#ClouderaLife Employee Spotlight: Meet Josephine Tan, Cloudera’s Senior Director, Human Resources, APAC

At Cloudera, we pride ourselves on fostering an environment focused on employee well-being and professional growth. At the end of 2025, that commitment was recognized as several Cloudera offices earned Best Places to Work honors—including the Singapore office, a close-knit and highly connected team. One of the team members fueling that success is Josephine Tan, Senior Director, Human Resources for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

Approaching her sixth year with the company, Josephine is proud to share the firm foundation of the Singapore office’s culture. “When a culture is strong, that’s where trust within the team grows,” she shared. “We empower people; there’s this level of trust and honesty.”

This time of year, the office looks forward to celebrating both big and small wins, whether it’s the end of a quarter or the start of the Lunar New Year. “You work hard, you play hard, and that’s very much what the Singapore team believes.”

Let’s take a moment to get to know Josephine Tan better, explore her journey with Cloudera, and discover how the Lunar New Year is bringing the Singapore office together at the start of this new season.

Meet Josephine Tan 

Josephine joined Cloudera in March 2020, mere days before lockdown took effect. At that time, she not only had to learn the ropes of a new job but also navigate an entirely uncharted professional landscape, as business was conducted online. “Luckily, a growth mindset is part of Cloudera’s DNA.”

She is dedicated to leading the region’s people strategy with a warm focus on nurturing talent, fostering a positive culture, and supporting organizational growth. She always keeps the community at the heart of everything she does.

“What drives employees in Singapore is one objective, one goal. It’s all about the power of ‘we.’” This credo is Josephine’s North Star. “I believe in growing the team’s expertise.”

For Josephine, her role in HR is truly about inspiring progress: “I see this as a place where I can make a difference. HR is not all about maintenance, it’s about making possible change happen.”

Her commitment to driving actionable change shows up in both her professional and extracurricular life. Even outside of work, she prioritizes philanthropic efforts and public service: “In my free time, I will ask myself: how can I give back to the community?” It’s a question that defines her approach to leadership and lifestyle, rooted in impact and meaning.

Singapore’s Collaborative Character

While it may have presented new challenges, the idea of a remote work environment was not an obstacle. Rather, it was a novel opportunity to foster stronger connections with other Clouderans. “We’re so close-knit now because we went from working fully remote to having the luxury of coming back to the office,” she asserts. This shared experience drew the team together, strengthening and reaffirming their dedication to their work.

When asked what makes the Singapore office special, Josephine happily shared, “the people.” She believes this quality comes from the cosmopolitan and welcoming spirit engrained in Singapore. “There are easily five different cultures present in this one small office,” she notes. The diverse makeup of the office fosters a spirit of collaboration and inclusion among teams, which is a big reason why the office has been proudly recognized as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for two consecutive years.

Celebrating The Lunar New Year

This solidarity shows up in how the workplace comes together and celebrates special occasions, such as the Lunar New Year. “All nationalities are welcome to celebrate, and we embrace that,” Josephine said. One of the Singapore office’s favorite Lunar New Year activities is the prosperity salad toss, or Yu Sheng. People gather to toss mixed ingredients like shredded vegetables, crackers, and raw fish high in the air while shouting auspicious phrases. “It’s like having turkey at Christmas,” she explained, a holiday tradition that symbolizes abundance and vigor.

Clouderans in Singapore also celebrate the holiday with festive activities such as decorating the office, exchanging oranges as gifts, and enjoying a special quarter-end lunch, where the prosperity toss salad is often the star. They also have fun dressing up to match the theme, “We dress in denim with a touch of gold or red. Red is an auspicious color for the Lunar New Year.”

Josephine attributes part of her office’s camaraderie to hosting activities like this—an example of how Cloudera leadership globally supports initiatives as part of the company’s commitment to inclusive, locally led culture-building. Lunar New Year values such as renewal, reunion, and recognition are reflected in this way at Cloudera Singapore: “This is a time to celebrate and express gratitude and appreciation for the time we spent building the business up to this point, to reinforce our shared commitment, and to look forward to a new chapter.”

Closing Thoughts

Josephine’s dedication to service and her community exemplify Cloudera’s caring, people-centered culture. Her story shows how proactive effort and collaboration lead to meaningful growth and strong bonds. For Josephine, Cloudera is the perfect place to live out these values.

Hear from another Clouderan and explore career opportunities at Cloudera.