Press Room
About Brandmine
Brandmine is the first Narrative Due Diligence platform for founder-led SME brands from the Global South. Co-founded by Randal Eastman and Olya Eastman, who together bring 45+ years of experience building businesses and executive networks across APAC and BRICS markets. Operating from Malaysia—the only major economy maintaining positive trade relations with all BRICS nations—Brandmine breaks through language, cultural, and political barriers by illuminating founder stories in English, Russian, and Mandarin.
Founding Story
Brandmine was founded by a husband-wife team who’ve spent their entire careers building bridges between East and West.
Randal Eastman (伊仁德 | Рэндал Истман) served as a Canadian naval officer during the historic 1990 deployment to Vladivostok—the first Western warships to enter the previously closed Soviet port. That experience bridging two seemingly incompatible worlds during the Cold War’s final days would shape his next three decades.
After earning his MBA from Canada’s Ivey Business School, Randal moved to Shanghai in 1998 and spent nearly two decades building Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreats into China’s premier wellness brand: $10M in annual revenue, 15 locations across 5 cities, 300+ employees, and ultimately leading M&A negotiations with multiple international acquirers.
Olya Eastman (奥利亚 | Оля Истман) co-founded SearchBank in Shanghai in 2002, establishing executive search practices across China and placing C-suite leaders for multinational corporations throughout APAC for 25+ years. She became a founding team member of Pedersen & Partners’ Shanghai office and currently runs Dreamcatcher Careers, specializing in market entry talent strategy for international companies scaling in Asia.
“We kept seeing the same problem from different angles,” says Randal. “Exceptional founder-led businesses in Russia, China, and India remained invisible to international partners—not due to lack of quality, but due to language barriers and cultural misunderstandings.”
“My clients spend millions searching for the right business partners in Asia,” adds Olya. “But existing platforms only provide data without context. Investors and partners need to understand the founder’s journey—that’s where trust is built.”
Together, they bring 45+ years of combined APAC/BRICS experience, trilingual capabilities (Russian native, English/Chinese professional), and complementary networks: Randal’s brand-building expertise meets Olya’s executive and investor connections. Both co-founded successful companies in China and understand the intelligence gap firsthand.
Based in Penang, Malaysia—Southeast Asia’s Silicon Island and the only major economy maintaining positive relations with all BRICS nations—Brandmine launched at PACE Penang 2025, leveraging their combined cultural intelligence to serve as the bridge the Global South needs.
Quick Facts
Founded: October 24, 2025 Launched: PACE Penang 2025 Headquarters: Penang, Malaysia Co-Founders: Randal Eastman (CEO), Olya Eastman (COO) Combined Experience: 45+ years across APAC/BRICS markets Languages: English, Russian, Mandarin Focus: Founder-led SME brands from Global South Market: $14.4B TAM, zero direct competition Mission: Break through language, cultural, and political barriers
Co-Founders
Randal Eastman — CEO & Co-Founder
Former Canadian naval officer who served as Public Relations Officer during the historic 1990 Western deployment to Vladivostok, marking the beginning of the Cold War’s end. After earning his MBA from Ivey Business School, Randal moved to Shanghai in 1998 and spent 17+ years building Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreats into China’s premier wellness brand: $10M annual revenue, 15 locations across 5 cities, 300+ employees, culminating in M&A negotiations with multiple international acquirers.
Before Dragonfly, Randal held roles bridging East-West business including VP Brand Licensing & Digital Communications at China Fashion Network, managing premium European fashion brands entering China, and International Projects Director at Future Trends International Group, focusing on China market entry for US manufacturers.
His multilingual capabilities (English native, Chinese and Russian professional working proficiency) and cross-cultural experience spanning military diplomacy, brand licensing, franchise operations, and digital transformation uniquely position him to lead Brandmine’s mission. At Brandmine, Randal oversees product vision, platform development, and technical strategy, applying 25+ years of experience building bridges between Global South businesses and international markets.
Education: MBA, Ivey Business School; BA Russian/German, McMaster University
Olya Eastman — COO & Co-Founder
Seasoned executive search professional with 25+ years placing C-suite and executive talent across APAC, Europe, and North America. Native Russian speaker from Russia’s Pacific region, Olya’s career bridging cultures began with formal education in Japanese Language & Country Studies at Far Eastern Federal University Vladivostok, followed by exchange studies at Soka University Tokyo.
In 2002, Olya co-founded SearchBank in Shanghai, establishing executive search practices across mainland China with focus on Industrial & Manufacturing, FMCG, and Supply Chain & Logistics sectors. She developed specialized practices for second-tier cities, facilitating senior management placements in remote manufacturing facilities. As founding team member of Pedersen & Partners’ Shanghai office, she scaled the firm’s presence across Asia Pacific over 11 years, ultimately serving as Regional Principal for Russia & Asia Pacific and Global Talent Acquisition Manager.
At Brandmine, Olya leads People and Partnerships as COO, managing client relations and building strategic networks connecting Global South founders with international investors and partners. Her native Russian fluency combined with professional Mandarin and English capabilities, plus deep networks across multinational corporations and executive communities, positions her to bridge cultural and business divides across BRICS markets.
Education: MA Japanese Language & Country Studies, Far Eastern Federal University Vladivostok; Post-Baccalaureate Asia Pacific Management, Capilano University
Media Contact
Press Inquiries: [email protected] Partnership Opportunities: [email protected] Phone: +60 16 319 9439