[6–12 months]
To hire the right person
Leaders who know your industry, the language, and the business culture, and can operate at your level, are rare and expensive.
Head of Asia · As a Service
Your Head of Asia.
On the ground from day one.
We run your Asia expansion as your Head of Asia, backed by a local team, operating systems, and twenty years of relationships across all of Asia.
We work with four companies a year.
$175M raised from SoftBank Vision Fund 2
Built companies to $24M, $82M, and $126M ARR
$50M cross-border B2B deal in Asia
University of Chicago Law School, JD
The Problem
Hiring a Head of Asia is the slowest way to enter Asia.
[12+ months]
To build the network
In Korea and Vietnam, deals move through relationships. A new hire starts from zero.
[One shot]
To get it right
A bad first hire in a relationship market costs more than salary. It costs your reputation in the region.
The Service
A working Asia office. Not an advisor.
We don't bill hours or write reports. We take accountability for your Asia goals and run the operation underneath them.
01
Head of Asia
Partnerships, negotiations, and senior relationships with conglomerates, investors, and government. Led directly.
02
Local team
Market research, sales support, localization, and follow-through, by vetted staff on the ground.
03
Operating system
CRM, pipeline, and AI-assisted operations. Your leadership sees Asia every week, in English.
04
Network
Twenty years of relationships across Korean conglomerates, investors, distributors, and institutions.
Markets
Where we are on the ground.
01 · Korea
Korea
One of the world's most sophisticated buyers of technology, education, consumer, and content. Home to conglomerates that partner, distribute, and invest. [David's Korea base and Jeju Global Council.]
02 · Vietnam
Vietnam
One of Asia's fastest-growing economies, with a young, digital population and an expanding middle class. [David's Ho Chi Minh City base and network.]
Japan and Southeast Asia through partner networks, on request.
Outcomes
What the first year looks like.
Day 30
Entry plan agreed with your leadership. Target partners and first accounts identified.
Day 90
Office operating. First partner and customer meetings underway. Weekly reporting live.
Month 6
[First signed partnership, distribution agreement, or pilot.]
Month 12
[Revenue or partnership milestone agreed at the start.]
How It Works
Built to hand over.
01 · First 30 days
Diagnose and design
Agree on 24-month goals, entry structure, and handover criteria.
02 · To month 24
Operate and grow
Run the Asia business against the agreed goals.
03 · At handover
Install your successor
Recruit, train, and install your permanent Head of Asia.
Designed to end
Our goal is to make ourselves unnecessary in two years.
No dependency. No open-ended retainer.
About
David Yi, Managing Partner
David has spent more than twenty years building companies across the US and Asia. As CEO of Riiid Labs, he raised $175M from SoftBank Vision Fund 2. He closed a $50M B2B deal for K12.com in Asia, built three companies to $24M, $82M, and $126M ARR, and has led organizations of more than 600 people. He holds a JD from the University of Chicago Law School and works between Korea, Vietnam, and California.
$175M
SoftBank Vision Fund 2
$126M
ARR built
600+
people led
Fit
Who this is for.
01Series B to public US companies with board-approved plans for Asia
02Leadership that wants results in quarters, not years
03One company per category at a time. We don't work with competitors.
We take on three to four companies a year.
FAQ
Common questions.
Contact
Let's talk about Asia.
Tell us about your company and your plans. David replies personally within two business days.