International Day of Women & Girls in Science: Celebrating Fei Tian, Automotive Division

English

What’s your area of expertise? I’m a native Mandarin speaker and Chinese national specialising in AI and Robotics in the Automotive industry. I’d describe my work as being a bridge between China and the global market. I support Chinese companies to expand and set up teams overseas as well as recruit global talent to work in China.

There are many barriers to movement in either direction – from administrative requirements to language and culture, but the industry gains so much from increased collaboration, partnerships and exchange. I’m in a privileged position to have the knowledge and networks to help overcome these barriers.

What excites and motivates you most about the area you work in?

For me, it’s about what I’m helping clients to achieve and being a partner in their progress. Whether I’ve enabled a critical strategic hire or helped build a whole team, it’s really rewarding to see what those people and companies go on to do together. That might be seeing a successful global product launch, a big technology sale, or increased size and scale in a new market. It makes me proud to know that I was involved in that process.

Tell us about a highlight placement you’ve made recently.

I recently placed a Head of Product in Germany for a major Chinese manufacturer. She’s an incredibly talented woman who I’ve loved working with. She holds a PhD in psychology and has an impressive international career. It was a difficult decision as the role required her to relocate from China to Germany, with implications for her family. But the role has allowed her to take a step in line with her career ambitions, and she will be instrumental in helping our Chinese client expand into the European market. I can’t wait to see what she achieves in her new role.

What are the challenges for women in the industry you serve? What makes you hopeful?

While change is happening, the Automotive industry in general and AI and Robotics in particular are still male-dominated, and perhaps because of this there is sometimes an assumption that women have less technical expertise. I’m aware of this, and make sure I build my knowledge all the time. I always ensure I’m the most prepared person in every call and meeting! Fewer women work in this space for sure, but those that do…they know their stuff! My female candidates are a testament to this and it’s a pleasure to help them advance and make significant contributions to this industry.

What did you do before Wenham Carter and how does that experience inform your work?

I started my career in Marketing. Ironically, one of my first jobs was at a PR agency where I worked on a new car launch for Changan Automobile! I worked first in the culture and entertainment industries, moving from Marketing Manager to General Manager of one cinema then a whole chain of 5 cinemas across China. I oversaw hiring, marketing, branding, sales and customer relationships and turned around sales and profitability, so I understand first-hand the challenges and opportunities for hiring managers. My ambition and desire to study brought me to England, and having completed my master’s, I was introduced to Wenham Carter. The opportunity to use my position as a Chinese woman and ex-GM living in the UK to support commercial exchange and expansion between China and the rest of the world feels like the perfect next step in my own international career.

Mandarin

您的专业领域是什么？

我是一名母语为普通话的中国人，专注于汽车、人工智能、机器人行业。作为中国与全球市场之间的桥梁。我协助中国公司在海外扩张和建立本地化团队，并招募全球人才到中国工作。

在这过程中，不可避免的遇到了很多的挑战，从招聘需求, 语言障碍，到公司文化等各方面。但是通过和客户不断的沟通，最终都取得了满意的进展。我非常荣幸能帮助客户去克服这些阻碍。

在您工作的领域中，您的工作动力是什么？

对我来说，最重要的是帮助客户实现目标，并成为他们发展进程中最值得信赖的合作伙伴。无论是促成了一次重要的战略招聘，还是帮助客户建立了一个完整的团队，当看到候选人和公司未来取得的成绩，我都会感到非常有成就感。这些案例可能是一次市场瞩目的全球产品发布，也可能是一次成功的技术销售，又或者是在一个新的市场取得了一定的扩张。我非常自豪能参与这一过程。

请谈谈近期您最重要的一个招聘项目 ？

我最近在德国为一家头部的中国汽车品牌招聘到了一位产品负责人。她是一位才华横溢的女性，我非常喜欢与她共事。她是一名心理学博士，同时拥有丰富的产品推广经验，以及令人印象深刻的国际职业生涯。对她来说这是一个艰难的决定，因为这个职位要求她离开家人，从中国搬到德国。但这个职位让她在实现职业抱负的道路上迈出了一大步。未来她将在帮助我们的中国客户拓展欧洲市场方面发挥重要作用。我迫不及待地想看到她在新岗位上取得的成就。

在您所服务的行业中，女性面临哪些挑战？是什么让您充满希望？

虽然变革正在发生，但在汽车行业，尤其是人工智能和机器人行业仍以男性为主，也许正因为如此，人们有时会认为女性的技术专长较少。我在工作过程中也意识到了这一点，经过持续不断的知识积累和加强，确保每次的电话和会议充分准备！在这个领域工作的女性比例还是比较少的，但在该行业中优秀的女性们，她们都有非常出色的工作能力和影响力！我的女性候选人就是最好的证明，我很高兴能帮助她们进步，为这个行业做出重大贡献。

在加入Wenham Carter之前，您是做什么工作的？

我的职业生涯始于市场营销。非常巧合的是，我的第一份工作是在一家公关公司，负责长安汽车的新车发布会工作！我先是在文化娱乐行业工作，从市场部经理升任一家影院的总经理，后来又升任区域总经理管理 5 家连锁影院。我负责招聘、市场营销、品牌推广、销售和客户关系，并扭转了亏损影院的销售和盈利状况，因此我对招聘经理所面临的挑战和机遇有切身体会。不断学习和自我提升的想法让我离开了自己的舒适区，在英国完成硕士学业后，我被介绍到了Wenham Carter。作为一名生活在英国的中国女性和前总经理，我有机会利用自己的资源和知识积累支持中国与世界其他国家之间的商业交流和扩展，这是我国际化职业生涯的完美下一步。