Who We Are

Betsy Neidel—Managing Director

Betsy Neidel has spent more than 20 years working in US–China business, with both US and Chinese companies. Her experience spans a wide range of functions and industries, from building a Chinese office staff from two expats to 18 locals, to negotiating with Chinese government representatives and ministries, to creating quality control plans for US–China joint venture partners.

The geographic scope of her experience in operations and relationship management has spanned much of Greater China. Through prolonged local involvement she has gained in-depth, first-hand knowledge and experience on how to work effectively in that ever-changing environment. As the Founder and Managing Director of Blue Heron Holdings, LLC, Neidel’s goal is to use what she has learned over the years to help other companies grow and compete successfully in US-China dealings.

Prior to founding Blue Heron, Neidel held senior roles in Dell, Inc serving US and Asia-based business units; in Commercial Metals Company in Beijing and New York; and in Global Sources Media Group in Hong Kong and Taiwan. She holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Neidel lived and worked in Greater China continuously for nearly a decade. She is a fluent speaker of Mandarin Chinese and frequently presents on US–China Intercultural Strategies. She has been an Adjunct Professor at St. Edward's University School of Management and Business in Austin, Texas and is an American Society for Quality Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Neidel is also a member of the US–China Business Council, the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, the American Society for Quality and numerous other commercial and educational organizations in the United States. Through Blue Heron Holdings, she is nationally certified as a Women's Business Enterprise by the WBE Southwest Regional Council.

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Laura Mitchelson—Senior Consultant

Laura Mitchelson previously co-founded and directed Amber, a leading provider of strategic intelligence and market research services to multinationals in China. Laura’s specialty is in providing accurate, insightful information on markets, customers and competitors to support business growth, sales and marketing, and strategic planning.

Laura has lived in China since 1994 and has worked in a number of roles assisting and advising foreign companies on their China strategy. She has assisted countless multinational corporations on improving their understanding of and effectiveness in the China marketplace, and continues to be fascinated by the developments that are taking place here.

Laura was previously Deputy Director at the China-Britain Business Council where she oversaw the delivery of market research and consulting services from 8 offices in Mainland China before establishing Amber with a local partner in 2005. She is a British national and speaks fluent Chinese.

Laura is a member of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals and holds an advanced qualification in Marketing and Social Research. She writes frequently for China business magazines and journals and regularly contributes to commercial forum on China.

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Donny Huang—Senior Consultant

Donny Huang is founder and managing partner of 4stones Cross-Cultural Consulting Group in Beijing, the first locally-founded Chinese cross-cultural management and global leadership development firm.

Donny is active in bridging cultural differences between China and the rest of world in business area through consulting, coaching, training, teaching and writing. He is regarded as one of the top cross-cultural management specialists in China and in 2007 was named one of Top 50 "Names in China Human Resources".
 
Donny started his career with Standard Chartered Bank before moving on to serve in various management and leadership roles at Allied Domecq Retailing International, the parent company of Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin' Donuts; Datahouse, a Honolulu-based management and technology consulting company; and Pilot Marketing Management Consulting. Donny is a frequent speaker at industry events and at academic institutions and think-tanks such as Thunderbird School of Global Management, the University of Hawaii, Tsinghua University in Beijing, and Peking (Beijing) University.

He holds an MBA in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona and did graduate work on Cultures and Leadership at the East-West Center in Hawaii. Donny is a member of Thunderbird Global Council, and committee member of 2005 Committee, an elite Chinese returnees group.

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