William Bao Bean - Partner, Softbank China & India Holdings
William Bao Bean, Partner at Softbank China & India Holdings shares his VC perspective when it comes to investing in China's internet and mobile sector. He touches upon current investment trends, innovation in China and shares his thoughts on local Chinese startups vs. foreign counterparts who enter the China market.
In March 2007, William joined with former colleagues who started Softbank China & India Holdings an early stage venture capital firm that is backed by Softbank of Japan and Cisco and focused on the technology, media and telecom sectors.
Over the last 11 years in equity research William covered a number of industry sectors including PC and enterprise computing, storage, display, peripherals, handhelds/handsets, communications semiconductors, foundries, wireline telecom equipment, wireless equipment, data networking and consumer/media software.
William began his investment career 11 years ago as a technology analyst in Taiwan. Most recently at Deutsche Bank, he was responsible for regional Internet and Telecom Equipment as well as China Technology: telecom equipment (ZTE, UTStarcom, Huawei, ZyXEL, Gemtek, D-Link), Internet (Sina, Sohu, Netease, Shanda, The9, Linktone, Hurray, eLong, Ctrip, Kongzhong, Tom Online and Tencent), Media (Focus Media), PC (Lenovo), Display (TCL), Handset and Software industries. Prior to this, he covered Telecom Equipment and Digital Media companies with Banc of America Securities in San Francisco. William also worked as an associate analyst with the team covering PCs, Enterprise Hardware, Handhelds, Storage and Semiconductors at Bear Stearns in New York.
In 2006 he was ranked #3 All-Asia analyst for Technology/Software and IT Services by Instutional Investor Magazine Asia. In 2005, he was ranked #1 stock picker in Technology, Media and Telecom, and #3 overall for Hong Kong/China by Forbes/SCMP/Starmine as well as was a ranked analyst by Institutional Investor Magazine Asia. William is a regular presenter at industry conferences and has authored widely acclaimed white papers including: The Digital Home Handbook - Intelligence At The Edge and China Internet WVAS - The Second Coming. He currently sits on the boards of advisors for Iotum, TalkDaTalk and ad:tech Beijing. He holds a BA from Bowdoin College.
William Bao Bean
