Amazon’s China Public Policy Lead Wellington Liu (MPP 2014) shares his journey of public service and personal growth, and how he connected the dots to take on a prominent government affairs position with one of the world’s leading tech giants today.
China Public Policy Lead, Amazon
Internet
I currently work at Amazon, Shanghai, overseeing public policy and government affairs. My job is to connect policymakers and legislators to our business team in China and Southeast Asia. I also help the team understand local policy at macro and micro levels in emerging markets such as Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand.
I have come a long way from where I started my career.
In 2002, I graduated with a bachelor’s in telecom engineering and became a network engineer with China’s Customs authority. I knew I wanted to move up and do something bigger, and an engineering job would not present the right opportunities. So despite my technical background, I made a career shift to policy-related roles. I then transferred to foreign service, handling diplomatic duties and general consulate affairs while pursuing a part-time Master in Public Administration (MPA) at the Tongji University, China. My interactions with diplomats and foreign service senior leaders piqued my interest in working and studying abroad. In 2011, I enrolled in a short European studies summer school programme by the University of Vienna in Europe.
Since my job is related to public policy in Asia, I believed it would be better to be based in Asia to understand how societies operate, and how policy is formulated and implemented. Therefore, I applied for the Master in Public Policy (MPP) programme at LKYSPP and I was thrilled to be accepted.
I moved to Singapore in 2012 at the age of 32 and began student life again at LKYSPP. The workload was really heavy, and there was so much coursework to follow up on. It was challenging at the time. But looking back, I have only good memories of my experience. From free trade policy to economic growth and international relations, the topics opened my eyes and gave me many invaluable new insights. I also met and was inspired by alumni from the MPP, Master in Public Administration (MPA) and Master in Public Administration and Management (MPAM) programmes.
Wellington (first from the right in the front row) with Chinese and Korean students at LKYSPP’s Cultural Night 2012.I took part in a few internships with local and international institutions such as PwC Asia Pacific, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok. It was fascinating to apply textbook knowledge to real life situations. My internship at the UN was particularly memorable as it showed me how international organisations operate and helped me to build my network. To this day, I still keep in touch with my ex-UN colleagues.
Wellington (first from the left) with other interns of the United Nations ESCAP.
Tapping on NetworksThe programme at LKYSPP exceeded my expectations. I expected to simply get a degree and perhaps a related job upon graduation. However, I learnt so much from my professors and classmates from all corners of the world. Over the years, those connections have really helped me.
After dedicating ten years of my career to civil service, I moved to the private sector. Upon graduating in 2014, I became the director of public affairs and communications at Huawei Technologies Philippines for four years. The first thing I did after landing in Manila was to visit the local LKYSPP alumni chapter, a large chapter with over 100 alumni. I enjoyed getting to know Filipinos and being a part of their daily lives.
Presenting to the congressional delegation of the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Beijing.
Whenever I travelled around the region for business or leisure, I would also make it a point to meet fellow alumni in Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Japan. In China, the alumni often meet to celebrate events such as Lunar New Year or Singapore’s National Day.
Beyond networking, I hope these interactions will enable me to help others develop their careers as well. Some years back, I started a WeChat group for LKYSPP alumni from China with a few friends. It has since grown into a group of 200. This year, I also successfully referred three alumni for positions in Singapore and China.
Embracing the FutureTill this day, I continue to apply the research know-how and market exploration skills acquired at LKYSPP to my current job. I also continue to keep in touch with my professors. In Manila, I frequently met with an LKYSPP professor and 15 other alumni to discuss economic and developmental issues. More recently, I invited an LKYSPP professor to advise on the Vietnam market for a report I was preparing.
Wellington (third from left) joining in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of LKYSPP’s MPP programme in 2017 with Prof. Kishore Mahbubani, Former Prime Minister of Singapore H.E. Goh Chok Tong and LKYSPP global alumnus. In November, I was invited to be a mentor in LKYSPP-Advisory Alumni Mentorship Programme and exchange perspectives with students from the Master in International Affairs programme. One tip I often give: As a policy scholar, you need to dive deeply into society’s key and urgent issues to find as many opportunities as you can to create a solution.
Indeed, COVID-19 has created a climate of uncertainty. We cannot say for sure what will happen tomorrow, next month or the year ahead. To rise to the challenge, we have to stay humble and constantly learn new things.
As a strong advocate of lifelong learning, I began another master’s degree in 2020, a joint MBA from the University College London and Peking University. By equipping myself with a comprehensive set of skills, I hope to provide useful support to policymakers and my business team, and narrow the wide gap between policymakers and business operators.
Moving to tech with government experienceAt Amazon, my job is to connect the business team with policymakers and legislators in Shanghai as well as East and South China. I help the team understand local policy, not only at macro but also at micro and local government levels in China and in the region. The aim is to support the company’s business policy demands to have a dialogue with policymakers and deliver the business’s key messages and policymaking requirements.
I knew I wanted to move up and do something bigger, and an engineering job would not present the right opportunities. So despite my technical background, I made a career shift to policy-related roles.
Amazon is helping cross-border e-commerce operators access marketplaces overseas, which is gradually transforming traditional global trade digitally. There are a lot of technologies behind this process of transformation, including big data and artificial intelligence. My personal understanding is that technology needs to be integrated into business scenarios to achieve a revolutionary upgrading of our lives. In a tech firm like Amazon, I usually encounter two types of challenges. One is business-related, such as new customs supervision policies for e-commerce, and the other is tech-related, like data transmission and storage, privacy, and information encryption.
My job is cross-functional and even cross-border. I work with other teams on compliance, legal and business in a global setting. My advice to those who are keen on moving into government affairs with a technology company: If you have government work experience, especially a tech-related policy background, and want to transition into tech, just go ahead and try! That includes connecting with alumni for internal referrals. Sometimes, luck is also very important.
Friends who are considering a mid-career change often wonder if they should give up what they already know to pursue what their heart desires. I always tell them that if they have the courage, they should take the leap. Once you are through the door, you will naturally find a new path.