Mr. Lawton founded Seagate Global Group in 1996. Mr. Lawton is responsible for Seagate's overall philosophy, strategy and investment activities. He maintains close senior level relationships with key governmental and industry leaders in China, South East Asia, and around the world. He is a "market activist" meaning he uses financial markets to help people and the planet while seeking to produce exceptional investment returns. Mr. Lawton has a 30 year history as a professional investor. He has invested in almost every major market and instrument, and almost always produced investment results better than market benchmarks, and in many cases significantly better. He has helped set up and manage six different investment organizations over his career, including Seagate Global.
Mr. Lawton was selected by Mr. Chen Yuan (now Chairman of China Development Bank) to help establish China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, as a modern central bank where he set up risk management systems, investment strategies and trained staff in the early 1990's. He was a strategist for China to insure a smooth return of Hong Kong to China in 1997. He was selected by China Everbright to set up their asset management department, launching one of the first private equity funds for foreign investors in China. He has been a Director of various CITIC Capital International funds since 2004. He also has worked with China Development Bank, COMPLANT, Sinomach, GMG, Sinosure, Trina Solar, Kunming Iron and Steel, Xinfadi Market, and many other Chinese institutions.
Over the last several years he has been working with a number of governmental agencies and private companies in the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and elsewhere on issues of importance to Seagate. These include community development, alternative energy projects and regulation, job creation, affordable housing, and food production.
Mr. Adli manages Seagate Global Trading, including Smart Partnership Program in Malaysia. His responsibilities also include managing & overseeing Seagate's energy and infrastructure projects in SE Asia. He has worked closely with Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL) to deliver Malaysia's first commercial solar PV power plant under the Feed-in Tariff Programme on a Built & Transfer concept. He works closely with private clients & government agencies in ASEAN countries & China for the development of various projects with government support. He has 20 years of experience in the renewable energy & construction industry.
Mr Adli is experienced in large scale construction projects, construction materials & sand mining. He was the former President for the Construction & Property Development Portfolio, Perak Malay Youth Chamber of Commerce & Executive Committee Member, Perak Malay Youth Chamber of Commerce (2006-2010).
He has a Masters in Geotechnical Engineering & Bachelors in Civil Engineering (Honours) from University of Technology, Malaysia. He has written research publications on the behavior of local steel H-sections subject to uplift, lateral & compression forces. He is the co-author of the book "Design Guide for Piles Using Locally Produced Steel Sections" published by University of Technology, Malaysia.