Transitioning to an HR leadership role in a start-up

Katherine Qu is a Managing Director with ChapmanCG, based in Singapore. She works with the global team to identify top HR talent across Greater China, Singapore and SEA.

Prior to joining ChapmanCG, Katherine started her own executive search business in Beijing, which focused on senior executive roles for leading Chinese companies in the consumer, healthcare and real estate industries. Subsequently, Katherine held positions with Hudson and Charterhouse Partnership, a boutique executive search firm based in Singapore. Katherine has also had extensive industry experience across different sectors with global leaders such as Pepsi, Pfizer, and Lenovo.

Katherine was born in China and was educated in both China and the United States, achieving her Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland. She has worked in China, Singapore and the United States, and speaks both Mandarin and English fluently.

As the Regional Managing Director – Asia Pacific at ChapmanCG, Steve Brown finds exceptional Chief People Officer level talent (and their direct reports) for a broad range of clients including complex multinationals going through transformation and growth, to smaller and leaner organisations looking for contemporary and innovative people and culture solutions.

Steve has enjoyed an exciting and meaningful career journey of over two decades in the executive search and talent industry, having lived and worked in the UK, Australia, Singapore, mainland China, and Hong Kong SAR. He has a successful track record including delivering multiple high-profile HR searches both at C-level (group and global) and regional, across various industry sectors.

Steve is also a member of the executive committee at ChapmanCG, responsible for leading our world-class consulting team based across Asia Pacific. His team are located in mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Professionally, he is passionate about fostering long-term partnerships with HR influencers and CEOs to help organisations build diverse teams and inclusive workplaces, which ultimately drive innovation and high-performance.

Tim Spriggs is Regional Managing Director, EMEA with ChapmanCG based in the UK where, as part of the executive committee, he leads the EMEA business.

Tim and his team deliver senior retained executive searches for a range of clients from global multinationals to SMEs and has a background in global HR executive search. He is particularly passionate about finding unique and exceptional talent for his clients across the region.

Prior to returning to the UK in 2017, Tim spent five years in Singapore where he was instrumental in building the China business and covered international work out of Asia. Prior to ChapmanCG, Tim worked for JD Haspel, a boutique London-based executive search firm, where he specialised in EMEA HR search assignments across multiple sectors including technology, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, financial services and natural resources.

Before moving into executive search, Tim’s passion for sport led him to his first career in sports marketing and sponsorship with Octagon. He has a BA (Hons) in American Studies from the University of Nottingham, and a CIM Diploma from the London School of Marketing.

In his spare time, Tim enjoys running and cycling in the Chilterns and is known to have the occasional swim in the Thames near his home in Henley.

Vargin Yeke is a Senior Director with ChapmanCG based in Singapore. He works closely with the global team to identify first class HR talent in Singapore and across the Asia Pacific region, with a particular focus on HR leadership roles in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia across all sectors.

Vargin began his executive search career almost a decade ago in the UK, where he successfully led teams focused on various industries, eventually specialising in Human Resources. Originally from Istanbul, he has previously lived and worked in Turkey, the UK, Thailand and Singapore, where he covered the APAC region.

An international-level water polo player and coach, Vargin has represented his club and country in multiple competitions in Europe for over 10 years. He is now a keen triathlete and a qualified triathlon coach with multiple podium finishes across APAC. Vargin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Translation & Interpretation from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey.