To accelerate organizational renewal, New Hope Group once again collaborates with Harvard to conduct leadership training for 2,600 key management personnel.

From Digitalization to Leadership, Organizational Renewal is a Constant Effort

As a key component of New Hope Group's twelve-character management policy of "Technology-Driven, Operational Excellence, and Organizational Reinvention," New Hope has implemented a number of robust organizational development measures in recent years. Currently, the average age of management personnel across the Group is in their 30s, and they are deeply embedded in every aspect of the industry chain. As early as 2021, New Hope partnered with Harvard Business School to launch the "New Hope-Harvard Business School Digital Strategy Acceleration Program," providing four months of digital training for over 200 core managers. Chairman Liu Yonghao emphasized that digital transformation is not just an optional extra, but a necessity for the survival and development of a company. Digital transformation is not just about equipping the company with digital technology; it also requires a commitment to organizational transformation. "Without organizational transformation, digital transformation is impossible." Digital training has further fostered awareness of digital transformation, enhanced digital understanding, and strengthened digital capabilities among management. This has significantly contributed to the implementation of the Group's 15 digital lighthouse projects, driving the Group's digital transformation forward.

Four years have passed, and new domestic and international developments have brought pressure and challenges. The rapid development of AI technology will transform the established models of most industries. To enhance the innovation awareness and systematic management capabilities of key managers and key business personnel, and to better promote organizational transformation and upgrading, New Hope Group has once again partnered with Harvard Business School to launch the "New Hope Leadership Renewal Training Camp."

This training camp is a key initiative in New Hope Group's long-term commitment to building a learning organization. Leveraging digitally integrated campus platforms like Feishu, the camp fosters a learning mechanism centered on talent development. Participants will systematically learn from Harvard Business School's 40 classic core management skills courses, nearly 200 practical scenario-based tools, and over 500 cutting-edge insightful articles. The camp also emphasizes interactive communication on the digital campus, cross-disciplinary discussions in online live broadcasts, and practical experience sharing from outstanding management teams. This provides participants with a brand-new learning experience, empowering them to better navigate challenges in their daily work and enhance management effectiveness.

Concepts and organizational systems must keep pace with the times and technological developments.

In his opening lecture, Liu Yonghao emphasized the global surge in AI. Faced with the series of new challenges and opportunities that AI technology may bring to industries and businesses, we must actively embrace new technologies and understand, learn, and utilize them. These new technologies will undoubtedly benefit businesses. "First, we must keep pace with the times and actively embrace the technological changes brought about by AI. We must not fall behind. Second, this is not a matter for a few individuals; it is a matter for everyone, and all managers must reach a consensus. Third, we must seize this opportunity to break down data barriers," he said.

"The complex domestic and international situation presents challenges and pressures for all businesses, but 'a downturn is also a time to sharpen our knives.' We must remain calm and not give in. Instead, we must capitalize on periods of volatility and pressure to transform, upgrade, and adjust, streamlining costs, increasing technological sophistication, and achieving improved quality and efficiency. We must strive to leverage AI technology to achieve progress in all areas and boost our productivity to cope with the current pressures and difficulties." Liu Yonghao stated that New Hope, after 43 years of development, has become a world-class agricultural, animal husbandry, and food company with over 100,000 employees. However, compared with technology and internet companies, our technological capabilities and innovative spirit are relatively weak. Therefore, we must make targeted improvements, especially in our philosophy and organizational systems, to keep pace with the times and technological trends. This is one of the reasons for holding the "New Hope Leadership Renewal Training Camp."

Liu Yonghao explained that the group's current development has formed a new "5+3" structure. The "5" refers to the five major industries centered around our core agriculture and animal husbandry sectors: feed, cold chain logistics, hog farming, food processing, and dairy. These industries have all achieved significant scale and have a significant influence nationwide and globally. According to 2023 data, we boast the world's largest feed production capacity, the second largest cold chain logistics order size, the third largest hog farming scale, the fourth largest meat processing capacity, and the fifth largest liquid milk sales volume, making us one of China's largest comprehensive suppliers of meat, eggs, and milk. Furthermore, centered around our corporate vision of "Hope, Making Life Better," we have incubated three ecosystems: food, urban and rural services, and biomedical technology. Each of these ecosystems is thriving and healthy, giving rise to a number of unicorns and specialized, innovative companies. In this new landscape, we must prioritize technology, continuous innovation, constant exploration, and a focus on improving quality and efficiency.

Putting emphasis on organizational restructuring and transformation is key to sustainable success.

Regarding New Hope's organizational development, Liu Yonghao emphasized the importance of organizational restructuring and transformation, as well as the development of young people, striving to build New Hope into a century-old enterprise that contributes to society and enjoys sustainable success. Against this backdrop, collaborating again with Harvard Business School to expand the training program and launch the "New Hope Leadership Renewal Training Camp" for over 2,600 executives and key business personnel is extremely valuable and meaningful.

Li Jianxiong outlined learning expectations and requirements for the participants. He stated that as companies transition from scale-based growth to high-quality, integrated, and lean operations, they must prioritize the development of organizational capabilities. We are launching this training program to seize the opportunities presented by the transformational AI era, and all participants should also seize this learning opportunity and gain valuable insights. Participants should avoid the following four learning attitudes: First, feeling they don't have time to study. Learning should be a necessary part of their schedule, not a selective study session. We recommend developing a habit of studying for half an hour before bed. Second, believing the content is boring and uninteresting. This program is not a hobby group, but a necessary step toward improving management skills. Third, believing they are so accomplished that they don't need to learn anymore. Practical practitioners often fall into this trap. Our managers should maintain an open mindset, examining themselves through learning and continuously reviewing and improving. Fourth, learning for its own sake. We must apply what we learn, improve through practical experience, and drive business improvement.

At the opening ceremony, Harvard Business School General Manager of China, Li Liangliang, introduced the Harvard Business School's management skills curriculum and high-quality management skills in the AI era to participants, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the importance of improving management capabilities. Harvard Business School Professor Zhu Feng, in his lecture titled "The AI Era: How Organizations Transform and Innovate," shared in-depth insights on how AI applications can promote business development through rich and detailed case studies. He emphasized that organizational change is key to leading in the AI era and expressed hope that New Hope can build a future-oriented organization and become a leader in the AI era.