The Board of Governors is overseeing the strategic direction of GESS. All Board members are non-executive, working on an honorary basis. The Board has ten members, eight of whom are elected by the members of the Association at the Annual General Meeting, and two of whom are appointed by the Board.
Professional Experience
Rachel is an experienced company director having served on a number of private company boards in both Australia and Singapore. She became an accredited member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 1999.
Rachel’s professional background is in the areas of Strategic Business Development; and Marketing and Communications. She has a Commerce Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Science.
Rachel is a native of Australia and has lived and worked in Hong Kong and Singapore for over twenty years.
GESS Subcommittees
• Marketing & Admissions - Chairperson
• Human Resources – Chairperson
• School Development - Chairperson
Number of Children at GESS: 1
Professional Experience
Jürgen Seitz has a Master in Information Engineering (Dipl. Ing. (FH)), Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications as well as a Master in Production and Material Economics. With his educational background and expertise in organisational change management processes, he is a great asset to Board since many years. He is Executive Vice President Production Asia for Pepperl + Fuchs Asia Pte. Ltd in Singapore and Asia, looking after four operational production facilities in the region, which account for more than 80% of the company’s manufacturing output. He is also responsible for the construction of an additional building in Vietnam.
GESS Subcommittees
• Board Development - Chairperson
• Human Resources
Number of children at GESS: 1
Professional Experience
Verena Desai has a Masters in Technical Mathematics and is originally from Vienna, Austria. She spent her professional career in investment banking, working in Vienna, Frankfurt and London in Emerging Markets Fixed Income trading and sales (RZB, Dresdner Kleinwort and Jefferies).
After moving to Singapore with her family in 2010 she gave up her job and decided to focus on her family.
GESS Subcommittees
• Audit & Risk
• Board Development
• Investment
Number of children at GESS: 3
Professional Experience
Florian is the founder and CEO of an investment management company focused on emerging markets. He currently serves on the committee of the Stanford GSB alumni association in Singapore and is a non-executive director and chairman of the audit committee of a shipping company listed on the New York stock exchange. Florian holds degrees in business studies and environmental science.
Florian and his family have been living in Singapore since 2011 and been members of the GESS community since 2013.
GESS Subcommittee
• Finance
• Investment
Number of Children at GESS: 2
Professional Experience
Reto is the Managing Director of Megrow Pte Ltd in Singapore. The firm specialises in Enterprise Risk Management, Interim Management and Strategy Consulting. Prior to that he was the Chief Executive of Asia Capital Re in Singapore.
Previously, he held senior positions with Swiss Reinsurance Co in Zurich, Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore. Reto holds a PhD Cell Biology from the University of Basel and Geneva. He is a qualified Director from the Singapore Institute of Directors and a member of the Institute of Risk Management, London.
He and his family have been in Singapore since 2003
GESS Subcommittees
• Audit & Risk - Chairperson
• Fundraising
• Designated person of the Board for child protection
Number of Children at GESS: 1
Professional Experience
Ekkehard has been living in Singapore with his family since January 2011. He is an Aerospace Engineer by profession and in charge of the after sales and customer service activities of his employer in the Asia-Pacific region.
GESS Subcommittees
• Facility & Operations - Chairperson
• IT - Chairperson
Number of Children at GESS: 4
Professional Experience
Wolfgang is a Managing Director in Temasek’s Portfolio Development team. Previously, he has been with strategy consulting firm Bain & Company, managed Eracom Technologies – an IT security company – and invested in mid-sized companies for a group of high net worth individuals. Wolfgang holds a PhD in corporate strategy from LMU Munich and an MBA from Drake University. He has received scholarships from the Fulbright Commission and from the German National Academic Foundation.
He and his family have been in Singapore since 2006.
GESS Subcommittees
• Finance
• Board Development
Number of Children at GESS: 2
Professional Experience
Markus Helms is a business economist and he holds Master Degrees in Business Administration from France, UK and Germany. He has worked in industry, with multinational consumer goods companies as well as with a global management consulting and services firm, where he is currently employed as Senior Principal.
GESS Subcommittee
• Audit & Risk
• Board Development
• Facility & Operations
Number of Children at GESS: 1
Professional Experience
Elke has a Masters degree in Computer Science and an Executive Master in Business Administration. With her 20 years of experience in information technology, strategy, leadership, consultancy, software development and innovation while living in Germany, USA, China, South Africa and Singapore, she brings new aspects to the GESS Boards. She has been in the IT-Sector for 15 years in various roles. Currently she is coaching software developers and product managers on launching new business models and new products to the market.
Elke and her family have been living in Singapore since 2017.
GESS Subcommittee
• School Development
• IT
Number of Children at GESS: 3
Professional Experience
Federico holds a Master’s Degree in Economics and Business and is originally from Rome, Italy.
He brings 20 years of experience of Finance and Accounting Management and General Management in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry; he is currently in charge of the management of the markets of Asia, Africa and Australia.
Federico has been living in Singapore with his family from 2012 to 2015, and again since 2017.
GESS Subcommittee
• Finance
Number of Children at GESS: 3
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