Wellesley Partners Team

Wellesley Partners is the award-winning Asia-based financial services executive search firm with comprehensive regional coverage through offices in Hong Kong, Mumbai, and Singapore. As the market-leading boutique, we run a bespoke model which partners with both clients and candidates. Through our long-standing relationships, industry knowledge and commitment to excellence, we have a strong track record of being the search partner of choice to our clients.
A testament to the quality of our search work is that our candidates often become our clients.

Rick Johannessen
Phone: 852 2847 9915

Rick Johannessen

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Rick Johannessen is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Wellesley and also leads the Investment Management practice. He works with fund managers and asset owners focused on public market, private capital and real estate investment strategies. He also works with their portfolio companies. He has over 20 years of talent acquisition experience built on orchestrating team moves and placing senior investment, marketing, and operating professionals globally.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Rick was the Head of Asia for Glocap Search based in New York. Glocap acquired a leading Asian search boutique where he was the founding Principal. Rick started his career in business development for two venture capital-funded technology firms in Hong Kong, the second one was in HR Tech. He studied International Relations at the American University in Washington D.C. and is conversant in Mandarin and Japanese. Rick is a Co-Founder and Board Member of the American Club Foundation (ACF), Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Community Recovery Fund (HKCRF).

Loretta Chan
Phone: 852 2847 9908

Loretta Chan

Managing Partner

Loretta Chan is the Managing Partner of Wellesley Group, piloting banking & fintech businesses in Asia Pacific. She comes with 15+ years of industry experience and specializes in placing senior-level candidates including C-suite executives across Global Markets, DCM, Private Financing and Corporate Banking. She has a strong track record of completing front office searches across sales, trading, quant, structuring, research, origination business development and relationship managers. In addition to front office search, she also leads specialist recruitment for corporate governance functions (risk, legal, compliance) with proven ability to provide front-to-back talent searches across all-levels.

During the beginning of her search career, she was with Pelham International specializing in Fixed Income/Equity Derivatives. She then joined Robertson Smart as a consultant covering Legal and Fixed Income. Prior to joining Wellesley in 2007, she ran the Hong Kong office of Webbe International, heading the Financial Markets business for Asia. Loretta holds an LLB (Hons) and began her career with Sullivan & Cromwell. She is native in English and Cantonese, and is conversant in Mandarin.

Jeremy Harris
Phone: 852 2847 9902

Jeremy Harris

Partner

Jeremy Harris is a founding Partner of Wellesley Partners and specialises in the coverage of Asset Management clients throughout Asia ex Japan. Jeremy has been in financial services executive search in Asia since 1999.  

Having initially founded his own search boutique, he later joined Heidrick & Struggles in 2001, as a Partner covering financial services in Asia from the Singapore office. He has successfully completed numerous searches, placing executives in asset management across all roles and product suites in Asia ex Japan.

Prior to his career in executive search and having gained a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree, Jeremy served in the British Army, commissioned into the Irish Guards. He later joined the Corporate Finance team of SG Warburg Securities in London. His exposure to Asia began in 1993 as a senior member of the institutional Asian equity sales team of Crosby Securities (in Asia and London) and continued with CLSA in Singapore.

SabrinaHu
Phone: 852 2847 9914

Sabrina Hu

Partner, Head of China

Sabrina Hu is a Partner and Head of China with Wellesley Partners, based in Hong Kong. She covers a broad range of buy side roles in Alternative Investment practice with a focus on Greater China. Her areas of specialization include Private Equity, Hedge Fund, Venture Capital and Fund of Funds.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Sabrina worked at Executive Access in Hong Kong, focused on Investment Banking and Private Equity. Before that, she was with Eban International in Hong Kong in a similar role. Sabrina started her executive search career in 2008 in China. Sabrina obtained her Master’s Degree in Social Science from the City University of Hong Kong. She is a native Mandarin speaker and is fluent in English.

Carman Wong
Phone: 852 2847 9920

Carman Wong

Partner, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Executive Development

Carman Wong has a dual role as the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Executive Development of Wellesley. She has over 25 years of experience in investment banking and private equity, in both the United States and in Asia, ranging from strategic management of corporate operations to leading transaction execution. Prior to joining Wellesley, Carman was a Managing Director and the chief operating officer for various organizations including a start-up private equity firm Silk Road Financial Corporation, the investment banking divisions for Nomura /Lehman Brothers in Asia and for Goldman Sachs in New York and Hong Kong. Prior to becoming a COO, Carman worked in Goldman Sach’s Telecoms and Media Group as an investment banker.

