Elsie Qian, CEO Americas, Apex Logistics International Inc, Best WomenLeaders of 2021 Profile

Elsie Qian
Chief Executive Officer Americas at Apex Logistics International Inc


Elsie Qian, CEO Americas, Apex Logistics International Inc, Best WomenLeaders of 2021

“Breaking Barriers and Opening Doors in Supply Chain”

Elsie Qian first learned about the critical role logistics plays at a China-based trading company. “That was where I learned the importance of supply chain in international trade and what customers need from logistics organizations—including their obstacles and deepest pain points,” recalls Apex Logistics International CEO Americas, Elsie Qian. Two years later, Qian joined a leading Freight forwarder, serving in different positions—from operations; to customer service; to customs clearance; and eventually gateway management. She quickly advanced in her career. Qian’s broad experience propelled her forward as a leader with a comprehensive understanding of the supply chain and the challenges businesses face every day.

“Only a robust knowledge of your clients and a deep appreciation for providing their desired business outcomes can empower a remarkable, best-in-class service experience. Today, I’m proud that Apex has proven itself as one of the top freight forwarders worldwide.”

In 2003, Qian helped to establish the first Apex branch in North America in Los Angeles. Now, nearly two decades later, she has driven accelerated growth across the Apex global network, product offerings, and infrastructure—boasting a vast international client portfolio. “We started small, dedicating Apex to the big challenges businesses were facing on the ground to navigate a smarter path to customers,” Qian says.

“I remember bringing on my first customer. The promotional product manufacturer was laser-focused on transit times. With the direct flight service from Shanghai to Los Angeles arriving at noon, the company couldn’t make their 3 p.m. cargo shipping deadline—meaning longer lead times for customers.”

“If the business could find any smarter alternatives with Apex, then the executives were ready to work with us. I found a solution—leveraging a United Airlines passenger service from Shanghai to San Francisco and overnight trucking to Los Angeles. With the same cut-off time at origin, the company cargo would now arrive promptly in the morning—not at noon. Today, a decade later, that manufacturer still does business with Apex.”

That “Day-One spirit” quipped by Qian’s entrepreneurial inspiration, Amazon’s Bezos is what keeps her driven and focused on finding better alternatives every day. Inspired by his approach, she adopted and promoted the same customer obsession at Apex.

“In any industry, especially freight forwarding, we can’t give customers what we think they want. We must listen to what they need actively. Only a robust knowledge of your clients and a deep appreciation for providing their desired business outcomes can empower a remarkable, best-in-class service experience,” Qian says.

She notes that this perspective is perfect for anyone experiencing the pressures of building a business reputation during its infancy and the jolt of urgency and sometimes confusion to scale the company—larger, sooner, stronger. Even as Apex has continually grown and thrived during the most uncertain times, Qian insists the organization hasn’t peaked.

“Apex empowers greater agility and ROI for clients with the best-contracted and discounted rates. Since its launch in 2001, Apex Logistics has grown its global presence to more than 41 locations: 12 in the Americas (one in Canada, one in Mexico), 23 in the Asia Pacific region, 3 in Europe, and 3 in Oceania. Apex continues expanding globally to meet customer demand and address growing supply chain challenges. At Apex, we take pride in our reliable and consistent services that are built on strict quality control to ensure that every plan is executed flawlessly. Our experts are available 24/7/365, dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and assisting with ever-changing business needs. Thanks to our loyal customers, Apex has rapidly grown into a robust logistics enterprise—backed by our dedicated global teams and dependable services.”

“Once your organization peaks, you risk falling backward,” she explains. “Maintaining that day-one passion and attention to customer needs is absolutely critical to scaling your business.” That’s the mentality that helped Qian position Apex for abundant growth for decades to come.

“When we first established Apex in the US, we were new to the market without a single presentable customer in our portfolio. Promoting ourselves in the market with a small team was challenging,” Qian recalls. “Today, I’m proud that Apex has proven itself as one of the top freight forwarders world-wide.”

As a first-generation immigrant, Elsie quickly identified adapting to other cultures and regional requirements to build deliberate strategies on a global scale. She has learned to use her role in a male-dominated industry to open doors and minds in a traditional sector where most leaders are men.

“So many Apex clients are surprised when they meet me—a woman supply chain leader. They immediately know that I bring a different take to their business, that makes Apex unique,” Qian explains. “Our diversity at Apex is what fuels the kind of curiosity that opens doors, making business leaders more interested in learning how Apex makes an impact.”

“Like any other professional hurdle, I see my womanhood as an opening to new opportunities rather than a hard limit or a ceiling.” IEWL


Company

Apex Logistics

Management

Elsie Qian
Chief Executive Officer Americas at Apex Logistics International Inc

Description

Established in 2001, Apex Logistics International has become a leader in freight forwarding, contract logistics, transportation management, warehousing, and distribution. As a member of IATA, C-TPAT, NVOCC, FMC, and WCA, Apex specializes in managing unique, reliable, and complete freight forwarding services on land, at sea, and in the air.


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