About Webbs Hill Partners
Independent nvestment & Advisory Services
Webbs Hill Partners LLP has quickly earned a strong reputation in the industry focusing on innovative technology in emerging markets. Competitive advantage is being redefined every day. Disruption demands a new direction, resulting in a need new thinking. To achieve competitive agility, companies need speed and confidence to determine how to reposition for growth in the present, for the future and for the unknown. Managing this risk, articulating long-term strategies and executing them successfully are fundamental to any company that wants to succeed. Our view is that these priorities present a unique, built-in advantage on socially responsible companies—one that compels our attention as investors.
We’re meticulous about our work, taking a rigorous, data driven assessment of the financial risks and rewards of every investment.
Our Principal
Aris Kekedjian, Managing Director
Aris advises global companies on finance and merger and acquisition strategies, drawing on his three decades of Fortune 20 experience. His expertise spans 30 years with General Electric Company, where he most recently served as Chief Investment Officer. He was instrumental in the $30 billion merger between GE Oil & Gas and Baker Hughes, which combined industrial service operations in 120 countries, and led acquisitions in disruptive industries, including the industrial Internet of Things, 3D printing, life sciences and renewable energy. Mr. Kekedjian’s earlier positions at GE included roles as Deputy Treasurer and as Managing Director, Latin America. Additionally, as a divisional executive at GE, he served as global head of financial portfolio management and M&A for GE Capital; Chief Financial Officer of GE Banking and Consumer Finance (GE Money) for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region; and Chief Executive Officer of GE Capital for the MEA region, among other roles. Mr. Kekedjian serves on the board of directors of XPO Logistics. He formerly served on the board of directors of transportation geo-technology provider Maptuit (now Verizon), and on the advisory board of enterprise software company eMOBUS (now Asentinel). Mr. Kekedjian holds a degree in finance and international business from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
Expertise
As disruptive technologies upset traditional operating models, displace existing products and services and create new opportunities, a company’s growth and earnings have never been more unpredictable. Leaders are under pressure to take bigger wagers on innovation and act on them. Many companies do not have effective processes for managing innovation and the subsequent investment into them. Leaders need to enable the right investment at the right time and monitor the performance of those investments. Traditional lagging measurements are not applicable to innovative investments as they don’t necessarily generate immediate returns. A better approach is to evaluate leading indicators that confirm if an investment is on the right track. The right set of measurements can assist in monitoring the health of a company. Understanding the customer and their decision making is critical in this process. Consumers no longer make decisions based solely on product selection or price. Understanding these key decision points as well as providing authentic, value-driven experiences will be a powerful source of competitive advantage.