OUR TEAM
EDDIE AHMED
Founder & Managing Partner
CLAUDE ACHCAR
Co-Founder & Partner
GARRY CHAN
Partner & CMO
Dr CINDY ERASMUS
Partner
BILL McDERMOND
Partner
MAAN EL-RAYES
Partner
Dr RIAD HARTANI
Partner
MITCH IMOTO
Partner
TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
Partner
EDDIE AHMED
Founder & Managing Partner
- Global financial and insurance experience with a focus on digital innovation, living in USA, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, UAE, Singapore, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia
- Most recently served as Chairman/CEO of MassMutual International managing businesses in insurance, asset management, venture investing, insurance technology
- Spent 17 years at Morgan Stanley with the last role being Chief Operating Officer for Asia
- Served as Citigroup’s Head of Technology and Operations for all employees and as Chief HR Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa; Started professional career at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
- Board appointments: Nippon Life Insurance Company Asia (Japan); NPX Capital (Korea); Essenlix Corporation (USA); Chinese University Hong Kong EMBA School (Hong Kong); Yunfeng Financial (Hong Kong); Temasek Management Services (Singapore); Human Capital Leadership Institute in (Singapore); Bank Handlowy (Poland); Citibank (Turkey)
- Education: 1) M.B.A., 2) BSc, Computer Science, 3) BA, International Relations (Tulane University)
CLAUDE ACHCAR
Co-Founder & Partner
- Over 30 years of Tech and strategic advisory experience and proven leadership skills
- Also the Founder and Managing Partner of Actel Consulting, a Tech advisory firm to investors, telecoms and clouds across sectors including TMT, AI, data, software and digital infrastructure
- Served as the Managing Director and Vice-President at Ciena, a networking systems, services, and software company, where he oversaw operations and led a team across APAC
- Began his career in applied AI Research in Montréal, followed by 11 years with Nortel Networks in various engineering, marketing, operations, and business development roles across North America, Europe, and Asia
- An acknowledged tech industry thought leader frequently invited as guest keynote speaker, judge, conference chair, or panel moderator at leading tech events worldwide
- A long-time Hong Kong resident and is a native French and Arabic speaker
- Education: 1) M.B.A. (McGill University), 2) B.Eng. & M.Eng. (Speech Recognition) (Ecole Polytechnique)
GARRY CHAN
Partner & CMO
- Global insurance experience; PR & Event Management experience with a particular focus on 3D/4D film and cinema development industry
- Currently a Senior Regional General Manager in YF Life; Led over 100 events
- Previously the Executive Producer for The Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belford talk show
- Achievements: Life Member of Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), achieving 12 consecutive years of MDRT, 5 years of COT
- Chairman – 1.28 Policy Donation concert, Lifecare Movement – Policy Donation, MDRT Day (Hong Kong & Macau); The Creatives & Program Chairman – The 30th anniversary of CUHK annual conference; The MDRT Hong Kong & Macau Membership Communication Committee; Executive committee – The Life Underwriters Association of Hong Kong; Member – The 5th Golden Age Foundation (2021)
- Education: 1) EMBA (Chinese University) 2) Bachelor of Art (University of Toronto)
Dr. CINDY ERASMUS
Partner
- With more than 25 years of experience in human resources and human capital management in multiple industries and countries, including the Middle East and Africa
- Collaborate with and support HR professionals and originations in key areas of human capital strategies, processes and projects
- Conference speaker sharing knowledge and collaborating to innovate and challenge
- Spent 17 years at Citigroup with the last role being HR Head for MENA and HR Transformation Lead for MEA
- Education: PhD in Neuro and Organisational Psychology with a speciality in Capability and Potential Assessment
BILL McDERMOND
Partner
- Co-Founder of Sagamore Spirit; a world-class proprietary rye whiskey manufactured in Baltimore, MD, USA; created company in 2012, with former Under Armour Performance, Inc., (UA-NYSE) partner, and current UA Chairman Kevin Plank
- Active investor in early stage and entrepreneurial ventures since 2010; deliberatively executing a strategy of investing in unique companies across a range of sectors to include high-growth companies across different stages (Seed, Series A & B, later stage/Pre-IPO)
- Was early partner and integral part of original team that created and built UA; a multi-national consumer product corporation; helped build the company from a small entrepreneurial venture into a publicly traded multi-billion dollar multi-national business
- Board appointment: University of Maryland Medical Center
- Education: 1) M.B.A. Baltimore, MD (Johns Hopkins University), 2) B.S. Nashville, TN (Vanderbilt University)
MAAN EL-RAYES
Partner
- Over 25 years of Tech and tech strategy, advisory, building and leading teams across geographies
- Partner at Actel Consulting, a Tech advisory firm to investors, telecoms and clouds across sectors including TMT, AI, data, software and digital infrastructure
