June 2017

96 APAC / June 2017 , 1701AP52 A Technology Leader and Innovator Yonder & Beyond equip start-ups with vital capabilities beyond capital. The firm’s philosophy is to invest in people, as well as invest in their business, so they can both grow and succeed. Included in our extensive CEO of the Year coverage, we interviewed the firm’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shashi Fernando to discover more about his role as a successful innovator and entrepreneur. Shashi Fernando, current CEO of Yonder & Beyond, is known as a successful innovator and entrepreneur. He has a reputation for being a visionary, with the ability to transform complex concepts into simple and compelling content. Shashi was twice named as one of the most powerful people in mobile - and was the CEO and Founder of Saffron Digital - which he sold to HTC Corp in 2011 for $50 million. Shashi begins the interview by telling us more about his success as a CEO and how he is a proven performer in delivering world class mobile solutions. “Under my leadership, Saffron Digital built a reputation for being a technology leader and innovator, winning multiple awards and accolades whilst being profitable and achieving 100% growth for 3 years. Saffron Digital became a pioneer in the media and technology industry, securing clients such as Vodafone, Samsung, Paramount Studios and Disney. Upon its sale to HTC, Saffron Digital was deployed in over 40 countries, in 17 different languages and had offices in the UK, USA and Poland. Following Saffron Digital, I joined HTC as Chief Content Officer and was on its board of directors. “After being an Angel investor to several start-ups, I started Yonder & Beyond with the aim to assist start-ups with additional resources beyond capital. The businesses within Yonder & Beyond’s portfolio relied upon the value-add that me and my world- class management team brought, with our wealth of knowledge, contacts and capabilities. I am a proven performer in delivering world class mobile solutions. Throughout my career, I have created a myriad of relationships around the globe, gaining significant experience and respect in the content, mobile and entertainment industries.” Yonder & Beyond equip start-ups with vital capabilities beyond capital. The firm’s philosophy is to invest in people, as well as in their business, so they can both grow and succeed. They are dedicated to contributing to the development of businesses through our resources, experience and relationships. Shashi highlights more about the firm’s exciting journey, their belief in making people work together plus his vision for the future. “We have already started on our journey. We are a publicly traded company, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. With a strong and dynamic portfolio that spans the mobile, entertainment and service sectors, our businesses are already experiencing success in their different stages of development. Through our management and expertise, we are accelerating their growth to new markets and creating synergies between our businesses. “We believe in making people work together. Our world-class management team work with each of our portfolio businesses in each area to improve their product, content, technology and value. With a collective wealth of knowledge, contacts and skills, we have expanded our businesses to the USA, Australia and Europe. “This is just the beginning. We have strategic plans to globalise our portfolio businesses, whilst continuing to invest in people with great ideas. As our portfolio continues to grow, so will our idea about what technology is and how we use it.” Portfolio Yonder & Beyond strategy is to identify exceptional talents, teams and ideas and help them grow through focused investments, hands- on management assistance and advisory, cross-sharing of experiences and know-how. Shashi proceeds to explain more about the team’s long standing experience working with companies and start-ups fulfilling their potential. “We have developed award winning platforms and unique products, used by billions of people throughout the world. We have hired the best technologists, partnered with most Fortune 100 companies and have been instrumental for companies to deliver top decile returns for their investors. Being part of the Yonder & Beyond family means you get to work with incredible people, be given a wealth of knowledge and support and most importantly, feel like you’re part of something special. “Beyond Media (www.beyond. media) is a global tech company, specialising in entertainment software ecosystems across a range of platforms, with a renowned track record of delivering world class turnkey solutions to major brands. The company was built with the founding members of Saffron Digital, which they sold to HTC in 2011 ($50M) where I was appointed to the board as Chief Content Officer of HTC. “Gophr (www.gophr.com) is an on-demand courier application, which allows users to order a courier, watch its delivery in real time and pay with a single tap. A cashless and convenient alternative, Gophr has been created to improve experiences for both customers and couriers. Y&B owns 75% of Gophr.”