Building Partnerships

In the U.S., you can grab coffee with a CEO in two weeks. In Europe, it might take two years to get that meeting. I ’ve spent years building relationships across both U.S. and European markets, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: networking looks completely different depending on where you are. The way people connect, build trust, and create opportunities is shaped by culture-and if you don’t adapt your approach, you’ll hit walls fast. So, if you're an executive expanding globally, a leader hiring across regions, or a professional trying to break into a new market-this post is for you. The U.S.: Fast, Open, and High-Volume Americans love to network. Connections are made quickly, introductions flow freely, and saying "let's grab coffee" isn’t just polite—it’s expected. - Cold outreach is normal—you can message a top executive on LinkedIn, and they just might say yes. - Speed matters. Business moves fast, so meetings, interviews, and hiring decisions happen quickly. But here’s the catch: Just because you had a great chat doesn’t mean you’ve built a deep relationship. Trust takes follow-ups, consistency, and results. I’ve seen European executives struggle with this—mistaking initial enthusiasm for long-term commitment. In the U.S., networking is about momentum—you have to keep showing up, adding value, and staying top of mind. In Europe, networking is a long game. If you don’t have an introduction, it’s much harder to get in the door. - Warm introductions matter. Cold outreach? Much tougher. Senior leaders prefer to meet through trusted referrals—someone who can vouch for you. - Fewer, deeper relationships. Once trust is built, it’s strong and lasting—but it takes time to get there. - Decisions take longer. Whether it’s hiring, partnerships, or leadership moves, things don’t happen overnight—expect a longer courtship period. I’ve seen U.S. executives enter the European market and get frustrated fast—wondering why it’s taking months (or years!) to break into leadership circles. But that’s how the market works. The key to winning in Europe? Patience, credibility, and long-term thinking. So, What Does This Mean for Global Leaders? If you’re an American executive expanding into Europe… 📌 Be patient. One meeting won’t seal the deal—you have to earn trust over time. 📌 Get introductions. A warm referral is worth more than 100 cold emails. 📌 Don’t push too hard. European business culture favors depth over speed—respect the process. If you’re a European leader entering the U.S. market… 📌 Don’t wait for permission—reach out. People expect direct outreach and initiative. 📌 Follow up fast. If you’re slow to respond, the opportunity moves on without you. 📌 Be ready to show value quickly. Americans won’t wait months to see if you’re a fit. Networking isn’t just about who you know—it’s about how you build relationships. #Networking #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #CareerGrowth #GlobalBusiness #US #Europe

Procurement: Treat suppliers as extensions of your enterprise, not transactions. Procurement Excellence | 23 NOV 2025 - In complex global markets, resilient supply chains demand partnerships built on shared destiny, not just contracts. Here are 9 Steps to Create Long-Term Supplier Partnerships: #1. Transparent Communication ↳ Co-develop comms protocols e.g. QBR ↳ Clearly share expectations, goals & challenges #2. Long-Term Contracts ↳ Replace short-term with multi year agreements. ↳ Share long-term roadmaps & cost-savings initiatives. #3. Shared Performance Metrics ↳ Jointly agree and track SMART KPIs. ↳ Define escalation paths & RCA templates #4. Early Supplier Involvement ↳ Involve and recognize vendor’s contributions. ↳ Include key suppliers in product development cycles. #5. Guarantee Timely Payments ↳ Automate payment & consider early payment discounts. ↳ Audit internal processes for bottlenecks. #6. Co-Create Innovation ↳ Create supplier ideation portals & protect IP collaboratively. ↳ Fund joint proof-of-concept projects. #7. Recognize & Reward Excellence ↳Formally acknowledge & reward outstanding suppliers. ↳Bronze (Operational Excellence), Silver (Innovation), Gold (Strategic Impact). #8. Uphold Fairness & Ethics ↳ Interactions & contractual terms are mutually beneficial. ↳ Ensure cost pressures don't force unethical labor. #9. Jointly Manage Risks ↳ Jointly identify risks & develop contingency plans. ↳ Map tier-2/3 suppliers collaboratively. In today's volatile market, Resilient supply chains are built on deep, strategic supplier partnerships. Achieving lasting, mutually beneficial supplier partnerships requires: ✅️ Deliberate strategy ✅️ Centered on trust ✅️ Shared objectives ✅️ Continuous collaboration ♻️ Repost if you find this helpful. ➕️ Follow Frederick for Procurement insights. #ProcurementExcellence #SupplierCollaboration

