10 Dec 2025
Recently, the Work placement, Employability and Career Development (WEC) team at the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) successfully hosted the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry sharing session as part of the "Explore the Corporate World" series. The event invited three alumni speakers from diverse career paths to provide systematic insights into industry trends, job preparation, and entrepreneurial experience, sparking lively interaction among students.
The session was moderated by Yixin Zhang, Transferable Skills Training Specialist at IBSS. The roundtable guests included: Mengda Zhou, Branding and Operations Manager at an internet company (former Management Trainee at Unilever, BA International Business with a Language alumnus); Zhan Sun, CEO of Suzhou Rongbing Youth Tech. Co., Ltd. (BA Business Administration alumnus); and Bin Jia, with extensive internship experience from L'Oréal and Nestlé (MSc Operations and Supply Chain Management student representative). The three guests engaged in an insightful dialogue, sharing perspectives across brand strategy, entrepreneurial insights, and career guidance.
Mengda Zhou, Branding & Operations Manager at an Internet Company
Mengda Zhou provided a systematic analysis of the core differences in brand strategy and operational models between traditional FMCG and internet retail. Starting from consumer needs, he detailed how brand operations create business value across supply, promotion, and marketing through omni-channel strategies. Regarding career development, he advised students to cultivate structured thinking, leverage AI tools to enhance efficiency, and demonstrate critical thinking by asking proactive questions during interviews. Emphasizing the rapid evolution of the industry, Mengda highlighted that anchoring one's strengths early and maintaining a positive, adaptable mindset are key to building long-term competitiveness.
Zhan Sun, CEO of Suzhou Rongbing Youth Tech. Co., Ltd.
As an entrepreneur in the food and beverage sector, Zhan Sun shared his authentic journey of building a business from "0 to 1." He explained key considerations such as selecting a suitable market segment, establishing differentiated advantages, and addressing early-stage funding challenges, etc. Zhan Sun noted that entrepreneurship requires systematically validating ideas, progressing from "what problem to solve" to "how to solve it" through professional exploration. He also stressed the importance of objective self-awareness, proactively sourcing firsthand information, and carefully selecting business partners. He encouraged students to proactively expand their networks and leverage university resources during their studies to build valuable foundations for potential future entrepreneurial pursuits.
Bin Jia, interned at L'Oréal and Nestlé
Leveraging the internship experiences at L'Oréal and Nestlé, Bin Jia conducted a comparative analysis of the notable differences between the two companies in terms of organizational structure, brand positioning, and work culture. Using the procurement function as an example, he pointed out that L'Oréal places particular emphasis on cross-departmental collaboration and data analysis skills. He also outlined the five key dimensions the company focuses on during recruitment: learning agility, resilience, empathy, ambition, and judgement. Bin Jia encouraged fellow students to stay curious and true to their original aspirations, continuously pushing beyond personal limits through ongoing learning and practice, thereby achieving deeper growth and fulfillment.
The event received enthusiastic feedback. Participants widely agreed that the guests' sharing offered both forward-looking industry insights and practical guidance, helping them form a clearer understanding of career paths within the FMCG field. In the closing remark, Hailu Hou, Career Counsellor at IBSS, stated that WEC will continue to launch more programme-specific and industry-focused events to help students enhance their employability and bridge the gap between academia and industry. The event concluded successfully following engaged interaction, providing students with clear guidance for their continued career planning and skill development.
Contributed by: Lu Jiang
Photography by: Yuning Dong
Edited by: Hailu Hou
10 Dec 2025