LEADERSHIP

Jonathan Glick

Jonathan Glick brings combined perspective from his experiences with a global alternative investment manager, a foreign capitalized China based structured finance firm, and a China government financed investment vehicle.  Jonathan has served the last several years as the China-based investment manager at Sudarskis & Partners, a global asset manager and advisor to sovereign wealth funds and large state sponsored financial entities. He has been responsible for the creation and management of co-investment private equity funds deploying capital with leading western companies in emerging markets.  He has worked directly with Georges Sudarskis providing advice to governments in the creation of sovereign wealth funds.  Previously, Jonathan worked as an analyst with China’s largest foreign-funded structured finance firm, creating finance packages for global telecom, automotive and equipment companies.  Prior to that, Jonathan worked with the investment and capital procurement arm for the China New Media Economic Development Zone.  He worked directly with the Zone’s Party Secretary and the company’s General Manager.  Jonathan is a graduate of the University of San Francisco with a BA in Business Administration and a focus in Finance. 

Michael Johnson

Cliff Nakayama contributes decades of management expertise on both sides of the Pacific in diverse industries, with a primary focus on CleanTech.  He has keen insight to factory qualifications and capabilities necessary for successful supply chain partnering and acquisition.  Cliff serves on the board of the U.S.-China Green Energy Council since 2009, leads its clean transportation industry group, and became the Council's Chief Operating Officer in 2011.  The Council promotes cooperation and collaboration between US and Chinese companies.  Cliff has operated and led supply chain, manufacturing and sales operations throughout China and Asia Pacific for companies in the aerospace and defense, automotive and semiconductor industries.  Cliff is a graduate of United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering and National Security, and an MBA in International Business from Pepperdine University.

Alex Smayda

With over 20 years in Greater China, Alex Smayda combines a successful track record building and restructuring business in China with a unique insight into China government operations.  He has invested time and energy consistently over this period building a remarkably extensive network of key government and private company relationships throughout China.   Alex is co-founder and managing director of Poly Capital Partners, a Shanghai based private equity firm focused on growth capital investment in partnership with the Shanghai government on infrastructure projects and strategic emerging industries.  Previously, he was retained by a group of US institutional limited partners to take over, restructure, manage and liquidate a private equity portfolio of China based investments by the former fund general partner.  Alex restructured operations, unwound failed joint ventures, pursued remedies in court and sold assets.  In the process, he generated returns to LP investors in excess of expectations, and established legal precedents for investor protection in China, including the first municipal court verdict in Shanghai to rule in favor of foreign investors.  He was founder of Kamsum Development, a China designer and manufacturer of bio plastic products, and worked closely with global consumer goods marketers.  Before that, he was country manager for one of the first US private equity funds to begin investing in Mainland China.  Alex has industry experience in aerospace, consumer goods, food and beverage, and media.  He is a graduate of University of California Santa Cruz, where he also served as an adjunct professor.