Welcome Lawrence Allen as Executive Member of IERG

IERG Colleagues,

I am pleased to confirm that?Lawrence?Allen?has been approved as an Executive Member of International Executive Resources Group and will be an active member of the IERG Dallas Chapter.

Lawrence Allen is a talent advisor, international businessman, author and nascent educator who served the needs of multinational companies in the APAC Region for over 22 years. For the past 15 years, as a Senior Executive Recruiter on two continents, he delighted clients for the likes of Heidrick & Struggles, Stanton Chase, and various boutiques. Prior to recruiting, he served as an executive for Nestle, Hershey, Conair, and Libbey Glassware; building their businesses in the Greater China Region.

Over the past 14 years, he wrote 7 books: 1 non-fiction business book and 6 works of fiction. In September 2020 he founded Singapore Academy USA, a boutique school that provides the world’s best math classes,?live and interactive from Singapore, to American students virtually. Lawrence is now leading SA-USA Global Market Entry Services, providing ground-level strategic and project management services to international companies entering or expanding in the US market.

After cutting his teeth in cross-cultural branded CPG/OTC marketing in Taiwan, he moved to Hong Kong to co-lead the Asia Pacific start-up of “The Tools of Vidal Sassoon” haircare appliances for Conair Corporation as their Regional Director of Operations, Personal Care Appliances – Asia/Pacific. As part of the 3-person start-up team, Lawrence was responsible for sourcing appliances from 12 contracted factories in China and delivering them to 10 markets: from Japan to Singapore to Australia.

Lawrence spent 8 years in the chocolate industry in China, first for Hershey: converting their Rep office test marketing operation in Shanghai into a WFOE (Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise) with national distribution. Then in Beijing for Nestle (China) Ltd. as their confectionery Brand and Business Development Manager. Based on these experiences in 2009 he wrote?Chocolate Fortunes, The Battle For The Hearts, Minds, and Taste Buds of China’s Consumers?(Published by AMACOM/HarperCollins, hardcover), a China business book that chronicles the quarter-century battle by the 5 chocolate global giants for the taste buds of China’s virgin chocolate consumer.

He led a third China start-up for Libbey Glassware, providing all manner of in-country support to the build-out and commissioning of a $56 million glass tableware factory near Beijing, before moving into Executive Recruiting. Lawrence’s first recruiting stint was with Heidrick & Struggles in Beijing: 4 years, with 2 years as Partner-In-Charge. After moving back to the USA in 2012 he recruited for Heidrick & Struggles Dallas office, followed by Stanton Chase and several boutiques.?

We are delighted that Lawrence has accepted an invitation from the IERG Connecticut?Chapter to?join Allen?Morrison, PhD,?Stephen Tseng, and Sean Patrick as panelists for our upcoming panel "China: Misplaced Assumptions, Winning in a New Market, & Outside-In Digital Marketing." Lawrence will provide a snapshot of how the five global leaders in Chocolate (Cadbury, Ferrero-Rocher, Hershey, Mars, and Nestlé) each entered the China market to establish and create this new, lucrative market. Having been on the front lines as it happened, Allen will provide unique insight and learnings on what worked and what didn't.

Lawrence is a graduate of the Thunderbird School of Global Management where he earned his MBA. He has written 2 articles and 2 peer reviews for the TIBR:?Thunderbird International Business Review.?He earned his BBA at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan.

Please join me in welcoming Lawrence to IERG and the Dallas Chapter. Lawrence can be reached at (214) 937-1846 and [email protected],?[email protected], WhatsApp or check him out at?https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/lawrence-allen-plano.

Best regards,

Fred Suarez,? | IERG Board?Member | President, IERG Florida Chapter