
Meet The G2 Experience Team

Sophie Lechner
Founder and CEO
Sophie had a French mother and a Pakistani father and grew up in several countries, so navigating cultures is second nature to her. When she realized that many people struggle with cultural differences she became passionate about the subject. Over her 25 years of professional experience she has led dozens of cross functional teams across many countries, with British Petroleum, Pfizer and Bayer. At Pfizer she created the role of Alliance Manager to facilitate relationships between Pfizer and its partners, where disagreements most often came down to cultural differences. She later managed professional education for several billion-dollar global brands, and led multinational conferences and workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Prior to founding Global Commerce Education, Inc., Sophie was a consultant providing strategy and marketing guidance to clients in the pharma, small business and non-profit sectors.
Sophie holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a double Masters in English and French law from the Sorbonne (Paris) and King’s College (London).
For the last 10 years Gene has taught International Business and Entrepreneurship at academic institutions around the world including the European School of Economics (New York campus) the Weller International Business School in Paris. France, the New York Institute of Business and Finance, and the International School of Guizhou University of Finance and Economics in Guiyang, China.
Prior to his teaching career, Gene successfully started and exited two companies, one in media and one in pharmaceuticals. This followed a 17-year corporate career, first as an executive with the consumer products division of Exxon Mobil, then as General Manager of the U.S. consumer products division of VanLeer Group, a Dutch company.
Gene is a member of the BrainTrust at RetailWire, the retailing industry's premier online discussion forum. The BrainTrust is a panel of industry experts who contribute to daily virtual round tables of industry opinion. Gene is a speaker in the U.S. and abroad at conferences and seminars, has appeared on CNBC and is frequently quoted in Forbes. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the Columbia Business School.

Marc Friedman
Director of
Professional Relations
Marc was previously a Partner at Dentons, a global law firm, where he was in the Venture, and Intellectual Property and Technology practices. He specialized in assisting foreign businesses in establishing operations in the U.S. as a part of a globalization trategy. This included business formation and organization, employee relations, intellectual property protection, commercial contracts and more. In addition, Marc was an acclaimed trial and appellate lawyer with more than 45 years of experience representing technology and other companies in intellectual property, technology and other business disputes. He is in the Who's Who of Technology, Media and Telecommunications lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and New York SuperLawyers.
Marc is a known pioneer in technology law. A well-known authority on the subject matter of technology including intellectual property, Marc has published more than 100 articles and is the author of A Vendor's Guide to Computer Contracting, a widely read treatise.
He frequently lectures throughout North America, South America, Europe and Australia, and at several US law schools. Marc is a former president of the International Technology Law Association.
Marc also maintains a vibrant Executive Coaching practice.
Bettina is the Founder, President and Managing Director of Pegasus International. In 1989, Bettina’s multicultural background, her love of languages and travel and her deep appreciation for cultural diversity, combined with her creativity, led her to launch Pegasus International, a boutique destination management company. She created this company with one goal in mind: to deliver uniquely tailored events and experiences to multi-national corporations. Operating for over 20 years, Pegasus has designed and executed events that have engaged, enlightened and energized thousands of participants. In short, Bettina knows how to make cultural learning both memorable and actionable.
Global leaders across multiple industries and countries have trusted Pegasus to deliver events that drive home the power of engagement. Bettina brings a unique combination of experience, passion and cultural expertise to the G2 Experience. She has planned unparalleled business cultural events that contribute in giving G2 Experience participants the intercultural competence they need.
Bettina studied at Lyçée Français de NY and Columbia Business School and enjoys lively conversations in French, English, Spanish and Italian. She is also a personal coach and the Founder of MuZe Wellness.
The G2 Experience Advisory Board
The G2 Experience Global Faculty
Our curated faculty around the world is comprised of senior professionals with exceptional credentials - including specific experience in both your home country and your target market. Our experts have decades of industry experience and have either been in your shoes or advised companies just like yours. Our faculty is what makes the G2 Experience a high quality learning experience, while giving you the practical know-how and tools that you need to succeed.
We are always welcoming new experts to join our team. If you're interested in becoming a member of our Faculty, please contact us using the information below.