Meet the Investor - Shanghai Live with Mr Dennis Hong
Dennis Hong from ShawSpring Partners left an indelible impact on our past and present members
On 8 April 2023, In Shanghai, renowned investor and founder of ShawSpring Partners, Dennis Hong, met with the Capital Allocator’s membership from China, General Partners Accelerator Camp, and Mr. Shinya, the founder of the Gen Z Club, along with several young members. The managerial team of the Bits x BitesVC, a renowned risk investment fund targeting early-stage agriculture and food technology projects in China, also supported the event.
Dennis Hong shared his early journey as an Asian American investor and emphasized how he developed a unique understanding of the potential of the Chinese market. Specifically, he highlighted his strategy of selecting Chinese companies such as JD as investment targets and his views on new growth opportunities in the Chinese market.
Dennis Hong also reflected upon the fact that his entrepreneurial journey is featured in a Harvard Business School case study. He recounted how he serendipitously entered the investment industry, merely seeking the highest paid part-time work as an undergrad at Yale, where he met the late Dr. David Swensen, a renowned investor who pioneered how college endowments are managed. Swensen's influence was undeniable as Dennis ventured into investments, eventually embarking on a remarkable career after working at the investment office at Yale. Although it was undoubtedly bold to abandon his MBA program at Harvard Business School and opt for entrepreneurship in the following year, Dennis persisted and overcame considerable resistance in the early days of ShawSpring, leveraging his market and research acumen to propel the firm forward.
Dennis Hong described the current challenges of managing a portfolio. He noted that it had taken him a considerable amount of time to find his role within his team due to the overwhelming amount of pressure associated with the job. Furthermore, Covid-19 posed a significant challenge to all industries, including his own. However, Dennis ascribes much of his success to always being present for his team members when they need him. As a founder and team leader, it is crucial for him to understand when his team needs assistance and how to provide that help. The Capital Allocator's Chinese membership greatly benefited from Dennis' macro-economic and market insights related to China.
Towards the end of the event, several young members, including Kevin Yu, Qitang Sun, Shuohan Zhang, Justin Zhou, and Yaxin Liao, who were invited by Mr. Shinya of Gen Z Club, shared their investment insights and values with Dennis, Mr. Shinya, and other investors in attendance. These young members, many of whom were early members of Gen Z Club, have been actively participating in organizing events for Mr. Shinya in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, and elsewhere throughout the year. They shared their stories of joining and participating in the development of Gen Z Club. Despite different understandings of investment among China's diverse youth, they leveraged investment logic and long-term goals to foster their career growth and life development. Several members highlighted the impact of Gen Z Club as a multi-national youth investment club on their perspectives and values. In particular, the Gen Z Club's philosophy of investing in life while contributing to society has inspired several members to act accordingly, leaving a deep impression on listeners in attendance. The members also exchanged experiences on their favorite companies and stocks with Dennis and shared their portfolio holdings with him.
Dennis later discussed his growth journey and the numerous mentors and friends who provided immense help along the way. Dennis hopes to see more platforms like the Z Club that encourage Asian youth to pursue excellence and use investment as a means of contributing to society.
Edited by Kevin YU (Ph.D. Student/JD/Mjur/LLB & BA)
Many thanks to Capital Allocators for hosting this event and to Z Club for providing me with the opportunity to attend. It was truly inspiring to hear about the career and investing journey of Dennis Hong from ShawSpring Partners. Throughout the session, Dennis shared insightful anecdotes from his investing journey, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and staying true to one's investment philosophy. His engaging storytelling and genuine enthusiasm left a lasting impression, do inspire us to further reflect on our own career goals and investing strategies. - Yaxin LIAO
Dennis generously shared his investor journey, motivations, and passions. When going through his journey, milestones in becoming a PM are quite clear. What struck me the most was importance of building a long term relationship (based on mutual trust). It was a great opportunity for rising investors at Z Club to chat with him. His encouragement means a lot to us. - Shuohan ZHANG