Geeks Of The Valley

Felix Frenzel is the Founding Partner of Kadan Capital, a Singapore-headquartered early-stage venture capital firm backing category-defining startups across Southeast Asia and beyond. At Kadan, he focuses on high-impact companies in fintech and artificial intelligence, targeting ventures with strong early traction and potential for rapid scale.Before co-founding Kadan Capital, Felix built his expertise across investment management and strategy consulting. He was an Investment Manager at Antler, a leading global early-stage VC platform, and a strategy consultant at Bain & Company, where he advised top-tier clients on transformative growth strategies. Earlier in his career, he gained experience in public equity investing, adding depth to his financial acumen.Felix’s passion for investing runs deep. At just sixteen, he launched a small fund focused on European equities—a first step that reflects both his entrepreneurial drive and early fascination with capital markets.He holds an MBA from INSEAD, an MSc in International Finance from HEC Paris, and a BSc in Economics from the University of Bonn.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felixfrenzel/

In Episode #118 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Qin En Looi, Partner at Saison Capital. Backed by Credit Saison (Tokyo-listed, ~US$30B AUM), Saison has 100+ direct investments and 15+ fund investments across Asia and LATAM.We unpack why operator experience produces better investor how Qin En’s time scaling Glints shaped his emphasis on distribution, sales, and practical due diligence. The conversation dives deep into embedded finance. Saison’s playbook for pairing venture equity with tailored debt to de-risk lending-backed businesses, and the market signals that matter for India, Southeast Asia, Brazil and LATAM from eKYC and payment rails to regulatory openness. We close with a pragmatic look at web3 and digital assets: institutional tailwinds, realistic timelines, and how blockchain could become the new rails for moving money at internet speed.About Saison Capital: Saison Capital is an early-stage venture fund (pre-seed to Series B) focused on emerging markets, backing founders across fintech, commerce and web3. Backed by Credit Saison (Tokyo-listed, ~US$30B AUM), the team combines operating experience with flexible capital solutions—100+ direct investments and active fund-of-funds activity across Asia and LATAM—to help startups scale faster and more sustainably.About Qin En Looi: Qin En leads Saison’s early-stage direct investments across fintech, commerce and web3, and he jumpstarted Credit Saison’s digital-asset strategy. He co-founded ONCHAIN (Asia’s first real-world-asset conference) and sits on the boards of Southeast Asian fintechs including Helicap and SkorLife. Prior to VC, Qin En was Co-Founder and COO of Glints, Southeast Asia’s largest talent ecosystem (Series D), and has been recognised on Forbes 30 Under 30 and Entrepreneurs 27 Under 27.LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/looiqinenWebsite: saisoncapital.com

Doug Su is an investor at CMT Digital in Asia — a global electronic trading and investment firm specializing in blockchain and digital assets. Founded in 2017, CMT Digital was among the earliest firms to launch a dedicated crypto fund and has since backed more than 150 crypto-native protocols and blockchain ventures worldwide.Doug brings a diverse track record in venture capital and digital asset strategy, having previously worked at Insignia Ventures Partners, played a strategic role at Fireblocks, and led extensive crypto dealmaking efforts across the Asia-Pacific region.In today’s conversation, Doug will share the story behind CMT Digital’s entry into the crypto space in 2017 and how its mission has evolved over time. He’ll discuss how he evaluates opportunities across token-based protocols versus traditional equity investments in both Asia and the U.S., the macro themes he’s watching — from AI and stablecoins to blockchain infrastructure — and where he sees the ecosystem heading over the next two to five years through the lens of Venture Fund IV, launched in May 2024.We’ll also explore how Doug leverages CMT Digital’s expansive network — spanning 150+ portfolio companies, founders, LPs, and cross-border partners — to drive portfolio growth, support successful exits, and foster long-term ecosystem development.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglashsujf/ Note: This episode was recorded Pre-Genius Act passing

