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Fady Abdel-Nour
Partner at Antler ElevateFady Abdel-Nour is currently a Partner at Antler Elevate, the early growth fund of the Antler ecosystem. Prior to joining Antler, he was the Global Head of M&A and Investments at PayU, the payments and fintech arm of Prosus, a global technology-focused investment group known for its early investment into Tencent. Before his tenure at Prosus, Fady spent six years with the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) between its Toronto and Hong Kong offices, where he helped establish the firm's presence in the region. During his time at OTPP, he was part of the Relationship Investing group, focusing on large minority investments in late-stage private and public companies. Prior to OTPP, Fady worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Scotiabank, a Canadian investment bank based in Toronto. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University, where he graduated with Honours, and is a CFA charterholder
Rahat Ahmed
Founder & Managing Partner of Anchorless BangladeshRahat Ahmed is the Founder & Managing Partner of Anchorless Bangladesh, a New York-based investment fund focused on increasing global capital flow into outsized Bangladeshi opportunities. Since its launch, they’ve made investments in various key sectors, including education, fintech and agriculture. He's been investing emerging and frontier markets since 2003, having led investments in Bangladesh for Prince Street Capital as early as 2004. He also co-founded B/deshi, a global diaspora network for professionals of Bangladeshi descent.
Surya Chadha
Managing Director of Madison India Capital Management Pte. Ltd.Surya oversees all investment activities at Madison India Capital Management, a trusted liquidity partner to leading venture capital and private equity funds. He brings over twenty-five years of private equity and secondary investment experience across the business services, financial services, consumer, healthcare and technology sectors. He has served on the board of directors of several companies in India and the U.S.
Prior to joining the firm, Surya worked in the private equity investment group at Sandler Capital. Previously, Surya worked at HarbourVest Partners and at Morgan Stanley. He has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, a B.A. from Hamilton College and a B.S. from Columbia University
Shane Chesson
Founding Partner at Openspace Ventures Pte. Ltd.Shane Chesson is Founding Partner of Openspace and has over 21 years of experience in venture, growth investing and technology banking. Openspace is a leading investor in Southeast Asia early and growth-stage companies with 40 team members across a Singapore HQ and offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur. It has invested in over 80 companies and manages over US$800mm in committed institutional capital. Shane has served on the board or as an observer for GoTo, Kredivo, CoPilot, Whispir, TradeGecko, Halodoc, Finnomena, Pluang, Neuroglee, Validus, CXA, Amp and Envisso among others.
Shane holds a Bachelor’s of Law and a Bachelor’s of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and an MBA with Distinction from INSEAD Singapore, where he was a recipient of the IAA Asian Campus scholarship.
Shane is the Vice-Chair of SVCA (Singapore Venture and Private Capital Association) and has been on the Board since 2021. He serves on the Markets Workstream of the Equity Markets Review Group established by MAS. Shane also acts as the Chairman of the Investment Committee for Aidha, offering entrepreneurship opportunities for female migrant workers.
Emily Chew
Head of Sustainability at GICEmily Chew is Head of Sustainability at GIC. She leads the Sustainability Office in deepening GIC’s capabilities in sustainability-related research, analysing fast-evolving themes, and examining their implications for investment. She is also responsible for championing enhancements to the investment processes across the enterprise.
Emily joined GIC in 2024. Prior to joining GIC, she worked at Morgan Stanley as Executive Vice President for Calvert Research & Management where she worked to globalise the investment practices, personnel, and product range of Calvert-branded funds. She assumed this role after operating as the inaugural Global Head of Sustainability for Morgan Stanley Investment Management. Prior to that, she served as Global Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Research & Integration at Manulife Investment Management, where she built an ESG investing programme for public markets investments encompassing research, investee stewardship, thought leadership, and thematic product development. Previously, she was Head of Asia-Pacific ESG Research for MSCI Inc.
Emily has served in various capacities to strengthen the adoption of sustainable investing and ESG integration across the asset management industry. She was a member of the CFA Institute ESG Technical Committee, which launched a new global ESG disclosure standard for investment funds in late 2021, and formerly served as rotating chair of the Steering Committee of the Climate Action 100+ investor engagement initiative and as chair of the Asian Investor Group on Climate Change.
