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Pedja is an INSEAD 14J and GP at Fifth Quarter Ventures, the first VC firm solely focused on Southeastern Europe. Pedja was on the Serbian National Water Polo team, and post-INSEAD scaled Gelato (a print-on-demand startup) into a unicorn my leading its expansion into emerging markets like India, China, and Russia. 

In this episode we discuss the types of founders Pedja likes to invest in, traits he looks for in investors and partners, how to build brands in emerging markets as a foreigner and much more. 

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Nubank (NYSE: NU) is Latin America's largest fintech company and the world's largest neobank with over 100 million users and a valuation of over $70 billion. 

Livia is an INSEAD 09D and prior to Nubank directed tech and business analytics at Itau Unibanco (Latin America's largest bank) and was a Partner at McKinsey.

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Onno Pfeiffer is an INSEAD GEMBA 19 and is the co-founder of Diolko.

Diolko's sustainable last mile delivery solution leverages underutilized city infrastructure to improve quality of life for everyone by reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.

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Taimur Malik, Co-Founder and Ideator of Drawdown Farm  joined us to speak about regenerative agriculture's role in addressing the world's polycrises and the amazing results he's had so far on his farm in the Thar Desert of Pakistan.

Prior to founding Drawdown Farm, Taimur was an Analyst at Citibank, Chief Executive at Moiz Textiles, and co-founded TM Black, a fair trade men's custom shirting company, in which he negotiated deals with the best textile mills in the world for fabric selections, including Canclini in Italy, and ultimately sold the business to a global custom men's clothier at an undisclosed profit.

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Brendan Rogers is the Co-Founder of 2am VC, an early-stage India Fund. Previously, Brendan co-founded Wag! (NASDAQ) PET, the largest pet platform in the US.

Before Wag!, Brendan co-founded a social discovery service to meet new people, which grew to over 50 million users in over 10 countries, and was acquired by IAC in 2014.

In this podcast, Brendan joined Nick Lall to discuss the burgeoning startup environment in India, best practices for building a personal brand, and his personal journey in launching 2am VC.

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AbbeyCross is a business-to-business FX trading and compliance marketplace for emerging market (EM) currencies. Available to banks and payment providers, it brings deeper EM currency liquidity, previously unavailable price transparency and market data to a fragmented EM payment industry. 

With AbbeyCross, banking participants are able to secure and strengthen their EM payments offerings through one simple integration with multiple liquidity and settlement providers, while these same providers have easier access to new EM payment flows.

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Javier Cunat is a TIEMBA 2014 and COO/Director of Diligo, which offers advisory and CFO services for startups in Spain and Mexico. In this episode we explore his 14 years in China and subsequent move to found a startup in Mexico.

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Georg Chmiel is an INSEAD 96D and the Co-Founder / Chair of Juwai-IQI Holdings, the largest proptech group in South East Asia with more than 30,000 sales agents. He is also responsible for creating 3 unicorns. His previous experience includes Executive Chairman of iCarAsia (ASX:ICQ), the number 1 online automotive marketplace for SE Asia. He was also Managing Director / CEO of the iProperty Group (ASX:IPP) until its sale to REA Group in the biggest online takeover in SE Asia at that point in time. He has also served as the CEO and managing director of international real estate agency and finance network, LJ Hooker; and as the CFO and general manager (International) at the REA Group.


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Emilie Abrams is an INSEAD 21J and Principal at The Yield Lab Mexico.

The Yield Lab is a VC fund formed in 2014 to address a lack of capital and support for early stage agriculture technology companies. It invests in seed stage to growth stage agtech companies, providing international business connections and the resources of the entire Yield Lab international network across Asia, Europe, and North and South America.

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Easy Crypto is New Zealand's largest cryptocurrency retailer transacting over $1b in sales, and has now expanded to Australia and South Africa as well.

Lloyd Brown is Head of Emerging Markets at Easy Crypto and has decades of business experience on the African continent.

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In this episode,  Lisa Genasci and Marc Schmidt joined Vincent Tordo to speak about sustainable business opportunities in Southeast Asia

Lisa is a Managing Director - Sustainable Finance with ADM Capital where she leads the firm’s ESG Committee and sits on the Investment Advisory Committee. 

Marc is a Managing Director and Partner at BCG and is the Southeast Asia Lead for Social Impact, Environment and Climate.

To explore more on the topic: 

Toxic Legacy: How the Weedkiller Glyphosate Is Destroying Our Health and the Environment by Stefanie Seneff published in July 2021

It’s Time for Institutional Investors to Embrace the S in ESG by BCG published in February 2022

The Untapped Climate Opportunity in Alternative Proteins by BCG published in July 2022

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Antoine Delaporte is an INSEAD alumnus who after working as a Manager at Bain in London and Paris launched 3 clothing businesses in Madagascar, which  he grew to 2500 employees. He then sold the these businesses and entered the world of PE, starting Adenia Partners 20 years ago. He has raised 5 funds for Adenia, the latest being a 500m fund.

In this episode he talks about the scale of impact one can have in Africa in changing the world vs other locations, and the VC-like returns you can achieve by investing in traditional businesses on the continent.

