Female Leadership
CKGSB MBA alumna Liu Siyang is reshaping what it means to be a second-generation leader in a family business—balancing legacy and innovation, tradition and transformation.
For Liu Siyang, stepping into her family’s environmental business wasn’t a surprise. It was a birthright. Like the mythical red silk sashes tied around Nezha in Chinese folklore, the company’s legacy wrapped around her from the start—protecting her, empowering her, and ultimately calling her to lead.
As the Vice General Manager of Guogangtong (Beijing) Digital Technology Co., Ltd., a solid waste treatment company, Liu knew early on that her life would be intertwined with the family enterprise. But she also understood that fulfilling this role wouldn’t just require technical know-how—it would take influence, credibility, and global perspective. That’s what led her to CKGSB’s MBA program.
Today, Liu has evolved from a reserved individual into a persuasive, data-driven communicator who has not only helped modernize her family business but also taken its global expansion to new heights. Her journey offers a compelling model for next-gen leaders grappling with succession, generational dialogue, and global ambition.
Though Liu Siyang harbored artistic dreams—film, contemporary art, and Kusama-inspired expression—she made pragmatic choices early on. She studied mathematics in university and later pursued business studies, guided by the understanding that logical thinking and commercial acumen were essential for any future leader.
In 2018, she founded her own art education startup. While it was a passion project, it also served as a practical “training ground” for her future role. “From team-building to operations, this entrepreneurial journey gave me the hands-on leadership experience I’d need when I eventually returned to the family business,” she recalls.
By 2021, Liu made the official transition, trading the poetic world of arts education for the grounded, sometimes gritty reality of solid waste treatment. But the change in industry was only the beginning of her challenges.
“I faced skepticism from long-time senior employees and resistance from my father’s conservative leadership style,” she says. “But I never thought of giving up. I just kept telling myself: ‘Taking over is my responsibility—I have no choice on that. However, solving the problems that occur along the way? That’s where I do have choices.’”
Reserved by nature, Liu describes her younger self as an “I”—an introvert who avoided center stage. Yet in business leadership, especially in a family business, avoiding difficult conversations isn’t an option.
“Inheriting a company means constant communication—with your parents, with partners, with employees. And not just persuasive communications,” she says. “I needed to learn how to express myself clearly and strategically.”
At CKGSB, she found the perfect environment to grow. “The MBA experience helped me become what I call an ‘E’—Eloquent and Effective,” she jokes. “It wasn’t just about communication skills, but about understanding different perspectives and aligning stakeholders around shared goals.”
One turning point came during a debate over whether to adopt a new waste-treatment technology. Her father and the senior team were skeptical. Instead of pushing back emotionally, Liu worked with her CKGSB-honed skills to prepare a detailed market study and a risk feasibility report.
“As I knew my father and colleagues trusted experience more than opinion,” she says. “I used data to speak my mind. That approach came directly from what I learned at CKGSB—how to let evidence speak louder than emotions.”
Before CKGSB, Liu’s academic and social circles had been relatively homogenous—similar ages, similar backgrounds. “It was easy to find common ground because everyone thought the same way,” she explains. But the real business world is diverse and complex.
“At CKGSB, I met people from finance, manufacturing, healthcare—people decades older or younger than me. This forced me to really listen, to adapt, and to connect across divides,” she says. “That’s what made me a better leader. I now know how to build consensus in the face of differences—something I use daily when aligning strategies with my father and our team.”
This ability to “seek unity in diversity” has allowed Liu to co-develop a hybrid strategy for the company’s operations—honoring the family’s traditional, steady style while integrating innovation and agility.
As Chinese businesses increasingly globalize, second-generation leaders like Liu are often tasked with leading the charge. But expanding abroad isn’t just about exporting products—it requires cultural fluency, geopolitical understanding, and above all, a global vision.
At CKGSB, Liu found that perspective. “Dean Xiang Bing’s teaching—‘To View the Earth from the Moon’—really resonated with me. He urged us to address global challenges with global thinking and a long-term vision.”
Through CKGSB’s international modules and access to world-class faculty, Liu gained critical insights into foreign markets, regulatory environments, and cross-cultural communication. These experiences directly influenced her approach to business development overseas.
“When I attend global trade expos, I now tailor our message to each market. In Europe, we highlight our environmental impact and social responsibility. In North America, we focus more on cost and efficiency. That flexibility in messaging? I learned it at CKGSB.”
In 2024, Liu Siyang officially graduated from CKGSB’s MBA program. By then, she had already begun transforming her inherited role into a leadership platform—one rooted in empathy, rigor, and global awareness.
Today, she not only communicates effectively with her father, her colleagues, and her partners—she speaks confidently to the world.
No longer just the “fated successor,” Liu Siyang is now a leader in her own right—charting a new course for her family business and for a new generation of values-driven entrepreneurs.
