Team | Elate Partners, LLCElate Partners, LLC

Pei Zou is an Investor, Fundraiser, Senior Manager, Technologist and a founding Managing Partner at Elate Partners, LLC. Mr. Zou is a Partner at a major full-service Chinese private equity and investment banking firm that is a major player in restructuring, merger and acquisition of large-cap Chinese public companies, and serves as an advisor to numerous government agencies, state-owned and private business entities and academic institutions in China.

Prior to founding Elate Partners, Mr. Zou opened Asia Pacific markets and led a global internal venture program, both generating hundreds of millions of dollars in high-margin revenues, for a US-based NASDAQ-listed high-tech multinational company. A Chinese native, he has studied, worked and lived in the US for over 25 years, and has built a track record of success as a technologist, a marketing and business professional, a senior manager and a founder of various businesses. He has a number of publications in peer-reviewed technical journals and holds several patents.

Mr. Zou holds a B.S. in Electronics Engineering from Southeast University in China, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He also attended MBA training. Currently living with his family in Portland, OR, Dr. Zou spends most of time in China where he is well-connected to a wide network of governmental, institutional, strategic and individual investors.

Caleb Y. Gao is an Investor, Fundraiser, Lawyer and a founding Managing Partner and General Counsel at KBC Capital Partners, an acclaimed Beijing, China, private equity and investment banking firm with a diversified portfolio of private equity and venture capital funds, some of which among the top 5 in the Chinese private equity industry. He is a senior member of the Chinese Bar Association, a certified independent board member for Chinese public companies, and holds a Chinese broker/dealer license.

Mr. Gao participated in some of China's most high-profile acquisition and corporate restructuring transactions involving state-owned conglomerates and multiple stock exchanges, and was instrumental in the investments into companies that have since become house-hold names in China.

Mr. Gao holds a Bachelor of Law from Lanzhou University in China, and a Master’s in Finance from Peking University. He guides Elate’s businesses in the Chinese capital market.

Andy Y Zhai is an experienced investment professional with an exceptional track record at some of the most prestigious institutions in and outside of China. Prior to Elate, he led the Metals and Mining direct investment team at China Investment Corporation (CIC), China’s flagship sovereign wealth fund, in sourcing, evaluating, investing and managing a $6B portfolio consisting of mining and real estate assets in Australia, Indonesia, Russia and Brazil. Prior to that he was with China International Capital Corporation (CICC), China’s preeminent investment banking institution, where he focused on multi-family residential loan securitization. Andy started his career at Freddie Mac in the US.

Mr. Zhai holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Tsinghua University, China, and MBA and M.A in International Affairs from George Washington University, USA. He is a US Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Canadian Certified General Accountant (CGA) and a CFA chart holder.

James Ji Tong Sze is an experienced salesperson, market developer, fundraiser, risk manager and government relations expert in energy and IT sectors with a strong track record and rich resources, and is responsible for Elate’s oil and gas trading activities in China. Before joining Elate, Mr. Sze was in a series senior leadership positions in big state-owned enterprises, publicly-traded companies and foreign enterprises in energy, logistics and IT industries. With strong sense of entrepreneurship, responsibility and leadership, he excels at driving and motivating big teams and working closely with customers, partners and government agencies.

Mr. Sze holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Math and Science from the University of Massachusetts.

James J. Ding is an Investor, Fundraiser, Entrepreneur, Consultant, Educator and Assistant Dean in Education at the acclaimed Peking University’s HSBC School of Business, where he presides over EMBA programs that famously only admit very high net worth candidates. Prior to joining Peking University, he founded and successfully sold his own education business, and worked for provincial and city governments in leadership roles in technology transfer and economic development. He is a well-respected figure among government officials at all levels, and within investment, business and academia communities in China.

Mr. Ding holds a Bachelor’s Degree from a military college in China, and an MBA from UCLA. Mr. Ding is responsible for Elate’s fundraising, government relations, strategic partnerships and risk control within China.

Eduardo Eskenazi is a Swiss Banker of Brazilian origin with professional expertise and wide experience in finance and marketing. A private banker since a very young age, he has been working in the Swiss financial sector for over twenty years, covering trading, project financing, asset management, insurance and portfolio management, serving in senior executive positions in AAA prime international banks such as Banque Credit Agricole Indosuez, Banque Multi Commercial (Banque Safdié) and Fortune Financial Strategies, all based in Geneva. He is an expert in negotiating deals and growing complex client relationships in the European, South American, African and Asian markets, developing and implementing financial solutions for Fortune 500 companies and new brands alike, including M&A and restructuring transactions in South America.

For the last five years Mr. Eskenazi was involved and led negotiations with top world's Banks, including some major Chinese players, on individual deals worth billions of dollars. He was involved in some high-profile restructuring of financial institutions such as PARMALAT and BOMBRIL S.A.. Prior to that he was invited to solve and recuperating funds for clients during LEHMAN BROTHERS' bankruptcy, and participated in generating over USD 1B in structured operations with AAA banks.

