Board of Governors

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

• School Development
• Investment Oversight

Number of Children at GESS: 2

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
• Board Development
• School Development

Number of children at GESS: 3

Professional Experience

Claudia is a managing director of an international asset management firm and a senior investment professional with over 20 years of professional experience and an industry leader in ESG investing and sustainability.

Whilst born and raised in Germany, Claudia studied and worked in the US, UK and over the past five years in Singapore.

She holds a German Business degree and a US Master of Economics.

Claudia and her family moved from London to Singapore in December 2018.

GESS Subcommittee

• Finance
• HR & Volunteer Management

Number of Children at GESS: 2

Professional Experience

Ray Sandhu is an advocate solicitor qualified in England and Wales specialising in both civil and commercial litigation. Ray who is a Singaporean, completed his academic education in the UK and holds a BSc in Sports Development degree as well as a Masters in Law (LLM).

Having worked and lived in the UK for more than 20 years, his experience in the field of litigation is extensive.

He returned to Singapore in 2017 and joined the Law Society of Singapore. During his time there, he was instrumental in project managing the branding and marketing of the Law Society’s full suite of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes. He is currently the Director at Mente Consultancy.

GESS Subcommittee

• Board Development
• Fundraising
• Audit & Risk

Number of Children at GESS: 2

Professional Experience

Viktor is the Group Chief Financial Officer of Jebsen & Jessen, a family-owned diversified industrial group with operational offices across South-East Asia and beyond. He also holds board positions in joint ventures of the Group. Previously, he worked for a global chemical company where he held various responsibilities in Finance, Treasury, HR, Legal, Supply Chain Management and Merger & Acquisitions.

Viktor has extensive knowledge in general management, finance and admin related functions as well as change management, organizational development and integrations.

Viktor and his family have been living in Singapore since 2001.

GESS Subcommittees
• Investment Oversight
• Finance

Number of children at GESS: 2

Professional Experience

Thomas is Managing Director at CDH Investments, a Venture Capital and Private Equity focused asset management platform, established in Singapore in 2001. Thomas leads the firm’s international investment activities, with an emphasis on the broader consumer and healthcare sectors. Thomas has two decades of experience working closely with companies at a strategic and operational level, including a broad spectrum of education related businesses and organizations. Throughout his career, he has sat on or chaired numerous Boards.

Thomas has been actively involved with Not-For-Profit societies, most recently the Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SVCA), which he chaired until 2021. Thomas is a regular public speaker and been lecturing at different institutions in Southeast Asia.

Thomas studied Economics and Business Administration at universities in Vienna and Paris, and holds a doctorate degree in Econometrics. He moved to Singapore in 2001, Thomas and his family have been members of the GESS community since 2014.

GESS Subcommittees

• School Development
• Finance

Number of children at GESS: 0

Professional Experience

Thomas is Managing Partner of Prinz & Partners, heading the Digital & Data Advisory Services. He has held Partner positions with KPMG and CAPCO in Germany, France, UK and Singapore advising companies on strategy and digital adoption. Thomas is member of a VC Group, investing and mentoring especially Tech Startups. Thomas holds degrees in German Language and Literature) and in Business Administration. He has previously served as ordinary member on the Board of the IDSP (Internationale Deutsche Schule Paris), driving the digital transformation of the school.

He and his family have been in Singapore from 2010 to 2016, and came back in 2021.

GESS Subcommittees

• Infrastructure
• Fundraising

Number of children at GESS: 2

Professional Experience

Kristina has over 20 years of experience in General Management, business development, and business transformation. Currently, she is the managing director of a leading multi-national beauty company, where she develops and executes regional strategies for luxury and consumer beauty across India and Southeast Asia.

She volunteers with the Singapore Red Cross and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Kristina has lived in the US, UK, France, and Switzerland, and for over 11 years, she and her family have called Singapore their home.

GESS Subcommittees:

To be determined

Number of Children at GESS: 1

Professional Experience

Norbert is currently Vice President Innovation & QC, Asia Pacific @ Symrise - a leading global fragrance and flavor company. He studied Biology and Chemistry for teaching in secondary schools and did his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry.

He has extensive experience in managing culturally diverse teams in Asia, Europe and the US and was a leading member of a team to manage constructions and interior design of offices and labs in Asia.

Norbert wants to bring a different perspective with his Analytical Thinking as a scientist and a strong passion for “ONE GESS” to the Board.

Norbert and his family have been living in Singapore since 2005.

GESS Subcommittees

• HR & Volunteer Management
• Infrastructure

Number of children at GESS: 2

Professional Experience

Maren is an accomplished technology executive with 20+ years of comprehensive success and rapid career growth in Manufacturing, Automotive, Electronics, Aviation, and Investment Management. As CEO of multiple organizations, and 15+ years specifically of leadership experience in Asia and Europe, Maren is highly passionate about leading in leading large-scale digital and business reorganizations, strategic turnarounds, and new-venture development.

She has held multiple Governance Board roles for 15 years of ListCos in Germany and Japan, more recently as independent director of microelectronics PCB businesses in Japan. In her recent role as CEO for the Schweizer World Group in Singapore, Maren built the corporate venturing and innovation and portfolio management arm of international operations which includes 34 corporate entities.

Maren and her family are in Singapore since 2013.

GESS Subcommittee

• Audit & Risk
• School Development

Number of Children at GESS: 1