While taking first steps in her career, Lucine Ovumyan, a lawyer by education, could never have imagined that years later she would become a top manager of Japan Tobacco International (part of the JT Group), whose brands are sold in more than 130 markets around the world.

Lucine was appointed to the position of Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications in September 2021.

Speaking with Banks.am, Lucine shared her formula for success and unveiled the secret to effective management of transnational teams.

From lawyer to top manager

Lucine was born in Moscow, graduated with honours from the Law faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University, and later continued her education at the University of Manchester, obtaining Master’s in Business Law.

Lucine began her career at the Moscow office of an American law firm then decided to expand her experience and work as a corporate lawyer. For this, in 2001, she joined the legal department of the British tobacco company Gallaher Group in Moscow.

After the acquisition of the Gallaher Group by Japan Tobacco in 2007, Lucine was appointed Vice President of Legal Affairs for JTI Russia.

 
“I always say that I was lucky, but of course, it would have been nearly impossible to reach that position through luck alone,” Lucine said with a smile.

“For me, the key to success is hard work on the one hand, and dedication to the company and work on the other - when you do your work with love and are fully immersed in it,” she added.

Not to be limited to immediate responsibilities

Lucine has taken on various roles throughout her career and believes it is essential not to limit oneself to the immediate responsibilities of a position.

“If there is an opportunity to do more and acquire new skills, I am always ready for it. In the end, your contributions will undoubtedly return to you,” Lucine emphasized.

After a few years at JTI Russia, a career promotion took Lucine to Geneva, where JTI’s headquarters are located. There she began managing the Corporate Affairs and Communications for the Eastern European region.

“This region encompasses 27 countries, including Armenia. Since then, I have started visiting Armenia more often, not only for vacations, but also for work. Visiting the country has always been, and continues to be, a great pleasure for me” Lucine said.

Moving into a new field immediately after law was a completely new phase for Lucine. She emphasized that her legal education and many years of work experience in the industry helped a lot in overcoming the challenges. She remained in that position for more than four years, before continuing her career journey eastward.

The summer that lasted two years

In 2019, Lucine Ovumyan was appointed to the position of General Manager of JTI Singapore, appearing in a completely new environment.

“Adapting to the climate was the hardest. In Singapore, it is always summer - hot and humid. Sometimes your thoughts get mixed up when you want to refer to last winter or last summer when talking about something, but you cannot, because summer is always there,” Lucine recalled with a smile.

In Singapore, Lucine’s team was multinational, including locals as well as employees from Ukraine, Korea, Poland, and other countries.

“I had a great team there. Together we were able to overcome quite difficult problems,” she said. Lucine worked in this position for two and a half years.

The secret to working effectively with teams

After Singapore, Lucine returned to Geneva, expecting that she might take on a leadership role in another country’s branch. However, the company had different plans for her.

In September 2021, Lucine Ovumyan became JTI’s Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications and became a member of the company’s Executive Committee.

In this position, Lucine’s functions are divided into several key areas. Primarily, she is responsible for communication with regulators. Her team presents the company’s vision on tobacco sector issues to governments, helps to implement effective excise policies that allows reducing the illegal tobacco trade globally.

In addition to the mentioned, Lucine manages both external and internal communication of the company. Her team includes dozens of employees around the world. When asked whether it is difficult to bring together such a large number of individuals from various cultures, Lucine responded:

“They are indeed very different people - representatives of different nations with different traditions and worldviews, also with completely different living conditions. But, paradoxically, despite all these differences, people are actually very similar, and at JTI we are united by common values and mutual respect. When there is cultural awareness and respect for each other’s differences, problems in communication will never arise.”

Support for communities

Lucine Ovumyan is also responsible for the implementation of corporate social responsibility initiatives, within the framework of which the company invests significantly in programs that both improve people’s lives and contribute to the preservation and development of culture.

“If a disaster occurs anywhere in the world, we direct our funds primarily to mitigate its impact. Our community investments include support for various vulnerable groups: people with disabilities, the elderly, socially disadvantaged people.”

JTI currently implementing more than 500 community programs that contribute to the development of inclusive and sustainable societies across almost 70 countries. These initiatives, developed in close collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, are aligned with JT Group Community Investment Policy, ensuring that each program is tailored to the unique needs of the communities where JTI operates.

Company’s efforts focus on three key areas: reducing inequalities, improving community resilience in disaster-prone areas, protecting the environment. One of the most vivid examples of such activities is Global WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) initiative, which has the ambitious goal of providing access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene for one million people by the end of 2025.

“In Armenia, we have been supporting the Armenian Caritas charity foundation for over a decade, focusing on assisting the elderly and socially vulnerable groups, particularly, in the northeastern city of Gyumri, which has still not fully recovered from the devastating earthquake of 1988. In the cultural sphere, we have been proud supporters of the Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts and the Sergei Parajanov Museum for more than 10 years, contributing to their institutional development, numerous publications and the enrichment of their exhibit collections. Additionally, we also finance the purchase of materials for the restoration of manuscripts, lighting equipment and maintaining the necessary climate conditions. We are very proud of this cooperation, as these institutions play a vital role in the cultural life of Armenia,” says Lusine.

The joy of being a part of success

JTI brands are sold in more than 130 markets around the world, the company employes over 46,000 people from about 130 nations.

Despite her international career, Lucine always has a strong sense of Armenian identity and connection with Armenia. This connection has been reinforced by her upbringing in a family that upholds the Armenian value system.

 
“We often had guests from Armenia at our house in Moscow, and my mother always prepared traditional Armenian dishes. I remember that every time my parents picked me up from kindergarten, I would always ask, ‘Who is visiting us today?’, and I would feel quite disappointed if we did not have any guests that day,” she recalled.

Although expanding functions and responsibilities, along with career advancement, require more effort and time, Lucine’s experience helps her to properly manage her day and find the best balance between personal life and work.

“Meetings with different people constantly enrich our lives. Interactions like these are among my favorite parts of the job. Reflecting on the past 25 years of the company’s journey, 23 of which I have been a part of, I am happy to have contributed to our success. And this is the greatest motivation to keep moving forward,” Lucine Ovumyan concluded.

Gaiane Yenokian