Supply Chain

Did you always know you wanted to work in the beauty industry?

I studied chemical engineering but I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do. I love data. I love science. I love problem-solving. I started to get interested in the beauty and cosmetic industry when I realised the amount of science that’s behind all of the products that I use. When I was getting ready to graduate there were a lot of opportunities in oil and chemical refineries, but I thought it would be fun to work for a company whose products I love, and the Estée Lauder Companies was at the top of my list.

What does a typical day looks like for you?

In distribution, our main priority is quality going to the customer. I oversee running the day-to-day execution of the plant and our online fulfilment area. The main priority for me on a daily basis is making sure that customer orders are getting to them on time, and that they're being presented in a way that the consumer's going to love.

What excites you about coming to work every day?

I love coming to work mainly for my team, the people that I work with every day that are making things happen to support the business. It's interesting work. There is always a new challenge requiring problem solving. We have a lot of new technology that we're bringing in house, so it's really exciting to be a part of all of these digital changes. Working with robotics every day and leveraging data analytics.

How do you find working as a woman in a Supply Chain role?

I appreciate how this company is really building a culture where it's valued to have diversity. It's valued to have women on the team. When I go into meetings with our Supply Chain leadership they're providing me a seat at the table and making sure women are included in the conversation. I'm also a member of our Women in Supply Chain resource group whose prime focus is to make sure that we're supporting women to reach their highest potential. It's an amazing community of intelligent women and we're all rooting for each other to hit our personal and professional goals. One great thing about being a part of this group is that I get to participate in events that help raise awareness about women in STEM and in Supply Chain. Recently we talked to local high school students about robotics and data analytics, how we were using them at the company, and how it applies to them. I hope to inspire young women to get into the field the way I was encouraged in high school.

What’s it like to work in Quality at the Estée Lauder Companies?

At the Estée Lauder Companies, quality is a very important and a very serious job. We work as a quality team not only to ensure that every product is excellent, but also that the whole production system is operating at the highest level, so we have the confidence in every single piece we ship out.

What does a typical day in your role look like?

I meet with my team every day to talk about what happened yesterday, what were our challenges and how we dealt with them, what we learnt and how to improve the process by taking care of the root cause. We talk about our priorities and give everyone the chance to ask their questions. There is a culture of transparency in communication and a culture of promoting everybody's strength.

I work with our product development teams when they come to visit during the new product industrialisation stage. We talk about what’s new, where to pay attention and how to implement the requirements in our quality system. There are also routine activities like process auditing which we monitor on a daily basis, making sure the materials and products have the performance consumers are expecting. For example, making sure the right amount of powder can be picked up and applied perfectly in a consistent and pleasant way from the first use to the end of the product’s life.

How did you get into this profession?

I have a bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering from Xi'an University of Technology in China, and I have dual masters’ degrees in Packaging Engineering and in Material and Thermal Mechanics from ESIREIMS, The Engineering School of The University of Reims in France. After graduating I worked in packaging development for a prestige beauty brand in Paris. I joined ELC in Shanghai in 2010 as a Packaging Lab Leader, and then I transferred to the Quality team.

How did you end up in Bristol, Pennsylvania?

Earlier in my career at ELC, my supervisor spoke with me about my professional interests and career planning, and he asked if I would be open to relocation. It was clear that the company was interested in my professional development. I was excited when the opportunity came up in Bristol. I was encouraged to apply and I was very happy to land the role in 2017.

The company recently introduced Linkedin Learning to its full-time employees. Have you tried it?

Linkedin Learning is an endless resource. I love it. You can find everything you're interested in and you can take a course anytime you have a few minutes, on your computer, mobile phone even driving on your way home, you can play it in your car. I was interested in understanding how our “frontier soldiers” are battling on the front line of our business, so I took a class about marketing. It helped me understand how my job can be linked to their activities, and how I can contribute to their efforts. I enjoy expanding my knowledge and I think this can also help improve overall cooperation between functions.

Describe your role at ELC:

Essentially in my role, when there’s a process that needs to be improved, or if there is an opportunity to save money, my team conducts projects that lead to bettering the technology and systems that we work with.

How do you make a difference at work?

My team not only improves the technology that we work with on a daily basis, but we also look at the people at ELC and what works best for them. By making employees’ experiences better, whether through more open communication or updated technology, it leads to success.

What do you like about working in the beauty industry?

The industry is so dynamic and to be a key player, you cannot stay the same. At ELC we’re always making new products and trying to come up with the next best thing. That’s a very cool part of this job: you get to see that process from behind closed doors. And so much goes into this process.

What is one of your favourite days at work?

I am part of ELC’s Women in Supply Chain group, a subset of the Women’s Leadership Network ERG. The day that we held our kick-off event was an amazing day because I was part of a conversation that made an impact on other ELC employees. Now, through Women in Supply Chain, we often organise events around philanthropy and awareness. The company as a whole is huge on doing work that goes beyond just what we produce. That’s important to me.

What is inspiring about working at ELC?

It’s refreshing to see so many women in leadership at this company, especially in areas such as Engineering and Supply Chain. A lot of women have been open about sharing their story, and it’s positive for me to see that working and having a family isn’t deterring or stopping women from moving forward. It’s inspiring.