SBVA Recruits Former SoftBank Vision Fund Leads to Boost Global Reach

Yoshimaru, a Harvard Business School graduate and former Investment Director at SoftBank Vision Fund, brings a track record of backing high-profile startups such as Databricks, Wiz, and Perplexity. Based in the U.S., he will spearhead advisory efforts for a new fund dedicated to American startups while facilitating their entry into the Japanese market. His role is designed to leverage his deep-rooted connections within Silicon Valley to sharpen SBVA's investment strategy.

Chris Lee joins the firm with extensive experience from CVC Capital Partners and GIC, having previously led growth equity investments in major Asian companies like Yanolja and Carro. His focus at SBVA centers on identifying co-investment opportunities across Southeast Asia and providing operational guidance for portfolio firms looking to scale locally. According to SBVA CEO JP Lee, the addition of these partners aims to solidify the firm's position as a primary conduit for cross-border technology growth.