Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders – Détails, épisodes et analyse

As travel trends shift, and young people drive demand for simple, integrated, experience-focused journeys, its critical to respond with innovative solutions that are ahead of the curve. That's where today's guest comes in.
 

We're sitting down with Alex Ibrahim, the Corporate CFO at Yanolja. South Korea's top travel and accommodation booking platform. In this role, Alex leverages his expertise in the capital markets to strengthen the company's financial management and drive strategic initiatives, supporting its continued global expansion and growth.

He brings over 20 years of experience from his distinguished career at the New York Stock Exchange, where he played a pivotal role in facilitating IPOs, Capital raises for numerous global enterprises across Asia, North America, and South America. 

We chatted about what excites him about Yanolja, and the bold moves the company is making to reimagine travel around the globe. 

Highlights:

• Alex explains Yanolja's background and founding story (2:50)
• Alex discusses his career at the NYSE, and why he made the leap to Yanolja (4:17)
• Yanolja's edge over its competitors (6:21)
• The B2C and B2B aspects of the business (7:07)
• Yanolja's data advantage (10:10)
• How Yanolja prioritizes which geographies they focus on (10:59)
• How Yanolja's data-driven services provide efficiency and profitability for their customers' businesses (12:12)
• How Alex sees AI shifting the industry in the next 5-10 years (13:06)
• Yanolja's strategy as its connected with their acquisition of Go Global Travel (14:36)
• The opportunities inherent in the fragmentation of the industry (15:21)
• The company's customer demographics and what Alex means by "democratizing" travel (16:34)
• Alex discusses how Yanolja prioritizes data privacy (18:36)
• How the company's Korean origins influence the business (19:23)
• Alex's advice for aspiring tech leaders, and his travel recommendations (20:27)

Links:

Alex Ibrahim on LinkedIn

Yanolja on LinkedIn

Yanolja Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

As the world embraces cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and deregulated finance, there's a massive transformation on the horizon. But if you're going to invest in these innovations, you need to be incredibly diligent and have a deep understanding of the tech. Today's guest has both.

We're sitting down with Pete Najarian, who is the Managing Partner of RW3 Ventures. RW3 is a digital asset venture firm built in partnership with The Raptor Group. The Raptor Group is a multi-sector venture firm with significant investments across fintech, sports and gaming, healthcare, and digital assets.

Pete has significant dedicated digital asset experience, having previously served in senior leadership roles for two leading digital asset operating businesses: Zappo, which was ultimately acquired by Coinbase in 2019, and BitGo, the leader in digital asset security, custody, and liquidity. They provide the operational backbone for more than 1, 500 institutional clients and over 50 companies. They also process 20 percent of all the global Bitcoin transactions by value.

Prior to that, Pete spent 20 years plus building and leading the global emerging markets businesses for some of the world's largest banks, UBS and RBS in particular.

Highlights:

• Pete's experience in finance, discovering cryptocurrency, and founding RW3 (3:11)
• Pete's approach to investing at RW3 (6:25)
• Bitcoin, and Pete's outlook on when to invest in crypto (7:19)
• Analyzing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies' place in the market (8:54)
• Pete breaks down the opportunities opened up by blockchain innovation (10:31)
• The use and value of cryptocurrency technology in the world economy (12:36) 
• How Pete makes decisions on blockchain investments (15:04)
• How RW3 assists clients (17:47)
• Pete breaks down the relationship between traditional finance and cryptocurrency (20:07)
• Pete's predictions on the future of blockchain technology and finance field (23:12)
• Understanding decentralized finance (24:03)
• Government involvement in cryptocurrency (25:39)
• Some of Pete's current investments at RW3 (29:01)
• Qualifications for an investment at RW3 (32:11)

Links:

Pete Najarian on LinkedIn

RW3 Ventures on LinkedIn

RW3 Ventures Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

In the world of wealth management, working with clients is a deeply personal endeavor that requires more than just financial expertise. By looking inward first, and prioritizing a strong team culture and personal and professional development, companies can cultivate a strong trust and connection with clients. Today's guest has made this approach the foundation to his business.

Today we're sitting down with Rob Skinner, who is a founding partner and the co-CEO of IEQ Capital. He has served as a financial advisor to wealthy families and institutional investors for over two decades. Rob began his career at Fidelity Investments in 1995 before joining Merrill Lynch as first vice president of investments.

