From January 20 to 22, 2021, the STEP Financial Annual Summary Meeting, themed “Change with Perseverance, Ride the Waves Against the Wind,” was held at the Meiyu Road Factory in Jiading District, Shanghai. The three-day meeting featured a rich and diverse array of activities—ranging from business discussions and introductions, financial software skills training, to quick report summaries and a PPT competition—making it both informative and highly engaging.

Day 1: Business Workshop

 

The main content consists of business workshops and introductions, led by members of the STEP Financial Core Team. The topics include: the financial reporting system (Ye Nia), a panoramic, in-depth financial analysis system (Li Yinru), the enhancement of the credit system (Tan Chaohui), the standardization of external payments and financial support for business operations (Ding Renhao), real-time, visual BI tools to empower business (Li Yinru), learning and certification (Tan Chaohui), an introduction to operational finance (Zhang Naidu), how to quickly complete monthly reports (Gu Lina), and the group’s information technology development (Wang Jianguo, Gu Yifei).

In 2021, the Group further subdivided its business segments into 5 business divisions, 17 BUs, and 25 product lines. This also placed higher demands on the finance function. At the seminar, participants engaged in a lively discussion on how to more effectively analyze operational conditions and support business development, ultimately reaching a consensus. We are confident that in the coming year, the Finance Department will help the company achieve even greater value.

 

 
The next day: Financial software skills training and a dinner gathering.

 

The main content focuses on soft skills training in finance. Financial professionals deal with large volumes of data every day, and they not only need to process this data accurately and efficiently but also strive for real-time visibility and interactivity when sharing it. To meet these two key requirements, Liu Song, Accounts Receivable and Tax Manager at the Finance Shared Services Center, conducted training on POWER BI software in the morning, while Jiang Haiping, Finance Director of the Intelligent Manufacturing Division, provided training on Excel function applications in the afternoon. In 2021, real-time dashboard analysis for financial work will be fully rolled out across all subsidiaries, covering multiple aspects such as revenue and collection tracking, customer opportunity tracking, and order monitoring.

In the evening, everyone gathered in the company cafeteria to make dumplings together—sharing experiences at work and savoring life’s simple pleasures. With just a few humble ingredients, they not only carried forward traditional culture but also fostered closer communication. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The scene of everyone huddled around the table, rolling dumplings together, was lively and vibrant, brimming with the warm, bustling energy of home-cooked meals. Driven by deep-seated passion, they tucked every good wish into each dumpling they made. The lecture hall and the cafeteria blended seamlessly, as work and life soared side by side. As the evening drew to a close, the sound of boiling water echoed through the kitchen; laughter and cheerful chatter chased away the chill, filling the room with joy that resonated from cup to plate. Tasting the dumplings they’d prepared themselves, their stomachs felt full and their hearts grew warm. This scene seemed truly special—perhaps this fiery, passionate life right before our eyes is precisely the distant horizon within reach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3: Annual Report Summary and PPT Competition

 

The main agenda items were a summary of the 2020 Financial Annual Report Flash and the 3rd PPT Presentation Competition. A total of 80 participants, including external experts, leaders from the Group and its subsidiaries, and financial personnel from various subsidiaries, attended the meeting. The event was co-hosted by Yenia Ye, Reporting Manager at the Financial Shared Services Center, and Wei Xu, Finance Manager at Yixin Company.

 

 

Topic Sharing

 

Li Guofan, Deputy General Manager and CFO of STEP, shared “STEP 2021 Financial Management Transformation and Requirements” under the theme “Embrace Change with Perseverance and Sustained Effort.” Mr. Li pointed out that the core of financial management transformation lies in shifting from post-event accounting to pre-event win-forecasting, and from being mere bookkeepers to becoming strategic operational advisors. STEP financial organizational reform benchmarks against industry-leading companies, establishing and building a three-pillar financial organizational structure: Business Partner (BP) for integrated business and finance, Shared Services Center (SSC) for centralized financial operations, and Center of Excellence (COE) for specialized strategic finance. He also outlined five key requirements for the finance function: (1) Drive growth and help the operating team achieve the BP’s preset targets; (2) Promote transformation by challenging the operations team to pursue continuous improvement and operational excellence; (3) Optimize resource allocation and gain deep insights into risks; (4) Leverage tools such as BI and RPA to enhance the efficiency of accounting and report analysis; (5) Participate actively in R&D project management. Mr. Li further encouraged all finance professionals to make real change happen—overcome themselves, battle inertia, confront the unknown, keep learning, and persistently transform themselves every single day.

 

 

Deputy General Manager of STEP

Financial Director Li Guofan’s keynote presentation

 

 

Annual Quick Summary and Team Awards

 

Yenia, the Report Manager at the Financial Shared Services Center, summarized the Group’s annual flash report from four dimensions: timeliness of reports, accuracy of reports, accuracy of forecasts, and fund collection rate. Regarding report timeliness, all subsidiaries submitted their reports on time, ensuring smooth progress according to the scheduled timeline. As for report accuracy, the master data used in the reports were highly accurate; however, there are still some potential pitfalls that require attention. In terms of forecast accuracy, the overall revenue deviation rate was 0.3%, and for net profit, half of the companies achieved a deviation rate within 5%. Concerning the fund collection rate, all subsidiaries actively participated, with an overall collection rate reaching 99%, demonstrating that centralized fund management is creating value. After a comprehensive evaluation across these four dimensions, Yixin Company won first place, Robot Company took second place, and Electrical and Huitong Companies tied for third place. Chairman Ji Yi, General Manager Wu Yu Hui, Deputy General Manager Cai Liang, and Deputy General Manager Yang Lisha presented honorary certificates to the winning companies.