- Regional leader in technology, marketing and P&L sales, for each of Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems across the portfolio, with theatre assignments based in Brazil, Montreal, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Dubai Started his career leading Telecom/IT systems engineering and deployment for Oil and Gas in Saudi Arabia with the C.C.C., the largest construction company in the middle-east
- Acknowledged tech industry advisor and coach in strategy and go-to-market, covering B2B, B2C, XaaS, Fintech, Blockchain and AI
- Entrepreneur and founder, as well as start-up coach for founders, angel investors and angel groups on funding, building teams, due diligence and deal-leading
- Dubai resident and is a native French and Arabic speaker
- Education: 1) M.B.A. (INSEAD), 2) B.Eng. (Telecom and Robotics, McGill), 3) Management (McGill)
Dr. RIAD HARTANI
Partner
- 25 years contributing to the development of leading edge digital and data technologies advising on strategic investments, and rolling out innovative technologies all over the world
- Co-founded and led teams in multiple technology startups and innovation labs primarily in the Silicon Valley, as well as various other technology hubs in Asia, Europe and Africa. This includes multiple Venture Capital-backed startups, with highly successful exits
- Advisor to numerous tech startup ventures from inception to growth stage, and a trusted advisor to governments, investment funds, regulators and global corporations, including some of the top ten tech companies and top ten tech investment firms in the world
- Partner with Actel Consulting, a Tech advisory firm to investors, telecoms and clouds across sectors including TMT, AI, data, software and digital infrastructure
- Earlier, held leadership roles in Fortune 100 and prestigious R&D centers primarily in the USA, Japan, Korea, Canada and France; contributions included the development of Internet, Wireless, Cloud, Cyber-security, Space-Internet, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence innovations
- Frequent invited chair/speaker at industry events and contributor to lead journals, patent/inventions holder, board member, angel investor, adjunct professor and invited lecturer at universities worldwide. Inducted into the “New Internet” Hall of Fame
- Lived and worked in diverse regions of the world gaining a broad understanding of cross-cultural technology management and business development
- Education: 1) Doctorate in Artificial Intelligence with highest honors (University of Paris), 2) Postdoctoral work (University of California, Berkeley), 3) Executive Business Education (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
MITCH IMOTO
Partner
- Almost 40 years of global financial industry experiences in the US and Japan and starting up new companies in asset management, life insurance and movie production/funding
- Currently the President and CEO of IMO-X Inc.
- Served as President/CEO of Nippon Wealth Life Insurance Company; Executive Officer of Metlife Alico Life Insurance Company, Mitsui Sumitomo Met Life Insurance Company; Director of Japan Wealth Management Securities, Asia Pacific Division at the New York headquarters, Smith Barney; CEO of North Stars Pictures, Global Wrap Consulting Group; Co-CEO of Mitsui Sumitomo Citi Insurance Company
- Also an Advisor of Nippon Wealth Life Insurance Company; Partner/Advisory Board Member of OZUMO Concept International; Member of Fukuoka Prefectural Education Promotion Council; Secretary of Fukuoka Association of Corporate Executives (Fukuoka Keizai Doyukai); Administration Office, Japan Academic Society of Financial Planning
- Board appointment: Director of Appointment Committee, Japan Association for Financial Planners; Outside Director of Institute for International Environmental Studies
- Education: 1) MBA in Finance (California State University), 2) Bachelor’s in English and American Literature (Komazawa University)
TIMOTHY WILLIAMS
Partner
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With more than 20 years as a global executive and advisor across APAC, EMEA and the Americas.
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Devising and supporting accelerated growth and expansion strategies by helping companies to structure themselves to grow with additional expertise in navigating complex regulatory and emerging markets.
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A regular speaker and panel member specialising in how companies can embrace and integrate disruptive strategies into their business.
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Having spent more than 15 years in leadership roles with some of the world’s largest companies including Aon PLC, Mitsui Sumitomo, FCTG. In addition to being a senior adviser to a number of disruptive technology companies.
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Previously the Chairman of CyRim, a public-private partnership focused on developing the Cyber Risk and Insurance ecosystem in Singapore.
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Education: Holds a Masters of Commerce and a Bachelors Degree in International Relations while also being a Fellow of CPA Australia.
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We are experts in Disruptive Shifts across Fintech, Insurtech, Biotech, Cleantech, and Digital Media in the Middle East and Asia. We provide advisory services to Boards & C-Suite executives and selectively make capital introductions.