Today, the world is a global village. Trade, commerce and manufacturing of a single product could be scattered across the globe. This, in turn, calls for innovative trade financing.
Trade finance signifies financing for trade, and it concerns both domestic and international trade transactions. Various intermediaries such as banks and financial institutions can facilitate these transactions by financing the trade. Trade finance manifests itself in the form of letters of credit (LOC), guarantees or insurance and is usually provided by intermediaries.
In this world of high finance, Mr. Dan Adrian Pop moves with a practiced ease born out of experience and expertise. He feels at home while traveling the world while moving from between board rooms.
Interviewer: Where did all this begin, Mr. Dan Adrian Pop?
Dan: You can call me Dan. It all began with a dream to achieve greatness and to overcome my status back then.
So, Dan, how did you get into this business?
It’s a long story. But let me try to keep it short.
Ok.
After finishing my medical studies from University of Georgia, I came soon to realize that medicine wasn’t for me. I went on and I continued my studies at Dukes University where I got my major in HR Management. Thereafter, I started working for Coca Cola Inc. in Atlanta, GA for 6 months, But I was bitten by the entrepreneur bug and decided to do this on my own. And so I did, shortly after handing over my resignation at Coke, I went to Singapore and started United Consult and did recruiting for several US & Canadian employers. By 2010 I was recruiting and staffing throughout US, Canada and Australia.
In 2016, I sold my company to Adecco Inc. and moved to Europe where I was looking for new challenges and opportunities. By 2017 I formed United Technologies Holding Ltd and started developing ERP software solutions. This was a really successful idea and once we started putting the UTH Software into the market, we went to unicorn status shortly after. I used my gains from the business and I moved into the financial business where I bought United Finance Limited from U.K., a company formed in 1967 with very good pedigree; basically I was blocking my own funds by using my connections with HSBC U.K. and Bank of America; they were blocking the money in our account and issuing the bank guarantees, was sending them to China; this is basically like renting these bank guarantees on a 1-3 year term. This was and is an amazing and lucrative business because I managed to develop a huge network of clients in China (457) from pharmaceutical to construction and trade..This business developed and grew and I opened my own trading bank in New Zealand (United Wealth Finance). And then by 2019 I brought them all under SM Global Finance.
That’s an interesting CV!
Thank you; but there is a lot of hard work and dedication put into with many personal sacrifices.
Can you please tell us something about SM Global Finance?
SM Global Finance is formed by a team of experienced Investors, operators, networkers, cheerleaders and fundraisers. We share our expertise with start-up founders and partner with them through every battle, charging towards successful outcomes.
What exactly is SM Global Finance into?
First, Banking and Corporate Finance. I managed to take United Finance and United Wealth Finance’s ‘’collateral lending business’’ to new heights; we now serve 480 clients over 6 countries totaling 7 billion dollars in total business; it literally went up 300% in 14 months.
Then we went and purchased a stake in MBaer Bank in Switzerland and IIG Bank, Malta; they, together with United Wealth Bank, assist small and medium size traders to confirm their trades by offering them the facilities they so badly need.
That’s interesting.
Dan: Secondly we are into health. Here, through S1 Oncology and Immunotherapy Limited we now manage over 8000 beds in 5 distinctive provinces throughout China. All this was achieved in just ten months!
That is very creditable.
SM Global Finance’s other interest is in trade. Through UNICOR Trading we now sell commodities to clients in China, Pakistan and India totaling 220 million dollars per month –from soybeans to palm oil. This business began in December 2018.
This does keep getting better!
SM Global Finance is also into Private Equity. It is my new business venture, my new hobby. I started this in August 2019 by purchasing RB Investment which managed a capital of 275 million dollars which it invested in various start-ups in India and Singapore. Here we share our expertise with start-up founders and partner with them through every battle, charging towards successful outcomes. In November 2019 we went and purchased a majority stake in EXTENDAM Fund through which we entered the hospitality business.
How do you see the current pandemic affecting your business?
The current pandemic hasn’t really affected the core of my business because we are not leveraged; we mostly operate using our own funds. Let me hasten to add that the private equity side of our business was vulnerable because these start-ups haven’t yet reached the “unicorn” status. But we assured financial security to all our start-ups so that they can continue their work and focus on developing themselves without fear of losing funding.
The trade business slowed down in February because of China being shut down. But that wasn’t very bad because the month of February is already slow because of the “Chinese New Year” celebrations. I am lucky none of my businesses or investments were hit by the “Covid-19” issue.
What do you have to say about the lockdowns?
My personal opinion is that this universal stay-at-home is, and will be viewed as, the most damaging economic force in modern history. It literally dissolved the gains of the underprivileged and destroyed entire fields of businesses. The governments should hurry and reopen the economy, sustain production on stock while the spending starts growing slowly or we will face a depression.
What do you foresee for SM Global Finance?
Fortunately, SM Global Finance is very well funded .We are not panicking because of the precipitous fall of the stock market, the spread of the corona virus and the lockdowns that followed. We are now looking for bargains amidst the carnage; sometimes hunting alone and sometimes hunting in packs. The only surprise about government bonds, credit and stocks all crashing simultaneously is that anyone should be surprised! Let’s face it: cash is king.
What do you think is the secret of your organization’s success?
Today, speed and innovation are of the essence. Especially in finance, you have to create bespoke solutions –one size doesn’t fit all. Our advantage is that we are nimble. We believe in fast turnarounds and unparalleled service.
Thank you Dan.
Thank you, it’s been a pleasure talking to you.