Meet the team
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Ivo A. Hahn Managing Director Greater China
Ivo, a Swiss national, has been living in Asia since 1982. In 1999 he founded Xecutive Group Limited and is President and CEO. In 2007, Xecutive became the exclusive Stanton Chase Partner for Greater China, operating from three regional offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing and with plans to further expand into Taiwan and Singapore. In the same year, Mediazone ranked Xecutive for the 3rd consecutive year among Hong Kong's Most Valuable Companies 2007. Before establishing Stanton Chase Greater China (previously operating as Xecutive), Ivo was Country Head, Executive Search & Selection Greater China, with PA Consulting Group. He is also a certified user of SHL and Cubiks' PAPI psychometric assessment tools. He held several senior management, sales and marketing positions in a broad spectrum of industries including fast moving consumer goods, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, building materials and machinery systems for various manufacturing industries. Ivo's extensive knowledge of Asia combined with his broad experience in a diverse range of industries and senior line functions enable him to advise Stanton Chase clients on all relevant aspects of managing businesses in Asia and their implications towards key executive appointments. Born and raised in Switzerland, Ivo speaks German, French and English. He graduated from the Swiss Federal School of Commerce, and majored in Marketing and Economics at IMD Switzerland. His wife is Hong Kong born and they have together two sons. Ivo is Director of the SwissCham Hong Kong, member of the American, French, German and Italian Chambers of Commerce and Associate of the Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies. Industry Practice Expertise:
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May PongExecutive Director |
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Doris Spirig Senior Consultant Doris joined Stanton Chase International in 2012 as Senior Consultant. In 1999, Doris Spirig, started her career as Junior Accountant at ABB Corporate Management Services in Oerlikon, Switzerland. She was soon given more responsibilities and gained an extensive knowledge of the worldwide operations of ABB and the industry. She was mainly looking after the Middle-East & North Africa regions. External and internal clients appreciated Ms Spirig's networking skills and on-time delivery of monthly reports and forecasts. Subsequently, in 2003, Doris took on a new challenge at Man Investments Ltd, in Pfaeffikon, Switzerland, where she learned about hedge fund management and the banking industry. She was due to be promoted to a controlling position with the head office of Man Investment Ltd. in London, England. However, she declined the promotion and relocated to Sri Lanka for personal reasons. Prior to relocating to Hong Kong in 2009, Doris was working as a Manager, Internal Audit Services with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She developed the internal audit function in Sri Lanka and built a solid reputation in this role with PwC's clients. She was known for delivering on-time, quality results. Furthermore, she established a strong and dynamic team and was responsible for leading and coaching 20 internal audit associates. During this period Doris managed to increase the revenue of the internal audit services division significantly. Her clients were mainly in the industry, hospitality and healthcare sectors. Born and raised in Switzerland, Doris graduated from Business School in St.Gallen, holding a degree as Kauffrau. She speaks fluent German and English and has a good knowledge of the French and Italian. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Jean-Benoit KaeppelinManaging Director Jean-Benoit has over 25 years of international experience in operational and human resources management and joined his present company in 2002. After a career in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Jean-Benoit joined the LVMH group in 1977, taking up senior management assignments in several group companies including Christian Dior, Lacroix, Givenchy as Regional Director Asia Pacific, Managing Director of several business units in Europe and Asia and, as of 1990, the role as International Director. He then joined the Holding company of the LVMH group as Director of Development of the organisations. Two years later, he was appointed Vice President of Human Resources of LVMH group for Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong. During this period, Jean-Benoit built up solid management experience in the consumer goods industry and conducted major restructuring projects worldwide including the organizational development for recruitment of senior managers, international mobility, coaching and compensation and benefits programs. A French national, Jean-Benoit graduated from the Institute of International and Diplomatic Affairs, the Institute for Foreign Trade (Institut Supérieur du Commerce Extérieur in Paris) and majored at the INSEAD (Fontainebleau) in Paris. He speaks French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Arabic. He has been appointed Advisor to the French Government for Export Trade for the last 15 years. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Jody KongManaging Director Jody Kong joined Stanton Chase International as Managing Director in spring 2013. She specializes in executive level searches within the Life Science and Healthcare and Logistics and Transportation Practice Groups covering Asia. Jody first worked in the apparel industry in Hong Kong in 1984 and was in merchandising roles at buying offices of C&A Clothing Store and Pepe Jeans. She embarked on her search career in 1993 as a Consultant for the apparel industry before joining a boutique retained search firm in Hong Kong. As Senior Consultant for Consumer and Retail Practice, she served multinational companies in recruiting key leadership executives in the Greater China region during her seven-year tenure there. Prior to joining Stanton Chase Hong Kong, Jody served as the Managing Director in the General Industrial Practice with a regional boutique retained executive search firm in Hong Kong for six years. Prior to that, she had operated her own search firm for three years in Hong Kong and Shanghai. With twenty years of executive search experience, Jody brings an exceptionally strong research and execution background to her clients and has worked with multinational corporations and major conglomerates across Asia including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore. Her executive recruitment experience comprises general management and senior functional management positions including Sales and Marketing; Brand Management; Design and Product Development; Strategic Sourcing and Supply Chain; Finance and Operations; R&D and Quality Management; Engineering and Manufacturing; Finance and Accounting; Legal and Human Resources. Born in Hong Kong, Jody holds a Masters in Business Administration from Birmingham Business School, the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom and a Higher Diploma in Fashion and Clothing Technology from the Hong Kong Polytechnic (currently known as Hong Kong Polytechnic University). Jody speaks English, Mandarin and native Cantonese. Industry Practice Expertise:
