Fil-Canadian author's book tops Amazon's hot new releases

Studying at the prestigious Yale University might have helped prepare top Citibank executive Marie Claire Lim Moore for an uphill climb up the corporate ladder, but her success as one of the highest-ranking female bankers in the global finance sector should not just be attributed to her Ivy League education.

In the 37-year-old Filipina-Canadian banker's own words, there's no one else to credit for her achievements other than her own “fabulous Filipina mother,” Lenore Lim.

Lim Moore treasures her mother's advice so much that she decided to immortalize them in her first book, “Don't Forget the Soap.”

While the 164-page memoir is presented as a compilation of stories from Lim Moore's long journey to the top of the global banking sector, much of its pages contain light-hearted but poignant anecdotes of Mrs. Lim, an early education teacher and artist, teaching her daughter about the importance of having a balanced life.

Since its publication as an e-book on September 10, “Don't Forget the Soap” has quickly shot up to the number one spot in Amazon.com's Parenting and Adult-Child Relationships category and is ranked number 11 on the Women's Biographies list.

In a press release, Lim Moore said her Filipino upbringing and reminders from her mother helped her overcome the challenges faced by immigrants and women in her profession while keeping her feet on the ground.

After spending the early part of her childhood in Canada, Lim Moore moved to New York City and attended the United Nations International School for secondary education and Yale University for college. The Filipina-Canadian executive is currently based in Singapore as the regional head for Citibank's Global Client Banking business in Asia Pacific.

Despite being a successful career woman in her own right, Lim Moore acknowledges in the book that her mother continues to have a strong influence on her, especially when it comes to raising her own two kids.

Lim Moore said that even as she wants to bring up her children as global citizens, she also wants to inculcate in them the “fundamental values” of hard work and humility that she learned as an immigrant.

A book launch for “Don't Forget the Soap” will be held on September 17 at the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue, New York. — KBK, GMA News