MANAGEMENT
Managing Partners
Saahm R. Aresh
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Born and raised in Southern California, Saahm Aresh received degrees in Political Science and Communications, with specializations in Marketing, Accounting, and International Business from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (L.S.E). Setting his focus on Business Law, he spent 2 years at top Southern California law firms before joining Pacific Ridge Management as an advisor in rezoning structures and management for large scale international property development; working with residential and commercial projects of over three thousand acres and in excess of two thousand units. Expanding his international resources, Mr. Aresh was tasked with logistics and operations for the Mayur Foundation in India, having the privilege of personally assisting Royal Families in services to the Indian people. With his multinational experiences and assets in tow, Mr. Aresh eventually found his passion in management and consulting services. Shortly after, he partnered with Mason Ye, creating Eastern Commerce Group, with the purpose of applying his learned skills and success in consultation, as well as his large multinational network, to assist companies focused on domestic growth in positioning themselves so as to succeed in an international market.
Mason Foster Ye
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Mason Foster Ye was born in Beijing, and spent equal time raised between China and Orange County, California. He received a degree in Political Science, specializing in East Asian Studies, World Politics, and International Business through the Ohio State University’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Business Scholars program from the Fisher School of Business. After graduating, he spent several years in Beijing working in both commercial real estate development and property management. After building a strong network in the country, he then moved on to the medical sector, where he and his associates expanded Reproductive Partners Medical Group into China and established it as its own independently functioning entity, and one of the most successful in China. During the formation of this medical services firm, Mr. Ye was responsible for overseeing business development, sales, operations, training, and client relations. It was through these experiences that he discovered his fascination with and honed his proficiency in bridging together business from around the world.
Senior Leadership
Zhanwu "James" Wang
Director of International Markets
Born and raised in Chifeng City of China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Zhanwu “James" Wang obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the renowned Beijing Normal University, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Beijing Municipal Party Committee School. Mr. Wang began his career at the Baota Petrochemical Group, where he was involved in project management for the company’s oilfields in Kyrgyzstan, as well as the development of domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facilities. This was followed by an executive position at Beijing’s Yeshi Enterprise Group directly under its chairman. Now, Mr. Wang contributes his vast network and diverse expertise as Director of International Markets at Eastern Commerce Group, where he oversees the company’s operations within the medical, construction, and commerce spaces by offering top quality products and unparalleled service to its various partners and clientele.
Mark R. Pinfold
Director of Asian Operations
Based in South Africa, Mark started his working career in 1988, specializing in Automotive spare parts and logistics. He moved to Thailand in 1991 to help establish a Tobacco Merchant company, buying and processing tobacco for international clients in Europe and the USA. In 1991, he was responsible for leading the company’s Chinese Subsidiary in identifying tobacco for export to the International Market. As China produced one third of global production of tobacco, Mr. Pinfold permanently moved to Beijing, where he spent 3 years in Chinese tobacco production and processing, as well as assisted management for company’s operations in India, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, as well as helped lead market operations. In 1995 Mark joined a new Merchant company based in Beijing as Operations Manager until 1997 when he became a Managing Partner in an Automotive, Logistics, and Renewable Energy firm based in China. In 2019, Mark sold his shares in his company to focus on retirement. In early 2020, he agreed to join Eastern Commerce Group as the Director of Asia Operations, and to bring his wealth of knowledge and experience built up over 29 years of working in China and Asia Pacific.
Prince Vishal Jadeja
Director of Global Expansion
After receiving degrees in in Business Development and Management from Boston University, as well as Film and Television Production from USC, Mr. Jadeja began his career in Advertising and Marketing for the Genesis Group. In 1996, he made the leap to the film industry, becoming instrumental in Bollywood as a Producer and Director for Sippy Films, Mumbai. He remained in Production, until Japan Life India offered him the role of leading the expansion of the company, and the adoption of advanced audio and visual enhancements, into India. Upon completion his contract, Mr. Jadeja agreed to assist the Denay Research Institute in central India under the guidance of Nanaji Deshmukh RSS business development and urban planning. As the Prince of the State of Morbi, Mr. Jadeja acted as representative to the Royal Family, under the Mayur Foundation, leading the planning for the rebuild of villages devastated by the Earthquake disaster in Gujarat. In 2007, Mr. Jadeja expanded his career in charity, pivoting to the UK and establishing Severn Care Ltd, a network of care homes which has quickly expanded all around the country. Leaving the daily operations to his team and returning to his passion of international development, Mr. Jadeja agreed to join Eastern Commerce Group, where he uses his influence and experience to help promote international expansion. He is a key member of ECG, and brings with him years of passion, experience, and relationships in the Global Market.
Anil Motihar
Director of Business Development
Anil Motihar has over 45 years experience in the international pharmaceutical space. Besides his role as Director of Business Development for Eastern Commerce Group, Mr. Motihar is the Managing Director at Kee Pharma Ltd in India, one of the pioneers of the Indian pharmaceutical industry with a heritage of over 58 years. His focus has been on providing customers with reliable healthcare solutions and the highest quality products that are efficient and cost-effective. Mr. Motihar possesses expertise on various innovative pharmaceutical technologies, with his main research work focusing on time and cost reduction on pharmaceutical technologies and evaluation processes for improving healthcare. He has developed this research after years of experience in research and evaluation, along with teaching both in education and industry.
Symington W. Smith
Advisor & Board Member
Mr. Smith is an award-winning global affairs expert and founder of The Winterflower Group. A life fellow of The Royal Asiatic Society and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he was born in the United States but raised globally. He has received a degree in Chinese Language and Literature from Peking University and is currently researching military affairs at King's College London. After working for the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom, Mr. Smith joined multinational law firm Baker McKenzie in 2019. There, he helped develop its Corporate M&A China Practice into one of the top legal teams in the EMEA+ region. To date, Mr. Smith has donated thousands of dollars to tackle some of the world's biggest problems, including plastic pollution, access to education, extreme poverty, and more. He is a recipient of Tatler Asia's Leader of Tomorrow Award and is ranked as a key leader shaping the future of Asia. In 2020, The National Association of Asian-American Professionals (NAAAP) presented him with the Inspire Award, the association's most prestigious honor granted annually to one exemplary young American leader. With over a decade of international experience, he now serves Eastern Commerce Group as a board member and political advisor, providing counsel on US-China relations, UK-China relations, and global affairs with a focus on Asia.
Kevin Asgari
Director of Marketing
Kevin Asgari was born and raised in Sweden. In 2006, he and his family moved to Southern California, where he grew up through his adolescent years and later attended college at California State University, Fullerton where he obtained his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Interaction Design. While there, Mr. Asgari discovered his passion for design thinking and marketing. Since graduating, he has provided his professional expertise as a freelance designer by managing a multitude of projects at multiple software companies. Simultaneously, Mr. Asgari retained clients from a variety of backgrounds and industries, playing a pivotal role in the creation of identity design, website development, and brand strategy. Eventually, he made his way to Eastern Commerce Group, where he attained his role as Director of Marketing. Mr. Asgari possesses a deep passion and natural ability to work with people while finding the best tools to execute design visuals.
