Susie in Shanghai

On Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting with Li Chen, the National Life Science BU Manager at a German company.  She was incredibly intelligent, sweet, and an excellent role model. Seeing women in leadership positions in the life-science arena is so inspiring to me. I wanted to get her perspective on being an executive businesswoman in China, and I learned so much from our conversation. She was extremely interesting, and I hope you all find the interview helpful as well!

Note: the first few questions are standard for all interviews, but then each conversation takes a different path.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your background and the path that led you to your current position.

A: I got my PhD here in China in molecular and biochemistry at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry in the Chinese Academy of Sciences.  I worked on that for five years and then went to the United States to do my post-doc. I spent one year at Yale University and three years at UC Berkeley.  After that I asked myself “should I continue with research and get a position as a professor or should I go another route?” I tried to figure out what my passion was.  My passion for research was failing and I always knew I wanted to try new things. I considered many paths—IP law, financial engineering, etc.

I had a couple of offers in the industry and in academic fields, both in China and in the U.S., but I ultimately decided to go to an international reagent company in China for a sales and marketing position. I chose this job because I liked communicating with others and I already had the technical background in biology.  Although I had no marketing experience previously, because the Chinese market is dynamic and not as mature as that in the U.S., it was an opportunity to learn a lot and make an impact.  I stayed there for four years and ultimately became the sales and marketing director. In 2009 I moved to my current company because the job offered me the opportunity to work not only in marketing, but also on business development and an Asian technical support center. I am also currently working on my EMBA. [executive MBA].

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about what you do specifically in your current position?

A: I manage the life science business unit, which entails managing sales, marketing, and overseeing the technical support team for our china center.  I have to understand the customer’s needs and differentiate myself while transforming the technical team and market.  And obviously the key is to meet and exceed sales targets.

Q: I understand that your current company uses a distributor model, whereas other companies use a direct route to market; which model do you see the industry using in the future?

I think many companies will shift to direct.  This model lets the company be closer to the market, understanding the specific needs of the customer.  The market is dynamic and you need to satisfy the market.  In many cases the distributor team is not technically skilled. I think you really need to understand the biotechnology and have a technical team managing the distribution instead.  Sometimes though when a company is in its infancy and not focused, you could use a distributor model because China is so broad.

Q: What do you think of all the consolidation in the industry and the numerous companies merging?

There is definitely going to be more acquisition in the future.  Very small companies usually can only provide one technical niche, but the customers need solutions. When the companies join, then you can address many needs at once.

Q: You have a very strong background in biotechnology; would you do anything differently looking back or would you supplement that background in any way?

I am always open to trying new things and taking new opportunities that come my way.  If a new technology arose, I definitely wouldn’t reject it. For example, I think understanding investments and finance is important to know because it extends your capabilities in other fields.  I am working on my EMBA currently, which allows me to take systematic classes such as macroeconomics, financial analysis, business law, marketing, and operational management. This not only helps me in my current job, but also increases my overall knowledge of business.  Previously I did not know much about financial accounting, but learning it has allowed me to look at the data and see if a company is running well or not.

Q: As an executive businesswoman in China, what are the unique advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in your field?

A: In China there are not many women in sales and marketing, or in many business leadership positions for that matter. The disadvantage is that sometimes men underestimate you or are unsure of your abilities simply because you are a woman.  You really just have to prove yourself and show them they can actually learn a lot from you. However, the situation is improving.  In many ways I think women have an advantage because they are so resilient here.  Woman can be strong on the inside, but also are careful not to be pushy.  We have a word here in China: wài róu nèi ɡānɡ (外柔内刚).  This means gentle on the outside, strong on the inside. I think that is a perfect way to describe businesswomen here.  Successful women have another thing in common—they use their wisdom. This allows them to be more tolerant and give others room to grow, which in turn makes others willing to work harder for you.

Q: How do you find living in China? Are you happy here or would you consider going back to the U.S.?

I will never regret my decision to come to China because I have learned so much here. It really was the best place for me to build competency in all areas of business. The U.S. is better in terms of learning the technical side of science, but I already had that background.  I do miss the U.S. though—the enthusiasm, the crisp air, and the people I met.  I got a lot of instruction there.  For example at Yale, there was a girl who conducted research for three years and still had few results with her experiment. The professor told her she just needed to be resilient.  I had never learned that word previously so I went home and looked it up in the dictionary.  I think that word has followed me throughout my entire career.

Another experience in the U.S. that impacted my life was when I went to the Grand Canyon. I took a picture of a small yellow flower growing from stones on the side of a cliff. I think sometimes you just have to be as strong as that little flower.  In my initial years of my career I worked as hard as I could since I was starting from zero in the business world.  I read as much as possible, including the entire Harvard Business School Review series. I got stronger, absorbed information like a sponge, and traveled frequently to understand the market.

Through all of this, I learned that attitude was extremely important. I read a book called “You Don’t Have to Be Blind to See,” which was written by Jim Stovall. This book taught me that we are all lucky, but with his positive attitude you can do more and reach your potential.

“Everyone is blind in some way. Although we may have the ability to look with our eyes, it does not guarantee our ability to see to assess ourselves honestly, to realize our potential, and to become the person we were created to be.” –Jim Stovall

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Whichever direction I go, it will be my own decision. I love trying different things. I possibly could go to the U.S., but China really is the best platform for me to grow. But globally, there is a lot left for me to learn as well. Life is fun!

Q: As a recent graduate, can you offer me any advice in terms of business and which direction to head? Would you have done anything differently?

Picture a job you could see yourself having and the lifestyle you want to lead. Identify your best qualities. I think you should ask yourself, “do I enjoy exploring new things, or do I like routine? Do I want to work with others in a team, or more on my own?” When I was starting out I knew I wanted a challenge, a dynamic atmosphere, and to learn as much as possible. I had considered IP law because my English was good and I had the biotechnology technical background, but I didn’t like all the paperwork. I like talking to others, learning from them and their experiences, so I did not go in that direction.

I think it would also help to talk to people in all different positions—sales, marketing, logistics, business development, etc. See what the job is like and what qualities each job requires. But never forget to follow your passion because it is important to be self-motivated in order to be successful. You don’t want to think, “I could get by with that job.” You have to love the job and want to do it to be happy.

Q: Do you think it would be beneficial for someone like me to come to China after graduation to work in the life sciences?

China right now and within the next three to five years is a great place to learn and it could be beneficial for you. As long as you are diligent and self-motivated, there are many opportunities here because there are many investments and the market is growing very fast. If you already had the experience, it could offer a big return.

You are at the age when you have so many opportunities to try new things. It is ok if you fail and try something else, or realize you want to change directions completely.