Randal Eastman
Vice President & Partner, Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreats
Brief Biography for Expat Professional Women's Society, Shanghai
Randal Eastman is born and bred a Canadian - but after living in Shanghai for more than ten years he has been accused of being Scottish, Irish, English or American and only when he says “about” does his Canadian accent become discernible. He is proud to have Swedish, Polish, Ukrainian and Lapp blood coursing through his veins but speaks not a word of either language. (he is quite strong however in Russian, Chinese and after a couple of glasses of wine his long submersed French and German have been known to bubble up)
He has long long had a fascination with different languages and cultures. This led him first to study Russian as an undergraduate and then join the Canadian Navy in search of adventure abroad -- which he found during his Navy’s first diplomatic port call to Vladivostok in the Russian Far East 18 years ago, and where he first came face to face with Russian culture and cheek to cheek (one brief kiss only) with his lovely future wife Olya.
Smitten and realizing he was simply too nice for a career as a spy, he returned home and after completing his obligatory service returned to civilian life to pursue an MBA in London (Ontario - not UK), returned to Russia to marry the Admiral’s daughter, and then moved to Ottawa with her to endure the privations of real winter (minus 40 degrees celsius in the sunshine) and bear their first child. Since Olya herself was an orientalist (Japanese language) and it was really too bitterly cold to stay in the sub-Arctic climate they moved to Shanghai more than 10 years ago in search of fame and fortune.
Midway through this adventure Randal was partner in a UK firm licensing British and Italian fashion brands into China for production and distribution. He chanced upon the newly opened Dragonfly beneath his office, where he enjoyed his first ever foot massage and was smitten for a second time, by Dragonfly's unique crossover of fashion and wellness. He saw the potential to groom a tiny startup into a world-class lifestyle brand and so he immediately began helping founder Georgie Yam to shape and grow the business. Two years later with multiple licensing deals in the works he finally joined the company full time and became a partner.
Randal is proud of his role in helping to grow Dragonfly from a single tiny shop to a globally recognized brand synonymous with relaxation, with more than 20 locations in greater China - and hordes of satisfied customers all around the world. He is particularly proud of having coined the company motto, to "Relax the World," because he believes that if people in the world's hotspots could just sit down and share a foot massage together - the world would be a happier place.
He looks forward to the day when “Dragonfly” becomes a verb, not just in Shanghai - but around the world.
[please note this bio is a bit tongue in cheek - but nevertheless true - especially the romantic bits!]
