KOL Group is working to create a sustainable future
Every year we dump 2.12 billion tonnes of waste – enough to fill trucks that would encircle the world 24 times. Committed to making an impact, KOL Group Founder and CEO Maggie Kim is determined to trash the amount of garbage ending up in landfill.
By bridging Asia and Australia through mergers and acquisitions, the entrepreneur has been able to focus on sustainability, drawing her attention towards reducing the amount of waste entering Australia’s landfill.
"In Australia, the infrastructure is very behind compared to East Asia," Kim tells The CEO Magazine. "The cost of food waste to the Australian economy is estimated to be around A$20 billion [US$14.5 billion] each year.
"Australian consumers throw away around 3.1 million tonnes of food – that’s close to the size of 17,000 grounded 747 jumbo jets. Another 2.2 million tonnes of food is disposed of by the commercial and industrial sector.
"With advanced Chinese recycling technology, we can solve these issues by using technology that recycles 99 per cent of waste by turning it into air, water and electricity. It will definitely benefit Australians."
And it’s KOL Group that is working on bringing the vision to fruition along with its network of investors.
"The investors we can access are highly sought-after and rarely invest in Australia without our introductions," Kim explains. "Our networks are of the highest calibre and our experience has been gained through senior roles in leading global investment banks over many years."
Founded in 2019, the client-focused corporate advisory firm has approximately 212 employees working across Asia, Australia, the US and UK.
Leveraging business opportunities in China, Hong Kong, East Asia and Australia, KOL Group works to maximise shareholder value with an independent and tailored approach to every client.
"Working as a partnership of leading corporate finance specialists in the past 10 years, we have completed more than 300 transactions with a combined value of US$21 billion in 35 countries worldwide," Kim says. "We achieve our purpose through the provision of transaction expertise in mergers, acquisitions and divestments, equity and debt financing, and corporate finance services."
Through connecting investors on mergers and acquisitions that focus on high technology and sustainability, the business founder can help create a more productive future.
"We are much stronger if we all work together to maximise opportunities and work together at building the success of the future." – Maggie Kim
From focusing on exporting advanced technology from the Middle East to embracing working to reduce landfill waste in Australia, the firm targets different projects to each region – although embracing tech is at the universal core.
"Technology has helped us simplify our lives and has become a huge potential market," the CEO points out. "For example, modern farms and agricultural operations work far differently than those a few decades ago, primarily because of advancements in technology including sensors, devices, machines and information technology."
The company works entirely from word of mouth and referrals, ensuring businesses can benefit from Kim’s expert finance knowledge through collaborating to grow networks, solving problems and creating learning opportunities.
While private equity is a stressful industry, KOL Group aims to alleviate traditional stresses through employee care and monthly team-building activities. And it’s a quality that proves to be all the more important during a pandemic.
"We are much stronger if we all work together to maximise opportunities and work together at building the success of the future," Kim says.