In addition to her finance career, Carman is a certified executive coach. She coaches senior executives and entrepreneurs from a wide range of industries ranging from financial services to corporates. Carman holds a BS in Economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Edward Cheung
Phone: 852 2847 9907

Edward Cheung

Managing Director

Edward Cheung is a Managing Director of Wellesley Partners primarily focused on the Asset Management, Private Wealth and Hedge Fund sectors. Edward has been an executive recruiter since 2004.

Prior to joining Wellesley in 2007, Edward started his search career with Korn/Ferry International in Hong Kong focusing on senior executive level positions around Asia. Before entering search, he was a Business Development Manager for a start-up sports consulting company working on projects for local and multi-national clients in Hong Kong and Singapore. Edward graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in Sports and Recreation Development from Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom. He speaks Cantonese and Mandarin.

Elysee Lam
Phone: 852 2847 9905

Elysee Lam

Executive Director

Elysee Lam is an Executive Director of Wellesley Partners based in Hong Kong. She focuses on senior executives’ appointments of the portfolio companies of Private Equity clients in Asia Pacific. She also supports investment and operations professional searches in Asia Pacific.

Elysee has been in executive search since 2003. Prior joining Wellesley, Elysee worked with another Asian-based executive search firm specializing in senior executive recruitments in Commercial Sectors in Asia Pacific. Elysee holds a Bachelor Degree of Social Science and a Master Degree of Knowledge Management. She is originally from Hong Kong and she speaks native Cantonese and fluent English and Mandarin.

Mirjam Gustafsson
Phone852 2847 9903

Mirjam Gustafsson

Executive Director

Mirjam Gustafsson is an Executive Director in our executive search business based in Hong Kong working primarily with our investment banking clients but also supports our alternative investment clients across Asia with particular strength in Greater China. She specializes in junior to senior level investment banking and investment professional searches.

Mirjam has been an executive recruiter in Asia since the beginning of 2014 and has a strong track record of placing a range of front office professionals across all industry sectors. Prior to joining Wellesley, Mirjam held a similar role with Robert Walters based in their Hong Kong office. Before entering search, Mirjam had a year-long internship with Deutsche Boerse AG as an Analyst Intern in their Beijing office. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Trade and Economics from the Beijing Language and Culture University. Originally from Sweden, Mirjam is a native Swedish and English speaker, is fluent in Mandarin and proficient in German.

Tammy Mak
Phone: 852 2847 9925

Tammy Mak

Executive Director

Tammy Mak is an Executive Director of Wellesley Partners based in Hong Kong. She covers Investment Banking and Alternative Investment clients with a focus on Greater China. Her experience has been predominantly focused on mid-to-senior level placements, and she has a strong track record across Private Equity, Private Credit, Fund of Funds, Investment Banking and Investor Relations regionally across Asia. Tammy has been in executive search since 2005.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Tammy worked at Executive Access in Hong Kong for over 12 years focused on the Investment Banking and Private Equity sectors. Before entering search, she worked at Shanghai Commercial Bank as Management Trainee. Tammy obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University in Canada. She is originally from Hong Kong and she speaks native Cantonese and fluent English and Mandarin.

Bethany Leung
Phone: 852 2847 9906

Bethany Leung

Director

Bethany Leung is a Director and specialises in Fixed Income, Debt Capital Markets, Private Financing and Credit Ratings executive positions in Asia, with a focus on North Asia.

She has had experience filling mandates across sales, trading, structuring, research and advisory. She joined Wellesley Partners in 2009. Prior to executive search, she gained market experience in Greater China working for the Vienna Representative Office (China). Bethany graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a BA (Hons) degree in Comparative Literature and Chinese Literature. She is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, and is conversant in Japanese.

Suzette Gaynor

Phone: +852 2847 9912

Suzette Gaynor

Associate Director

Suzette Gaynor is an Associate Director in our search business for investment management clients based in Hong Kong. She focuses on recruiting investment professionals, corporate finance and corporate development professionals primarily for public market clients, and secondarily in the private market. She has regional coverage across Asia with a strong track record in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Before Wellesley, Suzette was with another leading boutique focused on global hedge funds, principal trading firms and FinTech companies in Asia expanding their investment and business/corporate development teams. Suzette began her career as an intern in the Human Resources department with Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong. Suzette started her recruitment career in 2014 and re-joined the industry at the beginning of 2018 after furthering Chinese studies at the National Taiwan University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from The George Washington University, Washington DC. Born in the United States and raised in Hong Kong, she is a native English and Spanish speaker, and a highly proficient Mandarin speaker.

