Chris is the managing partner and founder of Ivory Capital, an independent investment banking and private equity firm based in Asia. Prior to Ivory’s inception in 2002, Chris was Head of Lehman Brothers Investment Banking Group in Singapore, with responsibility for Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia; managing the Firm’s business activities and relationships with major clients including Temasek, Singapore Telecom, Singapore Power, Singapore Technologies Group, Keppel Group, UOB Group, Government of Malaysia, CIMB Group, MayBank, Petronas, Tenaga, Salim Group, Rodamas and others.  Prior to Lehman Singapore, Chris worked at Lehman Brothers Hong Kong and New York offices.  In addition to Lehman Brothers, he worked at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell (Singapore) and Baring Brothers (Hong Kong). 

Chris has over 30 years experience in advising Asian clients on M&A and international capital markets transactions.  He has completed strategic advisory assignments, mergers & acquisitions, initial public offerings and equity placements, and global bond issuances comprising over US$12 billion in aggregate value.  He has completed numerous transactions across many markets in Asia including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand; under a wide range of economic and market conditions: 

• The US$3.3 billion merger between Starhub and Singapore CableVision

• The US$1.4 billion IPO for Singapore Telecom, the largest IPO in Asia at that time

• The US$630m IPO for China Huaneng Power Group, the first NYSE Iisting for a Chinese company

• Over US$2 billion of global bond issues for Petronas, the national Oil & Gas company of Malaysia

• The US$150m 100-year bond issue by Tenaga Nasional, the first and landmark Century bond issue by an Asian company.

His private equity transactions include: 

• The US$1.56 billion buyout of LCY Chemicals in Taiwan, completed by KKR and Karlton Group.

• Blackstone’s US$250m acquisition of Tysan Residential Real Estate in Hong Kong

• Carlyle’s US$80m management buyout of GDC Tech in Hong Kong

• Uni President’s US$120m purchase of 30% equity in ScinoPharm (Taiwan/China) from Watson Pharmaceutical (USA) 

• CDH’s US$100m investment into New Focus Auto 

• Citigroup’s US$120m management buyout of Lotus Northern China BMW Dealership 

• JP Morgan & ASC Capital’s US$40m investment in Rodamas Consumer Products and Industrials (Indonesia).

Chris graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from the National University of Singapore, and qualified as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore.

Lucienne Jallabert has over 17 years of financial advisory, research and investment experience in Asia and Europe.

Prior to Ivory, she was based for five years in Beijing as Senior Vice President with CEBM Group, a leading Chinese independent investment advisory firm providing institutional investors with China macro research and sector strategies. Lucienne was responsible for initiatives related to investment research and sales, and client-driven business efforts such as QDII, QFII and other cross-border ventures. She helped formulate investment strategies on China topics, originated and drove initiatives to leverage CEBM’s business relationships with investment institutions in and outside China (e.g. assistance in QDII/QFII partner searches, capital raising, strategic and business assessments). Clients included several of China’s largest fund management companies, such as China AMC, Bosera, China Southern, Guangfa and E-Fund.

She was an Associate Director with UBS Investment Bank in London and Singapore, specializing in Telecoms, Media & Technology (2000-2003). Lucienne advised Vodafone Group on its strategic partnership with Swisscom (Euro 2.95 billion acquisition of a 25% stake in Swisscom Mobile, combined with an MVNO agreement in Germany), the sale of its fixed/mobile operator in Austria (telering), and the strategic management of its investments in mobile operators SFR (France) and Vodafone Egypt. In Singapore, she worked on the MobileOne(“M1”) IPO. Lucienne began her career at Ernst & Young Paris (1996-2000), where she managed statutory audit assignments, performed buyer and seller due diligence, and provided transaction support services for public and private companies in the Telecoms, Internet and Media sectors.

Lucienne is a graduate of HEC Business School and Sciences Po Paris in France, and holds a M.Sc. in Economics from Paris Dauphine University. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, and is a regular member of both the CFA Institute and CFA Singapore.

Phillip Y. Kim has 28 years of investment banking and financial advisory experience in Asia. Prior to joining Ivory Capital in 2011, he was with Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and boutique advisor IRG Limited.

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Phillip has completed several billion dollars in transactions across numerous Asian countries (e.g. Korea, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines) and sectors (e.g. financial institutions, internet, telecom, oil & gas, consumer). His clients have included many of the leading corporate and funds across the region.

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Phillip speaks English and Korean. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Economics.

Sook has 11 years of investment banking experience in USA and Asia and 5 years of e-commerce startup experience. Prior to Ivory, Sook was Senior Vice President at Nomura and Lehman Brothers Investment Banking in Singapore and New York.

She has executed US$14 billion dollars worth of transactions in USA and Asia in the financial institutions, telecom and media, real estate and financial sponsors sectors. 

She has advised on IPO’s, REIT/business trusts, M&A, take-private, bond offerings, rights offering and joint venture transactions.

She speaks English and Mandarin.  She graduated with honours from The University of Michigan in Business Administration, majoring in Finance and Accounting.

Vera Yanti Kretschmar has over 12 years extensive experience in Real Estate Investments, Retail and Consumer Products in China, the US, SEA and Europe. She has been actively involved in a variety of Investments mainly in the consumer products industry for the past 5 years. She joined Ivory Capital in 2019 based in Singapore.

 

Prior to Ivory Capital Vera worked at CBRE in Shanghai, China and in Hong Kong for five years where she helped Retail Brands, F&b operators and Cosmetic Brands with their Expansion Strategy and Real Estate Portfolio for Asia.

 

She was heading up the team which leased out the domestic airport in Shanghai Hongqiao and managed the leasing for the Shanghai Expo 2010. She managed major accounts for CBRE mainly in the luxury industry during her time.

 

She also ran her own Consultancy Business Prestige PR out of China for three years which assisted brands on entering and Investing into the China and SEA market. Vera was the Brand Director for leading Italian Jewelry Brand Stroili Oro in 2012 and has held various positions in the Property Investment and Consultancy Industry in Asia.

 

Originally from Germany, Vera grew up between Europe and Asia.  After finishing her studies in Germany and the US, Vera has lived in the US, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila and Switzerland and worked in Investments through the various regions.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in International Business from California State University Northridge.

Lauren Song has 6 years of investment banking and asset management experience in Asia. Prior to joining Ivory Capital, she was with Citigroup, Rothschild & Co and Fidelity in Hong Kong.

She has advised on M&A, HK and US IPO’s, restructuring transactions, with clients in consumer and retail, telecom and media, and industrial sectors. Prior to investment banking, Lauren worked in fixed income investment team at Fidelity. 

Lauren speaks English and Mandarin. She graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a degree in Economics and Finance.

Valeria Camelio is responsible forfinancial and investment analysis, due diligence and liaising with companies and lawyers on deal documentation. She is a member of the investment team in evaluating and conducting due diligence for global private equity, venture capital and direct investments for a Single FamilyOffice.

Graduated with a Master of Science in Applied Finance from Singapore Management University in 2023, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management from LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome in 2022.

Valeria pursued professional showjumping in Italy from 2016 to 2019. She is fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish.