Meet the Team: Gideon May
Gideon May has dedicated his life to bridging the cultural and language divide between China and the U.S.
Better communication can unlock value in every interaction we have – from first impressions to a final presentation, on paper or on stage, from a single stakeholder to an audience of millions.
Our team can support you each step of the way – from your first investor pitch to your next board of directors meeting.
Next Level Coaching enhances your ability to communicate your message. It gives you a fresh perspective that can improve your performance.
Next Level Consulting supports your team to articulate a clear communication strategy, craft compelling messages, and deliver impactful outcomes.
Our clients come from different industries and different cultures.
What they share is a drive to reach their next level as communicators. They come to us to perform their best when the stakes are highest.
Here is what our clients have to say:
25+ years
Helping world leaders and organizations communicate.
We’ve dedicated our careers to helping people better understand one another – and to better understand themselves in the process.
For over a decade, Jonathan has helped world leaders, Fortune 100 CEOs, Hollywood celebrities and Nobel Prize winners communicate across cultural and linguistic barriers.
He is a co-founder of Next Level Communication and Cadence Translate. Jonathan has served as a member of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum; as a mentor at Chinaccelerator and the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University; and as a visiting instructor at the University of Ottawa and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing (UIBE).
Quoc is a finance professional with over fifteen years’ experience building and managing teams across the US and Asia-Pacific.
Prior to co-founding Next Level Communication, Quoc spent fourteen years at Goldman Sachs, most recently as Head of Operations in Tokyo. He led key global initiatives, and recruited and led teams across Tokyo, Beijing, Bangalore, and Salt Lake City. Prior to Goldman, Quoc worked for Guggenheim Partners in New York, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. Quoc holds an MBA from NYU Stern and is a CFA Charterholder.
At Next Level Communication, we believe that
better communication leads to better outcomes.
We train world-class leaders and teams to communicate effectively, helping them achieve higher productivity, earn greater revenues, and secure larger investments.
The leadership team of a private equity firm based in Beijing.
A China-based private equity firm looked to raise $500mn for its second fund primarily from international LPs.
Despite an experienced leadership, proprietary deal flow, and a strong record of investing in early-growth companies – the team’s first fund was primarily raised from domestic China investors.
How can this team win the trust and confidence – and most importantly investment mandates – from international LPs?
Over the course of six months, we delivered an integrated package of coaching and consulting solutions to take the client from their first meetings to their due diligence discussions.
The fund received over $300mn in its first close, with strong interest in subsequent rounds. We continued to work with the fund on their investor follow-ups to capitalize on their fund-raising momentum.
In the words of their managing partner:
“Generous quote from Robert or Victor or WY about how much we contributed to their success”
A US-based multinational with large independent operations in China, and ambitions to drive further growth over the coming 10 years.
A uniquely challenging market – in terms of consumer preferences, regulations, and distribution channels – the client’s early success stalled as the competition and market evolved.
The local leadership team needed to take bold steps to transform their business to keep up with the market.
How does this team communicate their strategic plans to global leadership, and gain sufficient confidence and support to execute?
We support the client through both a combination of coaching and consulting in preparation for their most critical meetings – the global CEO, leadership team, and board of directors.
That support includes brainstorming sessions on their strategy and messaging, presentation material alignment, and presentation coaching for the local leadership team.
The China leadership team was able to receive complete buy-in to their strategy, and recognition for many of the innovative ideas that they’ve come to implement.
In a further vote of confidence, individuals from the local team have been asked to sit on global steering committees to apply many of these ideas to the global stage.
In the words of the CEO:
“Generous quote from Frances or Kathy about how much we contributed to their success”