Our People

Serge Dumont, co-founder and Chairman of Asia Society France and Vice Chairman of ImpactWayv Inc. has lived in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taipei for over 40 years. A specialist in international issues and strategic communications, Serge Dumont draws on decades of experience in Asia, the United States, and Europe. He has regularly advised multinational companies, business leaders, and boards of leading institutions.

In the early 1980s, he founded China's first independent public relations and public affairs consulting group. A young entrepreneur at the time, he is now credited with leading China's growing communications industry, having served companies such as Edelman (as Vice Chairman and Board Member), and Omnicom Group (NYSE, OMC), a global communications and marketing holding company of which he was Vice Chairman and Chairman Asia Pacific.

With a strong knowledge of the Asian, European, and American markets, Serge strives to bring an international perspective to his activities. As a global citizen, his role is not limited to business. As a philanthropist, he is particularly involved in the fields of health and education. He is also convinced that a company's objective should not stop at making a profit, as social responsibility is an integral part of business success.

Serge Dumont has received several awards and distinctions from governments and international organizations for his commitments in the areas of business, philanthropy, health, culture, and education. He has also served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations.

He serves on the boards of several corporations, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations such as The Synergos Institute. He is fluent in English, Mandarin, and French.

China/global technology and entrepreneurship background, 27 years in China. Educated in France, fluent in French and now a resident of France as well as Hong Kong. Founding trustee of Asia Society Japan. Asia Society ‘Asia 21’ alumnus (Seoul, 2006).

Former Morgan Stanley investment banker (London, Hong Kong), founder of investment consultancy BDA China (www.bda.com) which employs over 170 professionals in Beijing and author of ‘Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built’ which was named a Book of the Year by The Economist and was Shortlisted for Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year.   Graduate of the London School of Economics, visiting senior fellow at LSE and previously visiting scholar at Stanford University where he established the China 2.0 program at the Graduate School of Business.

Duncan is an early stage investor in consumer Internet related ventures including in Radish Fiction (acquired by South Korean media company Kakao in 2021), AppAnnie (invested by Sequoia) as well as FinTech (Quantitative Insight, Cambridge Machines), MedTech (CuraPatient) and e-commerce ventures (Lexir).

Duncan is fluent in French, Chinese and conversant in Japanese and Spanish. He was awarded an OBE for services to UK trade and investment in China.

Asia/global technology and entrepreneurship background, successfully founded China’s largest digital sports media company and China’s largest travel platform, listed on Nasdaq in 2013. Fritz coordinates his entrepreneurial business activities through Hong Kong-based Queen’s Road Capital Founding trustee of Asia Society Japan. Asia Society ‘Asia 21’ alumnus (Seoul, 2006). Former NewsCorp executive in China. Today serves on the Listing Committee of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Personal family ties and extensive venture investment activities in the EU

Educated at UCLA, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Heidelberg in Germany.

An experienced communicator, Jean-Michel Dumont returned to Europe (now based in Nice) after 32 years in Asia to focus on expanding the communication opportunities between the two continents. He currently consults in communication strategy for corporations in their Asia and global positioning, and for their growth and acquisitions strategy, focusing on their purpose and core values.

As Chairman of Ruder Finn Asia, he grew the operations from 10 people to over 400, helping the firm become one of the top 3 international agencies in China, repositioning or launching international brands in Asian market, and working with international governments to support their positioning or investment strategies. A native of France, he is fluent in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese and has a working knowledge of Mandarin and Italian.

Investor and entrepreneur in China for over 20 years, Will is a General Partner at Marathon Venture Partners, a VC firm backing outstanding entrepreneurs in China’s healthcare and technology sectors.  Will also sits on the investment committee for CreaDev China, the ever-green private equity firm of the Mulliez Family. Mulliez family businesses span over 200 companies and includes global market leaders such as Auchan, Decathlon, Leroy Merlin, and Agapes. Prior to Marathon Venture Partners, Will was an early investor and the Chief Strategy Officer at TalkingData. While at TalkingData, Will led the scaling of the business to become China’s leading independent big data analytics platform, achieving unicorn status.

Will started his career at Goldman Sachs, where he worked in the New York and London offices. Will received his BA from Tufts University, and his MBA from the Harvard Business School. He has served as a Board Member of Harvard Business School’s Global Alumni Board.

He is also a member of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, Sous-Commanderie de Shanghai, where he serves as the group’s Echanson. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and French. Will lives in Shanghai with his French-American wife and three children.

French seasoned tech entrepreneur with two exits, a business data platform with global footprint (GIA) and an Asia wide business expert platform (Fusion). Marine also co-founded and was the CEO of a gamified and AI powered social network for cancer patients in China (MedAnt) and a video Q&A platform based in London (YurOn). Started as an investment banker in 1994 in Tokyo where she also managed the editorial team of a Japanese publishing house. Now invests in businesses with a focus on HealthTech and FinTech. She has a special interest in neuroscience, science and data-centric businesses. She lives in London with her three children and English husband.

Laurent’s digital expertise started in 1999 with Lastminute.com, a leading European e-travel company, where he opened up Continental Europe, and IPOed in 2001. His second venture in e-travel was with Voyage Privé in 2010, leading its international expansion in Europe and in Latin America. Based in Paris and Aix-en-Provence. Entrepreneur, Investor, and Fintech expert, with 8 years in the payment industry at Edenred (2001-2008), growing the company in multiple geographies, including Asia-Pacific. Supports digital start-ups in France and across Europe Formerly a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Graduate of Harvard Business School and from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP).

Co-Chair of Asia Society Japan. Managing Director at JC Flowers, previously President and CEO of Shinsei Bank after 22 years with Morgan Stanley in New York, London and Tokyo.

Graduate A.B. magna cum laude  of Harvard College and Baker Scholar graduate of the Harvard Business School. Co-Chair of Asia Society Japan.

Betsy Z. Cohen is the chairman of FinTech Masala, a sponsor of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and venture rounds. She was previously founder and CEO of The Bancorp, an internet provider of financial services to non-bank fintech companies. From 1974 to 1999 she was founder, chairman and CEO of Jefferson Bank in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cohen has served on a variety of philanthropic and corporate boards, including Aetna, Inc., Asia Society, The Brookings Institution, and The Metropolitan Opera. She served on the Bryn Mawr College Board of Trustees for 29 years and remains one of the Emeriti trustees. She is an Honorary Trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Officier of the French Légion d’Honneur. Founder and President (1981-2003) of the Institut Aspen France with former Prime Minister Raymond Barre as chairman (2015- 2017). Lifetime trustee of The Aspen Institute USA and Board Member of Aspen Italia. Chairman and CEO of Interfina SAS. Former chairman and CEO of Mellerio dits Meller, a family High Jewellery group since 1613. Chairman of Mellerio Foundation. Board Member of the Fondation Victor Segalen.

Former chairman of the Comité d’Echange franco-japonais (CEFJ). Honorary member and Former chairman of COMITE COLBERT (Association of French Luxury Brands), Former vice president of the sectorial committee Fashion and luxury (French Ministry of Finance), Board Member of La Haute Ecole de Joaillerie, Former Board member of Union Française de la Joaillerie (UHBJO), Honorary member of the French Family Business network (FBN France), Former member of the Paris advisory Board of Banque de France, Former elected member of the Paris Chamber of Commerce, former chairman of Promosalons, President d’honneur de IREFI (Institute for Economic Relations between France and Italy), former vice president of comité d’Etablissement of HEC Business School. Olivier Mellerio graduated from HEC in France and has an MBA from Columbia Business School.