Mei Zhang is the founder and CEO of WildChina. Under her leadership, WildChina flourished from a small Hutong operation into an award-winning business. Mei’s own expertise has led her to win a number of personal awards, including Travel and Leisure’s A-List of Top Travel Advisors, Condé Nast Traveler’s Top Travel Specialist, and Wendy Perrin’s #WOW List of Travel Experts. Mei is an Aspen Institute China Fellow and currently serves as a member of Harvard Business School’s Alumni Board.

Aki Yang leads WildChina’s Shanghai office and co-heads WildChina Corporate Services, specializing in the development of innovative corporate and client retreat programs. Working with top luxury brands and consulting firms, Aki integrates China’s latest trends and natural landscapes into bespoke experiences that reinforce company values, culture, and brand narratives. One of her standout innovations is incorporating horses into leadership training, drawing on ancient Mongolian wisdom about horsemanship to offer timeless lessons for modern professionals. Her creative approach has earned the trust of prominent clients and recognition on the global stage, including a nomination for Most Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) at the 2024 World MICE Awards.

A native of Shanghai, Aki graduated from Shanghai International Studies University and began her career in brand management at Unilever. Alongside her role at WildChina, she is pursuing an EMBA at CEIBS.

MJ Wang co-leads WildChina Corporate Services, specializing in complex event management for global clients. With over a decade of experience, he has pioneered large-scale programs in remote locations such as Lhasa, Kashgar, and Inner Mongolia, working with Fortune 500 companies and high-level trade missions. His expertise lies in dining and events, and in 2022, in partnership with Flo Restaurant Group, he introduced pop-up dining at iconic and natural sites across China.

MJ is deeply committed to community work. As Chairman of Chi Fan for Charity, one of China’s largest expat-led charities, he has raised over 10 million RMB for causes focused on education and heritage conservation. He is also a member of the American Chamber of Commerce’s Young Leadership Talent Program.

A graduate of Beijing International Business University, MJ is fluent in English and Chinese and resides in Beijing.

Haena Kim leads WildChina Education and is the founder and CEO of its subsidiary, Beyond Classrooms. A visionary in educational program design, she is deeply committed to impactful, sustainable service learning — her motto being “learning outside the classroom.” Her passion began at 16 when she designed experiential programs for private kindergartens in Korea. Today, she serves hundreds of schools and tens of thousands of students annually through transformative programs in China and beyond.

A global citizen, Haena has lived in five countries, speaks five languages, and embraces adventures such as climbing, caving, and swimming with whale sharks. Growing up alongside indigenous tribes in the Philippines, she developed a profound appreciation for culture, community, and the power of education to inspire future leaders.

Haena is a frequent speaker, engaged with think tanks like the Asian Institute and the Jane Goodall Institute. She serves on the Education Committee for the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and is a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). She holds a degree from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor and resides in Shanghai.

Jenny Zhao leads WildChina’s leisure business, bringing nearly 20 years of expertise in crafting experiential travel across China. Renowned for her deep connections with local communities, she ensures travelers enjoy immersive and authentic experiences. She has worked with some of the world’s most influential figures, helping them discover and understand China, and was among the first to pioneer affinity travel — curating specialized programs such as wine tours and culinary adventures, introducing distinct and sophisticated travel experiences to the country.

Jenny’s credentials are exceptional: she is the only designated Further East Ambassador for China and was honored as the Friendliest Managing Director by The Serendipians, Traveler Made Network.

A native of Wuhan, Jenny holds a degree in English Literature from Guizhou University, with Russian as her second foreign language. She currently resides in Beijing.

Sissi Cheng leads WildChina’s Mandarin-language Leisure business and is a founding member of the company’s Mandarin-language brand, Beshan. Initially joining WildChina as a French-speaking travel designer, Sissi now works to deliver immersive travel experiences for the Chinese market, helping over a thousand travelers each year explore destinations around the world. Originally from Jiangxi, Sissi holds a master’s degree from the University of Montpellier.

Kendra Tombolato leads WildChina’s group marketing and leisure business development efforts. With nearly a decade of experience at WildChina, she began her career as a travel designer, crafting authentic and immersive programs. She worked directly with many of WildChina’s VIP clients before transitioning to marketing, where she spearheaded initiatives such as the company’s podcast and expanded its product portfolio into a comprehensive “Chinese curriculum,” catering to everyone from first-time visitors to seasoned travelers. Her passion for business development led her to co-found WildTaiwan and play a key role in WildMongolia, where she sits on the board.

A native of Boulder, Colorado, Kendra has been working, studying, and traveling across East Asia since the early 2010s, exploring 25 of China’s 34 province-level administrative divisions. She holds a BA from the University of Colorado with a minor in Chinese and a certificate from National Taiwan University, where she advanced her Chinese studies post-graduation.

Paul Moreno leads WildChina’s Greater Bay offices, leveraging over 30 years of expertise in events, travel, and retail across Asia and China. A pivotal figure in WildChina’s early growth, he spearheaded innovative projects such as luxury glamping in Qinghai and large-scale corporate retreats in Western China.

Paul’s career began at IMG, where he was one of the pioneers in organizing international adventure races in Yunnan. He later held various specialist roles in operating top-tier sporting events across China and Asia, spanning football, tennis, and more. At UBS, he managed the bank’s corporate events and its sports and contemporary art sponsorships across Asia. He also worked as a Community Affairs executive, overseeing the bank’s social outreach and volunteering initiatives in Greater China.

A born-and-bred Hong Kong native of Filipino heritage, Paul is passionate about exploring by car and uncovering Southern China’s cultural history. He is dedicated to showcasing the region’s global impact through immersive travel experiences. Beyond his work at WildChina, he serves on the board of his family’s construction supplies retail and distribution business in the Southern Philippines.

Paul holds a degree in Mass Communication and is fluent in Cantonese, English, Putonghua, and Filipino. He resides in Hong Kong.

Andrés Vargas has spent nearly two decades in China, deeply connecting with the country’s landscapes and cultures. As Director of the Latin American Market at WildChina, he leads a dedicated team in crafting bespoke journeys for Latin American travelers. Originally from Colombia, Andrés holds a diploma in Digital Marketing & Communications and a master’s degree in International Relations. An intrepid explorer, Andrés is a DiveMaster, photographer, and adventurer, constantly discovering China’s lesser-known treasures.