Jakob Brandstätter is Global Neighbours Project Manager. He is head of operations and tasked with the planning and implementation of various projects aiming to connect European and Asian stakeholders in politics, business, and society. He also leads the Knowledge Management Team.

Previously, Jakob worked in European and international affairs in the transport industry and as a consultant and partner in the IT and sports industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Communications from European University Business School Barcelona and a master’s degree in Security and Diplomacy from Tel Aviv University.

Sebastian received a diploma with distinction of Lancaster University & ESB Reutlingen. He has been active in Venture Capital for more than 15 years. In 2006, he joined a family office at its first days, which then developed into a VC and invested into more than 200 startups. From 2008, Sebastian co-founded and managed the first institutional Business Angel Fund in China, making it one of the most prominent early stage funds in China at that time, while investing only about 10 million USD, its portfolio raised more than 350 million USD. Understanding the dynamics of the Chinese ecosystem, he also co-founded a fast growing payment company, which was inspired by mobile payment systems such as Alipay and WechatPay. Today, Sebastian is advising Family Offices, doing private business angel investments and initiating new business ideas.

Tianzi Zhou is one of our Knowledge Management Specialists with a focus on research regarding China and beyond. She is responsible for managing website content and providing support to the team. Tianzi is currently pursuing a master’s degree in East Asian Economy and Society at the University of Vienna. Prior to this, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration from Furtwangen University.

Lisa Hu is one of Global Neighbours’ Knowledge Management Specialists. She has multiple years of experience in international fields and in developing and implementing knowledge management strategies.

Throughout her academic and professional career, Lisa has worked with clients across various sectors. As such, she was active as a student representative for the sinology department of the University of Vienna for multiple years, in which she organized and promoted a variety of international events. Furthermore, Lisa has previously worked as an educational and office assistant at different establishments.

Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in Sinology from the University of Vienna. There, she is currently pursuing master’s degrees in Sinology, as well as East Asian Economy and Society.