In Episode #116 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Jared Stein, Co-Founder at Monogram Capital, a leading private equity firm specializing in scaling high-growth, human-centric consumer brands.Jared walks through Monogram’s investment philosophy and why the firm focuses on companies with deep consumer resonance. He shares insights from leading investments in Chewy.com, Olipop, Genexa, and Planet Fitness, detailing how emotional connection, strong brand equity, and operational excellence drive sustainable growth. The conversation explores the evolving role of private equity in consumer markets, including the increasing importance of wellness, trust, and personalization in shaping investment decisions.Drawing on his background at Bain Capital, Golden Gate Capital, HGGC, and Goldman Sachs, Jared also discusses lessons learned from scaling category leaders, the role of strategic partnerships, and how to balance value creation with authentic brand building.Whether you’re an investor seeking differentiated strategies, a founder building a consumer brand, or a strategist tracking market shifts, this episode offers a deep dive into the future of human-centric private equity.

Khalid Saad is a seasoned venture capitalist and FinTech entrepreneur with a proven track record of launching new ventures and accelerating existing ones. Over the years, he has partnered with startups and established companies on digital strategy, business development, partnerships, and market-entry plans—spanning payment systems, remittance services, crypto platforms, open banking, and more  .He is the Founder & Managing Partner of Bunat Ventures, a Bahrain-based regulated venture-builder VC focused on nurturing and investing in high-growth startups across the GCC.Khalid serves on the board of CoinMENA, a Central Bank–regulated crypto-asset exchange, and is a board member of Oqal – Bahrain Chapter, the region’s largest and most active angel investment network  . Additionally, he advises 01 Systems, a leading regional financial technology and digital transformation firm, and contributes to the Finance, Insurance & Tax Committee of the Bahrain Chamber.Until recently, Khalid was the Founding CEO of Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB)—the largest FinTech hub in MENA, recognized by S&P Global Ratings as one of the region’s two most advanced FinTech ecosystems  . Under his leadership, BFB united ~100 public and private stakeholders (regulators, banks, telcos, asset managers, family firms, educational institutions, etc.) and hosted around 50 companies working across payments, blockchain, crypto assets, data analytics, robo-advisory, crowdfunding, and AI  .Before BFB, Khalid was a Business Development Manager at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, where he promoted the financial services sector and attracted major institutions—from banks and wealth managers to FinTechs and insurers—to Bahrain  . Prior to that, he worked with Ernst & Young, conducting feasibility studies, market research, and implementing a governance, risk & compliance platform in Bahrain, and with SEI Investments in London managing UK and European equity portfolios  .Khalid holds an MSc from Imperial College London and a First Class BSc from the University of Exeter  .LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalidesaad/

In Episode #114 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Jay Zhao , Founding Partner at Leonis Capital, a San Francisco–based fund focused on backing technical founders building transformative AI, SaaS, data-infrastructure and decentralized-tech companies.As a returning guest, we reflect on the growth journey of Jay and the market. Since 2021, he’s led or co-led investments in breakthrough businesses including Marqeta (NASDAQ: MQ), HireVue (NASDAQ: CG), Mixamo (Acquired by ADBE), Innoviz (NASDAQ: INVZ), and Delhivery (IPO), and serves on multiple boards advising high-growth startups across fintech, enterprise SaaS, robotics and analytics.Prior to Leonis, Jay co-founded T Fund—an early-stage vehicle investing in global SaaS and data-infrastructure ventures—and was a Senior Director/Partner at Walden Venture Capital, one of Silicon Valley’s pioneering firms with a global presence in Asia and Israel. He began his career as a Principal at Granite Ventures (ex-H&Q Venture Group), where he helped manage over $1 billion AUM and advised companies like Lime, MaintainX, and Sleeper.An active contributor to the industry dialogue, Jay’s long-form research essays have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and Venture Capital Journal. He shares his expertise as a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, Tulane and Wharton, and mentors at Girls Who Code and Habitat for Humanity. He writes the Next Trillion newsletter and hosts a technical-deep-dive Substack on AI’s future.Jay holds dual fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese. Outside of investing, he enjoys advising early-stage founders, exploring emerging Web3 protocols, and building community around research-driven entrepreneurship.Website: https://www.leoniscap.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzhaolinkedin

