Our international facilitators each bring their own expertise to the pool of Paradigm’s talent and experience. And the combination of their unique profiles makes for a dynamic and talented Paradigm team.
Stuart Sharpless - Director
Stuart Sharpless has over 24 years of experience in the training field of personal and team development. Originally from the UK, Stuart has delivered and organized training programs in over 20 countries worldwide, including North America, Europe, and Asia. During his career Stuart has run over 400 programs, ranging from conference energizers to leadership and teambuilding to customer service and coaching programs. Prior to establishing Paradigm Consultants International in 2000, Stuart worked as a corporate in the UK, as well as, lead facilitator for 5 years with Hong Kong's Outward Bound School.
In addition to his facilitation background, Stuart is also one of the most technically experienced and qualified outdoor consultants in Asia. As a result, Stuart has consulted many companies (including National Geographic, AXN / Sony, and IMG) on safety and technical aspects of many international outdoor events throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Ryan Blair - Director
Originally from the West Coast of the United States, Ryan has developed a career in Asia specializing in the event management and outdoor training industries. After completing a degree in International Business and taking part in adventures throughout the Rocky and Himalayan Mountains, Ryan settled in Hong Kong in 1995. By 1997, Ryan was responsible for organizing several sports & entertainment events in Hong Kong, and in 1998 became Race Director of the first Adventure Race in Hong Kong, the Action Asia Challenge. In addition, Ryan was Director of Activities for an outdoor youth charity, Action Asia Foundation, and spearheaded several projects in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Taiwan.
In 2000-1, Ryan played a key role in establishing a partnership between Action Asia and National Geographic, and subsequently, managed the first series of International Adventure Races in Asia. The events were broadcasted worldwide on the National Geographic Channel.
After relocating to Singapore in 2001 to carry out consulting work in the outdoor experiential training industry, Ryan returned to Hong Kong in 2002 to form a new partnership in managing and developing Paradigm Consultants International, and establishing its' sister company, APA, with long-time friend and colleague Stuart Sharpless.
James Bishop - Director of Business Services / Learning Event Organiser
A native of New Zealand and seven year resident of Hong Kong, James is a competent and motivating facilitator who brings with him years of experience in managing and leading projects in different fields. James has excelled in managerial positions predominantly in the service sector for a variety of industries, including telecommunications, executive search, publishing and education.
As well as leading programs dealing with organizational change, James thoroughly enjoys facilitating experiential exercises. His extensive corporate experience makes him deliver successful programs to many different levels within an organization and cultivating the managerial and leadership minds of senior teams. James’ engaging approach and lively wit and enthusiasm ensures participants stay inspired and engaged. His time as an Officer in the Australian defense forces has also provided him with an interesting perspective on crises management and leadership development.
Emma Dodwell-Groves - Client Manager & Program Producer
Born in England but having grown up entirely in Hong Kong, Emma considers herself to be a child of the Orient and speaks Mandarin. After a BSc in Sociology at Bristol University, she spent some time in Indonesia, working in the hospitality industry. While there, she honed her PR & communications skills and coordinated incomparable experiences for hotel guests and corporate clients alike. Since then, she has also worked at an exclusive up-market concierge where she gained extensive insight into Hong Kong’s corporate and social elite. She was involved in high profile events and accessed the inaccessible all with a glass of champagne in hand. Prior to starting with Paradigm, she worked on an array of corporate teambuilding and leadership development programs- from interactive dinner theatres, to assessment centres and creativity & communication programs with globally recognized companies.
Since early 2008, Emma has been a client manager and program producer for Paradigm Consultants International, conceptualizing and bringing about dynamic, tailor made programs to suit corporate needs, tastes and specifications.
Geordie Yip - Technical Operations Manager
Geordie Yip is one of the most experienced all around climbers and technical specialists based in Asia. Since starting climbing in the 1980’s near his home in England, Geordie has gone on to travel, climb and guide around the world with successful expeditions in the Nepal Himalayas, China and South East-Asia, North America, and Europe.
