Marjon Margés
Marjon is a very experienced executive consultant at senior management level, specialising in business development, succession issues, executive search, career counseling and (team) assessments, HR strategy, organisational design, including competency frameworks, talent/knowledge management and running project management offices. Her clients come equally from the profit and non-profit sector and include family-owned businesses and governmental organisations in addition to commercial companies.
Her initial career was in Dutch central government. Thereafter she had a management career as international marketing executive and business line manager. In addition to working for Wang Labs and Rank Xerox, she was successful at Lucent Technologies EMEA and Philips Electronics & Semiconductors working on the development of small size colour displays for handhelds (smartphones, tablets), international marketing, communications & sales of networking equipment IT/automation systems and software, working in Silicon Valley and Hong Kong. Marjon then started her consultancy career working for Mercuri Urval.
For a number of years she was an Executive Partner of the Hague-based Nassau Group responsible for management consulting, strategic HR, executive search & selection, and (global) team assessment for the profit and not-for-profit sector
Marjon studied Sociology in Business at Leiden University, International Business Management at INSEAD in Fontainebleau and is a Registered Marketing Executive (RM) at NIMA/EMCF with the highest possible European qualifications.
Marjon consults both independently (UMEO Advies) and with Valshebnik Consulting. She has completed 10 projects together with Gary Hays for the European Space Agency and they have collaborated on projects for the oil and chemicals industry in the Middle East.
Dirk Verburg
Dirk is a management consultant and executive coach who specializes in transforming business strategies and strategic goals into tangible business results through planned, structured and inclusive change management.
He worked for consulting firms (PA Consulting Group), as well as for corporate organizations (AT&T, Shell, Swiss Re, Covidien and Credit Suisse).
He specialises in culture change, project management, organisational effectiveness, competence mapping, team effectiveness & executive coaching, via partnership, a hands-on approach, using tools & methodologies in a safe environment.
Dirk has a Masters Degree in Sociology (MSc University of Amsterdam – with distinction) and Business Administration (MBA – University of Sheffield).
Dirk is currently Executive Vice President Talent & Leadership Development for Lee Hecht Harrison in Switzerland and consults both independently (www.dirkverburg.com) and with Valshebnik Consulting.
Sonja Wekema
Sonja is a trusted executive consultant, specialised in culture transformation, leadership development & executive team coaching and international human resources.
Her initial knowledge and experience was gained through working as Management Consultant with Capgemini for various clients in both the public and private sector. Thereafter, Sonja worked for Shell from 2006-2017, where she held various roles as HR Generalist and Project Manager, a.o as Senior Consultant at Shell’s HQ responsible for the Global Employee Engagement strategy and as the Global HR Manager for Shell Chemicals.
Sonja holds a Master in Communications (with minors in International Relations) from the University of Groningen (NL), studied Organisation Design at CIPD (UK) and aims to finalise a Masters in Executive Coaching at the Ashridge University in London (UK) in 2020.
Sonja consults both independently (www.theotherperspective.com) and with Valshebnik Consulting.
Saule Menane-Zhonkebayeva
Saule is an experienced Organisational Development professional with front line business experience and a track record working with a demonstrated history of working with leaders, board members and diverse cultures. She is skilled in change management, group process consulting, team effectiveness, large group interventions, employee engagement and Organisation Effectiveness.
She started work as a financial Analyst for the European Bank of Reconstruction & Development before working on financial models and business planning for WS Atkins and PSEG Europe. She joined Shell in 2001 as a Senior Business Developer & strategist in the Gas & Power and Renewables business before becoming Business Improvement Manager for the global Shell Shared Business Centres. She was then promoted to Organisational Effectiveness Consultant for Shell International moving later as Organisational Effectivenss Consultant for Brunei Shell.
Saule has a BA in Economics from the Kazakh University of Economics and an MBA from Warwick University UK, in addition to graduating from the NTL Organisational Development Practitioner programme and is a certified coach. She is fluent in English, French and Russian.
Saule consults both independently (she is currently based in Abu Dhabi) and with Valshebnik Consulting, with whom she developed an organisational effectiveness proposal for Sibur Chemicals.
Saule consults both independently and with Valshebnik Consulting, with whom she ideveloped an organisational effectiveness proposal for Sibur Chemicals.
Andrey Chepurnov
Andrey is a seasoned HR professional with experience in training and development, succession planning, organizational development, performance management, resourcing, recruitment and HR operations functions, including Russian labour negotiations and HR systems, in the energy, tobacco and automotive industries, often for international companies based in Russia.
He started working for Philip Morris as Manager of Organisational Development & Resourcing and as the General HR Manager, before becoming Director HR for Continental Tyres. Andrey then joined Shell as Manager Attraction & Recruitment before moving to TNK-BP as Director Resource Planning & Recruitment and Director Operations. He then became Manager Learning & Development at Sakhalin Energy before moving to KazMunayGas in the Business Transformation Team in Kazakhstan. He has also worked as a consultant for Formatta, as an expert in assessment methodology and was until recently HR Director for Nipigas back in Russia.
Andrey has a degree in English, Chinese & Journalism for the Military University in Russia and a certificate in Organisational Leadership from INSEAD. Andrey is fluent in English & Russian.
Andrey is currently Human Resources Director at International Bank for Economic Co-operation (IBEC) in Moscow and has worked with Valshebnik Consulting on the audit of HR processes for Eataly Moscow, in particular to ensure that the Eataly Values, necessary for business success, were fully embedded.
Ilyas Yechshanov
Ilyas is an all-round HR professional and management consultant who specialises in HR Strategy, organizational design, total rewards, job evaluation, personnel assessment, assessment techniques and performance appraisal.