In 2008, he co-founded Luminous Capital, an independent registered investment advisory firm where he served as Chief Investment Officer, Co-Head of Investment Research, and Co-manager of Portfolio Construction. Luminous Capital was acquired by First Republic Bank in 2012. 

Active in the community, Rob serves on the Board of Directors for the First Tee of Monterey County, the Board of Directors of the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. He's a Trustee of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation associated with PGA of America, as well as the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. Rob and his wife actively support numerous foundations and charities in and around the Monterey peninsula. 

Rob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, which, if you haven't heard has won national championship titles, back to back in men's basketball. Go Huskies!

Highlights:

• Rob's early influences and beginnings in wealth management (4:15)
• Founding Luminous Capital (5:52)
• Background on IEQ Capital, and company mission (6:37)
• What differentiates IEQ from competitors (7:13)
• IEQ's ideal client profile (8:34)
• How the IEQ team works with clients on wealth management (9:30)
• Rob walks us through IEQ's client screening process (10:18)
• The value of culture at IEQ (11:10)
• The use of technology at IEQ (12:00)
• How being a founder has informed Rob's work with his clients (13:30)
• How Rob approaches liquidity planning with clients (14:41)
• Rob breaks down IEQ's partnership with Stone Point Capital (15:33)
• The benefits for smaller firms (18:37)
• What Rob has learned from entrepreneurs during his time in wealth management (19:19)
• The importance of fostering a fun and enjoyable environment and culture (20:43)

Links:

Rob Skinner on LinkedIn

IEQ Capital on LinkedIn

IEQ Capital Website

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Twitter

ICR Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:

Private markets investment is a giant field, and finding a unique place in the business isn’t easy. But when you pay close attention to timing, the needs and wants of your clients, and building a solid team, you can make a definitive mark in the industry. 

Joining me to talk about how that's done is Scott Hart, CEO of StepStone Group, a private markets investment firm. Since its founding in 2006, StepStone’s seen steady growth, and that’s been fueled by their customized investment solutions and advisory and data services. With 23 offices around the world and $137 billion of assets under management, they just keep growing.

Scott joined StepStone in 2007, and he’s held a number of responsibilities across the organization, managing important client relationships, serving as co-head of private equity co-investments, and eventually becoming co-CEO in 2019, and CEO in January 2022. Scott is also a member of the global executive committee, private equity executive committee, private equity investment committee, and private equity portfolio and risk management committees.

We talked about the factors around StepStone’s huge growth since Scott started in 2007, and the flywheel effect that’s helped get it there. We also took a dive into how diversification helped them carve out a niche built around custom products for a global client base.

Highlights:

• Scott tells us about StepStone's mission and how they carry it out (03:16)
• Some of the important trends StepStone reacted to when they began 15 years ago (05:51)
• Scott outlines StepStone's strong position within the GP and LP ecosystem (08:04)
• StepStone's diversification strategies, global approach, and visibility (10:26)
• What they have offered retail investors versus industrial investors (13:40)
• Scott discusses StepStone's acquisition of Greenspring Associates (15:02)
• StepStone's company culture and how they attracted the right people (16:39)
• The keys to international expansion and managing a global firm (19:31)
• The resiliency of the private markets after a decade-long bull run (21:57)
• Scott shares projections for StepStone's long-term organic growth (24:53)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

Scott Hart LinkedIn

Scott Hart Bio

StepStone Website

StepStone LinkedIn

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:

In an ever-changing market, consistent communication and messaging is essential to building up stakeholder trust. Corporate access is key when it comes to developing relationships between companies and investors, but access strategy can be difficult to navigate without the right experience. 

Joining me on this episode of ICR Industry Reports is Meaghan Montegari, Managing Director and Head of Global Investor Access. Meaghan recently joined ICR with over a decade of experience in all facets of corporate access and institutional equity sales. While on the sell side with companies like BofA Merril, Scotia Capital and Wells Fargo, she worked closely with corporates to identify potential shareholders, execute road shows, assist in mergers, spins, and acquisitions, and coordinate major conferences.

In this episode, Meaghan and I discuss today's corporate access landscape, the importance of clear and consistent marketing, and why access to data combined with a human touch is such a difference maker.

