Siying Yao (SKEMA 2019), Ambassador of the Shanghai-Suzhou chapter

Could you briefly tell us about your career since graduating from SKEMA Business School and what motivated you to become an ambassador for the SKEMA Alumni Shanghai-Suzhou chapter?

After graduating, I returned to China to start my career with one of the world's most admired companies: Apple. I worked in the marketing department, where I was responsible for localizing Apple Pay in the APAC regions. After two rewarding years in Beijing, I moved to Shanghai to begin a new adventure.
It had always been my ambition to set up my own business, and I was able to realize this dream by co-founding a design and branding agency specializing in the art sector. We offered our services to museums, galleries and art projects. Unfortunately, shortly after our launch, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, severely impacting our business. We had to make the difficult decision to put an end to our projects.
After a period of reflection and reorientation, I joined the Falux Group, where I now hold the position of Brand Director. We focus on the development of family vacation destinations in China, with several projects successfully deployed in different cities.
What motivated me to become an ambassador for the Shanghai-Suzhou chapter was the desire to bring the SKEMA community closer together, to help alumni create professional connections, and to facilitate the integration of young graduates in this dynamic city. I love exchanging and connecting with others, and I'm delighted to be actively contributing to our network.

How do you plan to energise and animate the Shanghai-Suzhou chapter as its ambassador? Can you share some ideas for events or initiatives you'd like to put in place?

I'd like to energize the Shanghai-Suzhou chapter by proposing diverse and original events, such as :

• Wine tastings coupled with networking sessions;
• Artistic or DIY workshops, to unleash our creativity while strengthening ties;
• Cultural walks in the city or discovery days on bikes, to discover our environment together.

The aim is to bring community members together, not only to create professional opportunities, but also to build real friendships, share life experiences and inspire each other.

What message would you like to convey to alumni to encourage them to join and become actively involved in the SKEMA Alumni Shanghai-Suzhou chapter?

Reconnect with alumni! By joining and actively participating in our events, you'll expand your network, share your experiences and leave a lasting imprint on our community. Get involved in exclusive events where we exchange and inspire each other.
Join us today: Reconnect, contribute and prosper together!