Inspiring Women

Christine Li
Deloitte Innovation & Digital Development Center (IDDC)| Director

Among the over 60% female employees in Deloitte China, there are a lot of seemingly ordinary but amazing women. Christine Li is one of them. She's not only a confident professional lady also and loving mother. In the current era of unprecedented opportunities and challenges, Christine represents "Women of Technology" to guide the future market and creating infinite possibilities.

During the one hour's interview with Christine, every minute seemed intriguing. As someone who has a STEM majored background Christine is optimistic, intellectual, confident and passionate. She shared with us how she creates something extraordinary out of the ordinary with the team at Deloitte China in the "Women of Technology" age, which evinces her courage and wisdom.

Could you share with us how you joined Deloitte? How do you feel about the development platform and opportunities Deloitte provides?

Key words: #dream, #luck, #quick learning

I studied mechanical engineering in college with a second major in finance, and my career aspiration was always to work with Deloitte. Right before graduation, Deloitte held an on-campus recruitment that attracted huge crowds of people, and everyone in the dormitory submitted resumes. In the end, only 4 people in our department got accepted by the Big Four, and I was lucky to be one of them to join Deloitte China.

In my first year with Deloitte, I was working as a secondee in the audit department, where I learned the basics and got to know the overall work frame and standard process. Then I was transferred back to Risk Advisory (RA) and worked as an IT audit for nearly four years. My job changed from IT audit to data analysis as the department embraced transformation, which prompted me to learn quickly. Fortunately, the understanding of business accumulated in previous projects helped me to make a quick adaptation.

Deloitte provides us with a good development platform that demonstrates academic atmosphere as well as enabling experience accumulation and promotion on the basis of customer-focus services. For instance, "the Fourth Report" we are delivering is a brand new initiative, representing the leading practice of Deloitte's digital era in the market.

Today's science and technology develops rather fast, and digitalization also accelerates quickly. How do you perceive the future development of women with TECH background from your personal experience?

Key words: #take the right path, #be persistent

I did have a short confusion when I was first involved in data analysis, but now it turns out to be the right decision and right path to take, both from market, firm, and personal's perspective. What gratifying to see is that the female colleagues on our team are eager to study, hard-working, don't mind busy business trips and great at communicating with clients. We have been advancing unwaveringly along this path, with full faith in future development on this path.

It must be very busy working in professional service firm like Deloitte. As a female Director in the workplace, and also a mother of a ten-year-old boy, how do you define "wellbeing" and how do you manage work-life balance?

Key words: #power of role model, #inclusion, #solicitude, #reliable team, #personal charm

Everyone has different definitions of "work-family balance" and "wellbeing". More or less, female employees have to make sacrifices to some extend. As far as I'm concerned, I tend to convert such "sacrifice" to understanding, driving force and power of role model, as long as it's acceptable. Besides, I believe it's possible to achieve work-life balance if you are enjoying your job.

I have taken my son to my workshops for several times, where he could see my devoted and professional side at work, as well as everyone's efforts in the team. Through the demonstration, I hope to let him know that no one is born with success, everything takes hard work and efforts.

Fortunately, Deloitte shows utmost solicitude for female employees. In addition to maternity leave and job flexibility provided by the firm, care and inclusion are also given by team managers and colleagues.

Hereby, I want to share something in common from the successful women in our team.

First, they are capable and professional, and therefore, trusted by clients.

Second, they are good at developing people, their successors, utilizing talents, and providing clients with quality services.

Third, they are charming and pleasant, thus delivering good experience to clients so that they are willing to consider Deloitte as a strategy partner to achieve a long-term win-win situation.

I learned from them that we can earn trust from clients in a professional and gentle way. We are able to accomplish work efficiently, meanwhile taking good care of our families.  

What's your opinion on Deloitte's digital transformation, and what opportunities and challenges it would bring?

Keywords: #innovation, #self-driven learning, #internal impetus, #technical disruptor

The innovation and R&D required for digital transformation establish higher standard for talent training. Our talent need to conduct self-driven learning and R&D, instead of just working on traditional projects.

Digital transformation makes huge difference on future business mode, which attracts us to seize such opportunities and keep abreast of industry-leading companies in the near future. Through digital transformation, we have a chance to work with Asia-Pacific and worldwide Deloitte colleagues, learn from each other and exchange advanced ideas and technologies. We enjoy such good interaction.

As said by Risk Advisory Partner Jacky Zhu, Deloitte is no longer a traditional auditing firm, instead it's becoming a disruptor for multiple technologies. It's a challenge, but also an opportunity. Everyone can be part of it and make a contribution to change the industry's era.

As a female STEM professional, do you have anything to share?

Key words: #companionship, #gratitude

Deloitte has been accompanying me for more than a decade, witnessing my transition from a new graduate to a professional manager, from a girl to a mother. Deloitte makes me feel like home, and I am grateful for being part of such a big family.

Life is a long journey, needs accumulation, learning, and precipitation. I would like to share three tips:

• Believe in yourself. That you are a woman or have no tech background does not mean you have to set limits on yourself. 
• Thrust your team. You're never fighting alone. The whole team has got your back.
• Improve professional ability. Such ability is essential for working in any company.

No matter what our roles are, we can take our own road and define our own wonderful life as we want.