Our people

A few months interning in Beijing were the catalyst for Jeremie’s return to China and subsequent launch of Hutong School. As a fluent Mandarin speaker, talented entrepreneur and China enthusiast, Jeremie works to promote the Chinese language to students and young professionals around the world in the hope they’ll gain as much from it as he did.

After finishing her studies in the US, Anne moved to Beijing for a new challenge, joining Hutong School as a Program Consultant. She’s since progressed through various roles, and today uses her extensive network and knowledge of China to develop relationships with companies, agencies and embassies around the world to give their students a chance to experience China.

Experienced Chinese teacher and Chinese language expert Xiao Li has helped hundreds of students achieve their learning goals. Today, she uses her expertise to train our teachers, write our textbooks, and advise on Hutong School learning materials. As if her days weren’t busy enough, she often puts us all to shame by squeezing in a morning workout before arriving at the office! 

It was Rob’s passion for Chinese language and culture that inspired him to move to Beijing, where he soon realised there’s no better way to learn the language. Though he’s called China home for several years, he’s always discovering new things about the city. When he’s not ensuring the smooth running of our Beijing office, he’s sure to be exploring the city and enjoying its vibrant music scene!

Born in China’s northernmost province, Heilongjiang, Li Na majored in teaching Chinese as a second language. Since graduating, she’s gained over 10 years’ experience and an extensive knowledge of the Chinese language. Using various teaching methods to suit the different needs of her learners, Li Na makes the challenge of learning Mandarin much less daunting!

A 3-week university study program in Shandong gave Lauren the China bug and begin making plans to return. Eager to learn Chinese and understand China’s fascinating culture, she ventured to Jinan where she lived for a year before settling in Shanghai. Today, she puts the country’s incredible appeal into words, encouraging others to start a China adventure of their own.

After starting her career in Wuhan, Kate headed to Shanghai in search of new opportunities. She soon found her way to Hutong School, where she now works as part of our local sales team to encourage more people to learn Chinese. As someone who values her culture and language, she enjoys helping our students learn about China and benefit from all that Shanghai has to offer.

Sonia’s post-graduation hunt for new horizons led her to Shanghai, where she decided to continue her study of Chinese after starting in France. She soon fell in love with the city, found a job and decided to stay. She joined the Hutong School Shanghai team in 2018, where she works as a Program Consultant, helping our students come to China to learn Chinese or intern.

After hearing about China through friends, Maja decided she had no choice but to experience it for herself. Shortly after graduating high school, she headed to Chengdu to study Mandarin, and she soon fell in love with the food, the culture and the people. She later moved to Beijing, where she completed an internship before finding her way to Hutong School.

After hearing a friend’s story of studying in Beijing, Amy was inspired to experience it for herself. A few months soon turned into a few years after she joined Hutong School as a Program Consultant in 2012. She’s since moved back to the UK, where she now works to help people get a taste of China in London, inspiring them to one day begin their own China adventure.

True Beijinger Sarah isn’t shy of telling people how she feels about her home city; very positively. She loves the contrast of the city’s ancient buildings and modern skyscrapers, and she never ceases to be amazed by how many foreigners can speak fluent Chinese. Sarah dreams of helping more and more people learn her language – join us in Beijing and help her realise her dream! 

Bubbly ex-professional English interpreter Nicole completed an internship in New York before joining the Hutong School family in Shanghai. She enjoys working in a multi-cultural environment and loves using her own experience of interning abroad to help our students settle in. Her friendly face is one of the first you’ll see when you enter our school and one you certainly won’t forget!

Since joining Hutong School, Karen has been working tirelessly to make sure our students have the best experience possible. Her top-notch organisational skills and passion for helping people settle in are two of the main things that make our events a success. Between planning activities and excursions, she spreads her love for Chinese culture through teaching – a true all-rounder!

The glue that binds our Shanghai school together, our office angel Chenjie ensures the smooth running of everything from finance to maintenance. When she’s not hidden behind stacks of paper, she’s sure to be running errands around the city. So, though you may not get to meet her, you can rest assured she’s playing a vital role in making your Hutong School experience a success.

As a member of our logistics team, Shanghai local and football fanatic Philip works hard to ensure our students have a safe and comfortable stay in his city. One of the first people you'll meet when you arrive, he's responsible for meeting and greeting our students at the airport, and he's always on hand to help solve any problems that arise. 

Bishuai’s passion for sharing his culture and language with curious foreigners led him to pursue a career in teaching. After completing his studies, he left his hometown in Henan for Cambodia, where he spent a year teaching Chinese before heading to Shanghai. He’s been a key member of our team ever since, putting his all into making his classes enjoyable.

An expert on Chinese character etymology, Emily has over 8 years’ experience teaching students from around the world. Since graduating, she has lived and worked in the Philippines, Singapore, Germany and Austria, helping to promote her native language and culture around the world. Today, you’ll find her in Shanghai using fun methods to help our students master the language and adapt to life in China.

Born in Wenzhou, raised in Shanghai, Chen Nanyi achieved a master’s degree in teaching Chinese as a second language before starting her full-time teaching career. She enjoys learning about her students’ cultures and challenging herself to pick up a few basic phrases in their languages - she's tried her hand at Arabic and French... will your language be next?

Born in Beijing, Mei Han graduated from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology before deciding to become a Chinese teacher. She’s taught Chinese as a foreign language for over 12 years now, adopting various techniques to suit the different needs of her students. Mei Han’s open-minded and easy-going personality makes her a pleasure to learn from and is one reason why students love her classes!

Local Beijinger Yumi is fiercely proud of her heritage and loves spreading Beijing’s rich and colourful culture. She aims to make her classes fun and teach her students not only about the language, but also about the culture behind it. As well as being an outstanding teacher, Yumi is also skilled in the kitchen, and she loves preparing delicious local Chinese dishes for our students to taste!