Visit Adenia Partners at adenia.com and join our emerging markets community on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13949631/ .

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Kevin Carter, founder and chief investment officer of EMQQ Global, joined us to disucss his journey in the investment world, initiated by his transformative reading of "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," which led to him working alongside economist Burton Malkiel of Princeton University in creating multiple stock market innovations like fractional investing and personal indexing, and his ultimate focus on China and other emerging markets. 

Carter shares insights on the digital consumer revolution in these markets and his thoughts on India's potential today compared with that of China's 20 years ago.

Note: this episode was recorded before India's 2024 election.

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White Star Capital is a global multi-stage venture capital investment firm with offices in New York, London, Montreal, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. They focus on Series A and beyond, helping their portfolio scale internationally. Investments of theirs include Flash Coffee, Dollar Shave Club, Sleek, Freshly, and Pop Meals.

Visit White Star at whitestarcapital.com and join our emerging markets community on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13949631/ .

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Matthieu is an INSEAD 19D who has launched 4 businesses in Bali since graduating. We talked about his business plans, fundraising successes and commitments to sustainability and inclusive development.

Visit Tropic Invest at tropicinvest.com and join our emerging markets community on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13949631/ .

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Sejal Mistry, Regional Director of Southeast Asia at ACCESS Health International , and Chris L. Hardesty, Partner at Pureland Venture and Director of the Health and Life Sciences practice at KPMG joined Suhina Singh for a conversation on what healthcare in emerging markets will look like following the CoVID-19 pandemic.

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Ambit Partners is a search fund investor that enabling entrepreneurship through acquisition across traditional and developing markets, including Africa, South America and Asia.

In this episode, Ambit co-founder and Partner, Andrew Locke, discusses the impact and business potential for search funds in emerging markets and what he looks for in entrepreneurs that he invests in.

Visit Ambit Partners at www.ambit.partners and join our emerging markets community on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13949631/ .

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Vikram Bharati is the founder of the Draper Startup House, which is on a mission to invest in ONE MILLION entrepreneurs by the end of 2030.

Draper Startup Houses are business innovation hubs with a backpacking environment and access to venture capital for global entrepreneurs. Their current locations include Singapore, Bangalore, Estonia, Yangon, Manila, Lisbon, Chiang Mai, Bali and Austin, Texas.

Visit Draper Startup House at draperstartuphouse.com and join our emerging markets community on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13949631/ .

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Christian Patouraux, the CEO and founder of Kacific, a satellite internet startup that has raised $300M+ and serves some of the most remote markets in emerging APAC such as Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu, joined us for our first episode.

Visit Kacific at kacific.com and join our emerging markets community on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13949631/ . 

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In this episode of the INSEAD Emerging Markets Podcast, we speak with Asha Mehta, Managing Partner at Global Delta Capital, about her impactful career in finance, focusing on emerging and frontier markets through a lens of sustainability and responsible investing.

Asha founded Global Delta Capital after working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and Lead Portfolio Manager and Director of Responsible Investing at Acadian Asset Management.  Asha has been recognized as a "brilliant quant" by Forbes Magazine and ranked as one of the top 10 women in asset management by Money Management Executive.
Asha received her BA in Biological Sciences and Anthropology from Stanford and her MBA from Wharton, during which she made use of the INSEAD-Wharton Exchange.

Our discussion covers the societal impact of investing in emerging markets, the role of data science in global market analysis, and the value of on-the-ground experiences in diverse cultures plays in evaluating countries and businesses to invest in.

Asha's book, The Power of Capital, is a thrilling memoir of her personal journeys through emerging markets which delivers equal doses of business discussion and geopolitical insight.

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Andrew Henderson is the Founder and CEO of Nomad Capitalist, the world's leading offshore consulting firm dedicated to helping clients make informed decisions on the best countries to invest, start a business and live in.

Andrew has helped over 2,000 UHNW individuals go offshore and his YouTube channel has over 750,000 subscribers.

Nomad Capitalist Live, Nomad Capitalist's annual event, will be held in Kuala Lumpur this September 25th through 28th.

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In this episode, Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen joins us to share his unique path from investment banking and an MBA at NYU Stern to acquiring and then running company at the forefront of the nearshoring movement. He dives deep into both the geopolitical and macroeconomic ramifications of nearshoring and the nitty gritty of what it takes to search for, buy, and then run a cross-border business.

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In this episode of the INSEAD Emerging Markets Podcast, we were joined by Emily Chang, a powerhouse in the world of international marketing and business strategy.

Currently CEO of VML West (and CEO of McCann Worldgroup in China at the time of recording), Emily's storied career spans influential roles at global giants like Starbucks, Apple, and Procter & Gamble, culminating in her profound impact on brand building and customer experience across continents.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Emily shares her personal journey of caring for orphaned children, echoing the themes of her bestselling book, "The Spare Room."

 This episode delves into Emily's unique ability to blend business acumen with heartfelt philanthropy, offering listeners an unparalleled insight into the mind of a leader who thrives in the face of change and champions the power of cultural understanding.

