“Pursuing Excellence Every Day”

Lina Wang, Chief Investment Officer of Shandong Hi-Speed Group (SG) career, begins from Japan. She has a strong influence on the Japanese corporate culture, which is not to cause trouble to others and cooperate in teams. “They have simple and clear logic with perfect notes for the part of work they are responsible for, making it easy for both their successors and partners to get up to speed quickly,” she says. “And that is how I have imbibed myself.” From the very beginning, Lina’s strong influence to pursue excellence in any work she did can be seen in how she has taken the company to a new height. Her parents and siblings, and partners are her role models who have impacted her to grow as a leader.

As a teenager, Lina always admired successful women because they dared to be different and outstanding and made great achievements in various fields. “In the Fortune Global 500, I have observed that true leaders pay attention to cultivating subordinates and inspiring others to achieve big,” she explains. “Later, I found that industry leaders and ministers of state from different countries are more concerned with society as a whole and that they are working hard for the future of mankind. Even though their efforts may not pay off for a long time, they still insist on doing what they think is right and letting time do its work.” Today, Lina has numerous friends and predecessors guiding her in her journey to culminate into one of the most pioneering leaders and assist Shandong Hi-Speed Group in the best possible way.

According to Lina, today's customers are looking not only for unique products but also for quality solutions and services. The clients want a complete package, not just an out-of-the-box solution. “We are a financial investment institution, but above that, we are a state-owned enterprise; as such, we cannot break away from national policies in the formulation of investment strategies,” she says. “For example, when selecting investment targets, we will focus on industries and directions encouraged by the state, and avoid investing in entertainment, casinos and other such industries.” Alongside Shandong Hi-Speed Group, under the aegis of Lina, is offering innovation and flexibility. “When shifting from a foreign investment bank to the overseas platform of a state-owned enterprise, I needed to have a process to adapt to different corporate styles and adjust my mindset,” she says. “Our group has two listed platforms in China and three listed platforms abroad. When investing overseas, we must develop new products and new markets that adapt to local styles.” She explains, “For example, our domestic financial institutions take divided operation, while foreign financial institutions take mixed operation.” When it comes to the final investment, solution providers must comply with the regulatory requirements of different countries and markets, requiring Shandong Hi-Speed Group to be agile to the extent of compliance, laws, and operations.

As the future investment environment may become more complicated, Lina believes that CIOs' requirements will also increase. It will require more comprehensive skills, which may not be limited to investment, but also include laws, compliance, and operations. The investment experience and background may need to be combined with various industries and develop and evolve following the business characteristics of the group. “And I think the criteria for a good CIO will be more diversified. Therefore, for future CIOs, especially CIOs with non-traditional financial or investment backgrounds, there is no need to set limits for ourselves.” She adds, “If the time is right, we can boldly assume responsibility and lead the change. But at the same time, we need to strive to supplement our multidimensional knowledge and never stop learning.”

Lina knows that financial products are being continuously innovated where the current financial market is being challenged and may be overturned by non-traditional industries and non-traditional practitioners, such as digital banks and Bitcoin. “The non-traditional financial market is even at risk of being abandoned overnight, so the CIO must work hard to keep up with the changes,” she states.IE