V-nee Yeh
Encyclopedia
V Nee Yeh is a non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong
. He graduated from Milton Academy, Cum Laude '77;Williams College
, BA' 81 Phi Beta Kappa
, Magna Cum Laude and Columbia Law School
, JD '84, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar He is a co-founder and honorary chairman of Value Partners Group Limited, the second largest in Asian based fund manager. He is also the co-founder and chairman of Argyle Street Management, an Asian distressed and special opportunities fund (ranked 22nd in Asia) and Cheetah Investment Management Group, which seeds and incubates other funds / fund managers. Vnee Yeh is also the past chairman of Hsin Chong Construction, a company founded by his grandfather, until he sold the controlling interest in 2007. Yeh is also a Trustee of Milton Academy, MA.
, and graduated from Williams College
and Columbia Law School
.
Yeh is known for an unusual academic background. He concentrated on Marxist history at Williams, had hair longer than his current crew cut would allow one to imagine, and was known as a leftist liberal. He then surprised his family and peers by entering law school at Columbia where he won numerous academic awards. After qualifying for the California Bar, Yeh yet again changed directions and accepted an offer to join Lazard Freres in New York and rose rapidly within the firm. He resigned as a partner in Lazard Brothers Capital Markets in London in 1990 in response to a call from his family to help restructure their various interests. In a series of path-breaking transactions in Hong Kong he split the family's holding company into two pieces, Hsin Chong Construction Group and Hsin Chong International Holdings. He then led and MBO of HCIH in 1992 which was became known within the financial industry as an extremely astute transaction in light of the fact the bid was timed almost to the day to match the trough of the Asian shipping market. HCIH later repaid virtually all of the cost of the MBO just through the sale of HCIH's shipping fleet, leaving behind the bulk of the assets of the company with a zero cost base. In 1993, when Warren Buffett style value investing
was virtually unknown in the region, and not available to the average investor, he co-founded Value Partners Limited with Cheah Cheng Hye to focus on the niche in Asia, and in particular Greater China. Since its IPO in the late 2000s the firm has grown many-fold, though its dismal performance during the 2008-09 financial crisis caused heavy losses for the investors of its funds. The company also invested in several companies in China without performing proper due diligence that turned out to be fraudulent. Value Partners is now one of the leading investment groups in the region and is listed on the Kong Kong Stock Exchange. It is a company that operates under the premise of 'value investing' for marketing purposes. They specialize in closet indexing, a highly sophisticated method of active investing that generates fees with low risk of deviation from their benchmarks.
In 2002, Yeh co-founded Argyle Street Management, an Asian distressed and special opportunities fund (ranked 22nd in Asia) and in 2003 joined Cheetah Investment Management as chairman, re-structuring Cheetah to identify and capitalize on select Asian investment themes. Cheetah has since launched the Arcus Japan Value Fund, the Cheetah Korea Value Fund, the Pan Asia Fund, the Steel Partners China Access Fund and the Saizen REIT. Saizen REIT, a real estate investment trust
holding a portfolio of Japanese Residential assets, is listed on the Singapore Exchange
.
On 21 January 2009, it was announced that Yeh was appointed to the Executive Council of Hong Kong
with immediate effect. Yeh, who was a non-executive director of Next Media Group
, resigned the post on his appointment. For many, Yeh's appointment came as a total surprise. Yeh has never harboured any political ambition, nor demonstrated any political interest. In fact, he can be described as politically naive and socially shy. It is rumored that he turned down the appointment several times until pressed that it was a social duty in light of all he had been given. A social liberal at heart he is known to have a Jeffersonian political bent tempered by a strong stripe of "Volcker-like" economic conservatism. Yeh's views are shaped by his leftist experience in college and his professional exposure in finance. The common denominator is his belief in equity and opportunity for all, regardless of birth, class, race or background. Yeh supports democracy but with deep academic roots in constitutional law, understands the need to counter-balance the risks of "the tyranny of the majority". He acknowledges China's shortcomings ( and has not hesitated to criticize China's mistakes in the past) but over time has become a stronger and stronger supporter of China's gradualist approach in light of her size and complexity. Deeply affected by stories of the deprivation he heard from his family in China before the revolution, he is a outspoken admirer of China's progress in the last 3 decades and has paraphrased Churchill in stating that "never has so many owed so much to so few" (he is also not a blind apologist and has not been unwilling to voice concerns when mistakes have been made, to wit, he was not afraid to become a director of Next Media, when most Hong Kong business figures would have run as far as they could from the offer ). Yeh is a difficult animal to intellectually pigeon-hole and has often steered his own path. From his position in Exco, he has stated that his primary goal is to forge a political and social consensus to bring Hong Kong forward, and to further enhance its attractiveness as a financial centre, an urbane city, and a multi-cultural center with a unique quality of life.
Executive Council of Hong Kong
The Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
. He graduated from Milton Academy, Cum Laude '77;Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, BA' 81 Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
, Magna Cum Laude and Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, JD '84, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar He is a co-founder and honorary chairman of Value Partners Group Limited, the second largest in Asian based fund manager. He is also the co-founder and chairman of Argyle Street Management, an Asian distressed and special opportunities fund (ranked 22nd in Asia) and Cheetah Investment Management Group, which seeds and incubates other funds / fund managers. Vnee Yeh is also the past chairman of Hsin Chong Construction, a company founded by his grandfather, until he sold the controlling interest in 2007. Yeh is also a Trustee of Milton Academy, MA.
