Inspirational Woman: Alice Li, Executive for Lenovo

Alice Li, Head of Brand Communications for Lenovo, and Vice President of Olympic Marketing. The China-based company is relying on Li to promote them at the upcoming 2008 Olympics. Her job is to make sure that the Lenovo brand name touches every aspect of the Olympics, from internet cafes in every Olympic Village to a tour that promotes the Olympics in over 1,000 Chinese cities. Lenovo is also contributing by donating equipment to the Olympic Organizing committee. They have donated over 14,000 pieces of computing equipment, including over 2,000 desktops, over 140 notebook computers, and over 200 servers. All of this is organized by Ms. Li to promote Lenovo to China and the tourists who will flock there for the games in 2008.

Ms. Li is a Chinese woman working for a Chinese company who successfully broke through the glass ceiling to get to this executive position. She first studied in China, receiving a degree in science from Peking University. She then got her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Illinois in 2002. She also has an MBA from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Education is an important tool in achieving success, but Ms. Li also demonstrates the power of experience. Before 2002, she worked for Lenovo in investor relations. During this time, she received much recognition from Asian business news sources about her skill in investor relations. Ms. Li has worked for Lenovo since 1988, although she only moved into the investor relations division in 1993. Once there, she clearly proved herself to be an asset to the company, a key to her advanced position today.

In 2003, after receiving her MBA, she headed up the launch of the new Lenovo brand. In 2004, she played a key role in Lenovo becoming an Olympic Partner, and led the acquisition of IBM's computer business.

Today, Alice Li is busy organizing the road show through China to promote Lenovo to the people of her country. The project has been called ambitious, as she has planned to reach over 1,000 Chinese cities. These are small towns, not big cities, with an average population of 250,000. Ms. Li hopes to introduce computers to the teenagers of these towns, thus spreading technology and education through the country, as well as the Lenovo brand name. They have donated over 1,000 computers so far to country schools.

Ms. Li is an example of the success women can achieve today, with education and great ideas. It is difficult for women in our world to achieve executive positions, so Ms. Li can serve as an inspiration to women everywhere, reminding them that it is not an impossible goal.