Meet the team
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Ivo A. HahnManaging 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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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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Gwenola CoupeSearch Director Gwenola began her professional career in China in 1993, where she spent six years engaging in hotel and club opening projects in Southeast Asia. Although she focused on recruitment, employee handbooks, compensation and benefits, in-house training and the organization of hotel training schools, Gwenola also participated in a variety of marketing activities. She returned to Europe in 1999, acting as the Office Manager for the US Investment Banking Downer Company's European Headquarters in Paris. Gwenola entered the executive search field in 2005 as a Senior Consultant with China's Talent Spheres. She focused on the textile industry, mainly for European buying offices, as well as consultancy firms engaged in the water business. Clients of Stanton Chase Shanghai benefit from Gwenola's profound knowledge and experience in the hospitality, textile and energy industry sectors. Her dedication to clients, strong project orientation, and an extensive knowledge of industries are among her key assets. A French national, Gwenola is fluent in French, English and Chinese. She holds a master degree in Economics from Social Sciences University in France. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Kester YimSearch Director Born and educated in Hong Kong, and having worked and lived in Canada during the 1990's, Kester is a seasoned marketing professional with almost 30 years of extensive experience in the consumer products sector. Kester specializes in developing, designing, managing and operating customer loyalty programs. He is a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Marketing. Since 1980, Kester has contributed to the marketing and promotions of world renowned brands like Rank Xerox, Silverstone, Teflon non-stick cookware, and Kodak films for the Asia Pacific region. After moving to Canada, he was the National Marketing and Sales Director of Japan Life (Canada) Limited. Kester has a special passion for his native China. His vision is to leverage his vast experience with customer loyalty and VIP management to design and develop a lifestyle program that would contribute towards the improvement of the country’s medical system and its standards of living. With that in mind, Kester spent more than one year with PingAn Insurance Group Limited, the second largest insurance group in China, as General Manager, Group Loyalty and Value Added Services Programs. In this role, he was the architect and designer for the group wide loyalty program, the first of its kind in China. Before joining PingAn Insurance Group Limited, Kester spent ten years with Cathay Pacific Airways, the leading airline in Asia, managing the most popular and prestigious travel organization in the world, the Marco Polo Club. During his time with Cathay Pacific, he developed and cultivated the customer loyalty program for the airline and earned himself the recognition as the longest serving customer loyalty/VIP manager of the industry. In February 1999, Kester and a team of frequent flyer program specialists founded Asia Miles, which, in less than five years, became the most successful and profitable frequent flyer program in Asia. He has also spent years working in the entertainment business and has been a key member in the promotion of Hong Kong overseas through his work with the Hong Kong Tourist Association. Kester is also a “music” man; he is a conductor of different choirs and is a typical example of a business man who enjoys life. Kester speaks fluent English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Min Lie WimmerSearch Director Min Lie originates from China, but was born in Indonesia and raised in Hong Kong. After completing high school, she moved to Germany in 1983, where she started her professional career in the airlines and travel industry with PANAM, Delta Airlines and Air China. In 2006, she joined Deininger, a leading German executive search company, with the objective to establish a research unit for the company’s activities in China. In 2007, she moved to Shanghai to establish, and manage the newly established office in this city. Min Lie was also involved in acquisition activities, particularly in the automotive, chemical and construction materials industry sectors of European multinational companies operating in China. In February of 2009, she joined Stanton Chase Shanghai in the capacity of Search Director. Min Lie is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Fukkien, Hakka, Sichuan, English, German and Bahasa Indonesia. Industry Practice Expertise:
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Matthias SpringSearch Director Born in Germany, Matthias started his professional career within the banking industry in 1969 in Frankfurt. In 1984, he decided to move to Sydney, Australia to take over the position of chief dealer corporate foreign exchange with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He held senior management positions in several German and international banks, including Barclays Bank (Trade finance), Bank of Tokyo (Head money market), Nord LB and Simon Bank (Manager foreign exchange). In 1989, he joined the German Consulate General in Sydney as the head of the economic section. During this period he gained a thorough and extensive knowledge of all aspects of international banking and trade-related matters in a wide range of industries in Europe and Australasia, with a special focus on manufacturing, transportation, technology, project finance and trade promotion. In 1997, he returned to Germany to take over a large restitution case of a manufacturing and retail company. He holds the position of a court appointed receiver in this company since 2000 and realized a first substantial payout from the German Government in 2007. Matthias can look back on nearly 37 years of experience in international banking and trade-related matters in multinational corporations, combined with a solid understanding of the working of industry and government organizations, in all aspects of international trade. Through the handling of the restitution, he gained an above average exposure to dealings with government departments and courts on state and federal level in a highly complex legal/economic case. He holds a qualification as Bankkaufmann (Certification of Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Frankfurt). Mathias is fluent in German and English. He visited China on a regular basis since 1995 before moving to Shanghai in September of 2007. Industry Practice Expertise:
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