|
BONNIE GIRARD
Partner / President
Bonnie Girard is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, taking her B.A. degree in Political
Science in 1988. In 1987, as part of her UNC program, she accepted a
fellowship and grant which took her to China to study language at
the prestigious Foreign Affairs College in Beijing. This college,
which is run by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as their diplomatic
training institute, was the springboard for developing many of the influential
contacts which she still uses today in her business and personal
dealings. Bonnie subsequently lived in China for the next 14
years, until 2001, and still maintains an apartment there for her
frequent trips to China. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.
Bonnie Girard has
been responsible for the negotiation and implementation of over US$1
billion worth of telecommunications and other contracts in China. She began
her professional career working in China in 1988, initially for an American
joint venture, and then for the Australian Embassy in Beijing. In
1990, Bonnie was hired by Alcatel to run their domestic operations
in support of the implementation of digital telephone systems
throughout China. In 1994, she moved into commercial and business
development in China for the company. By 1996, after nine years in
China and having developed deep professional and personal ties in
political, business, and government circles in China, she created
China Channel with her two Chinese associates. The
partnership was founded in the belief, since confirmed, that foreign
companies needed reliable, intelligent, and ethical advice and
approaches to the Chinese market, at a realistic and affordable
price.
Bonnie grew up in Washington, D.C. and Virginia, in a family long
active in government, foreign service, and academics.
ROLAND EVANS
Partner /
Director - Europe, Australia
Roland Evans holds a B.Sc. in Marine Technology from Plymouth
University in the United Kingdom; prior to that he studied
Electronics and Communications at South Glamorgan Institute in
Cardiff.
Roland Evans began working with
the British firm Racal Survey in 1991, and subsequently
traveled throughout the world on oil survey and communications
projects for the company. Roland worked on projects throughout China
and Asia, including Singapore and India, before taking up an engineering management
position with Racal's joint venture in Tianjin, China in 1997.
In 1999, Roland
became a partner and director of China Channel. His vision and
insight have led the company from success to success. Among
other accomplishments, he initiated and implemented a large consulting
project for the British firm, Lloyd's Register. He also took
China Channel into the environmental field by securing the company's
first client in that industry.
Under Roland Evans'
leadership, China Channel became a founding member of the European
Chamber of Commerce of China. Roland was active within the
Chamber as a member of the Working Group on Intellectual Property
Rights, and helped to formulate their White Paper, which was
presented to European Union President Romano Prodi during his 2000 visit to Beijing.
Roland grew up in
the Rhondda Valley of South Wales in the United Kingdom, and is a
proud supporter of Welsh Rugby. He was captain of the Beijing
Devils Rugby Football Team, which won a Plate victory at the Hong
Kong Tens in 1998.
|
