Advisor Pool

PROF. JT LI

Chair Professor,
HKUST

Professor JT Li is Chair Professor of Management and Lee Quo Wei Professor of Business, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has been elected Fellow of the Academy of International Business (AIB) and has been elected as Vice President of the AIB and the Program Chair of the 2018 AIB annual conference in the US. He received his Ph.D. in strategy and international management from the University of Texas and was previously with McKinsey & Company in Hong Kong.

His current research interests are in the areas of strategic alliances, corporate governance, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with a focus on issues related to global firms and those from emerging economies. He has made extensive contributions to the field of international business strategy, particularly in Asia. He is Editor of the Journal of International Business Studies, responsible for research related to strategy and policy in emerging economies. He has served as Associate Editor for the Strategic Management Journal, a leading journal in the field of strategic management from 2009-2016.

Areas of Expertise: ecosystems, international business strategy, China

PROF. TOMAS CASAS I KLETT

Co-Academic Director, HKUST-SKOLKOVO EMBA for Eurasia
Faculty and Director of China Competence Center at University of St. Gallen

Since 2016 Prof. Casas has been a professor at the University of St. Gallen’s (HSG) specializing in international business, China and Eurasia, as well as in high-performance teams. Since 2012 Tomas has been a visiting professor at the SKOLKOVO Moscow School of Management. He graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, obtaining in parallel a Japanese language degree from Sophia University in Tokyo. He later earned a Master of Science in Management degree at Fudan University in Shanghai, followed by a Ph.D. (Doctor Oeconomiae) at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

As the Director of the HSG’s China Competence Center (CCC-FIM), Prof. Casas supervises research initiatives on the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the latter from a rules-based perspective covering digital cross-border e-commerce. After being awarded the Jonathan Welch Case Award in 2009 by the North American Case Research Association (NACRA), Tomas has been enjoying crafting case studies that bring to life entrepreneurial and business situations in a variety of international settings such as China and Russia. He published his first book on the country’s challenges and potential: Japan's Open Future: An Agenda for Global Citizenship (co-authored with J.P. Lehmann and J. Haffner). In the early 2000’s together with Shanghainese partners he experienced serial entrepreneurship in the software and IT sectors of China. His courses never fail to draw from his hands-on, in-the-trenches business experience. His research is inspired by actual management phenomena, the approaches to innovation and the decision-making patterns he has directly encountered in the business world.

Areas of Expertise: 4IR strategy, Europe, China

PROF. KAI-LUNG HUI

Chair Professor,
HKUST

Kai-Lung Hui’s research focuses on the impact of information technologies and the analysis of policies related to information technology use and development. His research has variously addressed topics such as the impact of law enforcement on crime deterrence on the Internet, digital divide, how piracy affected sales of legitimate items, and the impact of copyright law on the supply of creative works. His research has been published in scholarly journals including The American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings, Information Systems Research, Management Science, MIS Quarterly, and Journal of MIS, among others.

Dr. Hui has provided consulting services to the Ministry of Law of Singapore, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Communications Association of Hong Kong, and various private organisations. He is currently serving as an advisor of 300cubits.tech, UC.Now, and Swiss Innovation Valley.

Areas of Expertise: technology, blockchain, fintech

JACK LAU

Former Chairman, CEO, Perception Digital (listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange)
Adjunct Professor, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Holder of 15 United States Patents

Jack is a recipient of the 10 Most Outstanding Young Persons in Hong Kong (2000), Young Industrialist Award (2005), and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 China award. In 2010, he was bestowed an Honorary Fellowship at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Jack has gotten his BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley; Doctorate study in Electronic Engineering from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST); EMBA from Kellogg-HKUST EMBA program; and is currently doing his post-doctoral research at Stanford University.

Areas of Expertise: Digital, Entrepreneurship, Technology

PAVEL BILENKO

Associate Professor of Business Practice, Academic Leader of Silicon Valley Modules, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Pavel Bilenko worked until 2004 as a design engineer at Kaluga Turbine Works, where he developed control systems for turbine-generator units for Kamchatka geothermal power plant.

In 2006, he was awarded a scholarship from the President of the Russian Federation to receive training abroad. He worked in the Control Systems Center at the University of Manchester, UK. In 2013, Pavel and his wife Maria opened a Pre-School Education Centre in Kaluga, where their own four children currently study. Their team was named the best among two hundred similar centres in Russia in 2015. From 2007–2014, Pavel rose from the position of Engineer to that of Department Head at a machine-building holding HMS Group.

In 2014, Pavel Bilenko lead the creation of an international company manufacturing pumps and pump-related equipment. From 2014–2016, Bilenko was the CEO of a high-tech machine-building plant. There he assembled and supervised a team that manufactured machine-building equipment: pumps and pump units.

Bilenko graduated with honors from Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Faculty of Engineering Technology), and the State University of the Ministry of Finance (Faculty of Finance and Credit) and completed the Executive MBA Programme at the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO.

Now he is working as a Head of Industry 4.0 Educational Programmes at Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO.

