Irene Luong, Global Lease Manager @ Apple

Every career path looks different, and sometimes the most rewarding opportunities come from staying curious enough to explore them. Kindred Curiosity sat down with Irene Luong, Global Lease Manager at Apple, whose professional journey has spanned sales, marketing, talent acquisition, workplace planning, and corporate real estate. Throughout our conversation, Irene shares how embracing career pivots, cultivating meaningful relationships, and leading through influence rather than authority have shaped her growth.

Whether you're navigating a professional transition, looking to strengthen your leadership skills, or simply curious about a path in corporate real estate, Irene's insights are a reminder that success is built through continuous learning, adaptability, and the courage to pursue work that genuinely excites you.

1) What is the last thing you were curious about? 

Whether my husband and I are having a boy or girl! 

2) We’re a non-profit focused on empowering women. Could you share which significant female figures (role models, mentors, etc.) have impacted your career and how they’ve shaped who you are today?

Mary Tran was my manager at a staffing agency many years ago. Recognizing that I was young, ambitious, and full of potential, she gave me the chance to explore various roles to discover my interests. This experience sparked my interest in Facilities, eventually guiding me into the Corporate Real Estate Field. She essentially jump-started my career by offering immense support and guidance.

3) Can you tell us what you do as a Global Lease Manager for those who are unfamiliar?

A lease manager is responsible for overseeing the company’s real estate portfolio, tracking important dates, managing financial data, collaborating cross-functionally with other teams to ensure project milestones are met on time, among other duties.

4) What’s your advice for someone who’s interested in breaking into your role as a Global Lease Manager?

For anyone just starting out in the Corporate Real Estate Field, I recommend networking within the industry to gain knowledge and find mentorship. Additionally, there are numerous resources and courses available that can provide guidance, share insights, and help you navigate this career path. Don’t let the lack of “prior real estate experience or certification” hold you back! Please feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn if you’d like to chat more! 

5) You've built a career that spans multiple industries and functions, from sales and marketing to talent acquisition and workplace planning. How did you know when it was time to pivot, and what has guided your career decisions over the years?

That’s the beauty of exploring different industries and roles early on and having the chance to wear multiple hats. It helped me clearly distinguish between what didn't capture my interest and what I truly enjoyed doing, making it easy to pursue that career path. There’s never a wrong time or too late to pivot because when you enjoy what you do, you’ll be more successful and happier. 

6) Your role requires collaborating with people across different teams, countries, and cultures. What have you learned about building trust and working effectively with people who may have very different perspectives or ways of communicating?

At the beginning of my career, this was one of the more challenging aspects of the role because I was collaborating with people across many different teams, countries, and cultures. Over time, a few key lessons have helped me, and I continue to build on them:

1. Stay curious and keep an open, practical mindset - communication and working styles vary widely across cultures and teams, so taking the time to understand other perspectives before jumping to conclusions leads to better collaboration

   
   

2. Be trustworthy and reliable - consistently following through on projects helps build trust and creates a sense of psychological safety, making it easier for colleagues to collaborate with you.

   
   

3. Adapt your communication and collaboration style without losing your authenticity - being flexible in how you engage with others shows respect for their preferences while staying true to your own values, making it easier for everyone to work effectively together. 

7) What's a skill you've developed that wasn't part of your job description but became essential to your success?

A skill that became essential to my success is influencing without authority and stakeholder management. I realized that collaborating with cross-functional teams across different cultures and countries, technical expertise alone wasn’t enough. Success often depended on building trust, understanding different priorities, and finding common ground to move initiatives forward. I learned how to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, adapt my approach to different working styles, and navigate competing priorities while keeping everyone aligned on shared goals. This skill has become just as important as my technical capabilities because it enables me to build strong partnerships, drive collaboration, and deliver results in complex, cross-functional environments. 

8) How do you make the most of your 1:1 meetings with your manager, and how has this approach benefited your career development? Can you share any strategies or practices that might be helpful to optimize these sessions?

I view my 1:1 meetings with my manager as more than just status updates; they are an opportunity to stay aligned, receive actionable feedback, and invest in my professional growth. I use this time to ask thoughtful questions, gain valuable insights, address development areas early, and discuss my long-term career goals. These conversations have also helped create opportunities to take on new responsibilities and stretch assignments that have accelerated my growth and prepared me for future opportunities. 

9) In the next 1-3 years, where do you see yourself headed? Any career aspirations or goals?

I hope to continue growing both technically and professionally by taking on more complex, cross-functional initiatives and expanding my impact beyond my immediate responsibilities. One of my goals is to deepen my expertise while also strengthening my leadership skills, particularly in influencing across teams, mentoring others, and driving projects from strategy through execution. I am also interested in taking on opportunities that challenge me to think more broadly about the business and contribute to decisions that create meaningful value for customers and the organization. Ultimately, I want to lead initiatives, develop others, and make a broader impact. 

10) Is there anything else you'd like to share—whether it's a personal insight, a lesson learned, or something you've experienced—that hasn't come up yet in the questions?

1. A big lesson I’ve learned throughout my career is the importance of staying adaptable and maintaining a growth mindset. No matter how much experience one has, I believe that there’s always something new to learn; whether it’s a different way of solving a problem, working with people from diverse backgrounds, or adapting to changing priorities. 

   
   

2. Relationships matter just as much as technical skills because taking the time to build trust, listening to different perspectives, and supporting others has not only made collaboration more effective but also made work more enjoyable and rewarding. 

   
   

3. Career growth isn’t always linear, some of the most valuable opportunities have come from stepping outside my comfort zone, taking on unfamiliar challenges, and viewing setbacks as learning experiences.

Connect with Irene on LinkedIn