Join us for a deep dive into the life of a woman who reshapes markets and lives, proving that the path to success is as diverse as it is inspirational.

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 Nicolas Rohatyn serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Rohatyn Group. TRG is a team of 190+ emerging market specialists in 18 countries dedicated to pursuing investment opportunities in these economies by focusing on areas of structural inefficiency and special opportunity.

The firm has over $8 billion in assets under management and splits its investments between public markets, private markets and forestry and agriculture.

Prior to founding TRG in 2002, Mr. Rohatyn spent 19-years at J.P. Morgan, including 5 years as a member of J.P. Morgan’s executive management team, holding a variety of leadership positions in emerging markets, foreign exchange, commodities, credit markets and e-commerce functions. As Managing Director and Head of Emerging Markets Sales, Trading and Research, Mr. Rohatyn established offices in Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, Russia, Korea, and India, as part of the growth of J.P. Morgan’s efforts in those markets. Mr. Rohatyn built and restructured the emerging markets sales, trading and research area from a loan-based business to an integrated and diversified sales, trading and capital markets effort while producing significant net income and winning numerous awards and industry-wide recognition. During Mr. Rohatyn’s tenure, J.P. Morgan established its widely acknowledged leadership position in emerging markets securities distribution, trading, and research.

Mr. Rohatyn is a founder and the former chairman of the Emerging Markets Traders Association (EMTA), a body that today is recognized by many professionals as the authority on market standards, practices and volumes. He currently serves on the boards of The Asia Society and the Global Private Capital Association (GPCA), where he also served as chairman, and the French Institute/Alliance Française. He is a Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission and serves on the Investment Committee of the Foundation for Contemporary Arts. He formerly served on the Boards of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Robert College of Istanbul, MarketAxess, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the RiskMetrics Group, Archipelago, and the Lewis T. Preston Foundation for Girls.

A native New Yorker, Mr. Rohatyn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Brown University.

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In this episode, we spoke with Yeshi Phuntso, CEO of Àni Private Resorts about how his strategic focus on community engagement and employee empowerment has created a thriving brand. 

Àni is the world’s first private resort collection offering exclusive retreats in the most beautiful and far-flung corners of the earth, ÀNI Private Resorts draws its name from the Swahili word 'andjani', which aptly means the ‘journey ahead’. This refers not only to the time shared by ÀNI guests at each resort as part of life’s journey, but also to the future offered to students of the non-profit ÀNI Art Academies organization. Inspired by the idea that an arts education could bring opportunities to those without in beautiful, developing nations worldwide, the ÀNI story began in 2010, when both organizations were founded by philanthropist and arts patron, Tim Reynolds. 

ÀNI’s destinations currently include Thailand’s Koh Yao Noi Island, Sri Lanka’s south coast, a private peninsula on the Dominican Republic’s north coast, and the northern cliffs of Anguilla Island, with each resort claiming a spectacular natural setting close to its local ÀNI Art Academy. Exclusively designed for a single group of guests, each accommodates up to 20 or 30 individuals across just 10 to 15 suites. All operate on an all-inclusive basis except ÀNI Anguilla, which is available for half-board stays. The resorts offer every space and service a group of guests could possibly desire, and a full complement of staff (between 20 and 30 per resort) tailors every detail – from dining and spa treatments to children’s activities and cultural interactions

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Jamil Wyne is an INSEAD 18J and advisor, investor, professor and author focusing on climate, entrepreneurship, technology and economic development around the world, including a strong concentration on climate change. Worked with World Bank, IFC, UN, Clean Energy Venture Group, Catalyst Investment Management, Schmidt Futures, Wamda, and Ashoka. INSEAD MBA, Johns Hopkins SAIS MA. Writing/research has been published/cited in SSIR, TechCrunch, World Bank, UN, Wharton, McKinsey, and Brookings publications. Based in Washington, DC.

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In this episode, we were joined by Darren Lapp, CEO of the New Forests Company, a sustainable forestry and timber products business operating in Uganda and Tanzania. Darren shares his journey from growing up in a forestry town in Canada to leading a major forestry enterprise in sub-Saharan Africa.

We discuss:

• Darren’s career path – how he transitioned from biology and soil science to forestry, influenced by early work experiences and international exposure.
• The challenges of forestry in Africa – balancing environmental sustainability, community engagement, and economic viability.
• Sustainable practices – how the New Forests Company restores deforested areas, integrates local communities, and secures FSC certification.
• Investment in forestry – why forestry requires long-term, impact-driven investors and how the industry is evolving in Africa.
• Local value addition – efforts to reduce reliance on raw material exports by producing finished timber products within East Africa.
• Leadership insights – Darren’s collaborative leadership style, developed through multinational experience and INSEAD’s International Directors Program.
• Future vision – scaling New Forest Company's impact by expanding industrial capacity and market development, with a goal of long-term economic sustainability.

After this podcast was recorded, Darren let me know they had closed a transaction with Shell Nature Based Solutions in forming a new impact forestry joint venture.  You can learn more on the New Forests Company’s LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-forests-company