Michael Lansdowne Hauge

About

Michael Hauge is the Managing Director of Pertama Partners, an AI advisory and training firm that helps organizations adopt and implement artificial intelligence. Through the firm, he works with companies across Southeast Asia to build internal AI capabilities through readiness assessments, executive and team training, pilot implementations, and enterprise AI transformation programs. He is also a Malaysia HRDF-certified trainer. In his work as a professional trainer and advisor, Mr. Hauge has delivered custom engagements for organizations including a Big Four accounting firm, a leading global management consulting firm, the world's largest ERP software company, a global FMCG leader, and the world's largest advertising conglomerate. Before founding Pertama Partners, Mr. Hauge founded LearningLeaders, which grew to become China's largest debating and public speaking enrichment education provider. Under his leadership, students won multiple international championships, including the World Championships of Secondary School Debating, the USA National Championships, European Championships, Asian Championships, and nine China National Championships. From 2014 to 2023 he served annually as a judge at the World Individual Debate and Public Speaking Championships (WIDPSC) and was Chairman of WIDPSC 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. Earlier in his career, Mr. Hauge worked at Crimson Investment, an international private equity firm focused on middle-market leveraged buyouts, growth capital, and cross-border investments. Prior to that, he worked at AAC Technologies, a publicly traded global leader in mobile acoustic components, where he reported to the Chief Strategy Officer and led analysis of acquisition and partnership opportunities in the mobile technology sector. Mr. Hauge is also an active angel investor, having participated in over 100 Seed to Series C investments through direct investments, funds, and syndicates under Pertama Capital and Pertama Ventures. He serves on the Board of Directors of Snake River Ranch, a family-held real estate and cattle ranching enterprise based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He is an active member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Malaysia and Shanghai chapters and founded Days of Service, a nonprofit promoting charitable volunteerism among small and medium-sized businesses. Mr. Hauge graduated from Dartmouth College in three years with majors in Economics and Asian Studies. He later received a Chinese government scholarship to study at Fudan University. He lived in Shanghai for over a decade before relocating to Kuala Lumpur in 2023.