The US government has become a mining investor. In the past six months, Washington has committed more than $30 billion in loans, equity stakes, and guarantees across critical minerals projects. MP Materials, Lithium Americas Corp., Trilogy Metals Inc., Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, USA Rare Earth, Inc. (Nasdaq: USAR), Korea Zinc Company, Ltd (고려아연). The United States Department of War now holds equity positions. Export-Import Bank of the United States approved a $10 billion facility for Project Vault. The Department of Commerce is taking ownership stakes under the CHIPS Act. China controls most rare earth processing, lithium refining, and battery supply chains. Relying on spot markets and private capital alone hasn't closed the gap. So Washington is deploying debt, equity, warrants, and guarantees to backstop projects that would otherwise sit in permitting limbo or fail to attract institutional capital. But the structure reveals something more important. The US isn't just funding projects domestically. It's taking equity in South Korean smelters, Australian cobalt producers, and Jamaican bauxite operations. It's signing bilateral deals with Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand, South Korea, and Ukraine. It's using Export-Import Bank financing and Development Finance Corporation tools to extend capital into jurisdictions where Chinese state-backed firms have had a structural advantage. This is the state as limited partner, with geopolitical returns prioritised over financial ones. Sovereign backing is now a competitive variable. Companies with US equity participation or debt guarantees will have easier access to offtake agreements, permitting support, and follow-on institutional capital. Projects without state alignment will face higher hurdles, regardless of grade or jurisdiction. For more of my takes on the resource industry sign up to my weekly newsletter www.kamoacap.com #Mining #CriticalMinerals #Resources #CapitalMarkets #EnergyTransition #RareEarths Sources: https://lnkd.in/g7W3SbW6 https://lnkd.in/gzM-NpK8 https://lnkd.in/gcrqaABs IISS Analysis (chart source)

𝐈𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞! 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 “𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆”, 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔? 🔶 In my quest for info last week w/ my supplier peeps, I learned some have formal “customer of choice” programs, and some don’t.  🔶Anywho, being a “customer of choice” means you’ve got “elite” status with your supplier, which can come with benefits. Everyone likes benefits, right!? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 "𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞" 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬: 💎 Thought leadership. 💎 Market Intelligence. 💎 Prioritized capacity\ supply. 💎 Access to their “A-team” personnel. 💎 Preferred pricing, better commercial terms. 💎 Right-of-first refusal on innovation, Joint R&D, quicker GTM. *𝐵𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑔𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡. 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑎𝑎ℎℎ-𝑚𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑦𝑝𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝𝑠. (𝐴𝑙𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜 "𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙-𝑢𝑝" 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒.) 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝟐-𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭? 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦: ✔ Ensure they’re invited to participate in RFPs. ✔Explore longer contract terms where feasible. ✔Champion their ideas (ensuring you give them credit). ✔Host supplier days for them to showcase their capabilities. ✔Provide them with references to help them expand their business. ✔Recognize them publicly in the industry\ amongst their peer group. ✔Give them white glove service. Promote engagement with stakeholders & leaders across the organization. ✔Transparently share info and engage with them on: strategy, forecast data, biz dev plans, and news. ✔Consider allowing them to use your company’s logo in marketing materials (with pre-approval of course, and if policy allows.) ✔ Maybe they want to develop new capabilities, geographies, or markets. Be open to exploring those with them as an innovation & learning partner. 𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐭 𝐔𝐩 & 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: ▶ Not all suppliers require the same treatment. Segmentation is important! ▶ Particularly with your strategic alliance suppliers, explore customer of choice benefits 𝐴𝑁𝐷 ensure you're being a good partner in return. ▶ 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳 𝑽𝑨𝑳𝑼𝑬 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔. 📢 𝗣.𝗦. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻?

Australia’s rare earths deal with the US feels like “the lucky country” 2.0. Only this time we have the chance to act like the smart country, not just the lucky one. Australia has just signed a multi billion-dollar agreement with the US President Donald Trump to build out rare earth and critical minerals processing onshore and reduce dependence on China (which currently controls up to 90 per cent of global refining capacity). These minerals are not just commodities. They are the foundation of future technology and industrial power. They are required for defence systems, AI hardware, smart phones, semiconductors, renewable energy, electric vehicles, quantum computers, space technology and the next generation of advanced manufacturing. Key parts of the deal include: 💰$8.5 billion to expand mining, processing and refining in Australia, including $1 billion in fast-tracked investment within six months. 🇺🇸 US financing and strategic backing to integrate Australian minerals directly into American defence and clean energy supply chains. 💸 The agreement includes joint ventures, US-led and Australian-led projects to rapidly scale capability, backed by government and private investment delivered through guarantees, loans and equity stakes. This is not just about extracting minerals. It puts Australia in position to help build the technologies that will define the next industrial age of tech innovation and economic power. It can move us from being a supplier of raw materials to a nation capable of shaping global technological development. Yes, it is a smart strategic win. But we should also acknowledge timing. China has been tightening export restrictions on rare earths, using them as geopolitical leverage. That created an opening and Australia stepped through it at exactly the right moment. When Australia was labelled “the lucky country,” it was not meant as praise. It suggested our prosperity came from resource luck and geography rather than national strategy. This deal gives us a chance to change that. To build capability onshore. To add value to our resources. To become an essential innovation leader, not just a quarry. Let’s not just dig it up and ship it off for once. Let’s refine, process and own the future industries built on these materials (and Anthony Albanese, if you’re listening, let’s also channel that value into a sovereign wealth fund that benefits every Australian!). Is this the moment we stop being just the lucky country and start becoming the smart country? I hope so. #auspol #rareearths #advancedmacturing #AustralianInnovation #FutureIndustries https://lnkd.in/gSpxT6Dc