She was also a founding member of the Bloomberg Women’s Buyside Network – New York Chapter. Prior to joining GIC in Singapore, Emily has worked across Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, and the United States. She holds an MBA from the University of Oxford, and Bachelors of Laws and Arts (honors) from the University of Melbourne.
Huai Fong Chew
Regional Lead at IFC Private Equity Funds GroupHuai Fong is the Regional Lead for the East Asia & the Pacific Private Equity Funds team in the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Prior to joining IFC, Huai Fong spent five years with Deutsche Investitions-Und Entwicklungsgesellschaft MBH (DEG) where she had a primary coverage of Southeast Asia funds and co-investments. Before DEG, Huai Fong was with UOB Venture Management where she did direct equity investments into growth stage companies in Southeast Asia and China. Huai Fong holds Double Bachelor’s degrees in Business Management and in Economics (Honors and Dean’s list) from the Singapore Management University. She has also passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst program. Huai Fong is a Board member on the Singapore Venture and Private Capital Association (SVCA) where she chairs the Professional Development Committee. She is also a Council Member on the Impact Investment Advisory Council of the AVPN.
Ashmita Chhabra
Managing Director of MourantAshmita Chhabra is Managing Director heading the governance and corporate administration practice of Mourant in Singapore, she specializes in governance matters related to investment funds and their investment holding companies. Ashmita has over two decades of experience working with global asset owners and managers in the APAC region. Her career included supporting asset managers on their fund establishment, service provider selection and market entry into the region. Ashmita chairs the Singapore Fund Administrators Association and is an Executive Committee member of the Singapore Funds Industry Group where she also Co-Chairs their Promotion and Advocacy Working Group.
Louisa Chiam
Managing Director & Head Of Portfolio Management Group of Affinity Equity Partners (S) Pte. Ltd.Louisa currently heads the Portfolio Management Group at Affinity Equity Partners, a Pan-Asia buyout firm with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Beijing and Australia. The Portfolio Management Group is the risk management function of the Firm, and her scope of responsibilities includes independent review of transactions at the pre-investment stages, post-investment monitoring of all portfolio companies’ business and financial performance, review of the quarterly valuations used for the valuation process. During her 12 years with the Firm, she has reviewed transactions across the five offices and in various industries, including consumer & retail, B2B, healthcare, F&B, etc. Louisa is also involved in the Firm’s investor relations related events, including preparation of the annual general meeting and various marketing materials. Louisa also oversees the Firm’s ESG programme, which includes integration of ESG in the investment process and during ownership. Prior to joining Affinity, Louisa spent over five years at Deloitte and Touche M&A Transaction Services Division, where she undertook financial due diligence engagements for financial sponsors and corporate clients in Asia.
Armin Choksey
Executive Director of Ernst & Young Solutions LLPArmin was the project leader of the Variable Capital Company (VCC) legislation framework development and drafting, which stemmed from the white paper he authored. Tokenised VCC, fund settlement platform are some of the other white papers that have taken fruition in the Singapore marketplace amongst many the others that he has conceptualized. Armin is also the co-chair of the Asia Pacific Financial Forum’s – Asia Region Funds Passport working group and participates in contributing to the development and growth of the industry in many other industry associations and forums. He spends his time advising asset managers, service providers and regulators in addition to being an auditor for many start-up and prominent funds and asset managers.
Willson Cuaca
Founding Partner at East VenturesWillson Cuaca is the Founding Partner at East Ventures, a pioneering and leading sector-agnostic venture capital firm in Southeast Asia. Willson transformed East Ventures into a multi-asset platform, managing multiple funds from seed to growth with over 300 portfolio companies across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia which is the firm's central focus. Under Willson’s leadership, East Ventures captured Indonesia's early wave of digital transformation and is an early backer of some of the largest tech companies in Southeast Asia, such as Tokopedia, Traveloka, Ruangguru, waresix, Sociolla, ShopBack, Mighty Jaxx, Xendit, Fore Coffee, and IDN.
