SoftBank Ventures Asia, the venture investment arm of Japan’s SoftBank Group, announced Wednesday that it has hired Lee Seung-hoon as its new chief financial officer.

Lee will be responsible for the management of global funds and limited partners of SoftBank Ventures Asia. He will also oversee financial initiatives of global offices, including Beijing, Singapore and Silicon Valley, the firm said.


The new Softbank Ventures Asia CFO has 15 years of experience in advising on mergers and acquisitions and raising capital for major corporates at Morgan Stanley’s Hong Kong and Seoul offices.

He also has entrepreneurial experience, having founded a startup prior to joining SoftBank Ventures Asia.

Launched in 2000, Softbank Ventures Asia has around $1.1 billion in assets under management, having invested in some 250 companies across 10 countries, according to the firm. Its portfolio focuses on artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and robotics startups.

The company currently operates out of Seoul, Beijing, San Francisco and Tel Aviv. It plans to open offices and hire investment professionals in Singapore and Shanghai.

The firm previously operated under the name Softbank Ventures Korea, but recently rebranded itself as Softbank Ventures Asia to build a presence across Asia.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)