Mr. Eskenazi studied Communication Studies at Northeastern University, Boston, USA; Mass Media and Communications from Emerson College, Boston, USA, and Public Relations, Media and Psychology ag Webster University, Geneva, Switzerland.

Kevin Fahey is an Investor, Venture Capitalist, Strategic Consultant, Senior Manager, Technologist and a founding President of Mac Lir Industries, a strategy consulting firm for public and private high tech corporations. He brings several decades of proven investment and management experience with successful leadership roles in venture capital and private equity, corporate R&D, sales & marketing, international business development and high volume production. Mr. Fahey was Vice President and General Manager of a billion-dollar division at a NASDAQ-listed multinational company. He also served as the CEO of several startups, presiding over their expansion and successful exits. His earlier career includes serving as a principal at venture capital firms, and in technical and entrepreneurial manager positions at high-tech companies. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Fahey is in charge of Elate's overall operations in the U.S.

Andrew Eros is an Investor, Fundraiser, Entrepreneur, CEO, and a founding Managing Partner at PA Asset Advisors, a financial advisory firm that specializes in innovative asset monetization and commodity trading structures.

For over 30 years he has participated in successful start-ups, raised over $300 million in venture capital and private equity, and served as CEO of several Aerospace, Aviation, and Technology companies.

Andrew has excellent industry relationships and a strong track record of originating and closing acquisitions, and superior leadership, management skills, and strong business ethics that have led to trusted relationships with investors, suppliers, and customers and employees. He has lectured about technology and aerospace in the US, Europe and Asia; focused on implementing wireless technology for asset security; biometric product development; business start-ups; and corporate aircraft ownership.

Andrew studied Aviation Management at San Jose State University, is a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA), and an instrument-rated pilot with 4400 hours of flight time in 10 different aircraft categories.

Grace Wu is a seasoned investment professional and entrepreneur, with wide experience and strong aptitude in strategy and resource optimization with wide connections to Chinese capital. Her investment interests are in entertainment, education, agriculture and environmentals. As founder of Guangzhou Xixuan Investment Management Ltd, she works with more than ten deeply-experienced and widely connected investment professionals in major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, in providing services in equity and debt fundraising, IPO advisory and mergers and acquisitions to large state-owned enterprises, private equity funds, pre-IPO and public companies. As a partner at Chase Hongji Investment, she participated in various public company financing transactions. Earlier in her career, she was a founder of a telecommunications company that was acquired by Sina Group to become Sina’s Wireless Business Unit that today still contributes sixty percent of Sina’s net profit. Ms. Wu has a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Renmin University, China.

Hidetaka Sugiyama is a Business Owner, Investment Advisor, Entrepreneur, Consultant, Trader of Intellectual Properties, Market Developer and Entertainment Content Producer. Founder of several companies in Los Angeles, California and Kyoto, Japan, with global client bases, Mr. Sugiyama represents Japanese companies seeking entrance into the U.S. market and U.S. companies into Asian markets, trades intellectual properties such as patents, and advises M&A transactions. He also undertakes brand marketing in entertainment and media and produces creative contents using latest technologies and a talented staff from Hollywood. Mr. Sugiyama served as Director of International Client Services at Motion Picture Magic Inc., one of the leading branded entertainment companies in Hollywood, creating marketing strategies for global clients such as Shiseido, Casio, Panasonic, Sharp. Prior to that, he was an account supervisor at McCann-Erickson Japan, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world, where he participated in marketing campaigns for brand names such as Nestle, Dunlop Golf, and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Mr. Sugiyama holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan, where he is currently based, and is Elate's Japan Partner.

Kofi Gao is an experienced commodities and industrial products trader, senior manager, sales team builder and leader, entrepreneur and private business owner. He has deep experience and wide connections in China’s petrochemical, agricultural, electronics and manufacturing industries with active collaborations with state-owned importers and exporters, manufacturers, research institutions and universities. Kofi leads Elate’s agricultural product sales and marketing in China. Prior to joining Elate, he worked in the Chinese petrochemical industry as a salesperson, sales manager, sales director, marketing director and vice president for various companies including Sinopec South China, building experience and track records in leadership and transactions. During that period he invented an industrial lubricant that is still in widely used today in cell phone manufacturing. Prior to that, Kofi founded a series of companies manufacturing moulding for the electronics industry, each achieving market-leading positions in their segments. He taught at a technical school in his early career. Kofi holds a Bachelor’s in management and an MBA from South China University of Technology and has studied in the University of California, Los Angeles.

Wang, Tengyi has years of experience and widely known in China’s oil and gas industry. He is General Manager of Qiangang International Trading Ltd., which has existing supply relationships with large state-owned as well as independent Chinese refineries, with direct access to supplies from the Middle East, Africa, Russia, North America and South America. Mr. Wang is an expert in building and managing large trading and logistics operations, international trading practices and Chinese government policies. Prior to Elate, Mr. Wang was founder and chairman of Qingdao Ganghang Energy Ltd., an official supplier to CNPC and many independent refineries with excellent track records.

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