East Ventures was awarded The Most Consistent Top Performing GP Globally by Preqin; 1st Top Asia Investor and 4th Top Global Investor in 2022 by CB Insights; named The Most Active Investor in Southeast Asia and Indonesia; and listed as one of the top 10 global seed investors headquartered in Asia in the Crunchbase 2021 report.
In 2020, Willson was listed in Asia’s Top 100 People Transforming Business by Business Insider. Willson was also named Fortune Indonesia Businessperson of the Year 2022.
Pol De Win
Senior Managing Director Head of Global Sales and Origination at SGXMr Pol de Win joined Singapore Exchange (SGX Group) as Head of Global Sales and Origination (GSO) on 1 July 2021.
As Head of GSO, Mr de Win drives the growth of SGX Group’s international presence, including strengthening client engagements globally and overseeing SGX Group’s specialised sales teams in 9 cities. He leads the strategy and delivery of the equity and debt capital market businesses, as well as the development of distribution channels for SGX Group’s products and services across all asset classes.
Mr de Win has extensive experience in capital markets advisory and transaction execution across Asia, Europe and the US. Prior to joining SGX Group, Mr de Win held various senior roles at Goldman Sachs. He most recently headed Southeast Asia Financial Institutions and Fintech (Asia ex-Japan) as Managing Director in Hong Kong.
Mr de Win is the Organising Chairman of SGX Cares Bull Charge, the only corporate charity initiative that brings the financial industry and SGX-listed companies together to support the needs of the underprivileged, persons with disabilities and the elderly. Mr de Win leads the effort in rallying the community to raise funds for SGX Cares’ beneficiaries.
Mr de Win holds a Master of Science degree from Erasmus University Rotterdam.
MIng Eng
Partner at Granite Asia Capital Pte. Ltd.Ming Eng is a Partner at Granite Asia.
Granite Asia, formerly known as GGV Capital, is a leading multi-asset investment platform with over $5 billion in AUM.
With 20 years of experience in financial and capital markets, Ming has a deep track record in Asia private credit, having led over $2 billion in investments across the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining Granite Asia, she was a Managing Partner and Investment Committee Member at Orion Capital Asia, a private debt investment firm focused on middle-market direct lending. Earlier in her career, she worked at Macquarie Bank in Singapore and Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong.
Ming is a CFA charterholder and holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Vijay Karwal
Managing Director of CBC Group (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Vijay Karwal is a Managing Director of CBC Group, Asia's largest healthcare-dedicated asset management firm, based in Singapore. In his role, he advises on sourcing and execution of investment opportunities as well as portfolio management, with particular focus on CBC’s royalty & credit strategy RBF funds, together with providing regional Southeast Asia coverage for the firm. Vijay was previously an Operating Partner of CBC in which capacity he lastly served as Executive Director and CEO of AffaMed Therapeutics. He currently serves as a Director of CBC portfolio companies AffaMed Therapeutics and Motiva China, and is also an Independent Director of listed healthcare companies Mega Lifesciences PCL in Thailand, and OneSource Specialty Pharma Ltd in India.
He contributes over 25 years of management and advisory experience in the healthcare industry with extensive background in strategy, business development, M&A and capital raising from roles in industry and as a senior investment banker, gaining extensive global experience across postings in London, Chicago, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. Vijay joined CBC from Nomura International in Hong Kong, where he served as Managing Director and Head of Healthcare Investment Banking for the Asia (ex-Japan) region. Prior to Nomura, he was Chief Development Officer, Asia Pacific, as well as General Manager of China operations for DaVita Inc., the NYSE-listed global provider of kidney care services. Vijay previously held several senior investment banking roles globally, including as Co-Head of M&A at CIMB Investment Bank, Asia Pacific Head of Consumer, Retail & Healthcare coverage at RBS, Head of Healthcare Banking in North America at ABN AMRO and RBS, and as a senior member of ABN AMRO Rothschild - the global equity capital markets joint venture between the Rothschild and ABN AMRO groups.
A native of the Netherlands, Vijay was educated at the University of Southampton, UK, and the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, holds a M.Sc. in Economics, and is also a CFA charter holder.
