THE BEIJING CENTER - Key Persons
Trained as an accountant, Alex is a versatile management professional with over 29 years of broad ranging experience in strategic planning and leadership of finance and operations in diverse industries including international airport management, healthcare services and technology start-ups in United States, China and Europe. He is well-disciplined with proven ability to manage multiple assignments. He currently serves executive positions in various enterprises and NGOs. Alex's primary research focuses on corporate strategic planning during volatile international political environment. Alex is fluent in English, traditional and simplified Chinese with knowledge in Portuguese and Spanish.
Courses taught
international-business
Amber Wang graduated with a master's degree of Human Resource Management from the University of Technology Sydney. Amber has been working with International companies and large-scale state-owned enterprises since her graduation. In 2019, Amber joined TBC as Assistant for HR & Operations of the HR & Operations team.
Interests
Reading
Dr. Simon Koo joined TBC in 2017, bringing over a decade of teaching, research, and administration experience in higher education. He is currently the Executive Director of TBC.
Interests
International Education
Job Titles:
- Director of the China Program for the Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Frank Hawke is the Director of the China Program for the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He has been Regional Leader, East/Southeast Asia and the Pacific, The International Potato Center (CIP), responsible for managing the Asia regional operations for CIP, an international R&D NGO that focuses on food security and poverty reduction. Previously, he was the Chairman, Greater China of Kroll Associates, as well as an independent consultant assisting companies with business strategies in China. In the early 1980s, Professor Hawke assisted numerous firms in closing landmark deals in China, including the Great Wall Hotel-China's first joint venture-and the Beijing Jeep Corporation. He worked for Citibank from 1988 to 1994, managing businesses in the PRC and Taiwan, and he headed a team that re-established Citibank in Vietnam. From 1994-1997, Professor Hawke was Head of Investment Banking for Salomon Brothers China. Professor Hawke is an independent director of a large state-owned financial services firm and chairs the Human Resources sub-committee of the board. Professor Hawke was in the group of the very first American exchange students to study in China, at Peking University in 1979.
Interests
Raising my kids
Job Titles:
- Communications University of China
Ginny Yuan joined TBC in 2018. She has more than 20 years experience as Accountant / Financial Manager / AR Supervisor in Golden Credit Rating International Co., LTD. / New Century International Leasing Co., LTD.; / eLong.com (Beijing) LTD. / Beijing TVS Co., LTD. Etc.In her spare time, Ginny enjoys traveling, listening to classic music, watching English movies and reading.Ginny Yuan joined TBC in 2018. She has more than 20 years experience as Accountant / Financial Manager / AR Supervisor in Golden Credit Rating International Co., LTD. / New Century International Leasing Co., LTD.; / eLong.com (Beijing) LTD. / Beijing TVS Co., LTD. etc. In her spare time, Ginny enjoys traveling, listening to classical music, watching English movies and reading.
James started his career as an early employee of Microsoft Japan and led the subsidiary's rise to the first billion-dollar revenue subsidiary of a software company in history. After his nearly 15 year corporate career which culminated in a role as CEO of a NASDAQ listed software company, James decided to become an entrepreneur and started RTM Asia. Currently based in Beijing, James has co-founded 3 companies in China in the last 5 years.
Interests
Reading
Having many cross-cultural communication experiences, Katherine is fully aware of the difficulties students could meet when adjusting to a new environment. This is why she is so determined and enthusiastic to help everyone to learn more about Chinese culture and make a better life in China.
Interests
Singing
Job Titles:
- in 2017 As the Coordinator for Operations
- VP of External Relations
Molly joined The Beijing Center in 2017 as the Coordinator for Operations and Academic Affairs. She has over nine years experience working in an international research center and five years with an international academic exchange program. Molly also has experience as a middle school English teacher. With her experience in administration, human resources, finance and teaching, she has brought independent thinking and expertise in cross-culture communication to her roles in operations and academic affairs.
Job Titles:
- BBA, Yonok University of Thailand
Olina joined TBC in 2022. She is responsible for the management and coordination of TBC Kunming Office with over a decade of experience in project operation and administration. Olina is a positive person and loves life. Her favorite motto is "合抱之木，生于毫末；九层之台，起于累土。"--《老子》or "Great oaks from little acorns grow," by Laozi.
Interests
Travelling
Rachel began her internship at The Beijing Center in 2021 and transitioned to the role of Digital Media Associate in 2023. She pursued her studies at Macalester College in Minnesota, studied abroad at Sophia University in Tokyo, and earned her master's degree at Keio University in Tokyo. With more than 7 years of international experience, she returned to Beijing with a strong enthusiasm for promoting intercultural communications. Outside of work, she loves exploring new places and diving into fresh experiences!
Interests
Traveling
Sarah Tu was a lecturer teaching Philosophy in Shantou University from 2008-2010. She was a project researcher at Horizons Ventures in 2013. Recruited from Taiwan by Cathay Pacific Airway in 1998, she served as cabin crew from 1998-2002. Then she moved to San Francisco where her husband was posted to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office there. She subsequently accompanied him to live in Shantou and Beijing, and rejoined Cathay Pacific Airway as cabin crew in 2005. Prior to living overseas, she was a primary school teacher in Taipei teaching music.
Born and raised in Taiwan, she graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy from Fu Jen University in Taipei. She got her M.A. in Philosophy from Fu Dan University in Shanghai, 2007. She attended part-time programs at University of California- Berkeley and San Francisco City College during her stay in San Francisco between 2001 and 2003. She moved to Hong Kong in 1998 and had since lived in San Francisco, Shantou, Beijing and Shanghai. She understands different cultures well. Being a mandarin native speaker, she commands good Cantonese, Taiwanese and English.
Interests
Exploring different cultures
Shuting is an easy-going and patient person with curiosity to new things. Traveling around the world has been a dream of hers since childhood. She has more than a decade of tourism-related experience, included arranging and coordinating tourist activities, arranging transportation services, accommodation, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor at China School of Banking
- Professor
Tim Bian is an associate professor at China School of Banking and Finance, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). He has extensive teaching experience, having taught courses such as Intermediate Macroeconomics, International Finance, Money and Banking, Central Banking, and Financial Programming and Policies. His research focuses on macroeconomics, real estate, local government debt, and outbound investment. Professor Bian obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University in 2013, where he also taught International Finance and Principles of Macroeconomics at the undergraduate level.
Professor Bian served as a visiting scholar at the Ministry of Commerce of China in 2019. He also taught at Shihezi University in Xinjiang from 2020 to 2022.
Interests
Chinese and Global History
Yan joined TBC in 2022. He majored in art design at university, and has been working in the field for over five years now with international industries and large-scale projects. Outside of work, he likes studying the law and running.
Interests
Law