Under the Sign of Mulan
“I used to ask myself: why was I born with almond eyes? Why am I different? It wasn’t until I did an internship abroad in New York, when I was in my fourth year of high school, that I realized that diversity is a strength. The kids would say: ‘You’re Italian, but you come from a Chinese family? That’s cool!” Born in the Northern Italian city of Cremona to a Chinese family, after a long search Giada Zhang has found her way: today she is the founder and CEO of the Mulan Group, a company based in Cremona that produces ready-to-eat Asian dishes distributed in supermarkets in Italy and abroad.
Hers is a story of someone who, like the Disney heroine her company is named for, doesn’t give up in the face of difficulties. From fitting in in a small town, where she was the only Chinese child in class, to the feeling of being neither Italian nor Chinese, of having no place in the world.
“I always felt like I was straddling two cultures. My parents have always been in the restaurant business; from them I learnt the roots of Chinese culture, as well as dedication and commitment to work.”
On her childhood: “My parents sent me to China as a child and I lived with my grandparents for a while. They were university professors and introduced me to the concept of the perfect student who excelled in four disciplines. Reading, because it is important to have culture; playing an instrument, because music teaches empathy; sports, because physical activity is good for the mind; and chess, to be a strategist in life.”
Zhang, like her two sisters, followed her parents’ advice and took part in many activities: she painted, played the piano, played sports, read, but she always had the feeling that she had a gap to fill – that she couldn’t find her field of excellence. After her studies in New York, she returned to Italy more confident, but still without knowing what to do when she grew up. Meanwhile, in America, she did some job shadowing for a few days. “I tried shadowing several professionals: a lawyer, a journalist, and an ambassador. But I had no idea what to do, so I chose Economics at Bocconi because I realized that I was fascinated by businesses models, by how certain business, from restaurants to laundromats all the way to large companies, can stand on their own two feet.”
Economics also allows you to go into different areas, especially if you have an international background. So Zhang graduated in 2017 with a degree in International Economics and Management and did a number of internships abroad. But all the while she was nurturing her dream, like her parents before her, to have a business, to be an entrepreneur. This is how Mulan was born.
“The image that best describes my work is a conductor,” she says. “In my company, I coordinate and give direction to the team. For years I felt frustrated about not being good at playing an instrument. Then, thanks to my piano teacher, I realized that I am a person who works horizontally rather than vertically. I wasn’t born to be a pianist, but I could be a good manager and CEO.” To grow Mulan and build bridges between China and Italy with a gentle management style. She says: “For me, there is not only return on investment, but also return on kindness; in the long run it makes a difference.”
