On March 26, Shanghai DEMC, a subsidiary of HCD Group, centered on the operational principles of "stable profitability, efficiency-driven growth and international expansion," comprehensively deepened its management mechanisms and successfully convened an internal open competitive selection and defense conference for the Project Director position. This competitive selection aimed to break down inherent employment barriers and establish a fair, just, and open talent selection platform, injecting crucial talent momentum for the company's continued deep cultivation in the specialized equipment manufacturing sector and its pursuit of operational improvement and high-quality development. The evaluation panel was composed of Chen Ze, Vice Chairman and President of HCD Group, along with heads of various Group functional modules, Xu Guosheng, General Manager of Shanghai DEMC, and heads of relevant departments, all of whom participated in the conference.

The conference strictly adhered to the open competitive selection process. HCD Group's Human Resources Center, in collaboration with the Human Resources Department of Shanghai DEMC, organized the event, clearly defining the organizational principles and selection rules. Following the review process, three candidates participated in the competitive selection. At the start of the conference, Xu Guosheng, General Manager of Shanghai DEMC, delivered work guidance and an opening address, emphasizing the critical role of the Project Director position in refining the project management system and enhancing operational efficiency, while also expressing expectations for the three candidates. The competitive selection then officially commenced. The three candidates, in an order determined by draw, took the stage successively to deliver systematic and in-depth presentations based on their professional experiences and aligned with the requirements of the Project Director role. Following each candidate's presentation, the evaluation panel posed multidimensional questions, the candidates provided on-site defenses, and the panel promptly scored their performances.

Candidates' Competitive Presentations: Showcasing Professional Competence and Management Acumen

The first candidate, Wang Xin, currently serves as Key Account Manager and Head of the On-site Management Department. With 20 years of industry experience, over 15 years in project management, and prior experience as a Project Director at another company, he systematically articulated five key orientations for the Project Director role: strategic alignment, multi-project coordination, closed-loop cost control, resource allocation, risk management, and team building. He candidly addressed the four major challenges currently confronting the department: "trust deficit, lack of processes, cost control issues, and talent attrition," proposing pragmatic countermeasures. In his strengths and weaknesses analysis, he openly identified age and foreign language proficiency as potential shortcomings but emphasized his extensive upstream and downstream resources, highly compatible client networks, and strong interpersonal collaboration skills. His future work plan centers on achieving DEMC's 2026 operational objectives, proposing systematic measures encompassing the review of actual project costs, training on the new cost system, learning process standards, cross-departmental collaboration, and team echelon construction.

The second candidate, Zhang Jingyang, currently a Key Account Manager, possesses a diversified experience background encompassing solution planning, on-site management, and project management. In his presentation, he proposed that the Project Director should act as a "resource coordinator" and "cost controller." He identified the core challenges currently facing the department as cost management, delivery quality, and personnel capability development. He highlighted his project management achievements in client projects, advocating the philosophy that "management processes determine the floor of project management, while management capability determines its ceiling." His plan focuses on process standardization and enhancing financial acumen. He systematically outlined his future work strategy: using cost control as the driver to establish a closed-loop process for project budget preparation, allocation, tracking, and review; and emphasizing end-to-end chain control in project management, covering plan coordination, technical order placement, purchased part tracking, and cost breakdown.

The third candidate, Chai Yunfei, currently a Key Account Manager, brings 19 years of work experience, including 17 years in project management. He reviewed his core achievements across three dimensions: project execution, process standardization, and team effectiveness, having received multiple commendations from clients and the company. As a project management training instructor for the company, he has facilitated the implementation of process tools such as project management folders, weekly and monthly report templates, and cost automation. Regarding his understanding of the role, he identified challenges such as intensifying market competition, business expansion, and managing multiple concurrent projects, while also recognizing opportunities presented by the company's clear strategy and emphasis on talent development. He advocates for managing the three dimensions of "scope, schedule, and cost," emphasizing unified thinking, aligned actions, and shared goals across the team. His future work plan is divided into short-term and medium-term objectives: within one year, focusing on restoring the project management system, maximizing profits from core project deliveries, and optimizing team training and communication mechanisms; medium-term goals include enhancing organizational project management maturity, exploring project management models for new business areas, and improving talent echelon development.

Evaluation Q&A: Focusing on Management Challenges and Delving into Practical Capabilities

Following each candidate's presentation, the evaluation panel posed multidimensional questions centered on role competency, operational pain points, and strategic implementation. The questions covered core topics such as project management process optimization, pathways for enhancing management capabilities, resource allocation needs, strategies for navigating complex environments, and cross-departmental coordination mechanisms. Specific examples included how to reduce costs in hardware equipment procurement, controlling personnel expenses, handling unexpected situations arising from international trade conflicts, management strategies for teams with varying capability levels, identifying significant deficiencies in existing management processes, the capabilities and requirements defining excellent Project Managers and Project Directors, demonstrating internal and external communication and resource mobilization skills, and specific measures to help DEMC achieve its operational objectives.