In Episode #113 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, a leading $2.5bn crypto-focused global investment firm. We explore the seismic shifts in the VC ecosystem, from the rise of trade-sale exits to the resilience of certain sub-sectors like Layer 2 protocols and real-world-asset platforms. A focal point of our discussion is Ripple’s landmark $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, where Rob dissects its implications for bridging institutional finance with native-crypto infrastructure. Along the way, Rob shares lessons he’s learned underwriting tokenized assets, supporting portfolio companies through volatility, and spotting early signals of talent migration in an increasingly global industry. Whether you’re an institutional investor seeking to understand new exit dynamics or a founder navigating the crypto VC landscape, this conversation offers a comprehensive roadmap to the future of digital-asset investing.Since 2017, Dragonfly has been at the forefront of blockchain and crypto innovation with a long-term oriented, technical, and research-driven approach, having been early backers of some of the most influential protocols and companies in the industry, including 1inch, Avalanche, Bitget, Bybit, Compound, DyDx, Ethena, Hidden Road, Matter Labs, Monad, Near, Optimism, Polygon, Ribbon and ZK Sync. Rob focuses on companies and protocols that are innovating at the bleeding edge of centralized and decentralized finance, payments, money, and digital asset infrastructure.Previously, Rob led multi-stage public and private investing into crypto protocols and companies at GoldenTree Asset Management ("GTAM"), a ~$50bn multi-strategy hedge fund. Prior to GTAM, Rob invested in and advised fintech, technology, and crypto companies while at Heritage Partners, Goldman Sachs, and PJT Partners. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he was co-founder of the Columbia Blockchain Club, and a Bachelor's in Economics and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadickWebsite: https://www.dragonfly.xyz

In Episode #112 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Ivan Casadevall, the CEO of ARYADUTA's Hotel Group, a leading Indonesian hospitality group and one of the most trusted brands in the region. Today, our portfolio features 10 upscale hotels and resorts strategically located across Indonesia, alongside 5 leisure units. We are currently expanding aggressively, with an exciting pipeline that includes 2 luxury hotels in Jakarta and 2 resorts in iconic destinations such as Ubud and Labuan Bajo, with additional land banks ready for development over the next 3 to 5 years.Ivan shares lessons from his global journey, from managing resorts in Vietnam and Bali to developing partnerships with global icons like Trump Hotels, Hyatt, and IMG. Whether you’re a founder, operator, or curious traveler, this episode is packed with wisdom.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, as we explore the significance of transparency in venture capital and its impact on Web3 ecosystems. Aly, recognized globally as a leader in blockchain innovation, shares his approach to investment, venture building, and go-to-market strategies across the USA, APAC, MENA, and EU regions. Discover how Blockchain Founders Fund nurtures digital assets and emerging technologies, fostering a culture of transparency and sustainable growth. Aly's extensive background, including roles with INSEAD, UN initiatives, and NASDAQ-listed Soluna Holdings, offers a unique perspective on navigating the evolving landscape of digital finance and venture funding. This episode is essential for founders, investors, and anyone passionate about ethical innovation and Web3's transformative potential.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alymadhavjiWebsite: https://www.blockchainff.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Bam Azizi, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mesh—a fintech infrastructure company revolutionizing how businesses and users interact with financial systems through embedded crypto and stablecoin solution with 300+ integrations today. Mesh empowers developers to seamlessly enable read, write, and transfer functionality within their applications. They recently closed an $82M Series B round, primarily settled in stablecoins, reflecting the company’s core mission of making digital money programmable and practical.Before Mesh, Bam Azizi co-founded NoPassword, a pioneering identity company acquired by LogMeIn, where he later served as Director. He brings over a decade of experience in software architecture, cybersecurity, and AI, including roles at Infineon Technologies and Robotic Research Labs. A visiting researcher at Johns Hopkins University and PhD holder from Technical University of Munich, Bamizi combines deep technical expertise with visionary entrepreneurship.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bam-azizi-54117310aMesh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meshconnectapi/Website: https://www.meshconnect.com/

