Meet Michael — Principal Brand Management in Taiwan

Hi Michael, please introduce yourself. What do you do now?  

Hello, my name is Michael. I have been working in the e-commerce industry for almost 8 years. I joined Coupang in 2023 November. My current role is Principal Brand Management, buyer for grocery categories. I negotiate the best price and obtain stable supply for popular products on the market.   

We’re curious to hear more about your journey to Coupang. What attracted you the most?   

In my past experience working in the e-commerce industry, I was required to keep an eye on the status of various channels and understand the development of competitors. Back then, I was impressed by Coupang’s ambition for Taiwan. Compared to the established e-commerce companies I worked for, Coupang’s business model (Rocket Delivery and favorable prices) provides customers with excellent shopping experience while driving the industry. I didn’t want to be an outsider of Coupang’s growth. If I could be part of this start-up’s fast-growing team and reach milestones, it would be an interesting experience which I could take pride in.  

What capabilities are essential for Coupang's Brand Management Team?  

The daily tasks of my role involve dealing with various suppliers. I need to be equipped with negotiating and bargaining skills and achieve goals with strategic communication. In a fast-developing team, everything changes but “change.” To be in the Brand Management team, one needs to adapt to changes, let go of stereotypes and embrace new ideas. Besides, it’s important to stick to one’s goals and “Deliver Results with Grit”.  

What are you looking forward to the most with Coupang? 

Thanks to Brand Managers, we negotiate the best prices for our customers. Maybe customers are already in the habit of shopping in certain ways, but I am positive that in the future, when customers need shopping, the first thing they will do is to turn on the Coupang app. As I mentioned in the beginning, I look forward to Coupang reaching milestones in Taiwan.

Any tips you’d like to share with those who are interested in career opportunities at Coupang?

After joining Coupang, I notice that everyone’s encouraged to achieve targets with innovative ideas and approaches, and there aren’t many rigid SOPs to prevent you from giving full play to your skills. If Coupang is a machine running non-stop, we don’t want anyone just to be a “screw” which is fixed to a single position but a “cog” that connects multiple units. This will improve your teamwork skills and acquire knowledge of different segments of the industry. We are looking for people who are creative and passionate for challenges to join the Brand Management team.