Vy Le
Co-founder & General Partner of Do VenturesVy is the Co-founder and General Partner of Do Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that focuses on making investments in technology companies in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Vy has invested in 40 companies across diverse sectors, including MindX (EdTech), Metub (Creator Commerce), MFast (FinTech), Validus (Fintech), Palexy (Computer Vision/AI), Bizzi (Business Automation), among others.
Vy is an innovative serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in operations and keen insights into the Vietnam market. At 13, she founded TmSpeed Network, specialized in web development and hosting service. In 2010, Vy founded Chon.vn and served as CEO, developing the platform into one of the most popular online fashion shopping centers in Vietnam. In 2014, she exited Chon.vn to Vingroup, the largest private conglomerate in Vietnam. She then served as the CEO of Vingroup’s e-commerce subsidiary, Adayroi.com. Vy has a decade of e-commerce experience before transitioning into the world of venture investment.
Vy graduated as Valedictorian from Georgetown University (United States). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance.
Eugene Leong
Deputy Director and Head / Financial Products & Solutions Division, Financial Markets Development Department of Monetary Authority of SingaporeEugene leads the Financial Products & Solutions Division at the MAS, which is responsible for designing and executing strategies to further grow and develop Singapore’s FX, derivatives and capital markets (including equities, fixed income and ETFs). Prior to this, Eugene led the team that ran the Singapore Government’s debt issuance programme covering Singapore Government Securities (SGS), Treasury Bills (T-Bills), and Singapore Savings Bonds (SSB), and was part of the team that was responsible for MAS’ money market and FX operations.
Wai San Loke
Founder and Managing Partner of Novo Tellus Capital Partners Pte. Ltd.Wai San is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Novo Tellus Capital Partners. He has led the investment activity of the fund since its founding in 2011. Wai San was the chairman/ board member of Fund 1 portfolio companies AEM Holdings, MFS, Amsino International, Luma Investments and Novoflex Pte. Ltd, and currently represents the fund on the boards of Sunningdale Technology, Grand Venture Technology, and Tessolve Semiconductors. Wai San started his career as an R&D engineer with Motorola’s Cellular Infrastructure Group and subsequently joined management consultants AT Kearney in their High Technology practice group. Prior to founding Novo Tellus Capital Partners, Wai San was a Managing Director with Baring Private Equity Asia in their Silicon Valley and Singapore offices where he led investments in IT hardware, SaaS, semiconductor capital equipment, and industrials. As Executive Chairman of AEM Holdings, Wai San led the transformation of AEM Holdings from a sub S$100m regional business to a global enterprise with over S$500m in revenue, and with 7 tuck-in acquisitions across the US, EU and Asia.
Wai San holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BSEE from Lehigh University. He was the former Chairman and President of the Singapore American Business Association in San Francisco.
David Low
Partner at Albourne Partners (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.David Low is a Partner at Albourne and the Head of Private Markets in Asia. Based in Singapore, he leads Albourne’s Investment Due Diligence coverage of private equity, venture capital, private credit, real estate and real asset funds in the region and also supports clients on the management of their Private Markets portfolio.
Before joining Albourne in 2014, David spent five years managing the direct investment portfolio for an Asian family office. Prior to that, David was an entrepreneur for several years and co-founded multiple companies in the consumer services and FMCG space. David began his career at Arthur Andersen Business Consulting before joining General Electric in a variety of finance roles.
David holds an MBA from the Melbourne Business School, a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance), from Monash University in Melbourne and the CPA Australia designation. He is also a Board member of the Singapore Venture and Private Capital Association.
Rama Mamuaya
General Partner at DS/X VenturesRama Mamuaya is an experienced technology entrepreneur and investor with expertise in various fields, including product & business development, project management, digital marketing and operations. Rama is the Managing Partner of Discovery/Shift, an AI-focused research, consultancy and advisory firm where he also operates tech startup media DailySocial.id and DS/X Ventures, an Indonesia-focused early stage fund that is backed by highly successful startup founders, super angels, global family offices and international investment firms. Rama is also active in various organizations such as the Indonesian Association for Venture Capital for Startups (AMVESINDO) as Vice Chairman, and the Indonesian Digital Association (IDA) as Head of Public Policy & Advocacy. He is also a mentor at the Antler, Founder Institute Indonesia and Facebook South East Asia Community Accelerator (APAC).