Highlights:

• What are investor access and corporate access? (02:46)
• Meaghan talks about the implementation of MiFID II and subsequent conflicts of interest (03:47)
• Meaghan discusses ICR's holistic view of the market (07:11)
• How has the shift towards in-house corporate access changed the market landscape? (09:05)
• Meaghan explains why a human touch is necessary when interpreting data (11:40)
• Why is it critical to consistently meet with or refresh your shareholder base? (13:30)
• How often should companies meet with investors? (16:45)
• Meaghan breaks down why ICR's corporate access services are designed to partner with the sell side (19:07)
• How is Meaghan using ICR's data to create a powerful new targeting platform? (20:29)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

Meaghan Montegari LinkedIn

Meaghan Montegari Bio

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:

In today's knowledge-based economy, your intellectual property is your competitive advantage and it needs to be protected. 

My guest this week is John Mancini, partner at Mayer Brown and a member of the firm's global intellectual property practice, which was named IP practice group of the year in 2017 and 2020 by Law360. 

John's practice focuses on litigating copyright, trademark, trade secret, and patent disputes across the country, and he has successfully tried high-profile intellectual property cases as lead council, representing both public and private companies in a wide range of industries. His clients include tech giants like Google, YouTube, Spotify and many others and his contributions to the field have been recognized with many awards and honors including his 2020 induction into The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for trade secret litigation. 

John and I spoke about IP-related vulnerabilities companies should be aware of, new intellectual property challenges facing businesses in the social media age, and why getting your IP assets figured out should be an early priority for any company.

Highlights:

• John walks us through his path to intellectual property litigation (03:03)
• John outlines Mayer Brown's practice and history (04:35)
• Why pre-IPO companies should prioritize protecting their IP rights (06:06)
• How companies can enforce their IP assets as barriers to entry (09:12)
• IP vulnerabilities pre-IPO companies should be aware of (11:00)
• How are social media influencers creating new vulnerabilities for companies they work with? (17:50)
• John shares some significant cases he's been involved with (19:15)
• John explains how to approach protecting IP rights on a global scale (20:51)
• Who does John consider an ideal client? (26:48)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

John Mancini LinkedIn

John Mancini Bio

Mayer Brown LinkedIn

Mayer Brown Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:

Given the legal complexity of just about every aspect of running a company, lawyers are nearly ubiquitous in the corporate world. So, it should come as no surprise that a lifetime in corporate law amounts to an incredible wealth of knowledge and insight that can extend a lawyer's value far beyond just providing legal advice.

My guest this week is Henry Nassau, CEO of global law firm, Dechert. First joining Dechert in 1987 and returning in 2003 after a stint as in-house general counsel (and briefly COO) at Internet Capital Group, Henry served as chair of Dechert's corporate and securities group for a combined 14 years, representing private equity sponsors, venture capital firms, public and private corporations, management teams, boards, and special committees regarding corporate and securities matters and advising clients on mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, investments, securities offerings, proxy contests, corporate governance, and general corporate matters. 

CEO since July of 2016, Henry has played an instrumental role in expanding the Philadelphia-based firm's international platform across Europe, Asia, and the middle east. Today, Dechert has equal representation of lawyers inside and outside of the United States, making them a go-to choice for cross-border matters.

Henry and I spoke about the rise and fall of the dot-com bubble as it compares to current market conditions, trends in economic globalization, and why the transition from private equity law to businessperson can be a relatively seamless one.

Highlights:

• Henry outlines the history of Dechert, as well as his own history with the firm (03:29)
• Henry explains his decision to go in-house at ICG in the late 90s (08:42)
• Henry unpacks how lessons he learned from the burst of the Internet bubble inform his practice today (13:33)
• What sets Dechert apart from other firms? (16:53)
• Henry discusses trends he sees in globalization (18:39)
• How did COVID affect Dechert and what adaptations seem permanent? (20:38)
• Henry offers insight on recent market trends (23:53)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

Henry Nassau Bio

Dechert Website

Dechert LinkedIn

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:

My guest this week is co-founder and president of Zenger Folkman, a leadership development consultancy, Joe Folkman. For more than 30 years, Joe has been assessing and studying top leaders in a variety of industries and is a world-renowned psychometrician and leadership development expert. If you're not familiar with his unusual job title, a psychometrician creates psychological tests to measure employees' knowledge, skills, and abilities. 

Joe is also a prolific writer and has contributed to the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Business Insider. His research has also been featured in Business Week, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Finally, Joe is the best-selling author and co-author of nine books on leadership and feedback, including his latest work; The Trifecta of Trust: The Proven Formula for Building and Restoring Trust.

Joe and I spoke about the foundational theory of this latest book, how the implementation of diversity and inclusion policies have a positive effect on trust, and why you actually can please everyone...and have to.

