On April 7, SFS kicked off its 9th talk of the Minds East and West Lecture Series. The talk invited Li Wenxuan, an outstanding alumnus of the Class of 2009, Chairman and CEO of PCG Power, and Partner and CEO of LOK Capital, as the guest speaker. Centering on "From Language Tools to Bridges of Civilization: The Irreplaceable Value of Foreign Language Talents in the AI Era", Li conducted an in-depth exchange with faculty members and students. The lecture was presided over by Xu Ming, Deputy Party Secretary of SFS, and attended by over a hundred teachers and students.
Li Wenxuan recounted his journey from a banking executive to the founder of an industry-leading company. He emphasized that language is far more than a communication tool, it serves as a gateway to global opportunities and genuine human connection. He shared how finance, as his minor discipline, broadened his academic horizon. He urged students to leverage XJTU's comprehensive educational resources to explore diverse developmental possibilities. Reflecting on his own career pivots, he stressed that decision-making and multidimensional competencies are critical to career success. In the AI era, he noted, intrinsic motivation trumps mere knowledge reserves—a perspective that significantly strengthened the professional confidence of students.
During the Q&A session, students raised questions about balancing opportunities with passion and pursuing interdisciplinary development as language majors. Li Wenxuan outlined a three-step framework for aligning passion with opportunity: defining long-term goals, identifying genuine pain points in relevant fields, and leveraging language skills as a bridge. He also affirmed the unique value of academic development for language majors, encouraging students to deepen their professional expertise rather than pursuing cross-disciplinary shifts out of passive pressure. In terms of employment criteria, he noted that companies value employees' proficiency in tool application, as well as their teamwork and communication competencies. Professor Sun Li, Li's former instructor, validated the cross-cultural value of language learning by referencing Li Wenxuan's growth trajectory and career path. Professor Zhang Wenli further elaborated on the profound significance of language learning based on her decades of teaching experience.
At the end of the sharing session, Li Wenxuan once again expressed his gratitude to his alma mater. He encouraged students to build confidence in their major and embrace technological transformations with resolute courage.
