Team
Mountain Hazelnuts is a dedicated team of agricultural, business, and development professionals determined to build a world-class, triple bottom-line venture and a major player in the global hazelnut market. The Company directly employs approximately 60 FT staff and further supports hundreds entrepreneurs who supply goods and services to the Company.
CREATING EMPLOYMENT AND BUILDING CAPACITY
Mountain Hazelnuts invests in capacity development and mentorship. Since 2009, the Company has grown from a small business to one of Bhutan's largest companies, through hiring people who have the energy, talent, and dedication to make significant contributions to their communities. Many employees have grown from entry level roles to running large teams and developing innovative solutions within their area of specialty. The Company uses its training programs to attract quality employees who want to learn professional skills and to create a replicable model for other companies.
LEARNING ORGANIZATION
From nursery workers and field extension to highly trained technical specialists and coders – the team is as diverse as its challenges. Thus, training programs range from natural sciences, such as soil chemistry and integrated pest management, to creative marketing, financial analysis, and team management skills. All training is geared toward personalized career and personal development.
EMPOWERING WOMEN, FULFILLING POTENTIAL
Promoting female leadership and gender equality is particularly important to success, both within the Company and in the communities. The Women’s Leadership Initiative mentors Mountain Hazelnuts’ growing number of female managers. Close to half of the employees are female, with a workplace culture that emphasizes equality and respect between men and women. Effective female managers and successful women farmers become powerful examples to their communities and create positive multi-generational impacts.
FOUNDERS
TERESA LAW, CO-FOUNDER & CFO
“As a female entrepreneur with almost 40 years of professional experience working all over the world, I know the importance of providing opportunities for women. Almost half of our staff are female, filling management and supervisory roles throughout the Company - they and the other young staff have seized the opportunity for employment, training, and career development that they wouldn't have elsewhere.”
Teresa worked in banking for 20 years, including senior roles for JP Morgan and Citibank in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the USA. Prior to joining Mountain Hazelnuts, Teresa served as Chair of a development organization that works with HIV-impacted communities through social programs and income generation schemes. She received a BA from Westmont College and an MBA from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.
DANIEL SPITZER, CO-FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN & GROUP CEO
“During the 1970s, I spent three years in the Himalayan region immersed in local communities. While I was inspired by the depth of the culture and the beauty of the environment, I was struck by the fragility of these human and natural systems. This inspired me to start Mountain Hazelnuts as a sustainable venture that would benefit all stakeholders.”
Daniel has founded and led several companies in Asia that have successfully combined financial objectives with social and environmental goals, including Plantation Timber Products Group (PTP), which he built into China’s largest sustainable forestry company. PTP established $200 million of new facilities to process logs grown by 700,000 farmer partners in deforested Himalayan foothills and vulnerable river regions in the interior of China. Daniel started his career in finance, and was Partner & Managing Director of a major private investment fund and Managing Director of a global merchant bank. He received a BA from University of California, Berkeley, and an MA from Stanford University.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
DR. SEAN WATSON, CEO, MOUNTAIN HAZELNUTS BHUTAN
“It is gratifying to build a large-scale and professional operation in a very remote location in balance with a unique culture and environment, with young professionals eager to learn new skills.”
Sean has been based in Bhutan since 2010, where he oversees Mountain Hazelnuts’ agricultural operations. He has worked with the Company since 2006 on a range of assignments in China and Bhutan, including orchard development, land surveying, and environmental analysis. Sean has 20 years of experience working on agricultural and infrastructure projects, focusing on environmental, logistical, and operational issues. He received a BSc from University of Bristol and PhD in Genetics from University of Sheffield.
JEFF NICHOLLS, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Jeff Nicholls oversees five key departments within Mountain Hazelnuts, including: Nursery Operations, IT, Processing & Facilities, Logistics, and Orchard Management. He draws on more than 30 years of experience with forestry and plantation ventures in the Asia Pacific region. Previously Jeff focused on the management of biological assets and processing operations for a range of clients, including pension funds, development agencies, governments, and large agroforestry groups. Jeff holds a degree in Forestry Science from Canterbury University, New Zealand.
TEAM
YANGCHEN PELDEN, DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES & ADMINISTRATION
“I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. Maturity is not when we start speaking big things. It is when we start appreciating small things.”
Yangchen Pelden has wide exposure and experience in development projects in Bhutan, other Asian countries, and Europe. Yangchen joined Mountain Hazelnuts after working on various poverty alleviation and gender issue related programs, most recently resigning as the Officiating Head of the National Women's Association of Bhutan (NWAB), an NGO working towards the socioeconomic development of women, particularly those in rural settings. She received a BA from Rohilkhand University in India and advanced training in Denmark, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and India.
JIGME GYELTSHEN, DIRECTOR, FINANCE & ACCOUNTS
“Since I joined Mountain Hazelnuts at the start, I was able to learn the processes and procedures the company is following from scratch. I have always appreciated that every member of staff is treated equally, regardless of her or his position.”
Jigme Gyeltshen has a BA in Business Administration from Dr. CV Raman University in India and extensive experience managing corporate accounting and operational finance for national organizations. Jigme joined Mountain Hazelnuts in 2011, and has held multiple roles within the company’s finance department during his tenure. Prior to joining Mountain Hazelnuts, Jigme worked with Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan’s first private university, establishing its accounting system and control procedures. He also spent nine years at Bhutan Postal Corporation Limited as Chief Accountant and System Administrator, where he implemented their national ERP system. Jigme led the Company's conversion to International Financial Reporting Standards, as Mountain Hazelnuts became Bhutan's first company to embrace this global accounting standard.
