Li – Service Director

The Story

Aside from giving him the experience of running big teams, a move away showed Li how differently other organisations work. And it was the freedom, experience and training he knew we offered at DNV that eventually convinced him to return.
 

What have you achieved here – before and since your return?

I first joined DNV in Beijing, in a sales role. But in 2019, I re-joined in a much more senior role. As Service Director, my team delivers industry certifications and 3rd party inspections – and consults on green products and innovation roadmaps. It’s great: I’m more suited to overseeing sales, operations and HR.
 

What did you do during your time away?

In 2016, I moved to a German certification body that focuses on small household appliances. Initially, there was a good learning curve. But over time, I felt I was just one small cog in the business. I didn’t feel I was contributing much. And the standard we offered was very narrow.
 

Why did you come back?

The role. After my time away, what was once a gap in my CV – leadership and management – was now a strength. I’m proud to be surrounded by experts too. Where other certification businesses might hire an auditor – we bring in doctors, technologists and engineers. We genuinely care about what’s behind the numbers.
 

When have you felt at the heart of it at DNV?

I feel it every day. I’m involved throughout the process – buyer to end user, designer to production, material to final product. And after looking at other comparable businesses, I feel only DNV offers this kind of environment.
 

What do you like most about working here?

When I moved, I didn’t realise how much I’d miss the DNV approach. It’s a flat structure. Controls are tight, but light. Plus, there’s the training. The other day, a new Sales Director had 10 e-learning modules pop up on his laptop. DNV has all the tools you need to develop.
 

What are your ambitions for the future?

I want to keep growing my skills and improving my team. Beyond that, our business area has been running for 20-30 years: I think it’s up to people at my level to evolve the way we do things. To transform departments and processes, drive profit, and inspire clients.