Today, we’re excited to welcome Colin, a seasoned clinician with 27 years of experience revolutionizing physiotherapy through personalized treatment plans. Guided by the belief that “every body is unique, therefore every physio treatment plan should be unique,” Colin emphasizes the vital role of the nervous system in pain management and functional movement.With a Bachelor’s in Physical Therapy, an MHS in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, and a Fellowship in Applied Functional Science, Colin’s expertise in movement therapy has shaped his innovative approach to care. He advocates for combining manual therapy with personalized exercise strategies to achieve long-lasting results.Join us as we dive into Colin’s philosophy, his integration of the nervous system in rehabilitation, and how he’s redefining recovery and wellness in modern healthcare.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-symmonds-416a3a14/

John Sharp is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Hatcher+, a venture firm pioneering data-driven investment strategies. With a distinguished career spanning leadership, technology, and venture capital, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the investment landscape.Previously, John served as CEO of Authentium, where he co-authored three U.S. patents and developed cybersecurity solutions for global organizations like NASA, Google, and Microsoft. His leadership experience also includes serving as Managing Director, Asia, at WorldSpace and as CEO of Hatcher, the predecessor to Hatcher+.An accomplished entrepreneur and technologist, John has successfully raised capital worldwide, driven innovation, and developed advanced investment platforms. As CTO at Hatcher+, he continues to shape the future of venture investing. In addition to his executive roles, he has been a board member and advisor to pioneering companies like Telr and ThoughtRiver, contributing his expertise to their growth and success.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsharp1/?originalSubdomain=sg

Teddy Himler brings over 15 years of global experience at leading institutions, including Goldman Sachs, SoftBank, Comcast Ventures, and Antler, to his role at Optimist Ventures.Throughout his career, Teddy has cultivated deep expertise in global technology trends, innovative business models, and firm-building, with a focus on sectors such as artificial intelligence, insurance, healthcare, and industrial automation.At Antler, Teddy served as a partner, where he played a key role in the firm’s growth, helping it become the world’s most active early-stage venture capital firm by deal count.Prior to Antler, Teddy was instrumental in scaling SoftBank’s operations in both the U.S. and Southeast Asia. In 2018, he launched SoftBank Group International’s first New York City office, where he managed assets outside of SoftBank’s Vision Fund, including Arm, Sprint, Boston Dynamics, and Brightstar. Earlier, as SoftBank Capital’s first West Coast hire, Teddy served as Vice President, spearheading its Southeast Asia strategy from Jakarta while collaborating with partners like Alibaba.From 2018 to 2021, Teddy was a Principal at Comcast Ventures in New York, where he focused on investments in consumer internet, robotics, fintech (including insurtech and crypto), and other emerging technologies as part of Comcast’s corporate venture capital platform.Teddy began his career at Goldman Sachs as an investment banking analyst in the Technology, Media & Telecom group in San Francisco. He holds a B.A. in Government and Economics from Harvard University.Over the years, Teddy has backed five unicorns at the seed or Series A stages and has been a deal team leader or member in numerous landmark investments, including Kabbage, Fitbit, Dialpad, BigCommerce, Grab, Tokopedia, Cheddar, Acorns, Hippo, Blockdaemon, Madison Reed, Blockchange, ABL Space, KeyMe, Arm, Boston Dynamics, SoftBank Robotics, Sprint, Cybereason, Zola, SoFi, Airspan, OneWeb, Kindbody, Berkshire Grey, Lemonade, Brightstar, Airalo, Earlytrade, Folio, Ora Health, Endless Health, and Inshur.Teddy’s career reflects a track record of identifying transformative technologies and building global ventures, making him a key figure in the venture capital ecosystem.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddy-himler-84674719/

