AC Capital Advisory Board

Helen Zhang is an experienced corporate & business advisor with broad experience in the China region. Leveraging off her previous international experience and network developed in the APAC Region and Europe for over 18 years, Helen is passionate about connecting China with the West by facilitating multi-beneficial dialogues among global business and thought leaders.
Helen is native Chinese and lived in Australia for 8 years before relocating back to Beijing 8 years ago. She has worked in senior consulting, investment banking and management positions in China, Australia and Hong Kong . Companies she has worked in include Citigroup, Bain & Co Consulting, and some major Chinese state owned and private corporations.
With a unique, in-depth & intimate understanding of both the Chinese and Western cultures, Helen is extensively involved in assisting foreign businesses entering into China, and helping Chinese companies go Global.
Helen holds an MBA, a Master of Business in Finance from University of Technology, Sydney, Australia and a BA (English Language and Literature) from Beijing University.

Geoff Baker brings very strong management, legal and corporate advising skills to the business. Geoff is currently Executive Director of ASF Group Ltd. Geoff also holds several directorships for various listed and private businesses across the Asia Pacific region.
Geoff has extensive corporate and commercial legal expertise developed over 25 years of practising law and as an investment banker. He has worked in Australia, China, Japan and many parts of South East Asia.
Geoff started practicing law in Australia , became one of the youngest Managing Partners for a Sydney law firm in his late twenties, having worked in a leading law firm in Tokyo in the mid-1980s. During the 1990s, after completing his MBA, Geoff traveled extensively, working through China and South East Asia.
For over 3 years Geoff was Managing Director of a boutique investment bank in Sydney, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, before returning to law in 2001 to join Deacons, Lawyers - a leading international law firm in Sydney as a partner in its Corporate, Commercial & Technology division in Australia . Geoff relocated to Beijing to set up Deacons Lawyers operation in Beijing in 2002.
Later in 2004 he joined a Chinese law firm as a Senior Foreign Consultant working in conjunction with the Chinese partners assisting foreign companies do business in China with an emphasis on telecommunications, mergers and acquisitions and mining. He is experienced in many industries including telecommunications, development and venture capital, finance and investment, travel and technology.
Among many clients he has helped through the years, here a re a few China specific transactions that he had played a significant role:

• Acted for Chinese owners in acquisition by Barco - Belgium of its outdoor LCD Chinese business, transaction value EUR 15 million
• Acted for licensed Internet café Franchisor opening 5000+ stores in China and raising RMB 300m
• Acted for a USA Healthcare Group entering into joint venture with a major BeijingHospital to establish a full service clinic and 5 star - 400 bed hospital – value – US$ 125m
• Representing a leading Chinese alternative energy group to commercialize its battery technology world-wide and assist in raising USD 60m for expansion of its existing manufacturing facility
• Advising Chinese technology company in Sino Foreign Joint Venture with financialpartner from middle east with investment of RMB 100m for VOIP telecommunications roll-out across China
• Establishing representative office and real estate network across China for Australian real estate marketing company.
• Advising the largest Hotel management group in Guangzhou to restructure and refinance as well as seek international Hotel brand for the 6 hotels under management in Guangdong.
• Advising Australian listed company to raise capital in Australia for expansion through China relating to automatic ticketing and smart cards in China.
• Representing the largest mining companies in the world in drafting and presenting the 2004 Mining Report for China International Mining Group in Beijing for submission to MOLAR, NDRC and MOFCOM on proposed changes to the Chinese Mineral Resources Law.

Alistair J. Nicholas is the President and CEO of AC Capital Strategic Consulting. Alistair is an expert on reputation management, including in China where he has lived and worked for more than 10 years advising multinational corporations and Chinese companies.

Alistair has more than 25 years experience covering journalism, communications, business consulting, politics, diplomacy, and corporate training, having worked in senior roles across the United States, Australia and China.

Alistair has lived and worked in China since 2000 and previously headed up the Beijing office and national corporate and training practices of a top five international public relations agency.  In China his clients have included Global Fortune 500 companies, foreign government embassies and agencies, and top Chinese State-owned enterprises and private companies. He has advised them on brand development and positioning, corporate reputation and communications strategies, and issues and crisis management.

Alistair is a frequent media commentator and public speaker on business issues in China.