Christopher Beale began his career with the Bowater Group working primarily with Bowater Scott over 20 years, latterly in close association with Scott Paper Philadelphia managing overseas operations and heading project teams on international investment opportunities. He joined Getz Brothers, the largest US international non-commodity trading company and a subsidiary of the Marmon Group of Chicago, in 1979, directing marketing, sourcing and investment efforts in the capacity of General Manager Europe prior to founding Christopher Beale Associates Limited.

Christopher Beale served as Chairman of the Institute of Directors, one of the country's two largest business organisations, founded in 1903, from 2001 to 2006. His role involved chairing the Institute's Council, Board, Remuneration and Nomination Committees over a period in which he led initiatives to equip the Institute for the 21st Century in terms of structure and governance, realigning policy to affirm an apolitical stance and consequently enhanced Government interface, whilst maintaining close involvement with all aspects of professional standards training and corporate governance issues. In the latter context, he addressed corporate governance and related Board issues at a variety of international conferences and seminars including Moscow - under Russia's Presidency of the G8, Washington, Dubai and Tokyo as well as speaking on globalisation at a Heads of State meeting in Malaysia.

Christopher Beale is a Freeman of the City of London and an Honorary Life Fellow of the Institute of Directors. He either holds or has held non-executive Board appointments in the United Kingdom, India and Hungary. He was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's 2007 New Year Honours for services to the business community.

Helena zu Hohenlohe joined Christopher Beale Associates Limited in 2003. After initial years working in Public Relations and Marketing with AFC in Wiesbaden, in 1994 she moved to to the field of Industry and Information Technology with Droscha- Personalberatung in Frankfurt. In 1997, she joined the executive search firm of Hofmann-Herbold & Partner, based near Frankfurt, which was subsequently acquired by Korn/Ferry. She focused on the Technology and Banking sectors. Helena moved to London in 2000 and joined The Rose Partnership as Head of the Technology practice.

Helena zu Hohenlohe is a German national fluent in several languages, including German and French. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Sussex, School of European Studies, and successively studied at the Institut des Sciences Politiques in Paris as well as at the Institut für Osteuropaeische Geschichte, Universität Köln in Germany.