AFG Venture Group: Singapore

Singapore

A Unique Network of Expertise and Experience

Our executives have spent most of their professional careers involved with the region, recognising many years ago the importance and potential of this area of the world. We believe that no other company brings together the same depth of multi-disciplinary expertise and practical business experience.

Our Directors, Advisors, Associates and Staff have varied commercial, technical, business, educational and real life experiences. All have worked in both large and small corporates and are committed to make a difference allowing our clients to change, expand and grow. The academic, business and financial backgrounds of the people assisting you, as well as their life and work experiences are provided as part of our services.

We have an independent 'Talent Pool' of additional recognised business people who add value to our organisation and who contribute further business accumen, contacts and skill sets to our clients.

Peter Church, OAM - Group Chairman

Peter Church is an international lawyer and business adviser who has lived and worked in the South East Asian region for more than 30 years and is based in Singapore. Peter advises a varied group of major international companies in relation to their Asian investment and trading activities. He was for many years President of the Australia Indonesia Business Council and sat on numerous Australian Federal Government Boards, such as the Trade Policy Advisory Committee. His primary roles are Chairing AFG Venture Group and acting as Special Counsel to the leading English law firm of Stephenson Harwood. He has, in addition, a number of other roles including being a Non Executive Director of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, a Non Executive Director of OM Holdings Limited (an ASX listed manganese miner), a Non Executive Director of the George Institute for Global Health (a medical research institute with significant operations in Asia), a Non Executive Director of the Alliance of International Corporate Advisors, Chairman of the Indochina Starfish Foundation (an Australian charity focused on the street children of Phnom Penh, Cambodia), Chairman of the Asia Pacific Business Advisory Group of The Duke of Edinburgh Award/The International Award for Young People and a member of the Advisory Board of Aksara (an Indonesian "think tank").

Peter was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1994 for his services to the promotion of business relations between Australia and the South East Asian region. He has written a number of books including A Short History of South East Asia which has recently gone into its 5th edition and his most recent book, Added Value - The Life Stories of Indian Business Leaders was published by Roli Books in April 2010.

Contact Peter Church, OAM

Christopher Franck - Managing Director, Singapore Advisory

Christopher Franck is an entrepreneur and business executive who has lived in Asia for the past twenty years. Christopher originates and executes ASEAN mandates for AFGVG Singapore; he is an executive in an ASEAN distribution and marketing business of FMCG Beauty Personal Care brands. In addition Christopher is an executive in an investment holding company nurturing and seeding businesses in entreprise software, social media and specialty recruitment. He is the non-executive Chairman of a multi-family office based in Singapore and he co-founded Yayasan Bali Purnati, a non-profit performing arts focused foundation in Indonesia. Previously Christopher has worked for the Swire Group, Migg Systems, Bridge Information Sytems and Reuters.

Contact Christopher Franck

Choo Lye Heng - Senior Adviser

Lye Heng has over 30 years experience in banking and corporate finance, and has been extensively involved in fund-raising transactions (tapping the equity and debt capital markets) and in mergers and acquisitions.

He has a successful track record in the institutions that he worked for, including the ING Group, and Banque Indosuez, which has a very long history of doing business in Asia. Lye Heng was Managing Director of Indosuez' Investment Banking unit in Singapore up to 1996. During this time, he had initiated a highly successful Mezzanine Debt business that worked in conjunction with the Bank's Private Equity division.

From 1997, Lye Heng began to advise companies as a Consultant, or on Board the companies, as a Director. The latter role, included serving as Finance Director of a Singapore listed company, and securing for the company a US$480 million Multi Tranche Structured Facility, and raising S$74 million from the equity capital market.

Lye Heng has been associated with, and has advised on transactions on behalf of AFG Venture Group for close to 10 years, and he is a Director and co-owner of AFG Venture Group Singapore Pte Ltd.

Contact Choo Lye Heng