Rama holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information System Management from Tarumanagara University. He also holds Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree specializing in Corporate Strategy & Operations from Quantic School of Business & Technology in Washington D.C, and Master of Arts degree in International Relations at Liverpool John Moores University (M.A.) in the UK in 2023.
Shashank Mathur
Managing Director of Harvard Management CompanyShashank Mathur is based in Singapore as Managing Director for HMC APAC Pte. Ltd. He joined the Harvard endowment (HMC) in 2008, and previously covered a range of asset classes including private equity, absolute return, and public equities from HMC’s Boston office. Previously, Mr. Mathur worked at Morgan Stanley in New York with their Mergers and Acquisitions and Principal Investing divisions. Mr. Mathur received a BS in molecular biology from Princeton University in 2003 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2008.
Sunil Mishra
Partner at Adams Street Partners Singapore Pte. Ltd.Sunil specializes in fund selection, due diligence, negotiations, and monitoring of Asian investments ex-China, specifically in India, Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Korea. He also actively participates in all fund investment decisions and is involved in the sourcing, screening, execution, monitoring, and exiting of growth and buyout co-investments.
Sunil manages relationships with several of Adams Street’s managers and sits on advisory boards of more than a dozen private equity firms within the Adams Street Partners portfolio. He is currently Chairman of the Singapore Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SVCA) and has been a member of the SVCA Board since 2016.
He is also a member of Adams Street’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Committee.
Linda Mok
Director of Investments at Sarona Asset Management Singapore Pte. Ltd.Linda is a seasoned private equity professional having spent 17 years in various capacities both as GP and LP investor, and has successfully navigated through several market cycles. Prior to joining Sarona, Linda was Chief Representative for DEG, a German development finance institution, where she was responsible for DEG’s private equity business in emerging Asia, focusing on early growth investments with developmental impact. Before DEG, Linda managed a fund of funds portfolio at NTUC Income, a social enterprise that seeks to ensure affordable insurance in Singapore. Linda started her private equity career as a VC at DFJ ePlanet, where she honed her ability to identify innovative business models and technologies that addressed urgent unmet needs. Linda has been at the forefront of advocating for responsible investment in Asia, she founded and served as Chairperson of the Singapore VC Association ESG Committee from 2021-2022, and was a member of Singapore’s Green Finance Industry Taskforce. Linda holds a BBA from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
Chad Ovel
Partner at Mekong CapitalChad Ovel has lived and worked in Vietnam continuously since 1996.
Chad is a Partner at Mekong Capital, a Vietnam-focused Private Equity firm, specializing in consumer driven businesses. Established in 2001, Mekong Capital has the most extensive private equity track record in Vietnam having completed 44 private equity investments, of which 29 have been fully exited. Chad has led Mekong Capital’s successful investments in various sectors including pharmaceuticals, real estate, logistics, casual dining, healthcare and retail.
Before joining Mekong Capital, Chad had a successful track record as a CEO leading the rapid growth of ScanCom Vietnam, a foreign-owned furniture export manufacturing business, and AA Corporation, a local company operating in the sectors of construction, retail and manufacturing.
Chad is originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. He holds a BA from Carleton College and an MBA from University of Chicago.
Sarah Pang
Head of ESG & Sustainability at Affinity Equity Partners (S) Pte. Ltd.Sarah is the Head of ESG and Sustainability at Affinity Equity Partners. She is responsible for ESG integration, training, and disclosures and helps the firm manage its sustainability and climate related risks and opportunities. She is passionate about ESG as a value creation lever and actively engages with portfolio companies to develop initiatives that will help them create long term sustainable value. As a member of the SVCA ESG committee, she believes that knowledge sharing, and partnerships will help accelerate sustainability solutions that build a better world for the next generation.