Areas of Expertise: Silicon Valley, Entrepreneurship, Digitalization

GAUKHAR NURGALIEVA

Head of the Eurasian Studies Lab at the Institute of Emerging Markets Studies (IEMS) at SKOLKOVO Moscow School of Management

Gaukhar Nurgalieva is an international relations professional and currently leads the Eurasian Studies Lab at the SKOLKOVO Institute for Emerging Market Studies. The lab conducts research on the economies of the countries in Central Asia and Caucasus and contributes to the development of educational programs.

Before joining the SKOLKOVO Institute for Emerging Market Studies, Gaukhar worked at the Eurasian Economic Commission, as well as government and private sectors of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Gaukhar Nurgalieva holds a Master of Arts in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA, MBA from the Moscow State University (MSU), and Bachelor of Business Administration from The George Washington University.

Areas of Expertise: Kazakhstan, Central Asia, CI and cross-cultural negotiations

ALEXEY GORYACHEV

RB Partners, YPO, Senior Partner, Director, Investor

Alexey Goryachev has been working in the investment and financial advisory sectors for more than 25 years. He was a co-founder and Partner at RMG Partners, before joining RB Partners as Senior Partner.

Alexey started his career as an economist at the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation in 1989.

In 1991 he became the co-founder and director of one of the first investment companies in Russia “Shares of Russia”.

Alexey graduated from the Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation and obtained master’s degrees under the MBA Kennedy Western University and Executive MBA of SKOLKOVO Business School programmes. He studied at Berkeley HAAS and Harvard Business School.

He was Master of Business, EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015. Alexey heads M&A advisory projects.

Areas of Expertise: investments and financial advisory

VITALY POLEKHIN

President, National Business Angels Association (Russia); Head of SKOLKOVO Investor Club

Vitaly Polekhin is the President of National Business Angels Association and head of SKOLKOVO Business School Investor Club – a communication platform, which unites entrepreneurs with investors looking for new business opportunities. He is also the Managing Partner of Venture Angels seed and early-stage investment fund; and shareholder and supervisory board member of Addventure venture fund.

Vitaly completed his MBA at Lomonosov Moscow State University, and his SKOLKOVO Executive MBA at Moscow School of Management. Vitaly also attended MIT Sloan School of Management and UC Berkley Haas School of Business; and holds a PhD in Philosophy from Harvard Business School. In 2015, he was awarded the ‘Angel Investor of the Year 2015’ award by Russia Venture Awards. Vitaly invests in start-ups and teams of entrepreneurs with great ideas, who are in need of capital to make their ideas a reality. His focus is on startups with great potential to disrupt an industry. He and his partners offer smart money, along with a wide range of global networks. Vitaly has made over 15 Angel Investments, with one $50m exit when Rocket Internet’s ‘Foodpanda’ acquired Delivery Club in a move to make the combined companies Russia’s leading food delivery service.

Areas of Expertise: venture angels, seed & early stage investments

KIRILL VARLAMOV

Head, Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF)

Kirill Varlamov is a head of Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF), created by the current President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. IIDF was established in March 2013. IIDF main goals are financial and consulting support of internet projects at all stages of development, searching and selecting startups and growing them to a highly valuable business.

Kirill is also a CEO at Naumen, company cofounded with Аleksandr Davydov in 2001. Naumen is one of the leading companies in software development in Russia.

Born in 1974 in a city of Sverdlovsk, Kirill graduated Ural State Technical University in 1996, attended classes at Bradley University, Peoria, IL. In 2012 Kirill graduated Moscow management school Skolkovo as Executive MBA. In November 2012 Kirill became a winner at national finals of Ernst & Young «Entrepreneur Of The Year» in IT section. That contest is being held for 27 years in 140 cities of 50 countries around the world.

Areas of Expertise: startup ecosystem, seed investments, Russia

VLADIMIR PREOBRAZHENSKY

Professor of the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Professor Vladimir Preobrazhensky is a member of the Academic Council and visiting teacher (2014 – present) of MBA + Workshop + Corporate Programs and former Chief Research Officer (2012-2014) of Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO. He has been a member of the Board of Directors (2007-2013) of New Economic School (NES) and he is a visiting teacher (2008 – present) of programmes MiF + MsF and Strategic thinking. He became a member of the Board of Directors of Volga-Dnepr Group in 2014 and a member of the Board of Directors of M.video in 2016. He has been elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Multikubik, LLC in 2017.

His current research interests are in the areas of strategic thinking, adaptability, and development of people and institutions and the third advent of AI. His basic education was received in Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI), Department of Aircraft. In 2016-2017 Professor Preobrazhensky was leading the “Management Excellence” educational program of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives / Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration / Ward Hovell. He was a Member of Committee for Strategy and Investment of Rusnano (March 2012 – September 2013) and the launching Chairman of the Audit Committee of SUEK (2005-2011) in Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK). He was Chief Financial Officer in Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods (NYSE listed for that time, now part of the Pepsi Group) in 2002-2005. He was an author of the idea and Director of the “Scenarios for Russia” project from 1998-1999 and he was a Deputy Director General and Director for Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer in VimpelCom (NYSE listed for that time, now VEON).

Areas of Expertise: strategy, finance, Russia