OakBridge has appointed a team of successful international business leaders who will serve as Advisors to the OakBridge leadership team and enhance our knowledge base. The combined experience of the Global Advisory Board will provide a significant value added component to our consultative approach in dealing with clients on both domestic and international search assignments and also we are guided by their strategic advice for our longer term growth.

Patrick Cross began his career as an electronic engineer, gaining his Doctorate from London University. Seeking a wider range he joined the oil industry just before it entered a period of severe turmoil in the 1970s, which created a most stimulating environment and resulted in his staying 25 years with BP. His BP career spanned three major markets, Japan (and Korea), Latin America and Europe, and his responsibilities overseas included the chemicals and minerals businesses. His final positions with BP were Vice President BP Far East, a role in which Oak Associates supported Patrick's business development programme through fulfilling search assignments, and President(e) BP Venezuela.

Patrick then returned to Japan as CEO of the Cable & Wireless operating company, launching several new telecommunication services and instituting a major corporate culture change, in both of which he was supported by Oak Associates. Returning to the U.K. from these global assignments, Patrick was appointed Managing Director of BBC Worldwide, the global commercial arm of the BBC. In this role he was CEO of the global TV news channel, BBC World, and had responsibility for that business on every continent.

Together these diverse career accomplishments contribute to an impressive network of connections across many countries and several business sectors. He has also gained an ability to understand and assess client leadership needs in multiple markets, and in both the commercial and public service sectors.

Paul Dimond, CMG, began his Diplomatic Service career as a Japanese Language Officer in Tokyo in 1966, pursuing two years of concentrated study of written and spoken Japanese. He then served in commercial diplomatic roles first in Osaka from 1968 to 1971, then three times in Tokyo 1971-73, 1981-86 and 1989-93, the last as Commercial Counsellor. In between, he served on the Japan desk at the Department of Trade and Industry and in the Far Eastern Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, where he was Assistant Head in 1987-88. He had previously been First Secretary at Stockholm.

His last three posts were as Deputy Head of Mission at The Hague, HM Consul-General at Los Angeles and, until the end of 2004, HM Ambassador at Manila. Paul is a Fellow of the Chartered Institutes of Linguists and Marketing and of the Royal Society of Arts. He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the New Year Honours 2005.

Paul retired from the Diplomatic Service in February 2005 but has been re-engaged as Outplacement Adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is a Director of Intralink Limited, the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust PLC, and Japan 21, Chairman of Westminster Gardens Limited, Council Member of the Japan Society and the Royal Overseas League, Member for Fund Development of the British Neurological Research Trust and Member of the Philippine-British Business Council.

Takeshi Goto has worked with multi-national companies for more than 30 years, mainly in managerial and senior executive positions and has a wealth of experience in sales and marketing for global consumer brands in confectionary & snack foods, beer, sports products, apparel and entertainment industries within the Japanese market.

Mr. Goto has applied his determination to increase market share, revenues and profits at some of the most prestigious consumer products companies, Hershey Japan Co., (President & Representative Director), Walt Disney International Japan Ltd. (Managing Director for license business), Inchcape Japan Ltd. (Managing Director), increasing revenues for such brands as Pringles, Pedigree Chum, Timberland shoes, and others. He enjoys the challenge of working with diverse business organizations from different countries, and managing partners whose priorities are not necessarily identical, to create financial growth.

Mr. Goto is a graduate in Global Management from INSEAD in France, participated in an Advanced Management Program at Keio Business School and had received a B.A., International Economics, Keio University, Japan.

David Powell has led OakBridge's U.K. business development efforts since 2005, and has been instrumental in finding resources to develop the firm in the European market.

Previously, he enjoyed a 30-year career in the international travel and financial services business, as a senior executive first with American Express and subsequently with Thomas Cook. During this time, he worked and lived in Asia, Australia, the U.S.A., Europe and twice in Japan. His last corporate position was as representative of the Welsh Development Agency in Tokyo, promoting inward investment from Japan to Wales and working at the senior management level with over 50 Japanese companies, including Sony, Matsushita, Sharp, Hitachi, Brother, Toyota and Honda, as well as subsidiaries of Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo.

For many years, he has been active in both the British and American Chambers of Commerce in Japan and is a member of the Japan Society, the Institute of Directors, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and the Tourism Society, all in the U.K.