Roads and Dreams -- My 20 Years with Vanke

Author: Wang Shiqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-06
Features: From the perspective of the entire life, managing a business is no different from mountaineering, both requiring perseverance and relentless spirit. And mountaineering is even more like life—it may not always be possible to predict the outcome, but as long as one persists, success will eventually be achieved. Mountaineering is a condensed version of life. Before, I had the opportunity to climb mountains because of success, but I still need to climb a peak in everyone's heart. In a highly (utilitarian) commercial society, the amount of money one earns seems to be the sole indicator of social influence. However, in the midst of change, money cannot represent everything. Vanke advocates for a healthy and prosperous life, pursuing the coordination of individual development and teamwork, which aligns more with the trend of social development. Enjoyable work, colleagues who share similar interests, good physical health, an open mindset, and an optimistic and upward spirit—all of these hold values that money cannot replace. Mature enterprises emphasize corporate culture and mechanisms rather than the individual leader. This is especially necessary for Chinese enterprises at this stage to develop beyond the personal lifecycle of the entrepreneur. To achieve long-term growth, it is essential to establish and implement mature corporate operating mechanisms. I know my goal is just to summit Mount Everest, and I will not do anything that consumes physical energy unrelated to the summit. I have maintained this attitude throughout the process. Wang Shiqi and Vanke are not only praised as leaders in the real estate industry but also respected for their tenacious progress. At the same time, the process has also brought us valuable reflections.
—Ning Gaoning, Chairman of COFCO Group
The Wang Shiqi I know looks like a stone, but in reality, he is a piece of jade. In the economic era he navigated, he was carved into a vessel among the new generation of entrepreneurs in China.
—Zhou Qiren, Professor at the China Economic Research Center, Peking University
Wang Shiqi is the highest-ranking executive in the largest real estate industry in a country with the world's largest population and fastest economic growth. Give him a Nobel Prize!
—Zhang Wu can, Economist
Wang Shiqi is a sunny leader figure in the group of Chinese entrepreneurs. He is well-known not only for Vanke's brand and real estate projects but also for his distinctive personality and mountaineering experiences. As the founder of Vanke, he has led the company alongside his professional management team, creating a series of miracles over the past 20 years. Today, Vanke has grown into the largest real estate listed company in mainland China and the only one among the first batch of publicly listed companies in mainland China to maintain profitable growth for 14 consecutive years. These remarkable achievements are closely tied to the values that Wang Shiqi and Vanke have always upheld: always respecting people, pursuing fair returns, and remembering social responsibility, as well as the corporate philosophy of "simplicity, transparency, standardization, and balance."
In the storms of the 20th century, how did he lead Vanke through the tests of time and achieve sharp growth? In an industry where debates over diversification and specialization are endless, how did he make his choices and earn fair returns from the market through professional capabilities? In the early days of the market economy, how did he resist temptations and adhere to professional ethical boundaries, leading the company to establish a transparent and comprehensive management system and a professional management team? In this book, Wang Shiqi not only shares his life journey with honesty and sincerity but also reflects on Vanke's 20-year growth story. Here, we find the inner thoughts of a leader among Chinese entrepreneurs, as well as a genuine record of corporate growth.