Geordie has not only guided on rock, ice, and mountains, but also worked on mountain search and rescue teams in Canada and worked around Asia as a technical specialist for international adventure races. He has completed courses in wilderness first aid, rock rescue and both the Alpine Mountain Guide and Rock Guide courses with the American Mountain Guides Association.
Geordie joined the Paradigm team in 2002 and plays a key role on programs as a technical specialist and support facilitator.
Steve Corbin - Lead Facilitator
Steve Corbin moved to Hong Kong from the UK with his family in 1996 to take up the position of Regional Sales Director for an International Telecom Equipment Supplier. In 1999, Steve set up his own business and spent the last seven years as an entrepreneur running various diverse businesses. Before moving to Hong Kong, Steve held sales management positions for several telecommunications business throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and lived for several years in Germany. Steve also spent 12 years as an Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves as an Adventure Training Instructor in the UK. Steve is closely involved with the Hong Kong Business community and has served as an executive committee member of The Entrepreneurs Club'. In addition to working as a facilitator with Paradigm, Steve runs two Information Technology companies in the 'Printing and Media' and 'Internet TV' business sectors.
Steve has been working with Paradigm Consultants International Ltd. since 2004 to deliver a wide range of corporate programs to companies throughout Asia. Steve's vast experience working around the world coupled with his sales and entrepreneur skills gives him a keen ability to understand how to motivate people, and encourage successful teamwork in an international environment.As an outdoor athlete, past military adventure training instructor, and outdoor event organizer (Steve is the founder of Hong Kong's first youth adventure race), Steve understands the importance of safety and how to professionally supervise participants in the outdoors.
Stuart Corby - Lead Facilitator
Corby is the Chief Operating Officer of our parent company APA Group. A business professional Corby has served on the board of a variety of companies including Australia's stamp printing Company (Non Executive Director) , A UK and Hong Kong based Packaging Company (Executive Director - Logistics) and a Hong Kong based Private Equity Fund focused on Environmental investments (Managing Director). He also worked for UBS Equities Trading in both the UK and Hong Kong where he set up and ran their Electronic and Algorithmic trading business for Asia.
Corby started his working career in the outdoors in 1993 after volunteering for several years with disabled and disadvantaged children at a centre in South Wales while on scholarship to Atlantic College. He went on to work with Outward Bound Australia (Sir Vincent Fairfax Scholarship) and with ADD/ADHD specialist camps in the USA. While attaining a masters degrees in International Relations and Economics at St Andrews University, Scotland he managed to escape to sunnier climbs to work as a Class IV and V River Rafting Guide and to climb a few mountains in the European Alps. Replacing University with a job in the city of London Stuart still managed to getaway for a few more of seasons rafting in the US until he was promoted and sent to Asia by UBS in 2000. He first encountered Paradigm while at UBS and after some vetting began to act as a facilitator on the occasional weekend course, at the same time he was also spending his spare time as a volunteer Award for Young People outdoors assessor. After closing out the Private Equity Fund in April 2008 Corby accepted a more permanent position with APA Group in July 2008 and is occasionally seen out Lead Facilitating for Paradigm.
Richard Ying - Lead Facilitator
A resident of Shanghai, Richard has proved himself invaluable with our China-based programs. Having said that, Richard is actively involved around the region and is making a name for himself in Team Building and Facilitation circles.
Richard excels in delivering team development programs. With a background in personal and physical training, he brings the uniqueness of those skills to team building, and is a particularly motivational trainer with a flair for helping others to discover the best in themselves.
Richard's outgoing personality wins over even the most cynical of teams that are coming to terms with their own identity and organisational culture.
Joyce Wong - Artistic Consultant and Lead Facilitator
An asset to the diverse range of facilitation skills needed in such a multi-faceted industry, Joyce Wong’s dynamic and vibrant personality makes for an engaging lead facilitator and MC. Her experience in the arts, having trained at Westminster Choir College and Boston University in opera, vocal performance and pedagogy, makes her an ideal artistic consultant for Paradigm’s multitude of creative programs - from dinner theatre to movie making.
A native English and Cantonese facilitator, her local know-how and international experience combine with her natural empathy and social observation skills to make her an insightful and valuable addition to any program
