When Alex Li attended his first meeting as head of Lenovo India, he understood less than 40 per cent of what was said. After being asked if he wanted the job in April 2009, the then marketing director for the consumer business at China’s largest PC maker found himself in New Delhi just three weeks later – with no more than the rudimentary English skills left over from high school English classes and a Lonely Planet travel guide as preparation. Lenovo has 40 Chinese executives posted overseas, more than double the number just two years ago. Its expansion mirrors that of other Chinese companies, making Mr Li one of a growing army of managers sent abroad by “China Inc”.
當Alex Li作爲聯想印度業務(Lenovo India)負責人第一次參加會議時，會上的發言內容他聽懂了不到40%。2009年4月，他正擔任著這家中國最大個人電腦製造商的消費業務行銷總監，當時公司問他是否願意到印度工作。而三週之後，他便來到了新德里。至於準備工作，不過是高中英語課殘存下來的一點基本英語能力，以及一本lonely Planet旅遊指南。聯想派駐海外的中國籍高階主管有40人，是兩年前的一倍多。聯想的擴張與其它中國企業的情況十分相似，Alex Li成爲「中國公司」(China Inc)不斷壯大的海外經理人大軍的一員。