He worked for the consulting firms EY People Advisory Services (as senior consultant), Samruk-Kazyna Corporate University HR Consultancy group (as head of the consultancy) and VRV Consultants, an executive search company.
Ilyas has worked for local, national and international companies in Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan in a range of different industries: FMCG, telecoms, pharma, finance, bank, oil and gas, mining and chemicals.
Ilyas has Masters Degrees in International Human Resource Management (MSc Kingston University) and International Relations (MA Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan) and is an Associate of the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). He is fluent in English and Russian.
Ilyas is currently Director of Development at Sharua (Kazakhstan) a diversified, fast-growing company providing services in hazardous waste management, recycling hazardous plastic; crop protection and warehousing, but continues to consult both independently and with Valshebnik Consulting.
Andrey Krukov
Andrey is a trainer, coach and consultant who focuses on: conducting team sessions aimed to enhance teamwork effectiveness; strategy session facilitation; individual and team coaching; leadership programs; mental toughness coaching and assessment projects
Andrey embarked upon his training and coaching career after 20 years in corporate business as a marketing professional and later as the General Manager with leading multinational pharmaceutical companies. His experience spans across geographies — he worked in the U.S., Russia and Kazakhstan being responsible for these markets, as well as for other CIS markets. In his GM role, he invested significant time and effort in building robust leadership teams for his organizations. Among his focus areas was implementing a new corporate culture.
Andrey has been working as a trainer, coach and consultant since 2014. He is engaged in team and individual leadership development programs. Andrey has spent part of his career with Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and RE, a Korn Ferry affiliate in Russia, where he was conducting group and individual development as well as various assessments. Andrey’s clients include: UNICEF, IKEA, Cargill, Avito, GOOGLE, Engie, Aristo Pharma, CooperVision, Olympus, Russian Post. Andrey is also working as a Mental Toughness coach, helping athletes achieve greater results.
Andrey holds a master’s degree in mathematics from Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics (1994). He received his MBA from Duke University (the U.S.) in 2002.
Ehsan Samimi
Ehsan is a University Lecturer in business models, Project Management and HRM at the International University of Applied Sciences, Arden University and a Research Associate at the Free University in Berlin Germany.
Ehsan obtained his Bachelor of Agriculture Engineering at Shiraz University and this was followed with an MBA in HR & OD from the University of Tehran-Kish International Campus also in Iran. His PhD dissertation “Human Resource Management Practices in project-based organisations: Insights on Oil & Gas industries in Iran and Scotland” was obtained at Freie Universität Berlin in Germany.
Prior to his PhD Ehsan worked as Manager HR Planning at Arya Sasol Polymer Company, Iran, where he was a member of the Strategic Planning and Excellence committees.
His consultancy includes the design and project management of strategic HRM processes such as Competency Models, Assessment Centres, Change Management, Recruitment and Performance Management Systems.
His academic and executive teaching consists of general business and management courses, human resource management courses and project management courses.
Anna Kryzhanovskaya
Anna has a Masters degree in Materials Science from the Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology in Moscow. She joined Shell in 2001 as Customer Service and Marketing Manager, overseeing the relationships between Criterion Catalysts and license customers, EPC, contractors and service providers. After six years she became the Regional Account Manager for Russia & CIS, managing refining process licensing and hydroprocessing catalyst sales, ensuring business growth through her management of multidisciplinary project teams and building strong relationships across all levels internally and with clients on site and in head offices.
For the last six years of her career with Shell, Anna was based in the Netherlands, advising on market implementation and managing cuistomer accounts, setting up the foreign branch office to enable compliant business in the region through her leadership of a multidisciplinary distributed team.
After almost 15 years with Shell Anna set up her own consultancy, sharing knowledge and supporting customers in the areas of Business Development, and Technology & Market Analysis.
Her clients tend to be established companies, SMEs, or start-ups representing energy, chemistry, renewables, bio-technologies, pharmaceutical, medical, IT and R&D organizations.
Amongst her offerings are the analysis and evaluation of the new markets perspectives; discovery of the new business opportunities, establishing business links, generating leads; scientific intelligence (publications, patents, reports, reviews) as well as search activities.
Anna has done a number of projects together with Valshebnik Consulting, including searches and training sales. She is based in The Netherlands and has Dutch citizenship.
Nicole van Haelst
As an expert and entrepreneur, Nicole shapes the interface between foreign direct investment (FDI), acquisition and technology. She has a track record as a founder/initiator, creating and scaling up meaningful businesses by applying research and technology. She adds value to any business with her expertise in finance, strategy & business development, digital marketing and implementing change.
As strategic director and regional investment policy advisor, Nicole’s influence in the field of business innovation crosses borders. In recent years, she has done projects in several European countries (Sweden, Italy, Scotland and more) and is building a talent bridge between Africa and Europe, in a way that brings value to both sides, in the short and longer term. Setting up and executing benchmarks between countries/regions/cities has been amongst the core activities of Van Haelst & Co. The topics might have been different but the methodologies used are great input for this task. Nicole leads business delegations e.g. a delegation of 30 entrepreneurs from Berlin, Germany to Eastern Africa: Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. The goal was to better understand the eco-system of doing business in that part of the world. At the beginning of this year, Nicole chaired the two day conference on international mobility (of people) with delegates of over 35 African and European countries in Lisbon.
Nicole resides several months per year in DRC where she lives with her husband. Roland Verbiest and Patrick Verbiest are founders and co-owners of Grand Pousseur, a transport company with over 60 trucks. The company has been in business for over 15 years now and mainly serves the region until Kikwit and Matadi.
Nicole holds degrees in Political Science from the University of Groningen and in Germanic Philology from the University of Ghent.
In addition her her own consultancy, Van Haelst & Co, Business & Talent Intelligence, Acquisition & Technology, over the last twenty years, Nicole has done a number of projects together with Valshebnik Consulting.