When the influence of private capital exceeds that of a sovereign state, it raises an important question: Where does real power reside? Increasingly, it seems, money makes the world go round. At a time when stocks are over-valued, bond yields are flat, and property prices are inflated, private equity is where it’s at.
Indeed, since the chaos of the 2008 Global Financial Crises, PE firms have only grown in size and influence. Asia has been a key beneficiary. And China – until recently – has absorbed the lion’s share of private capital. As and when US-China tensions subside, the surge is likely to continue
In this week’s episode of Inside Asia, I speak to one of the PE industry giants - Weijian Shan, Chairman and CEO of PAG Group. Shan’s new book, Money Games: The Inside Story of How American Dealmakers Saved Korea’s Most Iconic Bank, is a tale on how deals get done in the convoluted world of big money and big personalities.
It’s been over 20 years since Shan and his colleagues at Newbridge Capital landed in Seoul to rescue Korea First Bank, but he tells it like it happened only yesterday. The transaction is epic in both size and circumstance. But it also speaks to the central importance of developing personal trust and accountability to offset fears of xenophobia and big money exploitation. It also speaks to the enormity of PE as a vehicle for rescuing distressed businesses – a point not lost in these pandemic times.
The Future of Food (w/ Isabelle Decitre)
Asia’s Shift in Consumerism (w/ Vaughan Ryan)
Mindfulness Inc. (w/ Davina Ho)
US vs. China: A Tale of Two Systems (w/ Clay Chandler)
The New Nature Economy (w/ Fraser Thompson)
US Voters and the World: Don’t Know and Don’t Care (w/ Steve Okun)
Building the Imagination Muscle (w/Tony Estrella)
Finding Resiliency in Emerging Asia (w/ James Crabtree)
Solar’s New Shine (w/ Gavin Adda)
Purpose Incorporated (w/ John Wood)
Mega-City Madness? (w/ Daniel Moss)
Hong Kong Doth Protest (w/ Mark Clifford)
Media Madness (w/ Vivek Couto)
Purpose-Driven Investing (w/ Munib Madni)
Lockdown to Rebound (w/ Anne Hockett)
Southeast Asia: Political Pawn or Proxy (w/ Adam Schwarz)
Telemedicine's Breakaway Moment (w/ Dr. Snehal Patel)
China’s Enduring Start-ups (w/ Rich Robinson)
Superpower Interrupted
A Case for Conscious Capitalism (w/ Andrew Hewitt)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free