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A great drive

By Li Fangfang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-21 13:42

She is one of the world's few female CEOs and she heads one of the largest privately owned automotive manufacturers in China.

Maybe because she always wears bright colors, Wang Fengying looks energetic and graceful. Her colorful appearance belies the fact that she suffers from neural problems due to overwork and pressure.

"I spend my lunchtime having acupuncture," she says. "I am too busy."

Wang Fengying

In China, people say that there is always a great woman behind a successful man.

Wang is the successful woman in the spotlight helping the low-profile company chairman Wei Jianjun, who is the richest entrepreneur among Chinese automakers.

As CEO of Great Wall Motor Co Ltd, a large vehicle maker and exporter with an annual production of 300,000 units, Wang says she puts more than 80 percent of her energy into her job.

"As a female executive, I need two pairs of wings to fly high and maintain my altitude," she says. "That means I have to make a double effort."

However, Wang admits that her female characteristics also help her professionally.

"Woman are perfectionists, especially for quality which is vital for branding. And Great Wall is a winner with its extraordinary quality and management," she says.

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"The research and development (R&D) of a car model costs two to three years and at least 300 million yuan ($42.85 million). If the final model cannot lead the industry, it will be a failure to me," Wang explains in describing her drive for perfection.

From marketing to management

Wang was one of the first employees in 1991 when the company became privately owned after beginning as a village-owned factory which focused on refitting agricultural vehicles.

As chief marketing manager, Wang made Great Wall sales double for four consecutive years and helped the company make its first profit. Then in 2002, she became CEO of the reorganized Great Wall Motor Co Ltd.

In 1995, when Great Wall needed to launch its own product to expand business, they decided to occupy a new niche - pickup trucks.

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