Ping Sun
Discipline and harmony
Reading Time: 10 minutes
Chair of Sichuan Huashui Excellence & Huashui (taxation firms)
Sun Ping is adamant that setting oneself a strict framework of rules is the key to a successful career and a harmonious life. She has been moulded by a rigorous military-style education (both figuratively and literally – her father was an army officer). It included a rather unique time management protocol that she has adopted ever since and implemented with her collaborators and family members. Loyalty to her parents is an important rule of hers: although she had a strong desire to become a teacher, she followed the route they had set out for her and became an accountant. She ended up embracing a successful career in taxation. Diligence is another core principle of her framework. A self-made woman, she started her professional life as a cashier, working her way up before launching her own taxation consultancy firm in 2004. She has accumulated over 30 years of experience in financial management, solving tax-related disputes, and pre-IPO financial and tax consulting.
She is now one of the most respected and recognised professionals in her field in China. She is driven by solid work and moral ethics that have, at times, led her to stand up to senior colleagues, even at the risk of losing her job. Strong minded, she wakes up at 6:50am 365 days of the year without needing an alarm clock, and goes for a 5K run “even during the Chinese New Year festival”. She is openly ambitious and aims one day to compete with the likes of KPMG and EY, but humbly accepts that she won’t succeed without a lifelong learning plan. This is what led her to join the Sino-French SWUFE-Audencia DBA programme, from which she was the only woman to graduate in 2018. Keen to convey the importance of hard work and resilience to the young generation, she volunteers as a Student Career Development Mentor at SWUFE and Chengdu universities.
But she is quick to point out that she doesn’t advocate setting up and following rules for the sake of it. Her structured organisation is what allows her to optimise her agenda and prioritise quality time with her husband and son, as well as some alone time for her to recharge. Every inch a romantic, France had been in her mind for years as she fantasised about the prospect of strolling along the Seine holding her loved-one in one hand, and a bunch of roses in the other. And she is keen to put an end to the stereotype of the dull accountant: she too can let her hair down at times … albeit decently and moderately!
Thank you very much for accepting the invitation. What should I call you?
My name is Sun Ping. My surname Sun is a reference to Sun Yat-sen, and my first name Ping means “apple” in Chinese. But my French teachers all called me Sunny so this is how you could address me.
Let’s start at the beginning Sunny, how would you describe your childhood?
I was raised in Chengdu, in the Sichuan province of China, also called “Heaven on Earth” for the beauty and abundance of the land. My father was an army officer who fought in the Korean war against the US. My mother is a medical doctor, as were her father and grandfather. Our home was a bit like an army barracks and my father raised my sister and I like his soldiers. He devised a schedule in which every single task – even the most mundane, had a time allocation that I had to respect. Each morning I awoke to the sound of his loud whistling. I then had 3 minutes to make my bed, and fold sheets, pillows and quilts the way soldiers do. I then had exactly 3 minutes to brush my teeth and wash my face, one minute to tie my shoes, and one minute to put on my red scarf.
I can understand why such a strict routine could sound a bit extreme, but I always complied obediently without any sense of restriction or resentment against my parents. I received a strict education, but I was loved. This stringent time management system had a very profound impact on me, and I naturally integrated it into my school life and the way I ran my business and my family life. I am grateful to my parents for empowering me with techniques that have actually given me the freedom to live a richer and freer life.
When you were a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
From a young age, I wanted to become a teacher. I have so much respect for this noble profession. I see teachers as “engineers of the human mind”, who have the power to pass on knowledge and to purify the soul.
If you had such a strongly anchored dream, how did you end up following a very different path in the taxation industry?
My mother made education choices for me based on careful considerations. She envisaged a career in medicine, law or accountancy which she thought were the most respected in the West. She thought it was important to pick a profession that none of our family members had had before. And one that would suit my strong-minded and independent personality. This is how the idea for me to become an accountant emerged. It turned out to be an excellent choice for me, offering me a liberal but respectable status.
You have climbed the ladder up to a very senior position. Have you benefited from the connections of some of your friends or relatives?
Not at all. I started studying accounting in 1985, and after I graduated from university, I got an internship as a cashier. I then worked my way up to become an accountant, then to the head of the accounting section, and further on up to executive positions. The director of the first company I worked at – a new technology research institute, certainly helped me in this ascent by trusting me to make my own decisions, which boosted my confidence.
Can you share some of the boldest moves that you have made in your career?
In 2003, I felt the need to be challenged further so I joined a non-Chinese company. Foreign businesses in mainland China had higher standards and requirements for talents at that time. At one point, differences with the VP of our US-based company came to a head when I discovered that he had been involved in some malpractice. My job made me directly accountable to the Board of Directors, and my professional ethics were telling me to report him. Before I did so, I reached out to him privately to confront him. When it became clear that he would not resign, I decided to leave because there was no way that I could work with someone dishonest.
The same year, I made another bold decision by setting up Sichuan Jinlitong Financial Consulting Co Ltd, a financial consulting company. My husband is a financial expert, which helped me gain expertise in science, tech and real estate loans, as well as the bank conditions and risk preferences. At the end of the year, I had signed contracts with a large number of state-owned companies, such as the giant, Chengdu Telecom, as well as real estate development companies. Soon after, in August 2004, upon recommendation from one of my clients, I set up my own tax firm.
The way I went about setting this second company was equally bold… At that time, the Chinese government was in the process of reforming tax firms throughout the country, and they had not authorised the registration of any new tax practitioners for the past two years. I was aware of this legal challenge, but I was motivated by the pressing needs of my clients. So I decided to go straight to the secretary general of the tax administration centre. I told her that unlike many other applicants, I already had a long list of clients ready to be served, and asked her to trust me to develop my business in an exceptional manner. My appeal was successful and my papers were processed in a month: a record!
