【Article by IMES】
(October 29, 2025) — On a pleasant autumn evening, Ms. Lora Ho, ESG Committee Chairperson and former Senior Vice President of Human Resources at TSMC, returned to her alma mater, National Chengchi University (NCCU), to share her insights in a talk titled “My Journey of Growth: Balancing Work, Life, and Purpose.”

The event, jointly organized by the IMBA and IMES programs, was initiated by Professor S.H. Lee, marking his final semester of teaching after 22 years of dedicated service to the IMBA program. 

Wearing an elegant Tang-style outfit and a gentle smile, Lora began with warmth and humor: “When I was a student, I joined every club and every competition—even failed accounting once—but I never regretted those years. College is a time to explore who you are.”

Rather than speaking as a “corporate controller”, she spoke as a senior alumna and friend. Her message was simple yet profound: “Explore yourself. Find what you love. That’s the most valuable investment in life.”

Reflecting on her 26-year journey at TSMC—from Chief Financial Officer to Head of Human Resources—Lora shared lessons on transformation, courage, and leadership. “I spent twenty years managing numbers, and later learned to manage people,” she said. She emphasized that human resources should not be seen as administrative work but as the soul of an organization: “Talent is the most important asset. HR’s mission is to help people grow and help the company find direction.”

She also spoke candidly about leadership and fear: “At first, I was even afraid of Dr. Morris Chang,” she laughed, “but later I realized that respect isn’t fear—it’s a reminder to keep improving.”

On women’s leadership, Lora encouraged female students to overcome self-doubt: “Sometimes the glass ceiling isn’t above us—it’s within us. Break through it, and the world becomes bigger.”

At the age of 45, Lora began to ask herself, “What legacy can I leave for the world?” From that point on, she focused on environmental protection and education, establishing scholarships, supporting students, and assisting underprivileged communities. During the 2009 global financial crisis, she met an environmental activist known as the “Old Tree Mother,” who had nearly gone bankrupt protecting a century-old tree. Lora not only helped her overcome the crisis but also established a foundation to continue her environmental work. “Those old trees reminded me that growth should be slow but deep,” she reflected.

Perhaps her most moving project is the reconstruction of a disused Catholic church in her hometown, the “Chapel of Angels,” which she undertook with her husband over a ten-year period. Today, the church serves not only as a place of worship but also hosts charity concerts, youth programs, and local community activities. 

Throughout her talk, she returned again and again to the theme of balance: discipline with gentleness, humility and self-confidence. Her daily ritual of photographing each sunrise, she said, is “a reminder that every day begins with hope.”

As the evening drew to a close, she left the audience with three phrases that defined her leadership philosophy: “Why not? So what? Let’s go.” And, quoting Tagore, she added softly: “Live yourself as a light, because you don’t know, who by thy light, out of darkness.”

The talk concluded with an intimate fireside dialogue between Lora and Professor Lee, where both reflected on honesty, respect, and the courage to speak truth to power. For many students, it was more than a lecture—it was a quiet illumination on how to live with purpose, integrity, and compassion.