Codhai Raghavan
Partner at Lexygen Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.Codhai is a Partner at Lexygen (www.lexygen.law), a leading Indian law firm headquartered in Bangalore, with pan-India coverage and international offices in Singapore. Codhai graduated from the School of Law, Christ University, Bangalore in 2013, and has over a decade of experience advising blue-chip funds, exciting start-ups, and high-growth corporations on their legal needs and growth strategy.
Codhai enjoys a strong reputation in the market for Private Equity & Venture Capital investments and exits, PE secondaries, Mergers & Acquisitions, Fund Formation, and corporate commercial matters. Codhai was featured in India Business Law Journal’s “50 up-and-coming Future Legal Leaders” for India in 2020.
Codhai regularly advises some of the market-leading funds on their transactions including Capital Square Partners, Basil Technology Partners, Verlinvest, Saama Capital, DSG Consumer Partners, Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India), and NewQuest Capital, and also advises corporates and start-ups on their deals and operations such as Standex Corporation, Circor International, EazyDiner, Purplle, and Vivance (formerly AWAK Technologies).
Rhea See
Co-founder & CEO of She Loves TechSee is the Co-founder & CEO of She Loves Tech, the world’s largest tech startup competition and accelerator dedicated to women tech entrepreneurs. Under her leadership, She Loves Tech grew from a single-country initiative to a global platform spanning 80 countries, building a robust pipeline of 15,000 women-led tech startups across 110 nations. Her work has led to $600 million+ in post-competition funding. By 2030, she aims to mobilize $1 billion in capital for women entrepreneurs worldwide.
Rhea is redefining the global investment landscape by directing capital toward meaningful innovations. She is an Investor, Venture Partner at Kaya Founders, Advisor to multiple venture funds, and sits on the Walmart Innovation Council, where she focuses on gender-lens investing and bridging startup ecosystems across borders. With deep expertise in inclusive innovation and ecosystem building, she advises global leaders, across governments, Fortune 500 companies, multilaterals, and DFIs on aligning investment and innovation with sustainability strategies.
With over a decade of experience and unique insights developed through accelerating Women founders through She Loves Tech, Rhea has partnered with UN Women, UNESCAP, Asian Development Bank Ventures, DFAT, and more to lead sustainability focused initiatives including the UN Women Climate-Tech Accelerator as well as several investor roundtables, and research projects at the intersection of tech, gender, and sustainability—an emerging area of strength in her portfolio.
Rhea is recognized internationally as a Yale World Fellow, World Economic Forum Global Shaper, Asia 21 Next Generation Fellow, and a member of UN Women’s 30 for 2030 network, driving gender equality and digital inclusion across Asia-Pacific. She is also a United Nations EQUALS Partner, championing gender-equitable investment in tech globally. Her leadership has earned her numerous accolades, including being a two-time honoree on Tatler’s Gen.T List, listed in Esquire’s Trailblazers List, and inclusion among Singapore’s 100 Women in Tech. Through her work, Rhea is leveraging capital, technology, and inclusion to build a more sustainable and equitable future.
John Sharp
Managing Partner at Hatcher+John is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Hatcher+, a Top-20 Data-Driven venture firm, and the developer of the multi-award-winning, AI-powered FAAST (Funds As A Service Technology) platform. John has extensive commercial experience at the senior management level, having been the Chief Executive Officer of Authentium, Inc. the Managing Director, Asia, of WorldSpace, and CEO of Hatcher, the precursor company to Hatcher+. A tenacious and driven executive with longstanding board-level and C-suite level management experience within high-growth companies, John maintains a single family office based in Singapore, which invests globally with a focus on generative AI, fintech, and decarbonization.
John is a frequent blogger and an in-demand speaker at venture and family office events worldwide and has extensive experience implementing ESG solutions as Chairman and/or board member of numerous start-ups, including director roles at Hatcher+, trade finance provider ASYX, and payment aggregator Mozido, and roles as Chairman of MENA-based financial services pioneer Telr, and co-founder and director of the first reversible, space-based climate mitigation solution, EarthGua
Tandip Singh
Chief Executive Officer at Altrui GroupTandip is the CEO of a single family office based in Singapore. He brings almost 30 years of experience in M&A, corporate/debt restructurings and crisis management for UNHW families to bear in the reorganisation and streamlining of family businesses.
