Meet Van, Marketing Manager, China

Can you tell us about your personal background?

I grew up in Ningbo, a city in Zhejiang Province. And after I finished my bachelor’s degree at Shandong University, I went back to Ningbo, my hometown, to become a university teacher. I enjoyed life there and being a teacher, but I wanted to find more opportunities for myself. Therefore, I applied and was admitted to Shanghai University to undertake a master’s degree in Control theory & control engineering. After graduation, I joined ABB as an R&D engineer for three years. At that time, Castell China was working on a project named E-lock. I decided to take that opportunity and started with Castell in 2011 in Shanghai.

What motivates you?

I would describe myself as a science geek, rational, and logical. As I chose to leave my hometown to start a new career in Shanghai, I would say I have an adventurous strike.

In the future, I would like to drive my career further and explore new projects I might enjoy or things I am capable of.

What is your history at Sentric?

I first joined Castell in the New Product Development (NPD) team for a project called E-lock. The NPD is a process where we take customers’ requirements and turn them into concrete products. At the same time, I was also thinking about opportunities for my own career development and decided to take a Professional Project Management course.

I was really happy when the Sentric General manager offered me a promotion and asked me if I had any interest to take the role of Business Development Manager. In my new role, I interact with customers, to find out more about our applications’ scenarios, how our products are used, and how we can meet their unique safety needs. I like to use my technical experience to focus on customer needs.

Today, I am a Marketing Manager, responsible for marketing and business development across China.

I was really happy when the Sentric General manager offered me a promotion and asked me if I had any interest to take the role of Business Development Manager.

Van, Marketing Manager, Sentric China

What does a typical day look like to you?

Well, my day starts with a morning workout, for example, 30 minutes running, or 30 minutes strength training. I believe that doing regular exercise energizes me and drives me forward.

I appreciate a working-life balance, I have some hobbies, like reading, and visiting in villages at weekends with my friends and family.

What values do you appreciate most among your colleagues?

I value how friendly and collaborative my colleagues are at Sentric. For example, when I am looking at potential opportunities for customers, I reach out to my sales colleagues. They have more experience in the industry and are always happy to share their knowledge. It helps me gain more insights into the customer’s needs.