Asian Investors

In this episode, I speak to Seiichiro Isoda (San), CEO, Southeast Asia, Wismettac group  

Wismettac Group aka Nishimoto Trading Co., Ltd. In the past (西本貿易株式会社, Nishimoto Bōeki Kabushiki Gaisha) is a 109 year old Japanese import, export, wholesale and distribution company that mainly handles Asian food products globally. Wismettac Group has a unique corporate development strategy that they acquire a leading local distribution company to expand and grow their distribution and sourcing network.

Isoda san and I talk about:

1. His background and journey to Wismettac Group
2. History and background of Wismettac Group
3. Business model (invest, source, and distribute Asian food ingredient globally) and the global strategy of Wismettac Group
4. How the supply chain works.
5. Global expansion by M&A and JV and the typical size of the investment
6. Interest in food technology
7. Introducing Japanese food culture internationally

In this episode, I speak to Mike Velings, Co-Founder, and Managing Partner of Aqua Spark-based in the Netherlands. Aqua-Spark is the first and largest in the world fully dedicated to sustainable aquaculture.   Mike and I talk about 1) the Competitiveness of the Dutch business ecosystem represented by ASML, global leading dredging companies, and others. 2) His entrepreneurial journey and the story of founding Aqua-Spark 3) investment thesis of Aqua-Spark incl. strategy, sectors, and stage 4) Why fish farming is important in terms of resource footprint as compared to poultry farming, or cattle farming. 5) Long term vision for Aqua-Spark

In this episode, I speak to Jeffrey Paine, Co-Founder, and Managing Partner of Golden Gate Ventures. 

Golden Gate Ventures is a venture capital firm investing across Southeast Asia. Since 2011, the firm has invested in over 45 companies across more than 7 countries in Asia. The firm focuses on investing in services growing around the rising consumer internet class in Southeast Asia. The firm is particularly interested in companies in financial services/fintech, consumer internet/mobile/consumption upgrade, commerce/marketplace & infrastructure surrounding them, transport/mobility, education, healthcare, adaptation to climate change, b2b saas, and media/content distribution platforms.

Jeffrey talks about 1) His journey to founding Golden Gate Ventures.

2) What is the investment thesis of the Golden gate ventures. Please tell us about Golden gate ventures’ strike zone in terms of strategy, sectors, and stage

3) Additional support to help portfolio companies to grow

4) Two current portfolio companies and why you made the investment in them

5) Long term vision for Golden Gate Ventures  and a plan to expand beyond Southeast Asia

 

 

Today’s guest is Bruce Kim, founder and CEO of Surplus global based in Korea SurplusGLOBAL is the No.1 enterprise in 2nd hand semiconductor equipment market and has supplied more than 30,000 systems to over 4,000 customers for the last 20 years The electronic industry currently invests about USD 100 Billion in equipment every year globally while the semiconductor industry invests in approx. USD 60 Billion in equipment every year. The market size of 2nd hand equipment is estimated at USD 5 Billion. SurplusGLOBAL is also building a "Semiconductor Equipment Cluster” in Yong In, Korea near factories of Global No. 1 and No2 DRAM manufacturers, Samsung and Hynix to solidify its position within this space as the global leader and provide customers with a "One Stop Platform" for Semiconductor Pre-Owned Equipment.

In this episode, Bruce talks about

a) His personal journey to founding SurplusGLOBAL

b) Overview of semiconductor equipment markets and 2nd hand equipment market.

c) How his model works and how 2nd hand semiconductor market

d) His philanthropic activities, working as president at Smile Together Foundation

e) His Semiconductor Equipment Cluster project in Yong In, one-stop solution platform for Semiconductor Pre-Owned Equipment.

f) His vision for Surplus GLOBAL

Today's guest is Victor Chua, Founder and Managing Partner of Vynn Capital and Chairman of Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.   Vynn Capital, Malaysia-based SE Asian VC firm that focuses on startups in travel, property, FMCG, logistics, property, and female-focused economics. In this episode, Victor talks about: a) His personal journey to founding Vynn Capital b) How he position Vynn Capital as CVC (investment concierge) for his investors and LPs c) His Investment strategy and investment focus  d) How he identifies the right startup and entrepreneur e) His current portfolio companies f) His vision for Vynn Capital       

Today’s guest is Mr. Anson Chan, Chairman and CEO of Bonds group of companies, his family’s multiple billion-dollar real estate development and investment empire. Chairman Chan calls himself an International value investor. Before joining his family business, Chairman Chan worked at Nomura International and AIG Investment as an investment banker and investment professional In addition, Chairman Anson Chan was a seed investor in the Evenstar Fund, which is a US$500 million Asia-focused hedge fund. he also served as a senior advisor to Elliott Associates, which is a world-famous leading U.S. based activist investment fund founded by Mr. Paul Singer The Group owns properties and investment portfolios in the United States, Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China and Singapore, with total investment assets of over U$ $3 billion.   In this episode, Chairman Chan talks about: a) How he took over his family investment group after having worked at many global investment banking and fund management firms for so many years. b) His investment focus; sectors, business situations, and geographic markets around the world c) His unique views on the future development of fintech business d) Average ticket size of investment and how he makes a decision and teams up with other strategic investors e) A few special situation opportunities and interesting international investment deals he closed recently f) Plan for this year amid global pandemic and his long-term vision g) Plus a lot of personal chats  between David Kim and Anson Chan SHOW LESS

Today's guest is Namsun Kim, SVP, Corp Dev and Head of M&A and Strategic Investment at Naver, Korea's No. 1 Tech and digital Giant, an internet conglomerate of highly diversified businesses, the 5th largest Korean company by the market cap, aka the parent group of messenger app, LINE

Namsun talks about 

1. His personal journey from studying material engineering at SNU, studying laws at Harvard law school, practicing laws at Wallstreet best law firm in US, working as PE fund manager at Morgan Stanley, Lazard and Macquarie, and finally having ended up heading corp development of Naver
2. Naver's business models and subsidiaries comparing them with Google
3. The huge success of its Webtoon business in US
4. JV with Softbank in Japan for LINE and Yahoo Japan
5. The recent acquisition of Wattpad (storytelling platform) in US ($600 million deal) 
6. How to run Naver like an innovative small startup with the great diversity
7. Naver's expansion strategy and focus markets. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today's guest is Tomoyuki Nii, executive officer, and head of the international investment division at SBI investment also known as Softbank investment

In this episode, Tomoyuki talked about

1) why SBI (Japan) group is eyeing opportunities in international markets and Africa

2) SBI's sweet spot in terms of sectors and business model

3) SBI's core is Fintech (Finance + technology)

4) buidling Digital asset platform

5) Building Japanese 4th megabank by M&A of 10+ regional banks

6) Opening SBI's African regional office.