Our Team

Director Henk Blom

During the more than thirty years of working in various cross-cultural leadership positions, Henk experienced that most misunderstandings and conflicts are derived from insufficient understanding about the different cultures one must deal with when working and living cross-culturally.

Originally born in the Netherlands, he has worked with people from across the globe, from the USA to Korea and from Northern Europe to Australia and New Zealand.
He lived for many years in various countries throughout Europe and Asia thus gaining insight in differences and sensitive issues in all these cultures.
With his multi-cultural experience and knowledge gained through intercultural studies he provides high quality assistance to those seeking to work and live in a cross-cultural setting.

Director Eappen John

Eappen serves as one of the Directors of IBR Institute which provides executive MBA from Steinbeis University Berlin and is based in Hyderabad. He further serves as an adjunct professor with Development Associates International and has travelled internationally teaching leadership and management subjects. Previously he worked as the General Secretary and CEO of “Evangelical Teachers’ Fellowship”. He has 25 years of teaching experience and conducts Faculty Development Seminars for school and college teachers and lecturers respectively. He is a certified master trainer in Interactive Adult Learning Methodology.

He holds an MBA in HR, MA in Philosophy, BEd, BD and MSc in Mathematics. He and his wife Suja have two children Sophia (19) and Sharon(10).

Director Franny Blom

Franny is also from the Netherlands, and together with her partner Henk she has lived in many countries around the world.
She participated in different organisations and was part of a team in countries in the Mediterranean and in Asia.
Her knowledge of several languages and her language teacher qualifications are useful tools providing her with the necessary skills for adult and inter-active training programs.
Through raising culural awareness learning and engaging students in behavioural and cognitive learning, she aims to prepare people for living and working cross-culturally.
Her input as a woman gives a unique advantage to prepare women for the differences of a woman’s position in the Asian and Western cultures.

 

Trainers

In addition we have the following of freelance trainers whom we can call in when they are needed to take part in a training:

Martin Kurani

Has a Masters in Inter-Cultural studies and brings a wealth of knowledge into the business.
Martin has numerous years of experience in teaching inter-cultural training.
A native Slovak he was raised in Germany, studied in the US and lived for many years in the Middle East. This gives him a unique understanding of  western cultures as well as the Middle-Eastern way of life.

 

 

Thomas Thampi

Grew up in Bhopal but originates from Kerala and and currently lives in Maharashtra. He speaks Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi and English fluently and is very savvy about Indian cultures and current affairs. He worked for many years for the media and has up-to-date knowledge about India. He is a welcome component of our sessions on “India Today”.

 

 

 

Dominica

Our teacher Dominica speaks both English and Hindi fluently and helps our participants with Hindi language learning using the TPR method.

Leah Henck

Leah Henck is from North America, but grew up in Latin America.She worked two years in Japan as an English conversation teacher, as well as studied and travelled in other parts of East Asia.  Leah holds an MBA in Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship, and a B.S. in Global Business with an emphasis on East Asia.  She speaks English, Spanish, Japanese, a bit of Chinese, and has dabbled in a handful of other languages.  Thanks to the years spent in cultures outside her own, she can help you to understand all you need to know concerning American, Latin American, and Japanese cultures.  Leah is currently expanding her own cultural experience by managing a micro-enterprise jewelry business in India called Ruhamah Designs.