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John AuAssociate Consultant After graduating from the University of Windsor in Ontario/Canada, John began his professional career as an auditor for a major national oil refining company. Upon returning to Hong Kong in the '70s, John established his own Apple dealership, which he later expanded to incorporate software programs for the financial services industry. John was involved in the development, sales and marketing of an innovative software program, designed to analyze the performance of stocks. This led leading brokerage firms such as Wardley Investment, Jardine Flemming, Peregrine, Hang Seng Bank Investment and other firms to become his clients. He later sold the company to Hsin Chong Holdings. In the early '90s, John joined ABC Data & Telecom Limited as Project Manager and was involved in various financial, freight forwarding and POS related software development and projects. This also included back-office software packages designed for and supplied to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company later listed its shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as abcMultiactive Limited, where John spearheaded the localization of the company's flagship product, a CRM software package for Greater China. In 2004, John joined Stanton Chase International Greater China, initially with the objective to launch a client relationship management software program. He also established a regional candidate database to serve Stanton Chase's specific needs in Greater China. John now focuses on the execution of executive search mandates for senior management roles. Industry Practice Expertise
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Mark WillettSearch Director Mark is a Search Director with the Professional Services, Natural Resources and Energy, and Industrial practice groups of Stanton Chase, based in Hong Kong. A British national, Mark has 20 years’ experience in executive search and international development consultancy across Asia, Europe and Africa. In 1992 Mark joined Denton Hall solicitors in Hong Kong as a paralegal with the firm’s Construction and Projects practice during part-time law studies. He moved into executive search in 1994 joining Ray & Berndtson and later Boyden International, both global-top-ten firms, providing senior-level recruitment services to multinational corporations operating in Asia in the trading and consumer goods sectors. In 1999 he joined Longbridge International, a leading financial and legal services boutique search firm, where he successfully reestablished and ran their Asian legal services search business assisting international law firms in partner-level recruitment. Mark spent six months in Zambia in 2002, where he co-founded AgFarm Ltd, a successful agribusiness SME engaged in poultry farming and maize-milling (still trading). Between 2003 and 2013 Mark was an Environmental & Social Development Specialist with leading engineering and environmental consultancy URS (formerly Scott Wilson). His work with URS included environmental & social impact assessment, resettlement planning, community development and project monitoring and evaluation in the contexts of rural development, natural resources conservation, infrastructure development (transport, power), water treatment, waste management, tourism and master-planning. He has worked internationally on projects funded by UK-DFID, the EU and MCC, and has carried out sustainability risk assessments according to IFI safeguards (ADB, AfDB, IBRD, EBRD, IFC) on behalf of public and private sector proponents and financial institutions. Mark holds a BA in Sociology & Theology from Nottingham University, a CPE in Law from Manchester Metropolitan University, an MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental & African Studies, and a PG Dip in Agribusiness from Imperial College London. Industry Practice Expertise
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Meehee SongAsia/Pacific Practice Group Leader – Consumer Products and Services Prior to joining executive search, Meehee was the General Manager, North Asia for a wireless solutions provider. She's also acted as the Managing Director Korea where she combined her knowledge of sales & marketing and general management to bring into being a successful team. Focused on Consumer & Retail, Meehee offers a unique blend of executive expertise combined with a great deal of practical working experience. Meehee has conducted executive searches for clients in placing CEOs, senior executives and specialists in the Consumer & Retail, Technology and Industrial (Energy & Aviation/Aerospace) industries spans Asia Pacific (including China, Japan and Korea). Moreover, she has a proven reputation of delivering ahead of schedule, thereby adding tangible value for her clients. Meehee is a Korean national who has lived in Hong Kong since 1988. Fluent in Korean and English, she also has knowledge of Japanese, Mandarin and French. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Mike RowseSearch Director
