Meet Anne Wang

A childhood dream to create a better world for all

Since I was a child, I’ve dreamed of making the world a more beautiful place. I remember one day after it had rained, I saw some glass on the floor and slipped colourful paper under it to create a gorgeous mosaic. It made me happy.

I went on to study urban planning at university which made my simple childhood dream become my profession. During the nine years that I’ve worked for SNC-Lavalin, I have been fortunate enough to be involved in many planning projects in China and abroad to create beautiful cities for people to live in.

Helping clients achieve their business objectives while creating beautiful communities

Before joining SNC-Lavalin, I worked for a few property consultancy firms. At the time, I was looking to explore new career opportunities where I could be more hands-on and apply my urban planning skills and property development knowledge.

SNC-Lavalin provided exactly that. Since joining, I have been part of a multidisciplinary team that collaborates with other professionals and integrates skillsets. I’m involved in both business development and project delivery, which provide a variety of career challenges that I’ve been looking for.

My role is to advise clients on their urban and property development projects. Having a deep understanding of the property market and being up-to-speed with government policies is key to offering the most suitable advice to meet clients’ business objectives. This includes creating unique and implementable positioning, maximizing return and land value, and developing communities that people enjoy.

Engineering is a practical subject, which means theories are far from enough. This is even more true for the urban development sector as we should never be satisfied with just beautiful rendering. Fundamentally, designs need to be practical and implementable. It takes years of experience to skillfully combine creativity and practical thinking.

A nurturing environment for professional and personal development

I’ve briefly left the company on two occasions to pursue challenges elsewhere. It is the friendly and professional people, the enjoyable environment and the opportunity to contribute to the delivery of high-profile projects that have brought me back each time.

SNC-Lavalin’s strong brand within the market gives us the edge to undertake challenging, complex, high-profile and large-scale projects. Many of these projects are located across China, which has given me the opportunity to travel to many cities. As the old Chinese saying goes “it is better to travel thousands of miles than to read thousands of books”. I completely relate to its emphasis on travelling; it has been an enriching experience to visit new cities. As I learn more about the history, culture and customs of each city, I’m able to use that new knowledge and apply it to my next job.

SNC-Lavalin has created a very supportive work environment that encourages employees to develop professionally and personally. I see volunteering as a great way to give back to society. For me, having a work-life balance that allows me to invest my time in it is important.

There’s a perception that the industry is male-dominant. I’m not sure that I necessarily agree. Gender equality is deeply rooted in China, and a diverse team drives creativity, innovation and big ideas. I think women's divergent thinking and rich imagination add great value. Employees are assessed based on their merit, which I believe is absolutely the right thing to do.

I think SNC-Lavalin provides a platform that is big enough for young employees to show and develop their talent. Confidence and diligence are key to success.