Yajie (Shirley) Zhao
About Yajie (Shirley) Zhao
Yajie (Shirley) Zhao is a seasoned Purchasing Manager at Ford Motor Company, overseeing the Asia Pacific region and leading the C1 Program Team. With a Bachelor's degree in International Business from Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, she has extensive experience in cross-regional purchasing and team development.
Work at Ford Motor
Yajie Zhao has been employed at Ford Motor Company since 2005. She holds the position of Purchasing Manager of Asia Pacific, C1 Program Team Leader, and Commodity Purchasing Supervisor. Her tenure spans 19 years, during which she has worked in both Nanjing, China, and Cologne, Germany. In her current role, she is responsible for managing purchasing operations across the Asia Pacific region and leading initiatives related to commodity purchasing.
Education and Expertise
Yajie Zhao earned a Bachelor's degree in International Business, Trade, and Commerce from Nanjing University of Finance and Economics. Her education, completed from 1995 to 1999, provided her with a solid foundation in business principles and practices. This academic background supports her extensive expertise in managing cross-regional purchasing teams and coordinating with various functional teams to resolve sourcing issues.
Background
Yajie Zhao has extensive experience in the field of purchasing and sourcing, particularly within the automotive industry. She has a proven track record of managing cross-regional teams and has been instrumental in training and developing team members for future growth within Ford. Her career at Ford has allowed her to gain insights into joint venture sourcing processes and overall sourcing strategy development.
Achievements
During her time at Ford, Yajie Zhao has led the development of sourcing strategies for several key programs, including the new Focus, new Kuga, and new Transit. As the APA Purchasing Supervisor for Chassis, she successfully achieved year-over-year cost reduction targets for all Asia Pacific and Africa programs. Her contributions have been vital in aligning sourcing strategies with joint venture processes.