In this engaging episode we welcome Saurabh Jain, Executive Chairman of Opyl Ltd, to delve into how artificial intelligence is driving transformative changes in the healthcare and biotech sectors. With a career marked by pioneering tech startups and forward-thinking healthcare innovations, Saurabh provides a compelling perspective on the evolving role of AI in global health. Saurabh Jain is a seasoned leader in technology and healthcare, currently serving as the Executive Chairman of Opyl (ASX: OPL), a company pioneering AI-driven solutions for clinical trials. Appointed to this role on April 30, 2024, Saurabh spearheads Opyl's mission to transform clinical trials through advanced AI technologies. His leadership has been instrumental in fostering innovation and accelerating the global adoption of AI solutions in the healthcare sector. Throughout his extensive 25-year career, Saurabh has held various senior executive positions, including CEO and Executive Director roles. His experience includes founding Netpro Express, an internet service provider later acquired by Telstra, and serving on multiple ASX boards and private companies. Known for his entrepreneurial acumen and vision, Saurabh has consistently driven transformative change and fostered business growth across industries. His current focus is on expanding Opyl’s global footprint while enhancing the commercialization of its innovative AI solutions. Saurabh holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Software Engineering), an Executive Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Business Technology from the Australian Graduate School of Management, UNSW. Under his guidance, Opyl has engaged in strategic partnerships, participated in high-profile industry events, and expanded its influence in both the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabhjain10 Website: ⁠https://opyl.ai Twitter: https://x.com/OpylAI

Warwick Pearmund leads Madison Pearl's Hong Kong operations, specializing in sourcing top-tier talent across a wide array of disciplines, including financial technology, quantitative and systematic finance, payments, digital strategy, insurtech, data science, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, blockchain, and cybersecurity. Prior to his career in recruitment, Warwick worked as an equities trader and sales trader in both the UK and Asia. With extensive experience across the APAC region—on both the client side and in recruitment—he has cultivated a robust network of professionals across banks, insurers, global consulting firms, and technology companies. While his primary geographic focus is Hong Kong and China, Warwick also undertakes global mandates for senior executive roles. Having relocated to Asia in 2006 with Jefferies investment bank, Warwick spent several years in Tokyo before moving to Hong Kong with his family in 2011—a city he proudly calls home. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Studies from Cass Business School, City University of London. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warwick-pearmund-7023a377/

In this episode, we welcome John Sleeting, Executive Partner at Clearwater Capital Partners and host of the podcast Entrepreneurial Legacies. We dive deep into the challenges and opportunities unique to entrepreneurial families, exploring topics such as pre-liquidity event planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, and the role of family offices in navigating global markets.John Sleeting is an Executive Partner at Clearwater Capital Partners (CCP) and Managing Partner of Clearwater Capital's Family Office Practice. With over thirty years of finance and capital markets experience, John is uniquely positioned to serve a select group of successful ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families in the development and integration of estate and financial planning strategies, investment portfolio management, estate and wealth transfer strategies, strategic philanthropy and administration, cash-flow planning, risk management insurance solution structuring, as well as family governance and education.  John strives to serve as a client’s “Family Chief Financial Officer” to facilitate inter-generational wealth management strategy creation and implementation. John received his Certificate in Financial Management for the Family Office (CFMFO) through Pepperdine University, was a Charter Member of the Family Office Club, and is Clearwater Capital's Leader within the nationally recognized Family Office organization the Family Wealth Alliance (FWA).   John holds a B.S. in Management with Honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and an MBA in Finance from the University of Maryland. His professional development includes programs at Yale University and GE’s Executive Management and Advanced Financial Management courses. John serves as Chairman of a Family Holding Company Board, Director for two Private Grant-making Family Foundations, a Private Operating Foundation, Clearwater Capital Partners Board of Directors, and the Clearwater Capital Foundation.  Clearwater Capital Partners is an independent wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients across the U.S. With a focus on professionalism and sophisticated advice, the firm is dedicated to helping clients navigate the complexities of financial decisions in an ever-changing world.  Learn more about John W. Sleeting here Connect with John W. Sleeting on LinkedIn Learn more about Clearwater Capital Partners here This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be regarded as personalized investment advice or relied upon for investment decisions and is not intended to provide legal or tax advice. John Sleeting is an employee of Clearwater Capital Partners. All opinions expressed by participants are solely their own opinion and do not reflect the opinion of Clearwater Capital Partners.