Tandip was particularly sought after for his experience in Indonesia; navigating entry into complex investments and negotiating and resolving failed international partnerships in Indonesia. Tandip is an advocate for the rejuvenation of traditional businesses with modern systems and disruptive technology, as key elements for the continuing success of family businesses.
As the CEO of Altrui, Tandip focuses on creating an investment advantage by leaning on the family's accumulated know-how in the agricultural ecosystem to develop advanced businesses that fix realworld agricultural inefficiencies.
Kunal Sood
Managing Director of Pantheon Ventures (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Kunal is a Managing Director at Pantheon and a member of the Asia Investment Committee. Kunal is responsible for primary (fund), secondary and co-investment opportunities across Asia-Pacific markets. Prior to Pantheon, Kunal was at a middle-market direct private equity investment firm and previously at CITI Group and ICICI Bank. He has a Masters from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and a Bachelors in Engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology. Kunal is the Chair for the Limited Partners Council for India Venture Capital Association (IVCA) and a member of Secondaries Special Interest Group. Having spent over a decade in Hong Kong, Kunal is now based in Singapore.
Andrew Staples
Founder and Principal of GeoPol AsiaDr Staples is the Founder and Principal of GeoPol Asia, a boutique advisory service operating at the intersection of geopolitics, business and strategy. Andrew established GeoPol Asia in 2024 following a career spanning three decades in Asia with The Economist Group and as a business school professor. He has run regional businesses and published widely as an Asia specialist. Andrew excels in connecting the dots between geopolitics and economics, identifying how global shifts shape local realities and clearly communicating what this means for businesses. He has extensive experience advising leaders of multinational firms and maintains a deep network of business leaders, investors, policy makers and academics.
Andrew was previously the Editorial Director and Head of Policy & Insights (APAC) at Economist Impact, the custom research and engagement division of The Economist Group. In this role he represented the business on the global stage and led a team of researchers, analysts and editors across Asia. He was formerly the Global Editorial Director of The Economist Corporate Network (ECN)—the Economist Intelligence Unit’s briefing and advisory service designed to help senior business leaders understand and navigate complex business environments. Prior to his move to Singapore in 2016 Andrew was the ECN director, North Asia, covering Japan and South Korea from Tokyo.
Dr Staples is a seasoned public speaker who brings clarity on complex issues in today’s rapidly changing world. He is highly experienced in briefing senior executives, delivering keynote presentations and chairing closed-door roundtables. Combining subject matter expertise with world-class professionalism, he is also much in demand as a moderator appearing at major business conferences and corporate events around the world. He also regularly appears in the international business media (BBC, CNN, CNBC, and Channel News Asia).
Andrew has a PhD in International Political Economy and an MSc in East Asian Business, both from the University of Sheffield, UK. Before joining The Economist Group, Andrew pursued an academic career holding both tenured and adjunct posts at leading universities and business schools in Japan and the UK. He has published widely and major publications include Responses to Regionalism in East Asia: Japanese Production Networks in the Automotive Sector published as part of the Palgrave Macmillan Asian Business Series and popular textbooks including Asian Business and Management. Andrew was also previously a Senior Editor for the internationally peer reviewed journal Asian Business and Management.
Dividing his time between Singapore and Japan, he is the Singapore CEO and Asia Management Forum chair for IMA Asia an Associate Fellow (Geo-economics and strategy) at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). He also serves on the advisory board of the Hinrich Foundation.
Tommy Teo
Managing Director of Cercano Management Asia Pte. Ltd.Tommy Teo leads Cercano’s Southeast Asia investment team in Singapore.
Prior to joining Cercano, Tommy was an Executive Director with the NorthstarGroup, a Singapore headquartered private equity firm where he focused on growth and technology opportunities in Southeast Asia. Previously, Tommy was an investment banker with Citigroup in Singapore, and with Perella Weinberg Partners and Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. in New York. Tommy was also an analyst at hedge fund sponsor Capital Z Asset Management.