Mike first came to Hong Kong in 1972 and has lived there ever since. After brief spells as a tutor and a tabloid journalist, he joined the Independent Commission Against Corruption on its establishment in 1974. After working in both the Operations and Corruption Prevention Departments, he joined the Government proper in 1980 as an Administrative Officer. After a variety of different postings, Mike became the first Director of the Financial Secretary’s Office from 1997 – 2000, and from 1999 – 2000 was appointed concurrently as the first Commissioner for Tourism. In those twin capacities, he was the lead negotiator with the Walt Disney Company which resulted in the building of Hong Kong Disneyland. In July 2000, Mike set up Invest HK, the investment promotion agency established by the Hong Kong Government, and was its first Director-General up to his retirement in December 2008. The agency won several awards during his tenure and was recently recognized as the best investment promotion agency in Asia. Since his retirement, Mike has written a best-selling book (“No Minister & No, Minister: The True Story of HarbourFest”) and has been appointed as an Adjunct Professor by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Mike is married to Fanny Wong, former Political Editor of the South China Morning Post, and now a communications consultant. They have one daughter and one son. Mike also has two adult sons from a previous marriage. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Miranda CheungAssociate Consultant Miranda began her career in the executive search industry in early 2005, by joining Xecutive Group Hong Kong in the capacity of Research Associate. Prior to joining the executive search profession, Ms. Cheung worked for several years in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) as a Sales & Marketing Specialist. During this period, Miranda has been engaged in a variety of executive search mandates, covering middle to senior management roles for a diverse range of industry sectors including Industrial, Consumer & Retail (incl. Luxury & Lifestyle), Logistics and Transportation as well as Life Science & Health Care. Miranda has assisted in numerous successful placements and was consequently promoted to Senior Research Associate. In 2007, Miranda was awarded the “Best Research Associate of the Year 2006” and was promoted to her current position as Associate Consultant. She is now mainly focusing on mandates in the Industrial and Consumer & Retail sectors. Miranda has a Bachelor Degree in Business Management (Major in Marketing) and speaks fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Shirley YuAssociate Consultant Shirley started her professional career in the tourism industry. She held customer service position in the Hong Kong Tourism Board as a front-line staff serving tourists to Hong Kong. Shirley then joined the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre responsible for providing professional event planning services to corporate clients. She assisted clients from diverse industries in organizing and planning their business events, such as conferences, seminars and trade exhibitions. She was involved in hosting international functions such as the 88th Lions Club International Convention and WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong. Prior to joining Stanton Chase International, Shirley was a Search Consultant in a regional executive search company for four years. Apart from her recruitment role, she also provided career-related consultation service and professional advice to both clients and candidates. With her experience in the search business, Shirley has placed middle to senior level executives with various financial institutions in Hong Kong and Asia. She has also successfully completed tailor-made recruitment solutions for local and international companies. Shirley is now focusing on search mandates in the financial services sector. Shirley graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Accountancy from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She attained Foundation Certificate in Life Coaching from Hong Kong University School of Professional and Continuing Education and is also a member of International Association of Coaching. Shirley speaks fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Wayne MasonSearch Director Wayne has worked in executive search since 1996. He specializes in the Financial Services Sector and is the Regional Practice Leader of the CFO and Financial Services Practices for Asia-Pacific. He has an excellent track record in the industry of “creating value” through connecting human capital, assets, businesses and entrepreneurs. He has successfully completed over 200 searches for board executives, senior management and functional heads within the corporate and investment banking, fund management, private equity, property companies and professional services environments. Wayne is a qualified accountant and has a BA (Hons) in Accounting & Finance. He worked in various financial roles for 8 years before moving into Executive Search. In his previous role for a leading European search firm he headed the UK Financial Services Practice as well as leading the European private equity sector of excellence. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Sylvia Zuercher Asia Pacific Regional Practice Leader - Industrial Sylvia has been living in Hong Kong since 1984. She started her professional career in 1973 and previously held senior positions in sales, marketing, and management in various fields, both in Hong Kong and the Philippines. In 1984 Sylvia relocated to Hong Kong to take up the position as Consultant of a marketing, consulting and research company. In 1987, she joined Far East Media Hong Kong as Sales Manager, focusing on the Retail Industry. Sylvia subsequently took up the role of General Manager with a Swiss trading company engaged in the export and import business. In 1992, the company was acquired by Asia Network Limited, where she continued her previous activities. Sylvia had gained extensive experience in various fields prior to joining executive search business in 2001. At Stanton Chase Hong Kong, Sylvia is specializing in the areas of Industrial, Consumer Products and Services, and Technology. She successfully delivers first class talents to clients in various industry sectors ranging from capital and industrial equipment/machine manufacturing and systems, chemicals, engineering, instrumentation, paper and packaging, process industries/metallurgy, 4-C industries (communication/ telecommunication, computer, consumer electronics, and car electronics), garment and textiles, luxury goods, trading, distribution and others. A certified user of MPA, OPQ (SHL) and PAPI (Cubics) psychometric assessments, Sylvia is dynamic, likes to accept new challenges and is highly committed to her clients. Sylvia is currently the Regional Practice Leader, Industrial Sector, representing Stanton Chase across Asia Pacific. Born and raised in the Philippines, Sylvia speaks English and Tagalog, in addition to basic German. She graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Commercial Science, majoring in Management and subsequently obtained a Certificate in Marketing Management sponsored by the HKMA Industry Practice Expertise:
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