The following interview is part of a 2025 Expert Dialogue Series coordinated by the Darden China Alumni Association and current student volunteers. The translated text of this interview was condensed for this blog series by Meredith Barnes.
Peng (Calvin) Xi completed his MBA in 2009. He now leads operations and overseas expansion for Fosun Pharma. He previously held operations and sales leadership roles at GE Healthcare China and Jacobs Vehicle Systems, then a subsidiary of Danaher China. Calvin recently shared how his experience at Darden during the 2008 financial crisis shaped his personality, honed his communication and leadership skills, and broadened his thinking.
Who or what has had a huge impact on you in your career development?
Mainly it was my experience at Darden, and the Danaher Corporation as an extension. Darden had a great impact on my personal career development. The Career Development Center and the teachers in charge of international student affairs took great care of us, and I am very grateful. Darden’s reputation and prestige in the field of general management also attracted many prestigious companies to recruit students from the school. Some of our classmates in the Consulting Club also organized a trip to Asia to interact with local alumni, which was very helpful for our future job searches.
Darden students and alumni are very strong communicators. They have to speak in class, not just listen to the professor. Darden’s famous case method encourages students to speak and think. Also, class and learning team discussions increase understanding of American thinking and culture, challenging comfort zones and stimulating students’ potential to move forward. People often encounter challenges and have to jump out of their comfort zone during their career.
In my diverse career, the skills Darden taught me are very useful. Darden does not teach specific theoretical knowledge points such as financial concepts but rather how to communicate with people, understand cultural differences, demonstrate leadership in a diverse team, and communicate with people across teams and cultures. I think the learning team is a very good setting that allows students to exercise these abilities.
What was your inspiration for getting into general management? Were there any specific experiences that influenced your decision?
It was very challenging to find a job when I graduated in spring of 2009. The poor job market presented the high-achieving Darden students with a relatively big life setback — a first for many. Learning how to adjust my mentality and plan quickly was one of the important lessons I learned at Darden.
Fortunately, Darden was very supportive. During the entire financial crisis, the Career Development Center, professors, and classmates all helped us international students a lot. We were grateful for the attention and care from the school. Due to the changes in the employment environment, I changed my employment focus in my second year from investment banking and consulting to general management. I think I also wanted to transfer some of my experience in consulting and corporate investment, so I quickly found a job in Danaher’s general management program.
Darden had a great influence on me personally and helped me to transition to Danaher relatively smoothly. Danaher’s program for MBA graduates combined with Darden’s education model have had an important impact on my career. Many of my professional experiences are also based on the management, leadership and communication skills taught by Darden professors, as well as the management and problem-solving skills I gained through Danaher’s internal training. With these skills, I can transform these core abilities into different functions and industries in any field and any job.
Do you recommend that current Darden Chinese graduates first gain experience abroad or return directly to China?
I returned to China after working in the U.S. for nearly two years. I personally think it’s still necessary to experience working at the headquarters of a U.S. company. Working in the headquarters in the U.S. is different than working in the China office of the same company, and the reverse is also true. People in each setting think about problems from different angles. I strongly recommend that if you have no experience working at a U.S. headquarters — whether it’s a summer internship or a first job — it’s best to work there before returning.
I think there are several advantages. The first is the difference in perspective I just mentioned. The second is that if you really want to return to China, if you have these connections at the headquarters, it will also be a huge help to your development in China. You can also be promoted quickly because you are familiar with the people at headquarters.
What’s one thing about you that people around you might be surprised to know?
My hobby is running marathons. Now I can finish one in three and a half hours. I started running marathons during the pandemic. I ran marathons in Shanghai and Nanjing. In the future, I hope to run marathons in other big cities like Boston, New York and Berlin before I turn 50. I enjoy the process of constantly challenging myself and breaking my own barriers.
What is your life motto?
“We must constantly step out of our comfort zone to find our greatest value.” This is why I came to the U.S. to study and work. Some of my friends in China did not go abroad to study and found themselves downshifting in their 40s. I still step out of my comfort zone, challenge my own thinking, and think about my own value in all that I do.
Kudos to Darden China Alumni Association:
Yuki Liang (MBA 2026）
Joyce Chen (MBA 2018）
Shaojian Zhang (MBA 1999, Co-Chair of Darden China Alumni Association）
Editing: Doris Cao (Director, Darden China Initiatives)
Interviewee：Darden Chinese alumni
Interviewer：Darden Chinese alumni and current student volunteers
