Fortune China recently released the list of China’s 50 Most Influential Business Leaders in 2021. Dong Mingzhu, chairman and president of Gree Electric Appliances, ranked tenth on the list, the highest on the businesswomen list.
Dong Mingzhu lived a busy and fulfilling life in 2020. From the fight against the pandemic at the beginning of the year to the live broadcast throughout the year, the secret of Dong Mingzhu’s success is active innovation rather than waiting.
After the outbreak of the pandemic, Dong Mingzhu quickly established a working group for pandemic prevention to urgently organize the production of anti-pandemic products such as fresh air conditioners, masks, goggles, etc. During the worst period of the pandemic, she encouraged scientific researchers to develop virus-killing air purifiers while being concerned about supporting the installers and welders who were in the construction of Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital and Huoshenshan Hospital. In the condolence letter to the workers, Dong Mingzhu wrote: “You care about the doctors, nurses and patients from the bottom of your heart, and want to provide them with the best assistance. Because of your sincerity and love, the doctors, nurses and patients in Wuhan will obtain more protection and more power for pandemic prevention and control, which makes all Gree’s people proud.”
With her outstanding performance in the fight against the pandemic, Dong Mingzhu won the title of “Advanced Individual in the Private Economy in the National Fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
In addition to actively fighting the pandemic, Dong Mingzhu is also actively exploring the innovation of Gree’s marketing model. The editorial department of Fortune China commented that “during the COVID-19 pandemic, she (Dong Mingzhu), as the chairman, voluntarily returned to the role of marketing goddess. In order to promote the company’s performance, she conducted 13 live broadcasts in 8 cities and sold 47.6 billion yuan of goods. While selling the goods, she also acted as a local ‘promotion ambassador’ and ‘specialty product promotion officer’, spreading the city’s economic and cultural concepts and Gree’s brand value to all parts of the country.”
For Dong Mingzhu, struggle and innovation are the eternal main lines, and her responsibility and perseverance also affect the whole society. The editorial department of Fortune China commented: “Dong Mingzhu, starting as a salesperson, has been in Gree for 31 years. Gree has made Dong Mingzhu a well-known manufacturing entrepreneur; she has also rebuilt Gree and made the world love the products that are made in China. Gree Electric Appliances, from air conditioners to smart homes, from small appliances to smart home appliances in the era of the IoE, Dong Mingzhu is getting a greater vision. She hopes to leverage the spirit of Gree to boost the manufacturing industry of ‘Made in China’.”