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗠𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. I can never forget hearing those words from a key supplier early in my procurement career. We had a product delivery issue, and their response was blunt. The impact was not just the cost 💰 But reputational damage and a lot of operational chaos. At that time, I thought Why is this happening? But looking back now, after 16 years in procurement I see the root cause clearly: A Fractured Supplier Relationship. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Years ago, I worked on a resourcing project Where we sourced with a supplier solely based on pricing due to cost pressure. Communication was minimal, expectations weren’t formally aligned, and trust was non-existent. When challenges arose (and they always do) Instead of collaborating on solutions, it became a blame game. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁? 🚨 Delayed timelines and threat to customer line supportability. 💸 Expedited Premium freight costs that wiped out our “savings.” 🛠️ Resources diverted to firefighting instead of innovate. 💡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱: That experience taught me the hidden costs of poor supplier relationships: ➡️ Lost Agility: Without trust, suppliers are less willing to adapt during crises. ➡️ Higher Total Cost: Low price doesn’t mean low cost. ➡️ Missed Innovation: Strong suppliers often bring ideas to the table, but only when they feel valued. Now I’ve shifted my focus from just negotiating contracts to building partnerships. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: 💎 Investing time in supplier development. 💎Ensuring open communication channels. 💎Recognizing their wins as much as ours. Today, my best supplier relationships feel more like strategic alliances. When problems arise, we tackle them together because trust has already been built. 🚀 𝗠𝘆 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲: Whether you’re in procurement or supply chain, don’t overlook the power of relationships. They aren’t just suppliers; they are your partners in success. 📢 Have you ever faced hidden costs from poor supplier relationships? How did you turn it around?

I’ve spent a significant amount of time in India over the years with many of our partners, including advocating for our efforts in Mathura-Vrindavan – a major pilgrimage centre, where rising population and visitor numbers are placing increasing pressure on already stretched waste management systems. Without intervention, the gap between waste generation and effective management will only widen. In this article, I share how we’ve worked with local authorities and partners such as Recity to establish a more formalised system – one that connects collection, sorting, and material recovery, helping to close a critical gap in the waste value chain. The early impact is encouraging: a facility that can process up to 300 tonnes of municipal waste per day, formal employment opportunities for local workers under safer conditions, and the foundations of a system that improves traceability and accountability across the value chain. It is still early days in India and there is no single model that will work across its diverse contexts. At the Alliance, we are focused on bringing together stakeholders across the ecosystem to build practical, locally grounded systems that make circularity work in real-world conditions.

Partner enablement is often thought of as how we are enabling our partners. But sales teams are the frontline of revenue, and their success often hinges on understanding the value partnerships bring. Many organizations fail to equip sales reps with the tools and training they need to make the most of partner-driven opportunities. If you want your partnerships to truly drive impact, you must tailor enablement for your sales team. Here’s how to get started: 1. Sales reps need clarity on how to integrate partnerships into their process. Make sure your training covers: * The Partner Pitch: What’s the unique value of a partner-driven lead, and how should they position it to the customer? * Co-Sell Opportunities: How do they collaborate with partners during the deal cycle? Define roles and responsibilities for seamless execution. * Engagement Process: What’s the step-by-step process for involving a partner? Whether it’s looping them in for a demo or escalating technical questions, clear guidelines prevent delays and confusion. 2. Provide Easy-to-Use Tools: Sales enablement shouldn’t feel like homework. Create resources that are quick to access and easy to use, like * Quick-Reference Guides: Summarize partner value propositions, key metrics, and FAQs in a single document. * Cheat Sheets for Objections: Offer pre-written responses to common challenges when selling partner-driven solutions. * CRM Templates: Use CRM workflows to automate the partner engagement process, keeping it simple and repeatable. 3. Integrate Training into Sales Routines Don’t overwhelm your sales team with one-off workshops. Instead, embed partnership enablement into their day-to-day routines: * Add partner updates to weekly sales meetings. * Offer bite-sized training videos or guides they can review on-demand. * Celebrate wins from partner-driven deals to reinforce the value of collaboration. 4. Pair new sales reps with a “partnership ambassador” on your team to provide hands-on guidance during their first partner-driven deals. When sales teams understand how partnerships drive value, they become powerful advocates for partner-driven growth.

