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 71 staff and further supports a number of local 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.
FAIR DEAL FOR GROWER PARTNERS
A profit-sharing mechanism has been instituted by the Company, whereby 10% of the annual profits will be distributed among our grower partners. The profit-sharing mechanism which we have introduced ensures that growers will receive a share of the company's profits. Additionally, farmers have a guaranteed floor price for their nuts and a market adjustment mechanism to ensure that they receive a fair and sustainable return for their efforts.
FOUNDERS
TERESA LAW, CO-FOUNDER
“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 EMERITUS
“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.
JUSTIN FINNEGAN, FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR
Justin 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 followed by a role as a Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, at USAID for their ‘Feed the Future’ initiative. He served as a White House Fellow during 2013-2014. Justin became the Founding Managing Director for Bloomberg’s New Economy in 2018. He received an AB from Harvard College and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
DR. SEAN WATSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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
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
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, SALES & MARKETING
As Director of Sales and Marketing at Mountain Hazelnuts, Sheryl leads the development and execution of strategic marketing initiatives to drive brand growth. With a focus on expanding market reach and fostering global partnerships, Sheryl plays a key role in positioning Mountain Hazelnuts as a leader in the sustainable agriculture sector. She has more than 15 years’ work experience, most recently driving nature-based solutions that support local farming communities. She has worked across Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China, supporting companies to mitigate and offset carbon emissions while improving the resilience of their supply chains. Sheryl combines this with multicultural international development 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.
NAMGAY ZAM, MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS & GROWER ENGAGEMENT
Namgay Zam was formerly the Executive Director of the Journalists' Association of Bhutan (JAB) and a journalist for more than a decade. She has extensive experience in Bhutanese civil society, having led JAB, managed fundraising for the Bhutan Youth Development Fund, and served as a trainer and consultant in media, communications, and gender rights. She was recognized for her grassroots work in media and civil society and awarded the Noble Citizen Award in 2023. Namgay is a Young Asia Leader and a Humphrey Fellow, with a diverse educational and professional background that spans the US, Europe, Africa, and several regions of South Asia. Her passions include advocating for gender rights, mental health, and social justice. Namgay completed her Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and holds a BA in English Literature from Lady Shriram College for Women.
RAM KRISHNA NEOPANEY, SR. MANAGER, OPERATIONAL AUDIT & COMPLIANCE
Ram Krishna Neopaney brings 15 years of robust experience in quality assurance, including laboratory management, Six Sigma, and systems development. He specializes in quality management systems, food safety management systems, and environmental and safety management systems. He has ensured compliance across various national and international sectors. He holds a B.Sc. in Life Sciences from Sherubtse College and excels in executing quality and safety standards while ensuring operational efficiency and compliance.
TSHERING YANGZOM KINLAY, MANAGER, ENVIRONMENT & SOCIAL IMPACT
Tshering Yangzom Kinlay leads Mountain Hazelnuts' environmental and social impact reporting, ensuring transparent stakeholder engagement and community-centered program development. With over 10 years of experience in communications and social impact across Bhutan’s agricultural, youth, and educational sectors, she has designed and implemented strategic initiatives, including a robust communication platform for hazelnut growers, supporting skill-building, knowledge sharing, and responsive community interaction. Tshering’s expertise extends to youth development through her work at the Bhutan Youth Development Fund, where she led fundraising and donor engagement efforts to expand youth support programs nationwide. She holds a BA in Communication from Rider University, USA.
ADVISORS
DR. TOM MOLNAR
Dr. Tom Molnar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. He earned his PhD from Rutgers in 2006 and oversees the hazelnut breeding program, which focuses on developing trees resistant to eastern filbert blight (EFB). Since 1996, he has traveled extensively to find new hazelnut germplasm, leading to the identification and use of many new EFB-resistant plants. The first new cultivars were released in 2020 and are now being planted across the northeastern USA, introducing European hazelnuts as a viable crop to the region.
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.
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.