Advisory board
David Kelly
is the Chairman of the Texas Teachers Retirement system, and was the prior chairman of the Texas Public Finance Authority. He has more than 20 years of real estate experience, with over 10 years of direct experience with federal housing entities and major banks engaged in Community Reinvestment Act investing. For the past 15 years, Mr. Kelly has been the Development and Financial Advisory Partner of Carleton Residential Properties, a Dallas-based multi-family developer and general contractor. The firm has developed or constructed over 12,000 units of housing in five states for clients ranging from Goldman Sachs to The Dutch Postal Retirement System. Mr. Kelly has sourced over US$100 million in federal funds for housing, and over US$50 million of Community Reinvestment Act equity. Mr. Kelly is a graduate of Harvard University (John Harvard Scholar, Economics) and completed a MBA at Stanford University.
Helen Wong
is the CEO and founder of Lapis Global Limited. Ms. Wong has been investing in various asset classes in Asia for over a decade. Her experience spans Greater China, India, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. She was Managing Director of IFIL Asia, responsible for direct investments in Asia for IFIL SpA (now EXOR), the holding company managing Agnelli family investments that includes such brands as Fiat, Ferrari and Intesa Sanpaolo SpA; Co-CEO of the Lazard Asia Fund responsible for Private Equity investments in Asia; Advisor to families and companies throughout Asia, such as the Lim Family, majority shareholders of the Genting Group and VXL Capital; CFO of Pacific Century Regional Developments Ltd., a diversified Singapore listed company controlled by Richard Li; she also held financial and operational positions with the Provisional Airport Authority, Hong Kong, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Moody's Investor Services. Ms. Wong is a graduate of the University of Dayton, Ohio, with a BS in Biology and holds an MBA in Finance from Fordham University, NY.
Yasmin Malhotra
is the Head of Investments at the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund, one of the largest pension funds in the Sultanate of Oman. She is responsible for preparing the fund's strategy and asset allocation recommendations, promoting investment industry best practices and optimizing plan returns. She joined the fund in 2001 from Gulf Investment Services, Oman where she was a member of the investment committee and responsible for the firm's sector and economic research. Prior to this, Mrs. Malhotra worked as a research analyst with LKP Shares & Securities, India. She holds a Masters in Management Studies (Finance) from University of Mumbai, a certification in Alternatives Investment Program from the Wharton Business School and from the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA). She is also a CFA charter holder.
James Mitchell Jr
is currently a lobbyist for General Electric in Washington DC. He began his financial career as Manager of Finance at GE Asset Management (GEAM) and was then promoted to Domestic Equities Research Analyst and Portfolio Manager. He also handled M&As at GE Capital for 5-years. In 2001, Mr. Mitchell rejoined GEAM as Senior Managing Director in the Alternative Investments Group. There, he managed a US$2.5 billion-commitment private equity portfolio and was co-CIO of GE's US$2 billion global hedge fund. Mr. Mitchell is a team member of the Office of the Chairman-sponsored initiative that invests in minority and women owned financial services firms, in which he committed US$1 billion on GE's behalf. In addition, he is Secretary of the BOD of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Member of the Governing BOD of the Robert L Toigo Foundation and a member of the Epsilon Boule Chapter of Sigma Pi Phi. He has received several honors and awards from national non-profit and professional organizations. Mr. Mitchell graduated from Purdue University's Krannert School with a BS in Finance and has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton Business school.
Michael C Kwee
is Chairman, CEO and founding Partner of PAMA Group Inc, established in 1986 as Prudential Asset Management Asia Limited, an Asian private equity arm of the Prudential Insurance Company of America. Mr. Kwee completed a management buy-out of PAMA Limited, renamed PAMA Group Inc in 2000. Prior to that, Mr. Kwee served for 15 years with the American International Group Inc (AIG) as a Board Member and Senior Vice President of Finance at American International Assurance Co Ltd (AIA), where he had overall responsibility for the group's treasury functions, real estate holdings and investment portfolios in the region. Mr. Kwee holds a Bachelors Degree in Economics from le Moyne College, Syracuse, New York, a Masters degree in Science at the American Graduate school of International Management in Phoenix, Arizona and a Diploma from the Harvard Business school program for Management Development. He was a member of the Hong Kong Advisory Committee on Legal Education from 1998 to 2004 and also served as a member of the Hong Kong Financial Secretary's Economic Advisory Committee from 1995 to 2004.
Harish Ahuja
is the Managing Director and owner of Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd, the largest garment exporter in India. Mr. Ahuja started developing Shahi in 1974 and turned it into a 55,000 employees, US$400 million turnover enterprise with an annual capacity of 65 million garments. His clients include Wal-Mart, GAP, Debenhams, JC Penney, Sainsbury's, H&M, Abercrombie and Next. Mr. Ahuja is renowned for his socially and environmentally responsible approach to business, applying strict legal compliance, safety measures, eco friendly processes, and managing his conglomerate with social and community development in mind. Shahi is the recipient of the President of India Award, the Exports Award on Global Basis 2005-2006 from AEPC, the Award for Highest Group Employment and the Award for Highest Export in MMF Garment amongst many others. Mr. Ahuja is a graduate from Delhi University.
Faisal Khalid Kanoo
represents the sixth generation of one of the largest and most successful family businesses in the GCC, the Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo (YBA Kanoo) group, a diverse industrial group involved with machinery, aviation, energy, financial services, that represents brands such as BASF, AXA, American Express. Mr Kanoo has balanced his role and responsibilities as Director of the Commercial Group at YBA Kanoo Group with an insatiable drive to create and develop his own brands and enterprises. He operates businesses across food and beverages processing, real estate, construction, logistics and lifestyle services (entertainment, fine dining, casual dining). Mr. Kanoo holds a Bachelor of Science in International Economics with a Concentration in Developmental Economics from Georgetown University, Washington D.C
Hamad Bin Ali Al-Hedfa
is currently the Executive Director, Business Development, with The First Investor, Doha, Qatar. Mr Al-Hedfa is concurrently the chairman and board member of several companies and funds spanning Qatar, the MENA region and Europe. Mr Al-Hedfa has more than 15 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. Prior to joining The First Investor, he was responsible for the offshore interfacing activities of the US$ 13 billion QG2 mega project, and his responsibilities spanned coordination and interfacing with international organizations, governmental organizations, contractors and shareholders. Mr. Al-Hedfa graduated with honors from the Texas A&M University in Engineering (specialization in Oil and Gas), and has an advance diploma in Project Management. He also holds honor degrees and certificates from All-American Scholars, WHO’S WHO and is a USA Achievement Academy – National Award Winner
Sheikh Khalid Hilal Al-Ma’ awali
is the Vice-Chairman of the Oman National Investment Company (ONIC) and member of its Investment and Audit Committees. Sheikh Khalid also holds key positions in other institutions such as being the Chairman of Oman Orix Leasing Company, Al-Ahlia Insurance Company, Al-Batinah Hotel, Chairman of the investment committee of the Port Services Corporation and member of its Board of Directors. Sheikh Khalid also holds key public positions such as the Vice chairman of the Omani Ministry of Tourism License committee, a Member of the Muscat Municipality Council, the Municipality Project and Finance Committee, the public Affairs Committee and the Oman Airports Facilitation Committee. Sheikh Khalid is widely recognized as one of the leading authority in investments, trade, port services and tourism. He is also Member of the Board of Governors at Sohar University the largest and the first private University in Oman and a Member of the Omani Government’s GCC Investment Fund. Sheikh Khalid holds a MS from Sheffield Hallam University, U.K, and a BS in Information Systems from Arkansas State University, USA.