People at Sartorius: Xindao Mao

Xindao Mao, originally from China, spent a decade in Germany. He earned a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from RWTH Aachen University and started his career at Sartorius as Global Chromatography Product Manager. In 2022, he made the decision to return to China to progress his career. In this interview, Xindao shares his professional journey across continents and the differences he encountered.

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Xindao, after three years at the company’s headquarters in Germany, what made you return to China?

It was a combination of both personal motivation and opportunity. China’s biopharmaceutical industry has been growing rapidly, with expanding market potential and a strong drive for innovation. I saw many opportunities to contribute meaningfully and apply my expertise in this dynamic environment. At the same time, my manager saw me as a suitable candidate for a strategic role in China and the opportunity and timing aligned perfectly with my personal and career goals. 

What were your responsibilities before the job change and what do you do today? 

During my time at the Sartorius headquarters in Germany, I worked as global product manager and in strategic marketing, focusing on long-term planning, industry analysis and product positioning. It was a valuable experience which gave me a broad, strategic perspective. However, I always wanted to be closer to customers and really understand their needs. Because only by being closer to customers can we truly grasp their pain points and expectations and thus provide a solid foundation for product optimization and innovation.  

In 2023, I transferred to Sartorius China to lead the Chromatography team in the application service department. This allowed me to engage directly with local customers and their production environment. Today, I work in product marketing for Separation Technology, collaborating closely with our own teams and customers to develop solutions tailored to the Chinese market.  
 

How did you experience the transition and what cultural differences between China and Germany stand out to you most?  

The transition from Göttingen to China has been both challenging and rewarding. Returning home from the familiar Göttingen headquarters faced a new working environment, cultural differences, and market demands. Adapting to those changes has helped me grow professionally and encouraged me to learn and develop my skills further.

Even though efficient execution has always been important in my previous roles, China’s fast-moving market takes it to another level. Here, teams must be exceptionally agile, make rapid decisions, and implement them flawlessly. While I was already accustomed to working efficiently, adapting to this dynamic environment — understanding customer needs quickly and shaping product strategies accordingly — was a key challenge in my first months in China. 

For instance, when dealing with an urgent customer request, the Chinese team wanted to act quickly, whereas the German team needed more time for data analysis. I stepped in to explain the specificities of the Chinese market and help find common ground. This allowed us to accelerate the decision-making process without compromising quality. It demonstrated how shared approaches like “customer-centricity” and “quality first” can bridge cultural differences and make teamwork more effective.  

Even if working styles differ, as long as the goals are aligned and values are shared, an effective path for collaboration can be found.

Xindao Mao, Manager of Product Marketing Separation Technology China 

Looking back on your journey so far, what has been your biggest personal or professional growth at Sartorius?  

My six years at Sartorius have been the most rapid phase of my career. I’m very grateful to Sartorius for providing a platform that has given me a global view of the industry, and helped me grow professionally, from product to marketing positions. Over time, I had the opportunity to lead a team and gain management experience across various functions and countries.  

Today, my team actively collaborates across departments to connect global and local operations, leveraging resources from headquarters to strengthen local R&D capabilities and drive the efficient launch of new products. By adapting global strategies and collaborating across functions, we aim to support the development of China’s biopharmaceutical industry with innovative technologies and products, fostering shared growth for both the company and the market.