“I am always curious about new supply chain topics, customers and places.”

Ni is a manager at 4flow consulting in Shanghai. In this interview she shares her journey from studying and working in the US to moving back home to Shanghai and working on an international project in Malaysia.

What sparked your interest for a career in supply chain consulting?
I first started studying accounting but didn’t really see myself working exclusively with numbers. Then I switched to supply chain and fell in love with it because it’s such a broad field. Supply chains are everywhere. Back then I was living in the US. After graduating, I started as an IT consultant, but I missed working on supply chain topics and decided to move back to Shanghai and join the 4flow office here.

Sounds like quite a journey – how was your experience living in the US?
I feel like I became an adult there, because I moved there when I was only 18 years old. Still, I didn’t feel homesick at all because everything was so exciting and I made so many friends. I also spent a lot of time on the road. I am proud to say that I managed to visit almost every state in the US. So, these nine years were full of amazing experiences.

And how is it to be back in Shanghai now?
I enjoy that I get to spend time with my family, especially after living abroad for so long. Also, it’s great to be a part of the 4flow Shanghai office, because we are all very close with each other. We aren’t just colleagues, we’re friends. Still, I love working internationally. So I’m happy that 4flow offers the opportunity to work on international projects. For example, I just had the chance to work in Malysia for three months on a project.

Sounds great, can you tell us a bit more about your time in Malaysia?
I went there with two colleagues from Germany to work on a customer project. We had a great time together and I really liked Malaysia. Even the weather was surprisingly nice. It’s always fun for me to experience new countries, so I hope I’ll get the chance to have more projects like this in the future.

And what projects are you working on right now?
At the moment I am working on two projects – one about transportation and one about warehousing design. These topics are very different, so no day looks the same. Consulting really matches my personality, because I am always curious about new supply chain topics, customers and places. Also, I just got promoted to manager, which comes with new tasks as well.

Congratulations! How has your role changed since you were promoted to manager?
I am now responsible for three team members, which is a whole new challenge for me. My responsibility is to guide and lead them, while also making sure we meet our targets for our customers in time. I still remember starting my career as a consultant, so I know how important it is to have good mentors. That’s why I really want to make a positive impact for them.

What tips do you share with the members of your team just starting their careers?
I always say that you need to be open-minded if you want to be a consultant. Our job looks different every day. To me, this makes it so interesting. Also, I think that the first years of one’s career is the best time to gain knowledge and build valuable relationships. Team events, for example, are a great opportunity to connect as a team on a more personal level. I think my happiest 4flow moments happened during these events.