Most people only see sales from the front. The pitch The persuasion The pipeline. But behind the scenes, especially in Southeast Asia, sales live inside partnerships. No matter how good a seller is, you can’t win alone. Not in tech. Not in enterprise. Not in SEA. There are always three groups moving together: 🧩 The principal partner (product, brand, enablement) 🧩 The delivery partner (execution, workflows, customer support) 🧩 The humans (personalities, motivations, culture) When these three align, outcomes look easy. When they don’t, deals feel “stuck” even when interest is high. And if I’m honest, dynamics are never perfect. Different priorities. Different timelines. Different definitions of urgency. But the thing that makes partnerships actually work is much simpler: → Respect (for each role) → Openness (to share the real situation) → Accountability (to deliver when it’s your turn) Without these, a partnership becomes a logo exchange. With these, it becomes a real growth engine. --- 👉🏻 I’ve been lucky to experience this close-up. Chloe Teo on the HubSpot side - patient, sharp, and supportive. Surindren Manickam on our side at VLAN Asia - relentless in keeping us visible, credible and on track with "Making Things Right". Vinoth Sekaran a big part of keeping this engine running. And now Daryl Loh stepping in - you can already feel the gears turning again. 👉🏻 Then there’s the cultural layer. Partnerships in the US are contract-first: “Scope, SLA, roles, done.” In Southeast Asia, it’s relationship-first: “Do I trust you? Will you show up when things get messy?” The first is transactional. The second is relational. Both can work but in SEA, relational trust often decides who gets the phone call, who gets looped into deals, and who gets invited into strategy. 👉🏻 Visibility plays a role too. It’s not just about being technically capable - the partner needs to know you exist and trust you enough to put you in front of their customers. Surin has been carrying that torch for years - keeping VLAN visible with principal brands like HubSpot and earning the right to be considered. That’s how deals get distributed. That’s how collaborations scale. 👉🏻 And finally: Clarity. When principals and partners aren’t clear about: → who drives what → how the customer buys → where the friction actually is the customer experiences confusion, not confidence. When there’s clarity, deals move. When there’s no clarity, they “remain in consideration” forever. --- People romanticize sales as a lone ranger job. The truth? A lone ranger can close some deals. But partnerships close markets. 2026 will reward the companies who partner well, not just pitch well. Thank you Hubspot partner team for an exciting 2025 ♥️ ✌🏻

First impressions are underrated. Show up late to your first meeting without notice? And it speaks louder than anything you say afterward. It tells the other person one thing: Their time doesn’t matter. Now, if there’s trust, fine. We all run late. Life happens. But when it’s new business, first contact, or early collaboration - the rules are different. Professionalism is a sign of respect. And that same principle applies to every contract you send out as a fintech founder. Because in the rush to close the deal, too many founders forget something simple: Fairness is how you build trust. If your contract is one-sided, you might win the signature but lose the relationship. Partnerships. Co-branding. Growth collaborations. They all run on the same fuel: mutual respect. Get the first impression right, and everything compounds from there. So here are my 3 rules for building trust in fintech partnerships: 1) Build for mutual value - not just your upside • One-sided deals signal you’re focused on extraction, not partnership. Experienced partners spot that immediately. • Be clear on who benefits and how: user acquisition targets, revenue share, co-marketing commitments. • Define minimum activation targets only when both sides invest in growth. • Make penalties proportional to shared responsibility - not one-sided clawbacks. 2) Define roles, risks, and regulatory responsibilities clearly • Ambiguity invites regulatory risk and finger-pointing. Regulators look at function, not labels. • Identify the licence-holder and assign statutory duties (who owns KYC, AML, reporting). • Set data-processing boundaries and consent rules under DPDP. • Add incident-response and audit obligations so everyone knows what to do if something goes wrong. 3) Use good-faith terms - fair exits, flexibility, and clear dispute steps • Partnerships change. If your contract traps someone or punishes reasonable change, you destroy goodwill and invite litigation. • Add mutual notice and cure periods, renegotiation clauses for regulatory or tech changes, and an escalation path before arbitration. • Keep termination symmetric and proportional. The point is simple - fairness compounds. A balanced contract says, “I want a long-term partner.” A one-sided contract says, “I want to win today.” Make the first impression count. Draft for actual partnership. --- ✍ In a contract, what’s the first sign that tells you it’s built on trust, not tactics?