Charles Bien

An experienced consultant as well as corporate executive, Charles Bien has accumulated more than 30 years of experience in executive search, leadership and organization effectiveness consulting, and corporate HR leadership.  He has assumed his current role – the co-leader of Signium Greater China – since 2004.  Previously, he was Head of HR at YUM Brands Greater China and Caterpillar China.  He spent his formative years in strategic HR consulting with the Hay Group.

At Signium, in addition to leading senior executive search assignments in the general industrial and manufacturing sectors, Charles is also active in food service, retail and professional services, built upon his previous careers in these sectors.  Functionally, Charles has filled many top level HR and finance positions in the Greater China region.

Charles served as a board member and finance director of Signium’s global board from 2016 – 2018, and was a global board member and Asia Pacific treasurer of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC).  Charles was also President of Institute of Management Consultants Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong-born Chinese with a diverse international background, Charles obtained his master’s degree in management science and engineering from Stanford University, his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and undertook his doctoral studies at the London School of Economics.  He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, as well as the Cantonese and Shanghainese dialects.  His favorite pastimes are classical guitar, Latinum and other Romance languages, as well as cooking and wine appreciation.  His is a proud father of three successful adult children.