I noticed on your CV that in 2000 you did an MBA at Sichuan University, in 2010 an EMBA programme at SWUFE (Southwest University of Finance & Economics), and then in 2015 a DBA with Audencia in Chengdu. Where does this thirst for further education come from?
People often perceive me as a tough female CEO, a sort of business shark, but I think of myself as an ordinary woman on a perpetual quest for knowledge. In 2010, after I launched my own venture, I felt that it had been too long since I obtained my MBA. I had to keep my knowledge up to date in order to meet the ever-evolving needs of my clients.
What were your reasons for choosing this DBA and what are your most important take homes?
What impressed me the most was the international outlook of the programme. In the years to come, I want to make my company the most international of the domestic tax firms. I plan to take advantage of the Hainan Free Trade Port to take my firm from the Sichuan province to the international stage. My goal is to build up my scale and reputation and one day compete with the Big Four (KPMG, E&Y, PwC, & DTT). I have to confess being a liberal and romantic person at heart, so France had always been a bit of a fantasy for me, and I had been to France several times during my youth. The prospect of being taught by French professors (in tandem with Chinese professors), and to come to France (Nantes) for a 2-week learning trip definitely helped sway my decision!
I graduated four years ago, and I can tell that the programme has opened my mind to what matters most in order to succeed as an entrepreneur. I learnt that focusing on sales performance is not enough and how critical it is to integrate management into the entrepreneurial process. I have also become more caring towards my staff and adopted some small rituals like noting down their birthdays. My critical analysis and problem-solving abilities have also improved.
Are you still close to your DBA classmates?
Very much so. We were a small group and only five of us graduated in 2018. Studying so intensely together over three whole years created some strong friendships. Professionally I help them out with taxation queries and have even taken some as clients.
Do you feel that you have encountered additional challenges because of your gender?
I honestly don’t think so. I have been able to do everything that men in my field do … except maybe drinking and smoking, … this is just not part of my lifestyle (laugh)! And I am proud that a large majority of my employees are women.
Do you ever regret not having achieved your childhood dream of becoming a teacher?
I have no regrets because my aspirations have changed, and I feel fulfilled by my job. I create value for my clients through my professionalism and dedication to solving their financial problems which gives me pride and satisfaction. And actually, I can find similarities between my work and being a teacher. When I give a lecture on taxation, an interpretation of taxation policies and guidance to taxation solutions, I am sharing and passing on knowledge. Besides, I dedicate a lot of energy to projects that support the younger generation. I volunteer as a mentor in several universities and have set up a scholarship programme in partnership with both SWUFE and Hainan Normal University to open up opportunities for deserving students.
Do you have any words of advice to share with the students and alumni from Audencia and SWUFE?
I would urge them not compare themselves to others, because this is detrimental to their emotional wellbeing. Secondly, it pays to be diligent. I get the impression that the new generation of students lack grit, they give up too soon and tend to grumble, blaming any failure on their parents who are never rich or powerful enough. Thirdly, keep learning. Surround yourself with interesting people and insightful books. “The Way of Life” by Kazuo Inamori had a profound impact on me. He is a globally renowned entrepreneur who became a monk at the age of sixty-eight and advocated altruism in the business world.
What adjectives do you think your colleagues would use to describe you?
I actually surveyed them ahead of this interview! (laugh). This is mainly what they came up with: self-disciplined, smart in her thinking and in her appearance, well educated, strong on emotional intelligence.
Strict time keeping is a principle that you have maintained throughout your life. Does that make it difficult for some of your colleagues to adapt to your standards?
Initially it must have been hard for some partners and subordinates to adapt to my system, but after communication and guidance from me, they are more or less used to it and working together is a smooth and pleasant experience.
How are you bringing up your son; which principles have you kept from your parents and which new ones have you adopted?
I have definitely passed on time management and a set of ground rules to my son. I am proud that from an early age he has understood the concept of respect. I advocate setting up rules and enforcing them democratically, as a way of avoiding arguments. I often say to him that home is a place for love not arguments. This is my recipe for harmonious family relationships. Since my son was three years old, we have held weekly family discussions and this certainly helps to minimise conflicts.
However, I have also adopted modern educational principles. He has had more choices than I did, such as which language to learn, which country to study in or which industry to start his career in.
Has your son chosen a different trajectory to yours?
In fact, he has also gone into entrepreneurship. He graduated from New York University, and when a Free Trade Port was established in Hainan, he felt the urge to contribute to the island’s development and make a success of himself. He started his own business in the main city, Haikou. My son is my biggest pride. If I have achieved anything so far, it is that I have raised an emotionally intelligent son.
Do you manage to block off time in your schedule for leisure activities?
The beauty of following a strictly structured schedule is that it allows me to dedicate quality time to my loved ones. I also try not to forget my own wellbeing. My hobbies range from going to the spa, sharing an afternoon tea with my girlfriends, tailoring clothes, hiking, singing, attending book clubs, flower arranging…
The variety of interests shows another interesting side of your personality…
Many people think that all accountants are dull. It’s true that I do have a serious and disciplined side, but I have also retained a childlike sense of humour and am a fun person to be around. I enjoy joining in team building activities even though I always make sure I’m acting appropriately. And you should see me ahead of the Chinese New Year festivities… each year I get embarrassingly excited about cooking, decorating the house and arranging flowers. Just like a little girl!
