Sun Qi: Follow your heart and restore your dreams
( Etimes )
Inspired by stories of those well-known legendary figures in the automobile industry, he determined to become one of the best in the industry when he was a teenager. Like most young people with dreams, he went to many places and tried a lot of things with great ambition in his 20s.
At the age of 30, he decided to restore his automobile dream after a number of ups and downs; today, he has made impressive achievements through unremitting efforts, and his team, under his leadership, has developed into a star enterprise starting from an awkward position in the development area .
This man is Su Qi, who currently holds the position of General Manager of BAIC(Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation) Lear Automotive Systems Co. Soon after the birth of his son in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province in 1999, Sun Qi made his decision to apply for a job, go to work, get back into society and start over.
It's another major decision he made at the age of 29 after his journey to South China. However, his friends thought this was just another "wild-goose chase" . Having "majored in automobiles, but having no experience in the industry", he found a job in a local foreign-funded enterprise in the automobile industry, and started as an engineer. "People only know what they really want after ups and downs. The passion and ideas of young people can't help them go far enough."
Probably because of a father's responsibility for his family, he took the job seriously this time, and learned everything earnestly. With such a peaceful mind, he caught up with his peers from a less advantaged position. Hard work finally paid off. He was successively promoted to head of department and Manager of the Quality Department, and then became an executive.
A wonderful life always comes with twists and turns and stories. During his fifth year as an office staff member, Su Qi had a get-up-and-go opportunity at the age of 34. Considering this might be the last "great change" in his youthful years, he chose his career in the metropolis over an easy life in a small city, and joined Beijing's Lear-Dymos Automotive System Co.
The Sino-foreign joint venture of BAIC Lear Automotive System Co. co-funded by BAIC and US-based Lear, was established in the BDA in 2007, and Sun Qi who served as Operations Manager of Chongqing Lear Changan Automotive System Co. at that time was made the General Manager of BAIC Lear Automotive System Co. at a critical and difficult time.
BAIC Lear received a large number of complaints from its external clients due to various business issues and had a high staff turnover due to feelings of insecurity, and the company management was in chaos when he took office. Facing such a "messy situation", he led his team through the tough situation by communicating in-depth with core management staff, rebuilding the system, standardizing business processes and continuously introducing "new measures" in management.
The company achieved mass production and profit of over 100 million yuan ($16.32 million) in 2008. In the wake of growth of the company's business and expansion, BAIC Lear officially launched the construction of its new plant in consideration of a long-term plan for company development under the support of the administrative committee of the development area in 2011. Under the premise of ensuring normal operations in the existing plant, Li Qi overcame many unimaginable difficulties with his team as COO of Lear's operations in North China, such as winter construction and work at two production lines.
Construction of the new plant adjacent to an engine plant of Beijing Benz covers a planned area of 40,000 m2 finished in 2013, which did not cause quality problems and others to clients. The company received Excellent Supplier Award from Mercedes-Benz in the same year.
"This is the most difficult and the most glorious time," Sun Qi said. BAIC Lear has thoroughly remolded itself in a few years: staff numbers increased from over 30 people to 340 people , and the annual rate of return along with the growth rate in sales revenue have increased by 50 percent on a yearly basis.
The company has won "2010 Top 50 Enterprises for Increased Tax Payment in BDA", "2011 Advanced Units in Employing Labor Force of BDA" and other honorary titles successively. The objective of building the enterprise into Lear's largest plant in the Asia-Pacific region can be expected soon due to the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class project it was recently awarded. However, this means greater challenges to Sun Qi, and the man who eventually followed his heart and restored his dreams will devote more energy to the company.