Lei Zhou

Class year: CEE M.Eng. '17 in Engineering Management
Job title: Staff Business Analyst
Company/organization: Globalfoundries

Zhou's job responsibilities:
•    Defining, orchestrating and executing transformation initiatives across various workstreams (e.g. revenue generation, cost reduction, capacity optimization).
•    Responsible for program management functions, reporting, progress controlling and support definition of mitigating actions as required.
•    Supporting CEO, EVP Strategy, site GMs, in the development of deal structure, negotiations and legal documentation. 
•    Gathering information from different data sources and build solid financial models to support business decisions.

Most memorable CEE experience: While in the Engineering Management program, Zhou was encouraged to “walk out of my comfort zone” and learn the critical thinking and analytical problem-solving skills that can be applied to a wide variety of engineering areas. “With these skills, I have been able to present my perspective and bring value to multiple industries including urban planning, automotive, and semiconductor. Also, a better understanding of diversity and inclusion from the people I met on campus allows me to communicate better in the workplace.”

Advice on Entering the Workforce: “Be brave and never hesitate to ask questions. It may seem a little bit overwhelming when entering a new field, but your curiosity will grow, and more of your questions and doubts will get answered. And it will help you to move on the right track at lightning speed.”