Clarke Quay, Singapore – Pembridge Asia, a new business accelerator for the creative industries across Asia, was launched last night at a networking event hosted by Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA). Pembridge Asia will provide finance and advice to high-growth media companies across the region from its base in Singapore, both to help their owners build and realise value, and to help government organisations such as the MDA to deliver outcomes in the form of economic growth and sustainable employment.
Pembridge Asia will be led by Chief Executive Graham Lean, who brings 25 years of entrepreneurial experience in Asia, building on the track record and proven processes of London-based Pembridge Partners LLP. Singapore veteran entrepreneur Charles Letts joins the board as a Director alongside Hugh Mason, a partner from Pembridge London. In Europe, Pembridge has worked with over 1,300 small- to medium-sized creative industry enterprises (SMEs), raising or directly investing over S$75 million in them since 2001. The new Singapore operation will link investors and businesses to help both achieve global reach.
Graham Lean said: "Creative enterprises have huge potential here in Asia. We seek to work with and share risk with ambitious companies that generate content or explore new routes to deliver branding, and which are serious about growth to accelerate their success. Pembridge's partners are entrepreneurs who have 'been there and done it before' and one the thing that sets us apart is the fact that we back our advice with our own cash. In Asia we seek to share experience and partner with local funds and entrepreneurs to maximise the impact we can have on the market"
Pembridge London has pioneered a partnership approach to working with public agencies that share its goals for growth, helping them to achieve their macro-economic goals by delivering high-visibility, high-impact micro-economic interventions with businesses that can act develop as role models to many more. The introduction to Asia for Pembridge came through Singapore's Media Development Authority, which has set ambitious targets to make Singapore a world class 'media hub' by 2015.
Seto Lok Yin, Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Industry) at the MDA, said: “MDA first invited Pembridge last year to partner with us to help our leading media companies to grow. Our collaboration has been a great success, involving 20 companies now spanning games, TV, animation and publishing. The fact that Pembridge is able to help us compare the performance of Singapore media businesses with worldwide benchmarks is a very useful gauge on progress. It allows our local media companies to understand the level they have to reach to compete internationally. We are delighted that Pembridge has shown its commitment to Singapore by establishing a regional office here in Singapore. The MDA wishes Pembridge Asia every success as it expands its business consultancy from Singapore into the region.”
Pembridge Asia is rapidly building a portfolio of work with clients in Singapore spanning TV, animation, games and marketing. Among them is Big Communications, a fast-growing digital entertainment company led by Vincent Lim.
Speaking of the launch of Pembridge Asia, Lim said: "We have now been working with Pembridge for nearly a year. With so many opportunities in front of us, it's a great benefit to be able to explore business ideas, set priorities and find new routes to investment and growth. The fact that Pembridge have worked with so many different businesses in different markets, and that they are investors as well as advisors, definitely enhances and accelerates our ability to grow."
For further information regarding Pembridge Asia's activities across the South East Asia region, please contact Graham Lean.
Comments