CHRIS CHEA BRINGS OVER TWO DECADES OF SOLID BUSINESS KNOW-HOW TO HVF ADVISORY. HE RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ACCOUNTING & FINANCE FROM THE RH SMITH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, AT COLLEGE PARK IN ’97. CHRIS ALSO STUDIED FILMMAKING AT THE NEW SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY.
CHRIS’S PROFESSIONAL CAREER : WORKED AT PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AS A FINANCIAL AUDITOR, SR. FINANCIAL ANALYST OVERSEEING CORPORATE REPORTING AT STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL INFORMATION SERVICES ON WALL STREET, A CONSULTANCY AT LVMH AND 13 YEARS RUNNING THE CHEA GROUP (A MANHATTAN BASED MANAGEMENT CONSULTING, ACCOUNTING, AND TAX FIRM).
CHRIS’S RICH AND DIVERSE BACKGROUND INCLUDES BEING A LINE PRODUCER ON A MOTION PICTURE, AN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER FOR AN INDIE RECORD LABEL, SPEARHEADING THE LAUNCH OF THE HIGH-END LUXURY WOMEN’S FASHION BRAND- RUSKIN NEW YORK, AND WORKING ON NUMEROUS CONSULTING GIGS IN CORPORATE AMERICA.
AFTER OBSERVING (FOR YEARS) THE IMMENSE STRUGGLE MANY BRILLIANT AND TALENTED CREATIVES AND STARTUP FOUNDERS FACE IN ACCESSING CAPITAL- CHRIS SET OUT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY FORMING HVF (THE HARLEM VENTURE FUND) AND HVF ADVISORY, LLC, RESPECTIVELY, IN EARLY 2016, FOCUSING ON EARLY-STAGE FUNDING. IN AUGUST OF 2020, CHEA AND THE HVF TEAM INITIATED AND LED THE SUCCESSFUL EARLY-STAGE FUNDING OF BLACKTAG, THE FIRST 24-HOUR INTERACTIVE CONTENT CHANNEL BY AND FOR BLACK CREATORS.
BLACKTAG RECENTLY COMPLETED A $3.8MM SERIES-SEED ROUND WITH CONNECT VENTURES, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NEA (WWW.NEA.COM), A $34B VENTURE CAPITAL FUND, AND CAA (WWW.CAA.COM), THE WORLD’S LEADING ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS AGENCY. HVF AND CHRIS’ INVOLVEMENT IN BLACKTAG’S GROWTH AND CONNECT VENTURES INVESTMENT WILL SERVE HVF WELL AS IT DEVELOPS AND MANAGES INNOVATIVE AND GROUNDBREAKING START-UPS.
CHRIS' WEALTH OF BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE SPANS THE SPECTRUM OF ENTREPRENEURIAL START-UPS TO FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES. HE SEES HIMSELF AS AN INFORMED BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CREATIVE AND THE FINANCIAL WORLDS. FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, CHRIS HAS LIVED AND WORKED IN MANHATTAN, NEW YORK.