Highlights:

• Joe talks about his use of data in making his assessments (03:29)
• Joe lays out the three pillars of The Trifecta of Trust (05:52)
• Joe discusses some top-level statistics of trust and links them to the corporate world (07:16)
• Joe outlines why consistency is important when building trust (10:27)
• Do you need to please everyone to be trusted? (12:04)
• How did the pandemic change which leaders were trusted? (13:52)
• Joe reveals that managers often have a preference for giving negative feedback (16:49)
• How do we regain lost trust and how do managers navigate what they don't know? (20:44)
• Joe talks about the interplay between trust and diversity and inclusion policies (23:50)
• Joe talks about intergenerational variations of trust (27:32)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

Joe Folkman LinkedIn

Zenger Folkman LinkedIn

Zenger Folkman Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.

Summary:

According to recent surveys, 43% of Americans expect to add to their debt in the next six months in order to make ends meet. Most will use credit card debt to bridge the gap, but high interest rates could see this put the financial futures of many Americans at risk. Innovative solutions to help manage that debt can make all the difference.

Today's guest is Scott Sanborn, CEO of LendingClub, the only full-spectrum FinTech Marketplace Bank that has helped more than 4 million Americans save billions of dollars with no plan to slow down any time soon. A LendingClub veteran since 2010, Scott served first as the company's Chief Marketing Officer, then Chief Operating Officer before stepping into the CEO position in 2016. Scott was instrumental in steering the company through a prolonged period of triple-digit growth running up to its 2014 IPO, the largest tech IPO that year, and has long been a driving force in the organization.

In this episode, Scott and I talk about the company's impressive and consistent growth, why their services are accessible to a wider range of customers than their competitors, and how their 2021 acquisition of a digital bank has transformed their business. 

Highlights:

• Scott traces LendingClub's path from its founding to its recent bank acquisition (03:17)
• Scott discusses what sets LendingClub apart from their competitors (06:13)
• Scott explains how the bank acquisition expanded LendingClub's TAM (09:15)
• How does LendingClub use technology to improve their customer service? (12:01)
• Scott unpacks LendingClub's positive flywheel, and what is driving their repeat business (14:41)
• Scott teases the products and services we can expect to see from LendingClub over the next few years (18:37)
• How will AI be a game changer down the road? (21:34)
• How is LendingClub positioned to help Americans deal with inflation and rising interest rates? (23:15)
• What do shareholders misunderstand about LendingClub? (27:31)
• Scott shares how his passion for surfing informs his work (29:28)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

Scott Sanborn LinkedIn

Scott Sanborn Bio

LendingClub LinkedIn

LendingClub Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.

Summary: 

While gyms were closed, and most of the population was stuck at home during the pandemic, the home exercise equipment category saw a huge boom in sales. With this came increased consumer appetite for connectivity and consolidation of their fitness experience across all the products in their home gyms.

Today's guest is Jim Barr, CEO of the iconic fitness brand Nautilus Inc. Also falling under the Nautilus umbrella are well-known brands like Bowflex and Schwinn. Before joining Nautilus, Jim was Group President of Richie Brothers, a global leader in sales of used industrial equipment, and Chief Digital Officer at Office Max, where he led the transformation of its online and omni-channel experiences. 

In this episode, Jeff and I talk about how Nautilus managed the huge surge in demand for their products during the pandemic, how they've used digital technology to transform the customer experience, and how getting your team right is a key driver of success.

Highlights:

• Jim discusses the current landscape of the home fitness industry (4:12)
• Jim gives a breakdown of his strategic business plan North Star (7:15)
• Jim talks about Nautilus' huge growth in digital members and how this was achieved (10:24)
• Jim explains how a diverse portfolio of products has helped Nautilus grow (12:40)
• How did the pandemic affect Nautilus' supply chain demand and how has this changed? (14:24)
• Jim takes us through his personnel changes, and how this has benefitted Nautilus (16:11)
• Jim talks through the pivot that Nautilus made to AI, machine learning, and vision and motion capture technologies (18:04)
• Jim discusses industry competition and the power of the Nautilus brand (20:30)
• How can diversity in retail channels manage risk? (23:21)
• Jim talks about having a long-term view can help investors understand your story (25:31)

Links:

ICR Twitter

ICR LinkedIn

ICR Website

Jim Barr LinkedIn

Nautilus LinkedIn

Nautilus Website

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.