Connecting business to a clean future

BYD's pure electric car "Tang" on display at a Beijing auto show last year. ABB is working with BYD Co Ltd in the clean energy vehicle sector. [Photo provided to China Daily]

ABB is also proud to have contributed to many key national projects, such as power transmission from the south-to-north water diversion projects, the west-to-east power transmission projects, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the Beijing Olympic Games stadiums and Shanghai World Expo projects.

What is the secret of your business' success in China?

The success is attributable to the high degree of localization and the great local management team.

ABB has localized its whole value chain in China, with a full range of business activities including R&D, manufacturing, sales, engineering and services. About 90 percent of ABB China's sales are from locally developed and made products, solutions and services.

We have 19,000 employees in the country and almost all are Chinese nationals.

What essential leadership qualities do you consider important when leading your team to grow in the Chinese market?

You need to stay close to customers, understand their needs and ensure quick response and actions. The Chinese market moves fast and customers are very demanding.

I therefore appreciate very much the honor to be a member of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council to the mayor of Shanghai. You need also to be innovative: In many fields－such as power grids or robotics in 3D production－the Chinese market and Chinese customer demands are ahead of the world.

We need innovative people who will help us grow both the team and the market. And you have to be open-minded, with a good understanding of both the domestic and international markets. Our local leaders must have a strong background locally and internationally.

How do you motivate your international team?

As CEO of a major group my role is like that of an orchestra conductor, bringing all the various instruments together in harmony so that they play the right piece of music to the right audience.

My approach is that I want everyone to go home at the end of the day and ask themselves a simple question: What difference did I make today? It doesn't matter if you're cleaning the office or running a portfolio worth billions. There's always room for improvement. I think that's what makes people happy and motivated.

How do you handle challenges your team has encountered in China, if any?

The key to overcoming challenges wherever they arise is to keep a firm focus on the needs of our customers. If we do this, we will necessarily improve our speed, agility and quality, and be more innovative.