Hugh Mason

Hugh Mason is an entrepreneur, mentor and investor. Born in the UK, he is now a Singapore Permanent Resident.

In 2010, Hugh co-founded JFDI.Asia, a venture partner that shares risk and reward with large companies and individual entrepreneurs to create new digital businesses in Asia. JFDI has since deployed around USD3m into a portfolio of more than 70 promising early stage technology startup businesses which are now independently valued >USD60m. Along the way they have raised an aggregate USD15m and created >300 jobs.

Hugh's undergraduate degree in Physics was sponsored by GEC-Marconi Research, where he worked on projects exploring digital radar, home automation and radio propagation. He then trained as a broadcast TV producer on the BBC's primetime science show, Tomorrow's World. Eight million viewers tuned in every week hoping that at least one of the live demonstrations would go wrong. Hugh's items on the show frequently gave them what they wanted.

Subsequently, Hugh founded a successful independent TV production business. His work making over 150 documentaries for Discovery Channel, National Geographic and many other international broadcasters was recognized with several awards including a British Academy Award nomination.

In 2001, Hugh co-founded investment and advisory firm Pembridge Partners in London to provide finance and advice to marketing, media and technology businesses. Pembridge raised or directly invested USD50 million. Over the following decade, Hugh mentored over 300 innovative companies.

As a regular public speaker and faciliator, Hugh has contributed to over 200 international innovation and cultural events including the Singapore Writer's Festival. His first book, "Brainfruit: Turning Creativity into Cash from East to West", was written with Mark Chong and published by McGraw Hill in November 2011.

Hugh co-founded the Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme, a UK education charity, and is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Drapers in London.