 

Ji Yi, Chairman of STEP, presented the first-place award to the Yixin Company team.

The Finance Department representative presents the award.

 

Financial Reporting PPT Competition

 

This financial reporting PPT competition featured 12 contestants from various finance positions across the Group and its subsidiaries, with an average age of 34.2 years. The competition’s content reviewed key financial milestones of 2020, reported on the financial performance of the Group and its subsidiaries in 2020, and analyzed and uncovered the underlying reasons behind the data. After fierce competition, the winners were selected through a joint scoring process involving financial experts, business experts, and on-site finance personnel. The four winners are as follows: First place—Ye Nia from the Shared Services Center; Second place—Qiu Qin from the Xiao’ao Finance Department; and tied for third place—Li Yinru from the Shared Services Center and Xu Wei from the Yixin Finance Department. The awards were presented by Xia Dawei, President of the Shanghai Accounting Society and former Dean of the Shanghai National Accounting Institute; Yan Jie, Executive Director of the Shanghai Accounting Society and Director of the Shanghai Securities Market Working Committee; Wang Weixiang, CFO of Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator; Zhu Linhao, President of Kangli Elevator; Li Guofan, Deputy General Manager and CFO of STEP; Cai Liang, Deputy General Manager of STEP and General Manager of the Electrical Control Systems Business Unit; Zhou Guangxing, General Manager of the Robotics Business Unit at STEP; and Tian Yongxin, Head of the General Industrial Business Unit within STEP Intelligent Manufacturing Business Division.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leadership Commentary

 

STEP General Manager Wu Yuhui first extended a warm welcome to all the external experts, expressed his support for the organization of this event, and offered his recognition to each participant. After years of accumulation and operational experience, STEP is now at a critically important juncture. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has led to shifts in market demand across STEP various business segments, placing ever-higher demands on the capabilities of the finance team. Finance professionals are now expected to expand their scope—from subsidiaries to business units—gaining broader coverage and a deeper understanding of business operations, thereby enabling STEP to truly focus on customer-centricity. At the same time, we hope that the business, finance, and human resources teams can forge a perfect partnership to provide robust support for business development. Moreover, we aspire for the finance team to take the lead in establishing a truly learning-oriented team organization.

 

 

Commentary by Wu Yuhui, General Manager of STEP

 

Yan Jie, Executive Director of the Shanghai Accounting Association and Director of the Shanghai Securities Market Working Committee, praised the financial team of STEP for having built a well-rounded, comprehensive team of accounting professionals through a three-tier development approach—spanning senior, mid-career, and junior members—that enables them to write effectively when seated, speak persuasively when standing, and work collaboratively when organized. Overall, the financial reports submitted by various companies are highly comprehensive, primarily focusing on cash flow, financial reporting, and alignment with business operations. At the same time, Yan Jie put forward three practical recommendations: (1) From the perspective of financial value creation and financial transformation, we should harness intelligent tools to our advantage and promote the integration of industry, finance, taxation, law, and technology; (2) Financial personnel should learn to conduct financial diagnostics, identify problems, and propose rationalized recommendations, thereby demonstrating their full financial value; (3) We should train non-financial staff in financial thinking, equipping them with basic concepts of numbers, risk management, and compliance.

 

 

Executive Director of the Shanghai Accounting Association

Yan Jie, Director of the Shanghai Securities Market Working Committee, comments.

 

Xia Dawei, President of the Shanghai Accounting Association and former Dean of the Shanghai National Accounting Institute, stated that the overall financial reporting process was outstanding, with beautifully crafted PPT presentations, insightful analysis in the financial reports, and precise articulation. He offered a comprehensive assessment from three perspectives: (1) The financial team has been exceptionally well-built—each financial professional has had ample opportunities for reflection and growth during the analysis and reporting sessions, and each member brings unique strengths to the table. By sharing their experiences, team members can learn from one another and make collective progress; (2) The company places great importance on building its financial team, and senior leaders all attended this event. A company that values finance is undoubtedly a good company; (3) Through analysis and research, the finance department can identify factors influencing the company’s development and propose rational and effective solutions, thereby driving the enterprise’s growth. The transition of finance from being merely an accountant to serving as a strategic operations advisor represents a significant leap—a journey full of both challenges and opportunities. We are confident that the future will only get brighter and better.

 

 

President of the Shanghai Accounting Association

Commentary by Xia Dawei, former President of the Shanghai National Accounting Institute

 

Under the new circumstances and with new developments, in the new year, STEP finance professionals will embrace new challenges with a fresh outlook!

 

 

External experts, group leaders, and subsidiary leaders

A group photo of all financial staff

 

2020 Quick Report and Competition

Li Guofan

Gathering at Chaxi for lively discussions and learning from role models in professional development.

Real-time visibility boosts collections, and centralized funds highlight value.

Operational finance goes to the front lines, calling for artillery fire and resource allocation.

Sharing boosts efficiency and drives improvement; the rising generation surges forward, competing with a thousand sails.

 

On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of Gengzi, the STEP finance team gathered in Chaxi. During the day, they engaged in seminars and training sessions; in the evening, they came together for a team-building activity involving dumpling-making. We invited prominent financial experts and business leaders to review the 2020 flash report and competition results. Against headwinds, we’ve broken through waves; new talents have emerged, and through persistent change and sustained effort, we’ve achieved lasting success.

 

Email:
market@stepelectric.com

Address:
No. 1560, Siyi Road, Jiading District, Shanghai Municipality