Meet our team…
With a team of highly experienced professionals with extensive business networks in Australia and South Korea.
John Shim
Founding Partner
Sydney, Australia
John, a Korean-born Australian, brings over 24 years of experience, including 12 years as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia (PwC), where he led the Korean Desk and advised major clients such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and POSCO. Under his leadership, PwC became a market leader in this sector.
Throughout his career, John has managed a wide range of engagements, including audit and financial advisory services, due diligence for acquisitions and disposals, IPOs on the ASX and NASDAQ, and management buyouts (MBOs), with transaction sizes ranging from $1 million to $3 billion.
Since leaving PwC, John has maintained strong business ties with South Korea, serving as a non-executive director of Pepper Savings Bank from its inception in 2013, helping it grow into the third-largest savings bank in the country.
In addition to advising multinational and public companies, John is passionate about supporting startups and growth companies with business planning, capital raising, and business exits. He currently holds director roles with several select growth companies and Private Equity.
John Kim
Expert Advisor
Seoul, South Korea
Melbourne, Australia
John David Kim is the Head of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Forum Community (formerly APAC 5G Forum) and Head of North East Asia at the GSMA. Additionally, he now serves as the AI Industry Lead for GSMA APAC. In these roles, he is responsible for engaging GSMA mobile operator members, ecosystem partners, startups, and government/policy-makers across the Asia Pacific region. His work focuses on promoting, implementing, and executing GSMA initiatives and programs aimed at fostering innovative business and commercial strategies, driving the adoption and commercialization of new technologies, and advancing policy and regulatory developments within the ICT sector. His areas of expertise include AI, pre- and post-5G strategies leading to 6G, digital transformation at both sectoral and economy-wide levels, digital ecosystem collaboration and partnerships, as well as policies for industry promotion and regulation.
With over 25 years of experience in research and consulting within the ICT and Telecoms industry in North East Asia, John has led and directed major research and consulting projects for mobile network operators (MNOs), vendors, and governments. Before joining the GSMA, he served as the Regional Head/Managing Director for Northeast Asia at two UK-based research and consulting firms, where he focused on industry policy and regulation, commercial strategy, technology commercialization, and ecosystem collaboration within the telecoms/ICT and related industry sectors.
Steve Kim
Expert Advisor
Seoul, South Korea
Steve, a Korean-born executive with U.S. education, is a results-driven business leader with over 25 years of experience in Korea, specialising in M&A and commercial real estate investment. He has advised large multinational corporations and developed a deep understanding of the capital and real estate markets, as well as the cultural and business practices in Korea. With more than 8 years of experience in the United States, Steve has delivered a wide range of integrated services across various real estate sectors, equipping him with the expertise and tools to support diverse clients in the industry.
A well-rounded C suite executive, Steve has a proven track record in investment, marketing, and management, consistently driving cross-functional initiatives, solving complex problems, and optimising business operations.
In addition, Steve was a founding non-executive director of Pepper Savings Bank, serving alongside John as board members since 2013.
Jae Hyeung Joo
Expert Advisor
Seoul, South Korea
Jae is a highly experienced professional, originally from Korea and currently based in Seoul, with a distinguished 35-year tenure at PricewaterhouseCoopers Korea (PwC), the world’s largest accounting firm. Notably, Jae was the first Korean secondee to PwC Sydney, where he played a pivotal role in establishing and leading the Korean Desk from 1989 to 1991. Throughout his career, Jae worked closely with John to ensure the seamless execution of cross-border transactions between South Korea and Australia, supported by a team of experts.
Jae held numerous leadership positions during his time at PwC Korea, including as Partner in Charge of the Asset Management and Financial Services Industry. His esteemed client portfolio included some of the largest global organizations such as Samsung Group, Hyundai, Hanjin, KOGAS, Fidelity Investments, Mirae Asset, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, and JPMorgan.
With an extensive network that spans C-suite executives, business owners, regulatory bodies, and government agencies, Jae is well-regarded for his deep industry expertise and exceptional ability to navigate complex cross-border transactions and business environments.
Brian Lee
Expert Advisor
Sydney, Australia
Brian is a Chartered Accountant with extensive experience in working with Private Equity-owned companies. With a proven track record of financial leadership, he has successfully led acquisitions and integrations, driving significant revenue growth, achieving a remarkable 6x increase. Brian has also played a pivotal role in securing successful exit strategies for shareholders, maximizing value at key stages of business development.
His expertise in managing operations and ensuring robust compliance during periods of rapid growth has made him an invaluable asset to companies navigating significant expansion. Brian’s strategic insight and hands-on approach to scaling operations effectively position him as a trusted advisor to growth-focused organisations.