Partnering “Dragons”

A friend recently contacted me at the time of writing this.

He is a businessman who is humble, kind hearted and seems to have a happy family life too. He is in his 40s.

“Bro, I have this [big name mainland Chinese SOE] looking for more projects. Can you source something for them for us to work on together?”

I sat and thought about it seriously.

It is a really mega size global corporation, not just an “ordinary” large conglomerate. They are "dragon king" type among "dragons".

The specifics of what they were looking for was realistically very hard to get, which was probably also why they still asked around.

To be honest here I didn’t think I could source billion-dollar scale projects (yet) either at this point in time. In my case, more like 8 digit US$ per project would be more realistic and shouldn’t be too difficult to source, create, and package.

I then proposed a big picture first of what might be more realistic, achievable and manageable which my friend indicated worth trying.

Afterwards I contacted my sources, one of whom led me to an experienced businessman. My own impression was that he was in his 60s.?

He himself had projects going which he was savvy enough to see that it would be possible to create a win win deal facilitating other parties to co-invest. But his was also not in the kind of scale that the mega size corporation was looking for.

He then began to open up about several big name local tycoons.

The discussion was ongoing as I was writing this, hence no details could be shared. I could only share the thinking process here.

Ultimately it’s all about adding and creating value.

He opened up that at this point in time even some tycoons would welcome new capital to help them revive several projects.

Some tycoons would also welcome suggestions on how, with who and how the projects would need to be re-positioned to adapt to the new realities post Covid and the current global, local interest rate hiked led by the Fed.

This businessman agreed that this whole thing would need careful, calibrated coordination.

It’s not simple brokering which he himself wouldn’t be interested in doing.

It’s deal structuring which would involve layers of consideration involving multiple parties.

Doing it would require honesty, transparency, integrity and empathy. Not just listen with ears but also with heart to connect up especially the powerful “dragons”.

Flashback to the past. To the 1970s.

My father was working for this particular timber tycoon before working for another timber tycoon and subsequently began to set up his own business.

As a family I remember and respect Mr K (his Chinese surname is same as ours,?许).? He was a tycoon who always presented himself very elegantly.

He truly appreciated my father’s total honesty when handling their group’s funds, back then around US$ 90 million in 1970s that he personally hosted my father in his private residence in Nassim Road in Singapore. That to my father was something really memorable until today.

Nassim Road is that same road where Eduardo Saverin, the co-founder of Facebook, was reported to have bought a property.?

My father had started with them with no money at all. He came to the capital city with only a small briefcase containing 2 sets of clothes.?

He was therefore truly appreciative of the opportunity that the tycoon gave him to work for them to initially just to earn a living. He started off living in just a small room in a place which his school friend helped find for him.

He was then progressively given more responsibilities and trust by the tycoon.?

Over time he also interacted more with the family.?

I asked my father what his rank was back then.

My father recalled that there was this man, Yao Meng, who was still ranked higher than him.

He was the next in line who was regularly reporting to the chairman. My father saw himself as effectively the number 3 man there.

How did he get there from someone who only brought a briefcase and had no money?

He gave them total loyalty, dedication. He was totally honest in his handling of everything. And he put in all efforts within his capability for them while working for them.

Inevitably my father is still the figure who influenced me the most out of all personalities including tycoons whom I myself got to know and interact with over time.

I see myself in a similar style using my own unique ways operate at two levels too

• Business level
• Personal, family level?

This is what over time I refine to create something global involving the “dragons” in Asia and the US.

I still have much to learn from the experts.

That’s why I am even willing to travel far to do that.

At times I went to listen, observe, learn, as what I did when attending Mr Li Ka Shing's last AGM in Hong Kong. A memorable experience in itself and attendees were given special souvenirs as well as parting words of wisdom from Asia's "Superman".

In some other visits, for example my recent trip to Los Angeles, I invested in relationships in order to plant seeds and be able to co-create, be part of meaningful, purposeful ventures with the “dragons” in my era.

I do my best and I let the Universe do the rest and let my destiny unfold over time.

Do contact me if you need my help in business strategy, deal structuring.