Advisory at the Europe – Asia Interface
As founder of Von Solstein, I advise companies and institutions navigating the intersection of economic, political, and cultural complexity — particularly where European strategies meet Asian markets and partnerships, and the reverse.
My practice focuses on the wider Asia-Pacific region, with particular depth in Japan and Taiwan. It draws on 25 years of experience at the meeting point of Austrian foreign economic policy, international industry, and the Asian market.
Native Japanese, a network in ministries, chambers of commerce, industry, and academia built over more than two decades, and training in both law and foreign economic policy allow me to address the commercial, regulatory, political, and cultural dimensions of a mandate in parallel.
Areas of Practice
Strategic Advisory
Market strategy and market entry Asia-Pacific. Preparation of local structures, regulatory guidance, negotiation with Asian business partners and authorities. Positioning in the context of supply-chain resilience, export controls, and technology partnerships — themes that increasingly shape every European industrial strategy. Typical engagements involve companies preparing their next step in Asia, corporations restructuring their regional operations, or institutions requiring specific market expertise.
Governmental Affairs and Public Policy
Translation between corporate clients and the political-administrative environment — in Europe and on the Asian side. Preparation of delegation visits, position papers, formal submissions, and negotiation formats. Understanding the foreign economic policy mechanics that operate in the background of every bilateral business relationship.
Teaching and Executive Education
External lectureship at the University of Applied Sciences Vienna, alongside lectures and seminars on themes at the intersection of process optimisation, self-management, and East Asian thought. The proprietary Phoenix Kaizen concept combines the Kaizen methodology with other principles of East Asian philosophy, and Western approaches, addressed to students and practitioners interested in organisational change and personal work organisation as an integrated whole.
About me
As a consultant and coach, I bring a deep sensitivity to complex systems, cultural nuance, and human dynamics to my work. Born in Austria and raised between the former USSR, Japan, and Indonesia, I was exposed to different cultures from an early age — an experience that shaped a lasting international perspective and a particular affinity for East Asia. I am native fluent in German and Japanese and work fluently in English. My professional path spans nearly three decades in senior roles across the private sector and public service, with a consistent international focus and particular depth in Asia. Independent practice as consultant, thirteen years at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs on Directors level and over ten years of leading functions covering industries such as Life-Science, Automotive, Textiles, Building Materials and Tourism. This combination of trajectories has given me a layered understanding of how organisations actually work — their structures, decision-making logics, the unspoken rules of their cultures, and the moments at which they reach for outside perspective. Alongside my advisory work, I lecture and speak at conferences, corporate events, and the University of Applied Sciences where I teach in the Bachelor programme Public Management. I work with organisations, executives, and individuals at moments that require clarity — when orientation is needed, when sound decisions must be made, when change must be shaped to last.
My approach is strategic in substance, culturally informed in posture, and firmly rooted in practical experience.
I offer an initial complimentary consultation to explore whether and how a collaboration could be meaningful.
This conversation provides an opportunity to clarify objectives, expectations and potential approaches without obligation.
Please feel free to get in touch to arrange an introductory discussion.
Complimentary Consultation
Code of Conduct for Public Affairs and Interest Representation
1. Purpose and scope
Von Solstein Consulting & Coaching represents clients' legitimate interests towards public institutions openly, honestly and in full compliance with the law. This Code of Conduct sets out the standards we apply in every such mandate.It applies to all lobbying and interest representation activities within the meaning of the Austrian Lobbying and Interest Representation Transparency Act (Lobbying- und Interessenvertretungs-Transparenz-Gesetz, LobbyG). This covers any organised and structured contact with public officials at federal, state or municipal level, as well as with institutions of the European Union, on behalf of a client.Our aim is never preferential treatment. We help public decision-makers understand projects, facts and economic impacts so that they can decide on a complete and accurate basis, under the same rules that apply to everyone.
2. Registration and transparency
•Von Solstein is registered in the Austrian Lobbying and Interest Representation Register maintained by the Federal Ministry of Justice (Register No. [to be added]). We carry out lobbying activities only while this registration is valid.
•Every lobbying mandate is notified to the register without delay after the contract is concluded, including the client and the agreed scope of work.
•We report changes to our registered data within the statutory period and publish our annual lobbying revenue and number of mandates as required by law.
•This Code of Conduct is published permanently on our website and is available to anyone on request.
3. Principles in dealing with public officials
•Disclosure. At the first contact with any public official, we state who we are, on whose behalf we act and what the concern is. We never act anonymously or through intermediaries to conceal a client.
•Truthfulness. All information we provide is accurate, complete in its essentials and up to date. If we learn that information we provided was wrong, we correct it promptly.
•Lawful information. We obtain information only by lawful and fair means. We do not seek confidential or classified information, nor do we induce anyone to disclose it.
•No undue pressure. We do not exert unfair or inappropriate pressure on public officials. Respecting their time, procedures and independence is part of our work.
•No inducements. We do not offer, promise or grant any advantage to public officials or persons close to them. Invitations and hospitality are limited to what Austrian criminal law and the official's own rules permit.
•Equal rules. We do not seek exemptions, shortcuts or treatment more favourable than the law grants to others in the same position.
•Political neutrality. We work with decision-makers across all democratic parties and institutions on the merits of the matter.4. Duties towards clients
•Before accepting a mandate, we inform clients of the expected fee and notify them in good time if it is likely to be exceeded.•We inform clients of their own obligations under the LobbyG, including any registration duties.
•We never claim or imply a relationship with a public official that does not exist, and we never promise a particular outcome of a public decision.
•We do not agree success fees for activities aimed at contracts with the federal government, the states or municipalities. Any other performance-related element remains proportionate to the overall fee.
•We treat client information confidentially, within the limits of our disclosure duties towards public officials and the register.•We decline or terminate mandates that would require us to act against this Code or the law.5. Conflicts of interest and former public service•We do not represent clients whose interests directly conflict with those of an existing client in the same matter without the informed consent of both.
•Our founder previously served in the Austrian federal administration. He remains bound by official secrecy and does not use or pass on any confidential information obtained in that capacity.
•We observe all statutory incompatibility and cooling-off rules that apply to former public officials, and we do not act in matters he was personally responsible for in public office where this would create a conflict of interest.
•We do not engage active public officials to carry out lobbying activities within their area of responsibility.6. Compliance, review and contactWe review this Code at least once a year and whenever the legal framework changes. Anyone who believes we have acted contrary to it is invited to contact us directly; every concern is examined and answered.
Contact: Mag. Michael Laschan, Von Solstein Consulting & Coaching, Vienna, Austria · (office@vonsolstein.com) · vonsolstein.comVersion: 2026