Our Team
Earl Carr
Founder & CEO
Earl Carr is Founder and Chief Executive Officer at CJPA Global Advisors based in New York. With 25+years of experience, he manages the Global Research Team and guides the firm’s global thought leadership and cross-border business development mandate. Earl is also an Adjunct Instructor at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs.
Winslow Robertson
Senior Consultant
Winslow Robertson is the founder and managing member of Cowries and Rice, a China-Africa strategic consultancy which promotes sustainable business practices by Chinese organizations operating in the African continent. Currently, Mr. Robertson is a Ph.D. candidate in Managing People in Organizations at IESE Business School researching the intersection between ideology and management.
David Zheng
Senior Consultant
David Zheng has over 16 years of work experience, half of which was spent in China and the other half was divided between Southeast Asia and the United States. He has worked in executive roles for Fortune 500 companies, Chinese state-owned enterprises, and private Chinese firms, often leading multinational teams. He is keenly interested in the role of geopolitics and cross-cultural relationships on economic activities.
Jacob Dreyer
Senior Consultant
Jacob Dreyer is a writer and editor based in Shanghai, whose research focuses on the Chinese middle class and their impact on Chinese politics, economics, and China’s relationship with the world. He is a regular columnist for FT Chinese and writes frequently for Noema magazine; he has also contributed to the New York Times, Nature, the Guardian, and more.
Owakhela K.
Senior Consultant
Owakhela is a Data Analyst who contributes quality data-driven solutions and statistical analysis to solve organizational questions, issues and goals. Before his Analytics education at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, he was trained in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics at New York University which formed the foundation of his skillset.
Christen Smith
Senior Consultant
Christen Smith is a filmmaker, creative director, and consultant who teaches animation production at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Kanbar Institute of Film & Television. She is also the founder and director of Trellis Creative Strategies, a consultancy advising best practices for ethics-based media production. Over a career that spans decades, Christen has developed curricula and training on media production and critique for a diverse range of learners: from undergraduate college students to young adults incarcerated on Rikers Island; from employees at a digital publishing startup to volunteers serving in a megachurch.
Obayda Ikhlayel
Analyst
Obayda is a Palestinian student studying at Fordham University located in New York City. He has a bachelor's degree in Political Science with first honors from Hebron University. A former Erasmus+ exchange student in Germany. Erasmus+ is the EU's program to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Mr. Ikhlayel is also a founding member and former chief of distinguished students unit, and founder of The Political Science student forum in Hebron University.He took several courses in Political Science, International Law and International Relations between the Middle East and the great powers such as USA, China, Russia …etc. He participated in many local and international conferences, workshops, thought leadership exchanges throughout his bachelor studies. He is planning to enroll at The School of Law at Fordham University to achieve his dream of being an attorney, and apply for a Master's Degree in International Relations.
Lorena James
Analyst
Lorena is a Research Analyst with experience in tech media and green startups. As a Schwarzman Scholars Alumna, she earned her Master's Degree in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University. She has studied abroad in Shanghai, China, and is conversational in Mandarin. Prior to Schwarzman, she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Studies at Davidson College, solidifying her foundation in sustainability and environmental awareness. She is passionate about innovation in green tech and sustainable art.
Yijie Liu
Consultant
Yijie Liu is an analyst and video producer with a Bachelor's degree in International Studies and Economics from UCSD. He has experience in data integrity risk management and client consultation in China, working with companies such as Huatai Security and China Merchants Bank. Currently, he is pursuing a Master's degree in Analytics at Northeastern University. With his diverse skills and experience, Yijie is a valuable asset to any organization.
Our Advisors
Joseph Ho
Joseph Ho has 20 years of experience in senior management across private banking and wealth management, global fund management, and multi-national insurance companies, and exposure in M&A and licensing activities. Mr. Ho was the General Manager of the Overseas Private Banking Division; one of the largest State-owned banks in China.
Sundaa Bridgett-Jones
Sundaa Bridgett-Jones is the Chief Partnership and Advocacy Officer for The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, a new enterprise to accelerate and scale equitable energy transitions in low- and middle-income countries. She leads a new partnership construct for the Alliance, spearheaded by The Rockefeller Foundation, the IKEA Foundation, and the Bezos Earth Fund, and has leveraged billions to date in support of a just energy transition in developing and emerging economies.
Cal Hunter
Cal Hunter has expertise in Marketing /Corporate Partnerships, an adroit networker fostering win-win relationships; commands a broad-based background in author/publisher relations, innovative author/title promotions, specialty in-store book feature placement; value emphasizing diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility. He is on the Board of The City College of the City University of New York.
Yuval Stav
Yuval is an entrepreneur, manager, consultant, and lecturer in the fields of sustainable economics and strategic planning. He is a founding partner at Value Squared, Israel's first responsible investment house. Yuval serves as head of the department for economic development and strategic planning in the Western Negev Municipality Cluster.
Shirley Martey Hargis
Hargis is a consultant on China and international security at CRDF Global, previously spearheading China programming for the DOS. She has over a decade of experience in Asia policy spanning defense, economics, and technology in consulting, intelligence, and research. She serves as the Executive Director of Black Professionals in International Affairs.
Matt Harris
Matt Harris is on the investment team at Draper Associates. Prior to joining Draper Associates Matt was a Vice President at The Blackstone Group where he focused on providing growth financing to energy companies all over the world. Matt has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas A&M University and is a term member of the Council of Foreign Relations. He is based in Austin, Texas where he lives with his wife and two daughters.