Shirley Xue Gao, CIO of Guess Company, Chinese Émigré, and Hiking/Biking Enthusiast  

It’s definitely a mixed bag of imagery: working for the Guess Company – whose jeans ads throughout the years have featured Claudia Schiffer, Kate Upton and Gigi Hadid —  and being a highly intelligent IT expert who emigrated from China at age thirty, and was unfamiliar “with french fries and ketchup,” as she jokingly notes. Shirley Gao encapsulates both: as the CIO of Guess, she is a bona-fide C-suiter whose daily duties encompass the areas (as she describes) “of retail, eCom, wholesale, supply chain, human capital and financials, network security, database management, software development, and SaaS service.”

Gao attended university in China, but soon began working for an American company there, which gave her the know-how to be able to eventually come to this country and be so successful in her field.  She is now based in Los Angeles — and to all those who think you have to be on a freeway for your commute in that car-loving city, she gives a shout-out to the Metrolink train service, which allows her to work every morning on emails.

She and her family, whom she describes with great affection, enjoy hiking and biking (easy to do with L.A.’s plethora of hilly ground), as well as going on cruises – last year it was a European one, with a stop in Barcelona.  Gao provides a show-stopper of a favorite quote at the end (think about the definition of the last word in each sentence), and in general exudes the air of someone who is well-versed and content in her arcane profession, providing praise to the current CEO of Guess — who, she notes happily, is very committed to the technology side of improving the customer experience.    

Can you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
In a career of over twenty years in MIS, I have advanced my role from a programmer to become an IT executive in the international multi-org complex retail industry, with a deep and rich expertise in both business and systems — across the areas of Retail, Supply Chain, Wholesale, Licensing, Consignment, Lease Administration, Finance, Human Capital Management, Construction and Retail Development, eCommerce and Omni-channel, and Business Intelligence.

I met my husband in college. We have been together for almost thirty years.  We have two beautiful girls, who are currently in the fifth grade and freshman year of high school, respectively.

What does a day in your shoes typically look like?
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., it’s pretty much all about work. I read and reply to work emails on my one-hour Metrolink train ride. Then there are usually conference calls in the morning with European teams, and calls in the evening with Asian teams. And a lot of strategy, planning, status and technical discussions during the day.

I try very hard to have quality dinner time with my husband and girls. We chat about school, work, and news in the world. Then I sit with my girls, helping them with their Chinese homework and violin practice, while doing some of my own work.

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning, and the last three things you do before you go to bed?
The first three things I do in the morning are: read headline news, rush myself ready, and get my kids’ breakfasts and lunches out of the refrigerator, which I have prepared the previous night.

Before I go to sleep, I return emails and social media chat, do a little bit of yoga or stretching to relax, and kiss my already-sleeping girls one more time goodnight!

What is your breakfast of choice?
A skinny vanilla latte with a hard-boiled egg – the best breakfast to have every day!

What keeps you energized and motivated at work?
I enjoy utilizing and leveraging cutting-edge technology to support and drive business strategy and development. It makes me feel good and motivated when I hear business people talk about how the profit and efficiency were dramatically improved by system implementation.

What is the favorite part of your job?
That I get to learn and experience the world’s most advanced, leading IT technology.  From Retail, eCom, Wholesale, Supply Chain to Human Capital and Financials, from Network Security to Database Management, from software development to SaaS service — every part of my job is full of fun and challenge.

What and who inspires you at work?
Anybody with creative and thoughtful thinking could inspire me.  It could come from a top executive or a  technical developer.

Do you have a ‘Power Outfit’ that you wear for a big meeting or important work event?
I wear a pair of skinny black pants with a fashionable white top to any big meeting or conference.

What is your favorite leisure activity after a stressful work week?
I often take a half day on the weekend to go hiking or biking with my family.

We also enjoy cruises very much! We just spent two weeks in the summer on a Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Rome.  My kids learned a lot about European history, architecture, culture and food.

How does your culture/background influence your work?
My Chinese background and education gave me a deep root of Confucianism and Taoism.  I believe in “Shang-Shan-Ruo-Shui” which means, “The highest excellence is like that of water, which favors all without caring about vanity.”   And the qualities of patience, circumspection, understatement, modesty, honesty, kindness, thrift, charity, and never being cynical! 

How many times have you changed your career direction?
I have changed my job twice. The first time, I was bored by a teaching job, and went to an American-owned company in China, where I wanted to gain the real experience of using an IBM Mainframe computer.  I grew to be the General Manager in the company’s Northern China branch, managing MIS software development for U.S. retail companies such as the Broadway department store.

Later on I moved to Los Angeles, and restarted as a programmer. I gained firsthand knowledge and experience in many system implementation and integration projects, which built a solid foundation for my future career development.  

What has been the biggest obstacle in your career, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest obstacle that I have at work is not having enough budget and resource. Information Technology (IT) is the single, most rapidly changing and growing industry in the world. Every day, new technology is being developed while old technologies are retired or improved.  There is so much we can do to support and drive business strategy.

What are your most steadfast ‘don’ts’ rules regarding work and the workplace, and what are your most cherished ‘do’s’? 
Don’t ever assume. Instead, know the matter of the fact, or go figure it out.
Do have common sense, and be able to prioritize.

What are the most important qualities of a good leader?
A good leader must have an open mind, good communication skills, the ability to make independent decisions, to recognize priorities, and delegate and manage team work.

What are the unforgettable traits of role models who have inspired you most?
My father, who is a Computer Science professor and a leading IS pioneer in China, gave me the most influence to be persistent, resilient, self-examining, adaptive, and hard-working. 

How have mentors impacted your personal and professional development?
In my career of twenty years working in the IT industry in U.S., I have been following my mentor and boss Mike Relich [CEO of Guess], who is one of the best CEO’s in the U.S. retail world. His passion of constantly seeking the most advanced technology and the best practical scalable and sustainable solutions always inspire and motive me. 

What are three questions you like to ask during an interview to know if the candidate (or job) is the right fit?

• • • “What was the best accomplishment you did in your past job?”
    • “What would you like to work on if you get this job?”
    • “What do you envision yourself in your career in the next five years?”

What advantages do you see as a woman in the workplace?
Women have the aptitudes of good communication skills, being organized and responsive, as well as  understanding and caring.

What advice would you give to women starting their careers?
Always listen carefully, think thoroughly, do your best, and look back to find out what you could have done better. 

What book would you recommend for women just starting their career?
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.

What is your favorite quote you try and live by?
“Knowing others is intelligence. Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.” – Laozi