The three candidates actively responded to the questions, drawing upon their professional experience and management insights. The entire defense process was rigorous, pragmatic, and featured in-depth interaction. The evaluation panel focused not only on the candidates' understanding of macro-level strategy but also delved into their logic for addressing specific management scenarios. This high-quality exchange of questions and answers comprehensively showcased the candidates' professional capabilities and management potential, providing a solid foundation for HCD Group's talent selection decisions.

Following the conclusion of the three candidates' defenses and on-site scoring, Hao Ying, HCD Group Human Resources Director, delivered a summary of the competitive selection conference. She noted that this internal open competitive selection represents a significant practice of HCD Group's talent selection mechanism. From process design to implementation, it consistently adhered to the principles of fairness, justice, and openness. The three candidates fully demonstrated the comprehensive quality and professional capabilities of HCD Group's core employees, while the panel's professional questioning and rigorous scoring ensured the objectivity and credibility of the selection results. She emphasized that the Human Resources Center will continue to refine the talent selection and development system, supporting HCD Group in achieving its strategic goals while providing more development platforms for employees who are eager, capable, and effective in their work, enabling talent to realize their value and shine on the platform of HCD Group.

HCD Group President's Remarks: Driving Organizational Momentum through Institutional Innovation and Propelling Innovative Development through Talent Agglomeration

Chen Ze, Vice Chairman and President of HCD Group, placed great importance on this competitive selection and participated in the entire defense conference. Following the presentations and defenses of the three candidates, Chen Ze delivered work guidance remarks and highly praised the event. He stated that the presentations fully demonstrated the outstanding comprehensive competence and professional strength of HCD Group's core employees. The work approaches, innovative measures, and development plans proposed by the candidates, grounded in their extensive practical experience, were "thoughtful in depth, innovative in suggestions, and actionable in planning." Each candidate had unique strengths, showcasing the potential and vitality of HCD Group's talent pool. He expressed sincere appreciation and thanks to the evaluation panel and the on-site colleagues for their high-quality professional interactions, noting that "it is precisely these high-quality interactions that made this competitive selection more objective and comprehensive, allowing us to gain a more multifaceted understanding of each candidate's capabilities." Regarding the evaluation panel's adherence to objectivity, fairness, and justice while balancing role requirements and candidate attributes, conducting comprehensive, rigorous, and professional assessments and scoring, he remarked, "This responsible evaluation attitude ensures that we ultimately select the individual most suitable for the subsidiary's development and most capable of assuming significant responsibilities. This is not only a commitment to the role but also a respect for and safeguard of HCD Group's talent mechanism."

Chen Ze particularly emphasized that the core value of this competitive selection lies not only in selecting a candidate for the position but also in activating the organization's endogenous momentum through institutional innovation. He pointed out that moving away from traditional appointment models and implementing internal open competitive selection is a key initiative for HCD Group to "break down inherent employment barriers and establish a fair, just, and open talent selection platform." It aims to allow "employees who are eager, capable, and effective to have the opportunity to stand out, enabling truly capable, innovative, and responsible talents to emerge." This model "not only gathered high-quality talent for this selection process but also activated the endogenous motivation of the entire organization, inspiring everyone's enthusiasm to strive for excellence and take proactive initiative. It has forged a new path for HCD Group's talent development and organizational mechanism innovation," setting a positive example for subsequent talent selection processes in various subsidiaries and business units.

Addressing the three candidates, Chen Ze expressed sincere respect and high expectations. He noted that while a competitive selection inevitably yields a result, there are no losers in this process. He encouraged the successful candidate to quickly adapt to the new role, shoulder the responsibilities of Project Director, lead the team to overcome challenges and forge ahead, and deliver satisfactory results through tangible performance. For the two candidates who were not promoted, he encouraged them not to feel discouraged or disappointed, stating that "standing on the competitive selection platform and confidently presenting your work experience, management insights, and innovative ideas—this courage and capability are in themselves a victory." He affirmed, "HCD Group has always been watching and values your contributions and growth immensely; every bit of your effort and development is a precious asset to HCD Group." He expressed hope that they would maintain a balanced perspective, return to their original roles with peace of mind, continue to excel in their current work, and translate the insights gained from this competitive selection into motivation for their work, striving for continuous improvement and further achievements in their existing positions.

Chen Ze emphasized, "Gold will always shine, and HCD Group will never let talent go unnoticed." He stated that as HCD Group's business expands and scales up in the future, it will build more diverse and broader development platforms, improving the talent development and promotion system. "All opportunities will be reserved for those who are prepared, capable, and responsible. " He expressed hope that all employees would take this competitive selection as an opportunity to foster a spirit of striving for excellence, refine their professional skills, proactively embrace change, and actively enhance themselves. HCD Group consistently prioritizes talent and will provide space for growth and a stage for development for every employee who works diligently, allowing everyone to achieve personal value alongside the company's development within HCD Group's big family.