How variety and stability go hand in hand for Lenovo Marketer, Rebecca Wang

In this instalment of Across the Pond’s Women in Tech series, find out what drives Becky, why she believes we should cherish the women we work with, and the secret to keeping up a journaling habit for 20 years.

During her decade with Lenovo, Rebecca Wang has done almost every marketing role imaginable, and is currently Senior Manager for China Marketing Strategy and Operations.

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Rebecca, also known as Becky. I was born and raised in Hebei, a province near Beijing, which is where I now live. I’m someone who is adventurous and enjoys new experiences, who loves talking, discussing and observing. People often notice my curiosity, and that doing the same thing again and again bores me. And you might notice that I’m quite goal driven.

What might people be surprised to know about you?

My post-grad qualification is actually in diplomacy and foreign affairs administration. I’m a PADI-certified scuba diver, and I’ve completed level one of the CAFA Sommelier Wine School diploma.

Also, I’ve been writing a journal for 20 years. Everyone asks me how I’ve kept this up, so if you’re curious… I get a lot out of it! It started as a way of recording sweet, beautiful memories, which then taught me to express myself. And as I go through various stages in life, it’s nurtured my ability to self-inventory.

Describe a typical day in your life

I'm an early bird, I start my day at 6am with my version of a kung fu tea ceremony – the drink itself and the experience are something I look forward to every morning. Then it’s a 5K run at the gym listening to a podcast of some kind, usually about business or technology, maybe a TED Talk.

At work, I often begin with an early morning call to the North American team, or emails and delegation. Late morning is when most of my discussions and meetings with our China-based teams take place. I try to reserve the early afternoon for thinking and strategizing, after that it’s the perfect time to catch up with EMEA-based colleagues. 

What do you do at Lenovo?

I’ve been here almost 10 years, working in numerous roles. At the moment, I lead strategy and ops in the marketing team for the China geo segment.

I’d just graduated when I joined in 2012 as a project coordinator, moving into product marketing communications in 2013, and marketing campaigns in 2015. I worked on some great projects, including taking Lenovo YOGA into the premium space and developing the first Lenovo gaming brand, Legion.

But in my view, to be a marketer you should be able to market EVERYTHING. Having been a global marketer for consumer electronic devices for years, I was curious about applying my skill set to B2B marketing. In 2020, thanks to a generous recommendation from Jennifer Bennet, Director of WW Commercial Relationship segment marketing team and my manager for four years, I moved to the Lenovo worldwide IDG commercial team. After 18 successful months there, I applied for the role of strategy and ops in the China marketing team – it’s an exciting move and I think I made the right choice! Looking back, what pushes me to move is the desire to learn more, to be better and stronger.

I’d say a couple of times a year over the past decade I’ll think about what life might be like outside Lenovo, but apparently I can’t give it up! There are so many good people around me, who’ve cared for me so much and taught me to be a better person. I’m particularly grateful to Jennifer, of course, and to Michael Litter, the former Executive Director of Lenovo WW SMB segment marketing team. The words integrity, impartiality, open-mindedness, smart and hard-working aren’t enough to describe who they are. They’ve put their trust in me, helped me build my confidence and career, and advocated for me.

What does tech mean to you?

To me, tech means life changing, problem solving, being intuitive, and it is the proof that someone’s imagination was brought to life.  

How did you find your way into tech?

It is no coincidence that I ended up in an industry which is fast changing and ever evolving. The nature of it matches what makes me feel fulfilled: marketing all the good which it brings us, and watching people embrace new tech and new life over and over again. 

Was it easy for you to get into the industry back then? 

It was not hard. There was no gender preference at school, nor in the workplace, when it came to who can and can’t work in tech. The only requirement was your skills.

And yet there when it comes to leadership roles…

Yes, when I ask myself, “Do we have a healthy number of women workers in leadership teams for the good of the business, the industry and our society as well?”, my answer is no. Or, rather, women are not getting the support or the recognition they deserve to be moved up to the leadership team. I don’t see a culture that asks women to be confident, eloquent, to be an opinion leader. Yet there’s no doubt in my mind that women, the people who symbolize wisdom in Chinese families, are more than capable of finding their way in tech – or industry of any kind.

I very much appreciate this opportunity to share my story, and I hope to see more women get chances like this to start to think about what they want, where their passion sits and how much further they are able to go in the end. I also hope to see our experiences, voices and suggestions reach women who are hesitant and not confident, to bring positivity and inspiration to them. 

 

Do you have something to say to a young woman who’s about to start her career in tech?

Try your best to get connected with the greatest women in your community 😊

 

Any personal thoughts or advice you’d like to share?

Every one of us, no matter where we were born, deserves the right to dream big, to chase what we want, to grow into a better version of ourselves.

And to those of you around a woman who’s a future leader, please be open-minded and generous and give her as much respect, help, guidance and support that you can. You are doing a great thing which will eventually change the world that we are living in.