Leadership
The Founders bring together a unique set of skills and a significant collective experience curve:
- Over 50 years of combined global business experience
- Lived and worked across China, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North & South America
- Completed successful client projects in over 50 countries globally
- Conducted numerous global procurement and international sales transactions across various industries
- Advised on numerous international cross-border transactions
Kobus van der Wath | Co-Founder
Kobus is a Co-Founder of ANDAMAN PARTNERS. He has lived and worked in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and globally for over 30 years and is currently based between Thailand, China and Australia.
Before ANDAMAN PARTNERS Kobus founded Axis Group International where he served as CEO for 22 years. Axis Group provides global procurement and international market access solutions. The company was acquired and is now part of DP World.
Before founding Axis Group (and The Beijing Axis), he was Head of Investment Strategy and Global Market Research for Asia Pacific for Standard Chartered Bank Plc. Prior to that he was a Senior Strategy Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in Asia. In his early career he was an Emerging Market Investment Strategist in London; a Treasury Economist with Standard Merchant Bank in Johannesburg; and an Economist with the South African Reserve Bank in Pretoria.
He holds an MBA from INSEAD in France; a Master of Business (I.T.) from Curtin University School of Information Systems in Australia; a BCom Honours degree in Finance & Investments from the University of South Africa; and another BCom Honours degree in Economics & Quantitative Economics from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. His undergraduate BCom degree is in Economics & Industrial Psychology. He has done executive programmes at London Business School (Strategic Management) and INSEAD (International Management Programme).
He has published extensively on international markets, economics and risk etc. and has been invited to speak in more than 25 countries. He was the first person from Africa to write a book on China business, ‘Doing Business in China – the System and the Strategies’, published in 2004.
Since 2004 he has been an adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, teaching ‘Doing Business in China and Asia.’ He is also a Fellow at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute for Business Science (GIBS), in their Centre for African Management and Markets.
He has been active in various International Chambers of Commerce and Industry Associations in Singapore, China, Australia, South Africa and across Asia. This included serving as Business Director and/or Chairman of the SA China Business Association and the SA Singapore Business Association.
Kobus speaks English, Afrikaans, basic Dutch and basic Mandarin Chinese. His personal interests include East Asian politics and diplomacy, Chinese history, chess, astronomy, international travel and sailing in the Andaman Sea.
Rachel (Xuemei) Wu | Co-Founder
Rachel is a Co-Founder of ANDAMAN PARTNERS. She has lived and worked in China, Asia, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East and globally for over 20 years and is currently based between Thailand, China and Australia.
Before co-founding ANDAMAN PARTNERS Rachel was the Managing Director of Axis Group International. During her time with Axis Group International she worked in the corporate office, strategy department and procurement business. As head of the procurement business she was responsible for global business development; all client solutions and delivery & operations; and overall P&L.
She has worked with numerous global clients in solving their cross-border strategy, international supply chain and global business challenges. She led international teams across China, South East Asia, India, Australia, Africa and the Americas that supported her in driving the business forward. During this time she served as China & Asia MD and served on Boards in Dubai, South Africa and Singapore.
Prior to joining Axis Group, she worked in senior roles in management consulting, supply chain and logistics.
Her core expertise is in global procurement / international supply chain; cross-border commercial and transaction management; complex international business negotiations; and strategy development and operations.
Rachel holds an MBA from the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia and a BA degree in International Business and Trade from the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing.
She has been a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business on international strategy and has done public speaking in several countries.
She is fluent in Mandarin and English. Her interests include photography, reading and sailing in the Andaman Sea.
Experience and Track Record | Selected Projects
The founders have worked across many regions and industries; selected past project examples include:
- Advice for Strategic Investment in Listed Mining Company; and Subsequent Full Acquisition of Company
- Australian Investment Holding Company
- Global Marketing Strategy Formulation, Strategic Options Review and ‘First-Client’ Engagement for Mine Offtake Management (International Marketing & Sales Implementation)
- Leading Global Diversified Mining Company
- Comprehensive Should-Cost Analysis to Determine Global Offshoring, Reshoring and Nearshoring Options for the Manufacture of Complex Oil & Gas Industry Equipment
- Global Oil/Gas Equipment Technology Company
- International Growth Opportunity Scoping, Market Strategy Formulation and Detailed Implementation Support to Develop Global Market (including First International Customer Engagement)
- Chinese EPC/M with a Mining, Oil & Gas and Infrastructure Focus
- China/Asia Strategic Partner Identification, Selection, Direct Engagement and Due Diligence to Form Manufacturing JV in Asia
- International Minerals Processing Technology Company
- India Market Map and Strategic Industry Landscaping of Indian Industrial Capability; Export Readiness for Key Mining Equipment; and Top Targets to Engage with for Partnering in India
- South African Mining Project Engineering Company
- Australia Market Landscaping, Acquisition Target Identification and Implementation Support
- Leading International EPC Player
- Asia Partner Identification, Strategic Options and Engagement with Leading Asian Insurance Targets for Asia Market Entry Project
- Leading International Insurance Company
- China Strategic Market Map, Industry Structure and Key Chinese Stakeholder Analysis and Engagement for/in Construction Industry
- A Global Cement and Construction Materials Player
- International Growth Strategy – Market Analysis, Strategic Options, Roadmap and Implementation Support
- Leading Chinese SOE in Resource & Industrial Sector
- Global and Asia Market Study, Opportunity Assessment, Market Entry Plan and ‘First-10 Clients’ Identification in China and Asia for U.S.-based Insurance Back-Office Systems Leader
- Leading U.S.-based Software Company
- Global Supply Chain Risk Review and Mapping Key Customer Market & Supply Market Alternatives
- Global Diversified Mining Company
- International Cross-Border Growth Strategy: Market Analysis, Strategic Options & High-Level Roadmap (Global, with Deep-Dive for Australia, SE Asia, China, Africa and Latam)
- International Construction Materials & Cement Company
- China Market Opportunity Scoping and Market Entry Strategy for Specialised/Niche Chemicals
- Leading Regional Diversified Holding Company
- Strategic Intelligence and China & India Railway Engineering Contractor Landscape Analysis
- Leading International Mining Company
- Chinese EPC Selection for International Mining Capital Expenditure Project – for Mine, Process Plant and Infrastructure
- Leading Global Diversified Mining Company
- China Office Setup Planning, Implementation Support and Ongoing Advice
- Various Across Mining, Industrial and Other Sectors
- China Mining Engineering Sector and Equipment Landscape, Acquisition Target Identification and Stakeholder Engagement
- Global Mining EPC and Equipment Player
- Africa Market Entry Strategy, Planning and Implementation Support – Research, Planning, Hiring, First Client Engagement
- Various Across Industries and Geographies