Aeroft’s Helm Returns to Peking University!

From an Air China Counter to Routes to Russia and Africa: A 30-Year Career Shared as a Masterclass

▲ At Yenching Garden: “I ❤️ PKUIM · Dedication for a Lifetime, Stewardship for Generations”

Yenching Garden buzzed with activity again this golden October. On the afternoon of Sunday, October 25, the Department of Information Management, Peking University hosted an alumni homecoming forum themed SOEs, Central Enterprises & Entrepreneurship. Seasoned alumni with decades of experience at central state-owned enterprises and in the startup sector returned to campus to share unvarnished insights into professional life with younger students.

One familiar face was Jerry Zhu Weijie, Founder and General Manager of Aeroft. A 2002 master’s graduate in Information Science, he came back to his alma mater not merely as a guest speaker, but as a senior alumnus.

1. Opening Remark: I Started as an Air China Ticketing Agent

Jerry opened his talk by grounding his story in humble beginnings: “I started out working at the front counter as a ticketing agent for Air China.”

No grand opening remarks, no lead with titles. His professional journey began right at that Air China passenger service counter, with a tariff manual and stacks of itineraries. Working on the frontline ticketing team, he spent 15 years building his career within Air China and growing into a management role at the central state-owned carrier.

He told Peking University students not to dismiss the value of platforms at central SOEs. What these platforms offer young people is far more than mere stability — they build practical, transferable capabilities:

• Writing skills: Air waybills, contracts and declaration documents demand precision; a single erroneous figure can trigger a serious incident.

• Oral communication: At negotiation tables with airlines and during coordination at overseas airports, arguments must be clear, logical and well-founded.

• Stakeholder coordination: Aligning shippers, carriers, customs brokers and overseas agents to build a smooth, reliable supply chain.

“These so-called ‘soft skills’ are in fact enduring, invaluable assets.”

2. Then Came the Career Shift: Delivering Cargo to Russia and Africa

Having solidified his foundation in the state-owned system, he made a surprising decision to launch his own venture. In February 2022, Jerry founded Beijing Aeroft Air Cargo Forwarding Co., Ltd., pivoting from passenger aviation into the demanding world of international freight forwarding. Since then, Aeroft has grown steadily:

• Business lines: International air freight, cross-border trucking and ocean freight — three pillars supporting operations.

• Core markets: Russian-speaking regions (Russia, Central Asia) and Africa. We have opened viable routes to destinations many others avoid for their complexity and challenges.

• Special expertise: Processing certificates of origin, commodity inspection certificates, dangerous goods packaging certificates, DGM assessments, and dangerous goods filings for lithium batteries and other hazardous cargo — work many providers shy away from, yet we are fully capable of handling.

• Key clients: Shipments of pharmaceuticals, fresh produce, servers, telecommunications equipment (baseband boards / RRUs), spare parts for automotive diesel engines, new-energy lithium batteries and more, exported from China to global destinations.

Key Operational Metrics

• Annual shipments: 3,000 consignments

• Covered countries and regions: 15

• Partner airlines and trucking carriers: 30

• Team size: 35 employees

This transition did not mean abandoning the rigorous standards forged in the SOE environment. Aeroft’s relentless attention to detail in documentation and customs declarations today carries forward the old principle from the Air China counter: no mistakes on a single itinerary. Entrepreneurship, meanwhile, has given this rigor a bigger stage to deliver cargo across the globe.

▲Jerry during the sharing session (25 Oct 2026 · Department of Information Management, Peking University)

3. Notes on Fellow Alumni Panelists

Three other alumni joined the panel that day: Li Ruopeng, working on technology transformation at China Telecom; Cao Yu, founder of a reading education startup; and Mo Bo, who shifted from investment banking to private equity. The senior alumni unpacked the realities of working in SOEs and building startups from diverse industry perspectives. The audience of students kept asking questions and responded with warm applause throughout.

4. A Message to All Aeroft Team Members

This homecoming talk is, at its heart, our origin story. Experience nurtured in the state-owned sector gives us professional grounding. The leap into entrepreneurship gives us the courage to reach global markets.

From the Air China service counter to the lecture hall at Peking University, from a single passenger itinerary to a network of routes stretching to Russia and Africa — the path our founder has walked is the same path Aeroft continues to take.

Moving forward, we will stay committed to these principles:

• Apply the rigor honed in the SOE system to every shipment and every document;

• Leverage the agility of entrepreneurs to develop new routes and break into new markets;

• Uphold our belief: Join Aeroft, become a better version of yourself, and deliver Chinese goods safely and reliably to every corner of the world.

We welcome like-minded partners to walk this journey with us and extend our reach further.

Follow Aeroft Insights for ongoing industry updates and practical know-how on Sino-Russian and Sino-African trade, international logistics, cross-border payments and air transportation.

Email: sales@aeroft.com 

Website: https://www.aeroft.com

Hotline: +86 10 80414795