Ever wondered how small indie studios become global game changers? Jason Della Rocca—game industry entrepreneur, funding advisor, and co-founder of Execution Labs—shares his extensive experience in transforming the game industry. He provides unique insights into pitching, funding, and ecosystem development, offering a glimpse into what it takes to thrive in the competitive game industry.Jason Della Rocca is a game industry entrepreneur, funding advisor, and cluster expert. He specializes in business/partnership development, pitching/funding, and ecosystem/cluster development. As the co-founder of Executions Labs, he was a hands-on early-stage investor to over 20 independent game studios from North America and Europe. Between 2000-09 he served as the executive director of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), and was honored for his industry-building efforts with the inaugural Ambassador Award at the Game Developers Conference. In 2009, Jason was named to Game Developer Magazine’s “Power50,” a list which profiles 50 of the most important contributors to the state of the game industry. As a sought-after expert on the game industry, Jason has lectured at conferences and universities worldwide.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondellarocca/Website: https://www.executionlabs.com/

Osvaldo Giménez serves as the President of Fintech at Mercado Libre, and is also the CEO of Mercado Pago, its financial services division. Osvaldo shares his journey, the challenges of building fintech solutions for diverse markets, and the strategies that have made MercadoLibre Latin America's largest e-commerce powerhouse, Mercado Pago is Mercado Libre’s financial services unit accounting for over 50M active users and over $50B in transaction volume, where he oversees the business strategy, including product development and promotion. Mr. Giménez joined Mercado Pago in 2004 and became President in 2020. Osvaldo was previously Country Manager for Mercado Libre in Argentina and was responsible for launching the digital trading platform in Chile, Uruguay and Peru following the firm’s IPO. Before joining Mercado Libre, Giménez was an associate consultant at Booz Allen and Hamilton and worked in the fixed income department at Santander in New York. Giménez graduated with a degree in industrial engineering from ITBA (Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires) and holds an M.B.A. from Stanford University. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osvaldogimenez/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercadolibre

In this episode, we sit down with Russell Palmer, CEO & Co-Founder of CyberFilm AI and the co-creator of the first and leading Generative AI app for screenwriters and filmmakers called SAGA (⁠WriteOnSaga.com⁠). We explore how Generative AI is transforming the world of filmmaking. Russell shares his journey from his engineering and product management roots at Microsoft and JPMorgan to co-creating the first AI app tailored for screenwriters and filmmakers. He has a background in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, and has worked for the last 15 years as a Product Manager at companies like Microsoft, Samsung’s AI Lab “Viv Labs”, and JPMorgan’s Palo Alto AI Lab. He founded the company with his brother Andrew, an accomplished Hollywood filmmaker and indie writer / screenwriter / actor / director / producer, who has worked on shows including “Suits” and “The Boys” out of Toronto where he also runs an award-winning Production Company “Synapz Productions”.  Russell and Andrew have been building SAGA since 2021 to democratize Hollywood film production, enabling people to make more of their best work faster, and break in to Hollywood career with a portfolio of films they can create on indie budgets with small teams that look like Hollywood productions

Rick is the CEO of Illumination International, a family office based between the US and Asia. He is a seasoned investor specializing in distressed consumer assets, with an impressive track record of managing a diversified portfolio of over six businesses. His expertise extends into the real estate sector, where he has successfully developed and constructed multi-family residential complexes in the Midwest. Rick is also recognized for his strategic procurement abilities and commodity specialization, further enhanced by his high-level political connections. Rick graduated from Purdue University, where he studied Business Administration and Management. He furthered his education by earning a master's degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of Southampton Business School. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iyang-li-3b54a9a0/