Buckeyes are Buckeyes for life. For alumni like Song Qi, a Fisher College of Business MBA graduate from 1999, this can play out in some unexpected ways. “I was once sitting at the Sydney airport reading a book and waiting to board a flight,” he recalled. “I heard the familiar O-H-I-O from another passenger passing by who also wore a scarlet Ohio State T-shirt. That made my day!”
From chance encounters with fellow travelers to joining one of over 125 alumni clubs worldwide, Buckeyes find many ways to stay connected. Qi has been active with an alumni club chapter in China, supported through the Office of International Affair’s China Gateway, where he returned to start his career after graduating from The Ohio State University.
“The China Gateway as a portal connects with Buckeyes abroad and brings Ohio State to them,” said Phoebe You, Director of the China Gateway. “I first met with Song Qi during Dean Anil Makhija’s visit to Shanghai. He was super excited to reconnect with Dean Makhija, who was his finance professor during his MBA at Ohio State, after so many years. It’s this kind of constant engagement that the Gateway brings to the country, allowing even alumni who graduated many years ago and live abroad to still feel connected with the university.”
Since finishing his studies at Ohio State, Qi has gone on to have an accomplished career with Continental Group, a global technology company focused on machinery and transportation. “I spent seven years working as head of ContiTech China region, overseeing 5,000 employees, 10 manufacturing locations and six R&D centers,” explained Qi. In 2022, he was promoted to executive vice president and moved to Germany.
Because Qi’s career has been so international, he is a strong believer in adopting a global perspective in business. “Each country has its own unique people and business cultures as well as economic drivers. I need to understand how people are motivated in different cultures so I can effectively lead and motivate our teams in different countries,” he said. “I also need to have a deep understanding of our customer’s needs and expectations in different markets. All this helps me effectively manage the global business with a broad view and global picture in mind.”
Qi felt prepared for this international approach by his time at Ohio State. “I learned and grew so much during my two-year MBA study at Fisher. I built a solid knowledge base for my career. I learned teamwork by working closely with other students and, due to the diversified student body, I also learned to appreciate cultural diversity.”
He continues to give back to today’s Buckeyes by staying involved with the China Gateway. “I go to alumni events, career fairs and seminars and stay engaged with Ohio State professors, alumni and incoming students. I have organized visits to Continental manufacturing plants for EMBA students so they can witness firsthand modern manufacturing processes in China, and I have given presentations to EMBA students about economic development, the automotive market and business culture in China.”
Read the full interview with Song Qi courtesy of The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.