How much would AI replace the work of investment bankers?

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What would fundamentally distinguish the work of investment bankers and real estate brokers?

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How to build an investment bank that thrives in the future, against automation and information transparency?

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As a serial entrepreneur and investor in the global tourism market for more than a decade, I am trying to give investment banking a new form, which I named it "ecosystem investment bank". This is a boutique investment bank which is deeply rooted in a certain industry ecosystem and provides various financial services and growth resources needed for different growth stage of a company.

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Many years of experience in the travel, hospitality and leisure industry has enabled me to find investment targets, business partners, and strategic investors often within my own social network. Regarded as a connector between China and the rest of the world, I have been invited to discuss Asia Entry strategies, speak at international conferences, serve as a judge in startup competitions, or mentor in incubators.

 

Being a serial entrepreneur allows me to deeply empathize with client companies. Often times in discussing strategies with management teams, I feel like one of them. I sometimes joke that “our service is investment banking plus free McKinsey consulting and BD”. A natural result of such deep entanglement is a work model, combining our network and expertise in the financial market with experience and insight of the industry.

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After several years of being a partner in two boutique investment banks across China and France, together with a few industry gurus and experienced bankers, we founded High Seas, an alternative boutique investment bank with a unique approach and interdisciplinary background. High Seas means the “open ocean” which connects different continents, and symbolizes connectivity, holism, and unknown territory for innovation. We focus on two areas: happiness and sustainability, one as the driving force for life, the other as the prerequisites for existence.   “Happiness industry” refers to tourism, leisure, wellness, and elder care; while “sustainability industry” means transforming any sector into a "nature and future-friendly mode".  Currently, our work focuses specifically on clean energy, decarbonization, green construction and circled economy.

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The only thing that doesn't change is change itself. A new journey begins.