BiMBA&Linkedin held Forum “Taking the Next Step: Analysis and Changes in Female Leadership”
Dec 23-2014
On 10 December, 2014, Peking University’s National School of Development BiMBA, in conjunction with the world’s largest professional networking website, Linkedin, held its third event of the “Linkedin Influencer” series. The subject of the event was “Taking the Next Step: Analysis and Changes in Female Leadership”. Ogilvy Group Greater China Vice Chair Ms. Shenan Chuang; National Taiwan University Business School Professor and seasoned investment banker Chen Chang Fen; Huayi Brothers Media Corporation Vice President and Internet Entertainment Business Group CEO Ms. Hu Ming; the first female inspirational brand (Chen Zao) founder and COSMO Chief Editor Ms. Wang Xiao each shared their experiences as female managers and leaders.
Ogilvy Group Greater China Vice Chair Ms. Shenan Chuang discussed the topic “Always the Second Sex?” Ms. Chuang stated that there is still a long way to go before reaching equality in the workplace. According to accounting firm reports in March 2014, women make up 38% of senior management in Chinese corporations and only 2.5% of female CEOs; lower than the global average. For Ms. Chuang, there are five advantages that female leaders have over their male counterparts: good communication, willingness to cooperate, good relationship building skills, power sharing and ability to take on multiple roles. Adding strong female education will bring out the advantages of female leaders and in the future we will see more and more female leaders.
National Taiwan University Business School Professor and seasoned investment banker Chen Chang Fen spoke on the “Graceful Blank Space”. As a woman, Chen Changfen believes that the most important attitudes in the workplace are: ‘deliberate’, ‘not deliberate’ and ‘not to mind’. ‘Deliberate’ is a woman’s proudest entitlement – to be able to act in the appropriate situation, to get things done when they need to be done and to be beautiful when it is needed. ‘Not deliberate’ means not to ‘overdo it’ as a professional, for example in overemphasizing one’s voice, or using too much make-up etc. ‘Not minding’ is important in the workplace, particularly when facing criticism, through which we can all grow and mature as a professional.
Huayi Brothers Media Corporation Vice President and Internet Entertainment Business Group CEO Ms. Hu Ming Spoke on “Love is a Game for the Courageous”. Opening her speech to the song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” Ms. Hu said that in the industrial age - an age typified by power - all of the representative inventions such as the train, electric lights and ships were created by men. However in today’s internet age, upstream and downstream integration has meant that the key for businesses has shifted from power to ‘clients, data and user experience’. Women can build greater rapport, are more meticulous and tenacious and using these advantages can help today’s businesses strengthen their core competitiveness.
Chen Zao founder and COSMO Chief Editor Ms. Wang Xiao shared her presentation on ‘Mid-Life Needs’. Ms. Wang shared her own experience of feeling lost as a young person and, having changed her life path many times, finally found her true calling by creating the brand for women, Chen Zao. For Ms. Wang, women must believe in themselves and foster their own skills and, through greater communication with peers, find their own path in life.
After the speeches, the speakers interacted with the audience and BiMBA Co-Dean Ms. Wang Xin closed the event. As a female leader at China’s No. 1 business school, Ms. Wang stated that BiMBA’s female/male ratio in the full-time MBA class is the highest in all of China’s business schools and both full-time and part-time female BiMBA students will become China’s next generation of leaders. BiMBA has always provided support and motivation for women to ‘take the next step’ and, through its events and education has helped foster self-confidence needed to face future challenges. Moreover, Ms. Wang hoped that the audience could share the positive energy from the event to even more people.