Rick Johannessen
Phone: +852 2847 9928

Eunice Rah

Associate Director

Eunice Rah is an Associate Director in our executive search business based in Hong Kong. She focuses on recruiting investor relations/capital formation professionals across both public and private markets strategies. She also supports investment professional searches across North Asia and is a Korean market generalist.

Before Wellesley, Eunice was with another global search firm specializing in sales and investment mandates within the Investment Management space. She began her search career covering accounting and operations within Financial Services. Eunice holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Banking and Finance from City University of Hong Kong. Originally from Korea and raised in California, she is native in English and Korean.

Kat Wong

Phone: +852 2847 9954

Kat Wong

Associate Director

Kat Wong is an Associate Director in our executive search business where she specializes in Greater China investment professional searches for our Public Markets investment business. This includes working with Asset Owners, Asset Management and Hedge Fund businesses. She is also active across our Quantitative Investment, Data Science and Technology practices as well.

Kat started her search career in 2015. She has built a strong track record of placing professionals in Asset Management, Hedge Funds, and Proprietary/High Frequency Trading Houses with a focus in Greater China. Prior to joining Wellesley, Kat was the Lead Consultant in Quantitative Investment and Technology space at Selby Jennings Hong Kong. Before that, she specialized in Financial Technology. Kat graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of International Business Management. She is a native Cantonese, Mandarin, and Shanghainese speaker.

JNatasha Yadav
Phone: 852 2847 9922

Natasha Yadav

Associate Director

Natasha Yadav is an Associate Director in our executive search business based in Hong Kong. She currently covers research and execution within our Alternative Investment team. Her primary focus is recruiting fund marketing/investor relations professionals but also works on investment professional searches across Asia.

Prior to joining Wellesley, she worked in fast paced, customer facing environments in the hospitality sector with luxury hotel brands across both Asia and Europe with the Melia Group and The Four Seasons. She got her start in search with another Hong Kong based boutique. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Natasha went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in International Relations from Durham University. She is a native English speaker and is conversant in Hindi.

Sanese Lai
Phone: 852 2847 9911

Sanese Lai

Associate

Sanese Lai is an Associate with Wellesley based in our Hong Kong Headquarters and specialises in Asset Management, where she provides support on research and search execution to our Asset Management practice across Asia ex-Japan. Sanese had started with Wellesley in support and administrative operations for both Alternative Investment and Asset Management practices.

Sanese holds a Bachelor of Media and Communications from Queensland University of Technology. She is fluent in Cantonese, English and Mandarin.

Stanley Lam
Phone: 852 2847 9923

Stanley Lam

Analyst

Stanley Lam is an Analyst with Wellesley based in our Hong Kong Headquarters and covers the search in Investment Banking and Alternative Investment across Asia, providing support primarily in research and execution.

Before Wellesley, he was a startup founder who worked with many senior executives across industries and has experience in hiring. Stanley obtained a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences from the University of Hong Kong. He is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Julie Kim

Partner

Julie Kim is a Partner with Wellesley specializing in executive search for alternative investment firms and investment banks across APAC. She is our global product lead for the capital formation practice for leading GPs and placement agents. Julie is also responsible for leading coverage in Korea across both banking and principal strategies. Since 2010, she has built a long track record of placing mid-to senior investment, operations and capital formation professionals across all major markets.

Prior to her career in executive search, she was a Fixed Income trader with Allianz Global Investors in Korea. She started her career as an Investment Banker with Macquarie also based in Seoul. Originally from Korea, Julie grew up in Europe and the US and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Korea University. She is a native Korean speaker and is fluent in English.

Alice Sutton

Executive Director

Alice Sutton is an Executive Director with Wellesley based in London. She primarily focuses on executive search for our Private Capital (private credit, private equity and real assets) and FinTech clients across Europe and the Middle East. Secondarily, she also helps with our Southeast Asia market coverage. Alice recently re-joined Wellesleys having spent a year helping to build a successful FinTech practice at Russell Reynolds; she originally joined the firm in our Singapore office in 2015 where she spent seven years focused on Private Capital searches across South East Asia and Australia/ANZ. She started her search career in 2009 in London.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Alice spent two years with another Global Search firm in Singapore where she helped build a successful corporate and investment banking practice as well as specializing in senior-level searches within the natural resources and infrastructure sectors. She started her search career in London where she spent three years with a leading European boutique firm focused on Capital Markets and Leveraged Finance searches across Europe. Alice graduated from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland with a Master’s degree in Theology and Classical Civilization.