Tommy received his BBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Divya Thakur
Partner at Morgan LewisDivya is a Registered Foreign Lawyer at Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC, a Singapore law corporation affiliated with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. She is also a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
Divya Thakur, who leads the firm’s investment management practice in Singapore, has an extensive background in advising both established and first-time fund sponsors and managers in the formation of a broad range of investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, and other structured fund products. She is also highly skilled in advising institutional investors on their fund investments. Her practice includes counseling clients on carried interest plans, co-investment arrangements, structuring business and ongoing operational, management, and compliance issues. Divya co-chairs the firm’s India Initiative.
Divya is qualified in New York and England and Wales and brings her deep knowledge of international fund offerings and market terms to her representation of an array of clients, including sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, investment banks, multinational companies, and US, European, and Asian companies.
Binh Tran
Co-founder and General Partner of Ascend Vietnam Ventures (AVV)Binh Tran is the co-founder and General Partner of AVV, a seed VC firm that writes the first institutional check into founders building category defining tech companies across Southeast Asia. He backed four startups at seed that later became unicorns: Sky Mavis, ApplyBoard, Outreach, and Turing. Before AVV, he co-founded 500 Startups Vietnam in 2016, completing 76 deals and kick-starting the country’s VC ecosystem. Earlier, he co-founded and served as CTO of San Francisco based Klout, the Kleiner backed social-analytics pioneer acquired for over US$200 million in 2014. An operator-turned-investor who has shipped more than 20 software products and raised capital in both Silicon Valley and Asia, Binh now lives in Ho Chi Minh City with his wife and two children, advising founders on cross-border growth, AI-driven execution, and capital strategy.
Bhavik Vashi
Managing Director, Asia Pacific & Middle East of Carta Asia Private LimitedBhavik Vashi, Managing Director, Asia Pacific & Middle East at Carta, leads the strategic growth of the company across APAC & Middle East. He is passionate about supporting the startup ecosystem with technology, and an active angel investor and advisor to startups globally.
Prior to this, Bhavik built and scaled Anaplan's Asia presence from a startup with ~80 employees and US$10M in revenue to an established category leader with 2000+ employees and US$800M+ in revenue, while achieving key milestones such as a successful IPO in 2018 and an eventual sale to Thoma Bravo in 2022.
Ashok Verma
Founding Partner at nVentures Pte LtdAshok Verma is the Founding Partner at nVentures, a Singapore-based VC fund investing in early-stage Fintech and B2B SaaS startups across Asia, with a focus on India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore. With over 25 years of experience in the tech and telecom industries at companies like IBM, Cisco, and HPE, Ashok brings deep operational insight to the startup ecosystem.He previously founded ncinga, a SaaS manufacturing platform that was acquired by a unicorn in 2019. Ashok holds an EMBA from INSEAD and is also an avid marathoner and outdoor enthusiast.
Donald Wihardja
CEO of MDI VenturesDonald is the CEO of MDI Ventures, Telkom's Corporate VC, focused on generating capital gains from tech investments while connecting startup innovations with opportunities in Indonesia's SOE ecosystem. Donald is also the Vice Chairman of Amvesindo, Indonesia‘s Venture Capital Association, and Board Member of the Nexticorn Foundation to promote tech startups of Indonesia to global venture capitals. Prior to MDI, Donald was a Partner at Convergence Ventures (now AC Ventures) and was CTO at Principia Management Group. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California and a Master's degree in Computer Science from Cornell University.
https://mdi.vc/team/donald-wihardja
Veiverne Yuen
Founding Partner at Blauwpark PartnersVeiverne is one of the Founding Partners of Blauwpark Partners. He has extensive experience in institutional Asset Management, particularly in relation to alternative assets. He also has a deep understanding of the nuts and bolts of asset management including a strong regard for good governance and compliance, having begun his career in financial services and investment management in 2005 with the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a regulator, focusing on fund management and other capital market intermediaries.
More recently, Veiverne was a co-founder of tryb Group, a principal investment firm focused on financial services and financial technology investments in Southeast Asia. He holds a MSc in Applied Finance from the Singapore Management University and a MEng in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Bristol.