Starting her British Steel career on Day 1 of our new company, Annie Xu is Executive Assistant to the President and CEO. Annie shares her experiences here – find out what attracted her to the role...
What was your first role in British Steel and what's been your journey since?
I joined British Steel on Day 1 of our new company in 2020. My first and current role is to assist the President and CEO and assist the Chinese and British executives and directors in coordinating and communicating various matters.
What does your day-to-day role involve?
My role involves a broad range of activities including:
Why do you enjoy working for British Steel?
I've lived in the UK for nearly 9 years. I'm a Chinese and Western philosophy professional, an experienced educator, and a professional translator. In addition, I have over 20 years of experience in research of – and practice in – cross-cultural communication. Therefore, I accepted the offer when I had this opportunity because I wanted to help the British and Chinese teams work together and enhance their mutual respect and understanding.
I have confidence in the future and the development of British Steel. Although there are still some cultural gaps, as the new owner, Jingye is committed to supporting British Steel both financially and practically. They've vowed to make it a profitable company, one that supports employees, the local economy and the wider British steel industry.
Which women in business inspire you and why?
As a steel company, it is understandable that the significant gender group and therefore the leadership are predominantly male. However, from my 2 years of experience in the business, female colleagues have played indispensable roles. In this men’s world, women hold up half the sky!