Christian Brun
Phone: 65 6823 1458

Christian Brun

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Christian Brun is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Wellesley. He is based in Singapore but also splits his time between London and Hong Kong. Christian was a founding Partner of Wellesley Partners, and has worked on numerous senior level executive search appointments across every jurisdiction in Asia-Pacific and Europe across both the Financial Services and Technology sectors; he also leads the Corporate & Investment Banking Practice.

Christian relocated to Hong Kong from London to launch our Asia business in 2005. Prior to founding Wellesley in 2004, he was a Principal at Heidrick & Struggles, the global executive search firm, based in London, where he focused on Investment Banking. He started his search career at Whitehead Mann in 1997, before joining The Consulting Group, a London-based boutique search firm, which was subsequently acquired by TMP. Christian has an MA in History and an M.Phil. in International Relations from Cambridge University, where he was awarded a College History Scholarship.

Sophie Meyers
Phone: 65 6823 1458

Sophie Meyers

Managing Director

Sophie Meyers is a Managing Director with Wellesley based in the Singapore office. She specialises in both Investment Banking and Private Equity / Alternative Investments across Southeast Asia and Australia.

Having initially joined Wellesley Partners in our Sydney office focusing on the domestic ANZ Investment Banking Sector, she relocated to Singapore to help our expanding Southeast Asia team in 2013. Prior to joining Wellesley, she spent six years in the Australian market with a global recruitment firm where she managed a team specialising in senior level finance placements across Banking and Wealth Management. Sophie graduated from the University of Liverpool with a BA (Hons) degree in French and Hispanic Studies.

Anna Lewis
Phone: 65 6823 1458

Anna Lewis

Executive Director

Anna Lewis is an Executive Director with Wellesley Partners based in Singapore, leading our PE portfolio practice for South East Asia and Australia. She has deep expertise in advising portfolio companies on board level hires across Europe as well as appointing senior investment, operating and M&A professionals.

Prior to joining Wellesley Anna worked at Livingbridge, a private equity fund where she supported portfolio companies in building high performance management teams. Previously, Anna worked at a boutique search firm in London where she advised clients on board-level talent and executive search across the consumer sector. Anna graduated from St Andrews University with a MA (Hons) degree in Geography.

Aaron Thong
Phone: 65 6823 1458

Aaron Thong

Director

Aaron Thong is a Director with Wellesley Partners based in the Singapore office and focuses on both the Investment Banking and Private Equity / Alternative Investments sectors across Southeast Asia and the broader region.

Before joining Wellesley Partners, Aaron was with another top-ranked Asian boutique firm, covering purely buy-side roles primarily across Hedge Funds and Private Equity firms in Asia. Aaron attended Singapore Management University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Double Major in Finance (International Trading Track). As part of this program, he spent a year living and working in Europe. Born and raised in Singapore, he speaks native English and is conversant in Mandarin.

Grace Lim
Phone: 65 6823 1458

Grace Lim

Associate

Grace Lim is an Associate with Wellesley based in the Singapore office. She focuses on Banking and Private Capital searches in Southeast Asia and Australia.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Grace worked in an award-winning consumer research and analytics agency focusing on research for the government and consumer-facing brands in Asia. Grace attended the National University of Singapore and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences in Communications and New Media. Born and raised in Singapore, she speaks native English and is conversant in Mandarin.

Sourabh Chattopadhyay

Managing Partner, Head of Professional Services

Sourabh Chattopadhyay is the Managing Partner and Head of Professional Services with Wellesley Partners and leads the firms India business. He is a generalist with broad success across alternative investments, investment banking, private equity portfolio companies, and professional services.

Prior to joining Wellesley Partners, Sourabh headed Options Group's executive search and strategic consulting practice in India. Sourabh has also been an entrepreneur and worked in institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Ernst and Young, and Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. He holds a BBA in Economics from Pace University (USA) and has completed advanced work in Media Design at the New York University School of Continuing Education.

Amanpreet Singh

Managing Director

Amanpreet Singh is a Managing Director at Wellesley Partners India with a search focus on alternative investments and private equity specifically.

While at Wellesley, she has delivered an entire suite of integrated services to PE clients from investment roles to CXO’s and board members for portfolio companies. Before joining Wellesley, she was a senior private equity recruiter with Hunt Partners. Having cut her teeth in journalism with India's leading Business journals, The Economic Times and Business Today, Aman believes that as a headhunter there’s no substitute for curiosity. Amanpreet completed her Master's degree in English literature, from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. She has an additional Master's in Content Creation and Journalism from School of Convergence, India.

