PEOPLE
Purpose Venture Capital is a global remote team with a combined total of more than 70 years of proven investment, business development, HR and tech business operations experience. We are based in tech and financial hubs from Singapore, Silicon Valley, Hong Kong, HCMC, Seoul to London, Paris and Rome. Southeast Asia is our home, headquarters and the future.
Seated Left to right: Co-Founders - Von Leong and Sharon Sim. Standing: Co-Founder - Sertac Yeltkein
TEAMS
Your partners in your growth journey
SHARON SIM
Co-Founder, General Partner,
Purpose Venture Capital
SERTAC YELTEKIN
Co-Founder, General Partner,
Purpose Venture Capital
HIKMET COSKUN, Ph.D, CFA
Financial Modelling and Analysis
Hilkmet supports the team in fund performance metrics, fund financial modelling & budgeting and financial analysis. He is currently a Senior Associate at Climate Smart Ventures in Singapore. Previously he worked at the impact fund manager Insitor Partners from 2019 to 2022. Hikmet completed his PhD at the National University of Singapore in Materials Science and Engineering specializing in renewable energy in 2019. He received his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2019.
MARYANN TSENG
Venture Partner
Maryann creates value for our portfolio companies and expands our presence in Asia Pacific. She is an experienced investment professional with 20 years in asset management, public and private equity as well as alternative investments and venture capital. Maryann completed executive education programs at Harvard and Stanford as well as Cambridge University under its Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. She is a diploma holder of Financial Times Non-Executive Director, and earned the Competent Boards Global designation in ESG and corporate governance.
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YASU YAMAZAKI
Venture Partner
Yasu helps to drive our expansion into Japan and internationally. He also supports our portfolio companies on their growth & marketing strategies. He is a highly regarded entrepeneur in leading space startups Astroscale and Axelspace Corporation in Japan. Prior to his decade long dedication in the space industry, Yasu was a seasoned global finance professional with fundraising experience at Daiwa Capital Markets and driving strategic initiatives at Lehman Brothers.
ADVISORY BOARD
As Purpose Venture Capital aims to support early stage tech businesses in Asia to deliver on Profit and Purpose, our distinguished and diverse advisory board will provide critical insights and network to help us to drive our mission forward.
CHONG CHIET PING
Chiet Ping is a seasoned Deep Tech venture investor since 2010. She was also an early investor & served on the board of Razer Inc from 2007 to 2014. Currently she is an independent director of Ascendas Fund Management. As the former SVP Operations for HP, Asia Pacific. Chiet Ping's deep insights into how businesses can be run in APAC especially in China and India will create immense value for our portfolio companies.
PHILIP SKEVINGTON
Philip is the Managing Director of Kinvara Advisors and is an investor in early stage fintech companies. He is a former Partner and investment committee member at PAG, one of the largest Asia-focused alternative investment managers and has previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Vietnam Eximbank and VinaCapital's Vietnam Opportunity Fund. Throughout his career in financial services, Philip has held a number of senior risk management roles and his deep expertise will help us to create more risk-adjusted growth options for our portfolio companies.
JENNY CHIAM
Jenny has 30 years of experience in finance across Citi, Baring, Deutsche, Credit Suisse and Nomura in Australia, US and Asia.
From advising institutional investors regarding APAC and Emerging Markets to business development for financial & regulatory infrastructure for the securities market at the Singapore Exchange.
Currently managing a family office focusing on investments to derive revenues and generating natural and human capital.
John is an experienced investment professional with several decades of experience. He was the Chief Investment Officer of UOB Asset Management, instrumental in the development and design of the investment processes deployed. Currently he is an independent consultant and advisor to private equity firms, family offices and corporations. John's experience will help us to formulate risk mitigation and funding strategies for our portfolio companies.
CHENGYI LIN, PH.D.
Chengyi is Affiliate Professor of Strategy at INSEAD and a leading expert on digital transformation with a doctorate degree in neurobiology and stem cell research. He serves as an advisory board member for Sanofi CHC and a member of the European Executive Council. Chengyi has been featured on Forbes, Business Insider, EuroNews etc. He also actively mentors entrepreneurs and digital start-ups.
JEONG HOON (JAY) HA
CHRISTIAN POLMAN
JOHN J. DOYLE III
Jay, a passionate venture and private equity investor, is currently the CEO and Founder of RBTG, one of the leading K-beauty distribution companies in China. He is also a co-founder of Persona Media, leading digital marketing and AdTech companies in South Korea. Jay was formerly Head of Korea for the Chinese ecommerce platform Xiaohongshu 小红书 (known as RED). He will help our portfolio companies to create new business development
and market opportunities especially in China and South Korea.
Christian is a seasoned business strategist with over 15 years experience in corporate development, strategy and commercial leadership roles, with a particular focus on media, technology and a passion for impact investing, sustainability, and web3 technology. Most recently, Christian was Chief Strategy Officer at LSE AIM-listed Ebiquity plc and Managing Director at a brand storytelling agency, successfully securing multi-million euro business wins, spearheading the firm's B Corp certification process. He holds an MBA and undergraduate degree from Cornell University .