Watlow, a leading provider of industrial technology and thermal systems, has appointed Shiyi Zhou as the new Regional President of Asia. Reporting directly to CEO Rob Gilmore, Zhou will oversee the growth and profitability of Watlow’s operations in Asia, joining the company's executive team.
This newly created position is vital to Watlow's strategy, with Zhou responsible for shaping and executing the region’s commercial, marketing, and customer strategies to drive growth alongside key customers and sales partners. He will also bridge local customer engineering and supply chain teams with global leadership, technical, and manufacturing resources, supporting the global expansion of multinational accounts. Additionally, Zhou will collaborate with business unit leaders to provide regional insights, advocate for product innovation, and help shape strategic technology and commercial roadmaps to support sustained growth in the Asia region.
Zhou has 28 years of professional experience in both China and the U.S. and extensive sales and marketing experience in multiple industries. He also has proven experience in driving profitable growth by managing full regional and country P&Ls in China and Asia Pacific.
Before coming to Watlow, Zhou was the vice president of the Asia Fire and Security Group at UTC/Carrier Corporation. He also spent 12 years with Eaton Corporation in China, where he held several management roles including China general manager for the Vehicle group, China general manager of the Hydraulics group, commercial director for the vehicle group for Asia Pacific, and plant general manager for the Electrical group.
Zhou holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology in China, a master’s degree in computer science from Georgia State University in Atlanta, and an MBA from Georgetown University in Washington DC.
Rob Gilmore said, “We are thrilled to have Shiyi as our president of Asia. His experience, knowledge, expertise, and background make him very well suited for the role and we are confident that under his leadership, we will grow and better connect with our customers throughout the Asia region”.