Vasumati Bhat

Executive Director

Vasumati Bhat is an Executive Director with Wellesley India. She works with clients in the Alternative Investments and Professional Services industry.

Vasu has been in the Executive Search Industry from the beginning of her career in 2009. She began her career as a Research Associate with Hunt Partners where she conducted extensive Market Research, Talent Mapping Exercises for clients across sectors and geographies. She joined Wellesley in 2011 as an Associate and has been closely working with the Practice Leads on several Leadership positions. At Wellesley, Vasu focuses on search mandates for Private Equity, PE Portfolio Companies and Professional Services Firms.

Vasu graduated from the University of Mumbai with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Studies and has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She is fluent in English, Hindi and conversant in Marathi and Konkani.

Trupti Ahuja

Director

Trupti Ahuja is a Director with Wellesley Partners India, focusing on searches in PE, Investment Banking, Professional Services as well as PE portfolio companies. A Chartered Accountant by profession, she started her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers where she spent around three years specializing in Indirect Taxation. She also has a fair understanding of UK Taxation during her stint with Nomura. Her career in search started with Vito India wherein she has executed searches in Global Markets, NBFC’s, Housing Finance as well as the Asset Reconstruction space.

Harmmit Walia

Associate Director

Harmmit Walia is a second-generation head-hunter. He has been in the Search Industry from the start of his career.

Prior to joining Wellesley Partners, Harmmit was associated with Think People Solutions, where he focused on sectors including Investment Banking, Professional Services, IT and FMCG. He was one of the initial members in the organization and played a key role in building the Investment Banking and Professional Services practice. He started his career with Black Turtle with specific focus on mandates in the Global Markets, Risk, Research & Analytics as well as in Finance & Legal areas. He has been instrumental in hiring for new Business Verticals for the clients. Harmmit holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Mumbai. He is fluent in English & Hindi and conversant in Marathi & Punjabi.

Khadija Qureshi

Associate

Khadija Qureshi is a Generalist Associate with Wellesley Partners, based in India. Prior to joining Wellesley Partners, she worked with Aquis Search as a Consultant where she worked on mandates across FMCG, Real Estate and Financial Services sectors for APAC region.

She started her search career with The Ally Venture where she worked on searches across Construction, Real Estate and Asset management in Australia. She has also worked with ICICI Prudential AMC as a part of the investment advisory vertical. She completed her Master of Management Studies in Finance from Mumbai University in 2019. She is fluent in English, Hindi and conversant in Marathi and Urdu.

Jeremy Chen

Director

Jeremy Chen is a Director of Wellesley Partners based in Shanghai, focusing on Asset Management, Hedge Funds and corporate executive search mandates within Great China.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Jeremy was an Associate Manager of Michael Page Shanghai, leading the public market sector recruitment team with a strong track record of building up onshore teams for global asset management firms in Shanghai. He also has prior experience as in-house talent acquisition for a top-tier domestic fund manager and digital entertainment company. Jeremy has a Master’s degree from The University of Manchester and Bachelor’s degree from Nanjing Audit University. Originally from Jiangsu, China, Jeremy is a native Mandarin speaker and fluent in English.

Fei Gong

Director

Fei Gong is a Director in our executive search business based in Shanghai. Fei is a China Generalist but focuses in the Alternative Investment, Asset Management and Investment Banking sectors. He is also an industry sector specialist across healthcare.

Before joining Wellesley and the executive search industry, Fei was a PhD student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where he was studying Neuroscience and Alzheimer's disease. Fei has a Bachelor's degree in Biological Science from Nanjing University and a Master of Philosophy in Life Science from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Originally from Jiangsu province, he is a native Mandarin speaker and fluent English speaker.

Jessie Li

Director

Jessie Li is a Director specializing in Executive Search for Wellesley based in Shanghai. She works with Banks and Investment Management clients with a focus on Greater China. She executes mid-to-senior level banking and investment professional searches.

Prior to joining Wellesley, Jessie worked with Hudson in Shanghai for 7 years focused on the Banking sector. She built a proven track record of placing banking professionals in all of the major Chinese financial markets. She began her search career as a Research Associate with Bo Le Associates based in Shanghai. Jessie obtained her Bachelor of Law degree from Suzhou University of Science and Technology. Originally from Shandong, China, Jessie speaks native Mandarin and fluent English.