To women, by women: Advice from Zhou Yun, one of Forbes’s Top 50 Women in China Tech
Zhou was recently named one of Forbes China’s Top 50 Women in Tech 2021, a list honoring those with significant contributions in science, technology, engineering, and math, whether in business, government, or education
Working as Ant Group’s head of enterprise risk management, Zhou Yun knows the value of taking risks in her own life choices.
For example, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, she chose to dive into a brand-new field of study by pursuing a postgraduate degree in Business Administration. After working as a consultant at PwC for over 10 years, she also jumped out of her comfort zone to join Ant Group, where she was tasked to build its risk management team from the ground up.
Zhou is the third woman at Ant to make Forbes China’s Top 50 Women in Tech list in the past three years, following Yu Quan in 2020 and Yan Ying in 2019.
We asked Zhou to share some of the lessons she’s learned throughout the course of her career — here are her TOP three pieces of advice.
Don’t be afraid of change
First: “Never fear changing directions while moving forward.”
As a student, Zhou realized that sometimes it is ok to change gears and try something different that you have more passion.
“In 2000, the internet was gradually emerging in China. I had a strong interest in this new development, so I chose Computer Science as my major when I entered Fudan University,” Zhou said. (Fudan, in the city of Shanghai, is one of China’s top universities)
“During my sophomore year, I even set up a website with my classmates. But the more I learned and practiced, the more I realized that I don’t have a special talent or strong interest in programming, and I grew more eager to learn about economics and finance in addition to technology. Therefore, I decided to pursue a postgraduate degree in Business Administration to continue my studies, and finally became a consultant rather than a programmer.”
In Zhou’s opinion, choosing your major or career is not a “one-shot deal,” and people always have another chance to explore a new field they are passionate about.
“Finally, you will find that every step counts. For me, being a good consultant means integrating all your knowledge to make wise suggestions, and my background in computer science contributes a lot to my role as a risk management expert in tech.”
Be brave and ambitious
Zhou joined Ant Group in 2014 and took the lead in setting up Ant’s risk management and internal control systems.
“When I came here, my team only had two people transferred from another department, and everything needed to be built from scratch.”
Now, she leads a team of more than 80 people, serving in a variety of roles from risk management strategy and modeling to data analysis.
According to Zhou, there is no difference in the paths that men or women can take to career success — no matter the gender, what’s needed is being authentic, exercise strategic thinking, and possess expertise. The problem however is that many women in the workplace tend to underestimate themselves, which can erode their confidence, she said.
“When women are complimented on their achievements, they tend to deflect praise or minimize their accomplishments. I encourage them to speak out — you don’t need to be humble all the time,” Zhou said.
Keep your mind wide open
When asked about work-life balance, Zhou said she believes that finding the perfect balance between work and life is very hard, regardless of gender, although women do have more challenges than men in some regards, such as with maternity leave.
“Working women need systematic support — choosing a company that respects women and is willing to provide them with equal chances will make things easier.”
Zhou recalled how in 2018, she was nominated for promotion while on maternity leave. The evaluation committee allowed her to complete the process after returning from maternity leave — her promotion was not affected by her being away at all.
“I can feel that women play an important role in our company, and I was also guided by a brilliant female leader, Angel Zhao, when I first came to Ant (Angel is the President of Ant’s International Business Group). Her sense of responsibility and vision left a lasting impression — I hope to be the same kind of leader.”
Looking ahead, Zhou said she doesn’t want to set limits on her life, whether in or outside of the office.
“I am open to taking on new challenges and responsibilities in my career, and I am also considering going back to school and pursuing a PhD someday. Life is full of possibilities, you can do whatever you want.”
Here’s a short Q&A with Zhou Yun and two other Ant’s women leaders also named to Forbes China’s Top 50 Women in Tech list: Yu Quan in 2020 and Yan Ying in 2019.
Q. What advice would you give to young women starting their careers?
Zhou Yun: Never be afraid to step into a field dominated by men.
Yu Quan: Labels are traps for both men and women. Don’t set limits, regardless of your gender.
Yan Ying: Be confident and keep learning! These are the two most important traits to succeed in the workplace.
Q. How many women are in your team？
Zhou: About 40% are women.
Yu: More than 40% are women. The proportion of women learning math and computer science is much higher than before.
Yan: Less than 2% are women. I think this could be because blockchain is a relatively new field — I hope more women can join my team in the future.
Q. Do you think our society will become more accommodating for women in the workplace?
Zhou: I believe that as long as human society becomes more civilized, it will become more friendly to women.
Yu: The overall proportion of female executives is increasing, and we should not hold ourselves back — I wish I had more ambition when I was younger.
Yan: I believe society will become more tolerant of all people. You can live the life you want — for example, it is not required to get married and have children.
