing for deserving individuals. For Wong, success isn’t just about the numbers, it’s also about creating value, jobs, and opportunities for others.
The Central Park Formula: Worst-Case Scenarios, Best-Case Results
JuE Wong’s journey from a Singapore trading floor to the executive suites of America proves that with the right mindset, uncertainty becomes opportunity, and challenges become competitive advantages.
Her morning routine of imagining worst-case scenarios while walking through Central Park isn’t pessimism—it’s preparation. And in a world of constant change, preparation paired with Singapore’s pragmatic optimism might just be the ultimate formula for success.
As Wong often tells her teams: “Be prepared for the worst, and execute swiftly.” It’s a philosophy that has served her well across six CEO roles and shows no signs of slowing down. Her story reminds us that sometimes the best way to create a seat at the table is to bring your own chair—or as she puts it, make one if there’s none available.
About JuE
JuE Wong is Chief Executive Officer and Executive Board Member at Olaplex Inc. Prior to her current role, she held senior leadership and CEO positions at global businesses including Mitr Phol Group, PepsiCo, The Dial Corporation (now part of Henkel), Elizabeth Arden and Moroccanoil.
Today, JuE serves as Board Director to Kyra Beauty and Mila Moursi Advanced Skin Care, and Advisor to Versicolor Technologies.
Connect with her here.