Biography
Yeh is the elder of two children of Geoffrey Yeh, former Managing Director of Hsin Chong Construction which was founded by his father. He attended Diocesan Boys' SchoolDiocesan Boys' School
Diocesan Boys' School is a boys' school located at 131 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1869, making it one of the oldest secondary schools in Hong Kong....
, and graduated from Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
.
Yeh is known for an unusual academic background. He concentrated on Marxist history at Williams, had hair longer than his current crew cut would allow one to imagine, and was known as a leftist liberal. He then surprised his family and peers by entering law school at Columbia where he won numerous academic awards. After qualifying for the California Bar, Yeh yet again changed directions and accepted an offer to join Lazard Freres in New York and rose rapidly within the firm. He resigned as a partner in Lazard Brothers Capital Markets in London in 1990 in response to a call from his family to help restructure their various interests. In a series of path-breaking transactions in Hong Kong he split the family's holding company into two pieces, Hsin Chong Construction Group and Hsin Chong International Holdings. He then led and MBO of HCIH in 1992 which was became known within the financial industry as an extremely astute transaction in light of the fact the bid was timed almost to the day to match the trough of the Asian shipping market. HCIH later repaid virtually all of the cost of the MBO just through the sale of HCIH's shipping fleet, leaving behind the bulk of the assets of the company with a zero cost base. In 1993, when Warren Buffett style value investing
Value investing
Value investing is an investment paradigm that derives from the ideas on investment and speculation that Ben Graham and David Dodd began teaching at Columbia Business School in 1928 and subsequently developed in their 1934 text Security Analysis...
was virtually unknown in the region, and not available to the average investor, he co-founded Value Partners Limited with Cheah Cheng Hye to focus on the niche in Asia, and in particular Greater China. Since its IPO in the late 2000s the firm has grown many-fold, though its dismal performance during the 2008-09 financial crisis caused heavy losses for the investors of its funds. The company also invested in several companies in China without performing proper due diligence that turned out to be fraudulent. Value Partners is now one of the leading investment groups in the region and is listed on the Kong Kong Stock Exchange. It is a company that operates under the premise of 'value investing' for marketing purposes. They specialize in closet indexing, a highly sophisticated method of active investing that generates fees with low risk of deviation from their benchmarks.
In 2002, Yeh co-founded Argyle Street Management, an Asian distressed and special opportunities fund (ranked 22nd in Asia) and in 2003 joined Cheetah Investment Management as chairman, re-structuring Cheetah to identify and capitalize on select Asian investment themes. Cheetah has since launched the Arcus Japan Value Fund, the Cheetah Korea Value Fund, the Pan Asia Fund, the Steel Partners China Access Fund and the Saizen REIT. Saizen REIT, a real estate investment trust
Real estate investment trust
A real estate investment trust or REIT is a tax designation for a corporate entity investing in real estate. The purpose of this designation is to reduce or eliminate corporate tax. In return, REITs are required to distribute 90% of their taxable income into the hands of investors...
holding a portfolio of Japanese Residential assets, is listed on the Singapore Exchange
Singapore Exchange
Singapore Exchange Limited is an investment holding company located in Singapore and providing different services related to securities and derivatives trading and others. SGX is a member of the World Federation of Exchanges and the Asian and Oceanian Stock Exchanges FederationSingapore Exchange...
.
On 21 January 2009, it was announced that Yeh was appointed to the Executive Council of Hong Kong
Executive Council of Hong Kong
The Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
with immediate effect. Yeh, who was a non-executive director of Next Media Group
Next Media
Next Media Limited , founded by serial entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, has more than 3,600 employees and is the largest-listed media company in Hong Kong....
, resigned the post on his appointment. For many, Yeh's appointment came as a total surprise. Yeh has never harboured any political ambition, nor demonstrated any political interest. In fact, he can be described as politically naive and socially shy. It is rumored that he turned down the appointment several times until pressed that it was a social duty in light of all he had been given. A social liberal at heart he is known to have a Jeffersonian political bent tempered by a strong stripe of "Volcker-like" economic conservatism. Yeh's views are shaped by his leftist experience in college and his professional exposure in finance. The common denominator is his belief in equity and opportunity for all, regardless of birth, class, race or background. Yeh supports democracy but with deep academic roots in constitutional law, understands the need to counter-balance the risks of "the tyranny of the majority". He acknowledges China's shortcomings ( and has not hesitated to criticize China's mistakes in the past) but over time has become a stronger and stronger supporter of China's gradualist approach in light of her size and complexity. Deeply affected by stories of the deprivation he heard from his family in China before the revolution, he is a outspoken admirer of China's progress in the last 3 decades and has paraphrased Churchill in stating that "never has so many owed so much to so few" (he is also not a blind apologist and has not been unwilling to voice concerns when mistakes have been made, to wit, he was not afraid to become a director of Next Media, when most Hong Kong business figures would have run as far as they could from the offer ). Yeh is a difficult animal to intellectually pigeon-hole and has often steered his own path. From his position in Exco, he has stated that his primary goal is to forge a political and social consensus to bring Hong Kong forward, and to further enhance its attractiveness as a financial centre, an urbane city, and a multi-cultural center with a unique quality of life.