# SBVA Appoints Two Global Investment Veterans as Venture Partners to Strengthen Portfolio Growth Support

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/sbva-appoints-two-global-investment-veterans-as-venture-partners-to-strengthen-portfolio-growth-support
- Published: 2026-08-27T06:30:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

– Two former SoftBank Vision Fund investment professionals join SBVA, expanding 
its global network across the U.S., Japan, and Southeast Asia
– SBVA to deepen support
for portfolio companies, from identifying promising companies globally to supporting
their expansion into overseas markets

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SBVA (CEO: JP Lee) announced today
that it has appointed two former SoftBank Vision Fund investment professionals, 
Kaz Yoshimaru and Chris Lee, as Venture Partners. The appointments will further 
strengthen SBVA’s global investment capabilities and expand its support for portfolio
companies entering overseas markets and growing their businesses.

 [⌊From left, SBVA Venture Partners Kaz Yoshimaru and Chris Lee⌉](https://mmx.prnasia.com/media/MS1973594/20260821053306EDT_image_1.jpg?id=OA2905939&p=medium600)

From left, SBVA Venture Partners Kaz Yoshimaru and Chris Lee

Kaz Yoshimaru holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Public Administration (MPA)
from the University of Tokyo, as well as an MBA from Harvard Business School. He
joined SoftBank Group in 2015 and later served as an Investment Director at SoftBank
Vision Fund, investing in global technology companies as part of its U.S. investment
team. He invested in leading technology companies including Databricks, Wiz, Perplexity,
and Sierra, while supporting their expansion into Japan and helping bridge Silicon
Valley and Asia.

As a Venture Partner at SBVA, Yoshimaru will leverage his expertise and network 
across the U.S. technology and venture ecosystem to support a range of initiatives.
He will also lead strategic advisory and structuring efforts for a new fund focused
on investing in U.S. startups.

Chris Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Chicago.
He later worked at CVC Capital Partners and GIC before serving as a Partner at SoftBank
Vision Fund. With extensive experience in private equity and growth equity, Lee 
led investments in major high-growth companies across Asia, including Yanolja, Carro,
Advance Intelligence Group, bKash, IYUNO, and Funding Societies, building deep investment
expertise and networks across the region.

At SBVA, Chris Lee will help identify co-investment opportunities in Southeast Asia
and support new fund formation, while also helping portfolio companies enter and
expand in local markets.

"Kaz and Chris bring extensive investment experience and networks built through 
identifying and supporting innovative companies across global markets," said JP 
Lee, CEO of SBVA. "We expect their addition to further strengthen SBVA’s role as
a bridge between the global technology ecosystem and Asian markets."

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