Leadership Team

Mr. Nelson is a seasoned finance executive with over 20 years investment banking, corporate finance, and strategic planning experience with an emphasis on cross-border M&A and capital markets for US multinationals and Greater China-based companies.

Mr. Nelson has worked in Shanghai for ten-years providing buy-side advisory to companies such as Honeywell and 3M, sell-side advisory to multiple publicly-traded China based companies primarily focusing on the consumer, food & beverage, industrial, and healthcare industries. Prior to moving to China, Mr. Nelson had over a decade of experience in investment banking and capital raising, having worked for Morgan Stanley, Sterne Agee, and the Seidler Companies.

After working in Shanghai with ChinaVest for a full decade, Mr. Nelson founded Element Asia Capital in 2020.

With over 25 years of experience managing consumer businesses, Mr. Minoie began his career in the U.S. food & beverage industry before moving to China in 1999. He co-founded Element Fresh in 2001 and grew the brand into a successful chain of 41 restaurants with USD $75 million in annual sales, before stepping away in 2018.

He continues to serve as a consultant and advisor to numerous businesses in the retail and consumer sectors, as well as assisting business owners with growth strategies, fundraising, and deal structuring.

Mr. Minoie holds a joint MBA degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He serves as an advisor to the Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce’s Food- Agriculture-Beverage committee and is a frequent guest lecturer with international business schools.

Mr. Norwood has 20 years of corporate finance experience spanning a range of disciplines including mergers & acquisitions, structured and project finance, and public and private capital raising.

Beginning in his native Australia, Mr. Norwood has worked on transactions across Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America, covering multiple sectors including consumer, food beverage & agriculture, diversified industrials and technology.

Based in Shanghai, Mr. Norwood has previously held senior coverage and advisory roles with ANZ Banking Group (in Australia and Hong Kong), Stephens Inc., and D.A. Davidson & Co. (in the United States).

Ms. Lu has over 10 years of expertise in cross- border private equity, fund operations, and value-driven exits.

While at Fosun Group, she led high-impact transactions including the acquisition and post-investment management of Europe’s gemstone testing leader IGI, strategic investment in the jewelry brand Blove, and the financing/exit of skincare leader AHAVA.

Previously, she shaped growth strategies at Shanda Interactive and Taomee Network, executing strategic investments across gaming and tech ecosystems.

A London School of Economics alumna, Ms. Lu merges analytical rigor with a global lens to identify transformative opportunities, bridge institutional capital with premium brands, and optimize portfolio value.

A seasoned government affairs specialist with over 10 years of experience, Ms. Pei started her career as an investment officer for the Sichuan provincial government, where for 7 years, she engaged in notable Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects, helping a significant number of international businesses establish manufacturing bases and operational offices in China.

Ms. Pei later joined Jones Lan as the head of government affairs for East China, where she worked with international and domestic clients, guiding them through due diligence and negotiation processes with relevant stakeholders.

Ms. Pei holds a M.Sc. in International Management at School of Oriental and African Studies and a B.Sc. in Economics at University College London