SHERYL LOKE, DIRECTOR, PARTNERSHIPS & COMMUNICATIONS
Sheryl Loke oversees Mountain Hazelnuts’ partnerships and communications, establishing key stakeholder relationships, as well as undertaking comprehensive social and environmental impact reporting. She has more than 10 years’ international development experience in institutional capacity building, including supporting key governance reforms in strategic planning, public administration and investment management. Sheryl combines this with multicultural experience across the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Moldova, Kosovo, Syria and Barbados. She holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, and a MSc in Social Policy and International Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
ERICK CROCKENBERG, OPERATIONAL AUDIT & COMPLIANCE
Erick leads on Operational Audit and Compliance, which is responsible for establishing and monitoring the implementation of cross-company standards, including the Rainforest Alliance sustainability standard. He also provides analysis and planning support across all Departments. Erick has an established track record of analysis, planning as well as monitoring and evaluation. Having Founded and Directed New Moran, Inc, he managed this multi-disciplinary technical team for four years, working in a public-private partnership with Vermont’s largest municipality. He also worked with the Burlington Community and Economic Development Office preparing detailed scenario modeling and analysis for Municipal, State and National partners. Erick graduated with high distinction from the University of Vermont’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
SANGAY, DEPARTMENT HEAD, LOGISTICS
Sangay joined Mountain Hazelnuts as a driver in May 2010. He has over a decade of experience working across all levels of Mountain Hazelnut’s Logistics Department. Sangay worked his way up through the Company; he was first promoted to a Transport Officer in 2012 and subsequently to a Senior Logistics Officer in 2016. He currently leads the Logistics Department for the Company, overseeing a large fleet of owned and hired vehicles in a safe, reliable, cost-efficient, and environmentally conscious manner, to fulfill the service requirements of Mountain Hazelnuts and its customers.
DR. HENRY MENG XIAN XIN, CHINESE OPERATIONS
Henry Meng has served as Mountain Hazelnuts’ International Sales and Project Manager since 2013. Previously, Henry was Project Manager for H.J Heinz Global Agriculture for a decade developing GAP, organic, and traceable agricultural products. Henry received his BSc, MSc, and PhD in Agronomy from North East Agricultural University in Harbin, China.
ADVISORS
KADOLA, COMMUNITY & STAKEHOLDER ADVISOR
Kadola led Mountain Hazelnuts’ Outreach and Advocacy engagement for the first seven years of its establishment. Previously, he spent over forty years with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, most recently as Senior Administrative Officer of the Renewable Natural Resources Research Center at Wengkhar in Eastern Bhutan. He played a key role developing apple, potato, mango, and rice cultivation techniques during his time with the Ministry. He has also served as interim Dzongda (Governor) for Mongar District.
DR. ANDREW WATSON, CHIEF SCIENTIST
Andrew is Mountain Hazelnuts’ Chief Scientist, and has advised the Company since its inception. He has spent more than forty years developing and managing significant agri-businesses in twenty countries. He has worked with major international food companies such as H.J. Heinz, Pepsi Foods, and Simplot. Andrew has spent half of his time working for Mountain Hazelnuts since November 2005. He received a BSc from Cambridge University and a PhD from University of California, Berkeley.
JUSTIN FINNEGAN, DIRECTOR
After working for Mountain Hazelnuts in Bhutan for four years, Justin now serves as a Director of the Company. He started his career in agriculture as a Fulbright and Trustman Scholar researching sustainable farming in Himalayan villages. Later, Justin helped develop the Asian operations of a leading global textile firm, where he gained operational experience. He served as a White House Fellow during 2013-2014. Justin received an AB from Harvard College and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
DR. GURBAKHASH KAHLON, HORTICULTURE ADVISOR
“The scale of the nursery operation, the first of its kind in the world, makes it an ideal place for me to test my scientific and managerial skills. I am proud that our team has achieved outstanding results and continually improving plant survival and health.”
Dr. Kahlon was based in Bhutan for years overseeing nursery operations and now serves as a technical advisor, providing his extensive experience in agriculture and management experience. He received his BA, MA, and PhD, in Pomology from Punjab Agricultural University, where he then worked for over twenty years, ultimately, as Head of the Department of Horticulture. He interrupted his academic career to serve as General Manager of PepsiCo’s major citrus project, in which he worked with thousands of smallholder farmers to grow four million citrus trees. He also led the introduction of seven fruit varieties he developed including mango, litchi, pear, peach, plum, grapes, guava, and citrus.
DR. BRAD RUBENSTEIN, IT ADVISOR
Dr. Rubenstein is a recognized innovator in systems and ventures at the intersection of technology, operations and finance. His distinguished career has spanned more than three decades in senior roles with leading companies such as Sun Microsystems in Silicon Valley, exciting technology start-ups, and Goldman Sachs in New York, where he oversaw cybersecurity. He is a published author in the field of management and a recognized contributor in the performing arts, ranging from opera and symphonies to music festivals and theater. He holds a BS, MS, and PhD in Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley.
PETER CREES, ENGINEERING ADVISOR
An engineer by training, Peter works as a senior technical advisor to Mountain Hazelnuts, providing guidance to IT and Processing & Support Services Departments. Previously he served as a project manager and consultant on major agriculture and environmental projects throughout Asia, including managing field operations for H.J. Heinz Global Agriculture. Peter received a BS from the University of Nottingham with a First Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering.