We recently had the privilege of interviewing Christopher Coode, Founder and CEO of Hutchison Lea ConneXions Inc and Director of Talent Acquisition at Hutchison Lea Executive Search. Christopher ensures efficient placements in various industries to have a positive impact on people’s lives. Alongside, he also prioritizes working with companies that have a strong environmental focus and work positively for the planet.
In this insightful interview, the CEO shares about the advent of his professional journey, fostering a collaborative approach in the team, associating with companies that have a positive approach towards the planet, and offering valuable suggestions for aspiring entrepreneurs.
The Beginning
We were curious to learn more about Christopher Coode’s journey that led him to the present position. So, we asked, “Tell us something about you, your early life, and your education.”
Christopher shared, “Born in Vancouver in 1968, my family and I journeyed across North America from Vancouver, BC to Neptune, New Jersey for four years. Later, we settled in Colorado for another four years before I spent six months in Ireland. Finally, I moved to Saskatoon to complete my high school education.
After moving to Vancouver, I had two main motivations: attending UBC for first-year sciences and being close to my maternal grandparents. They were always an important part of my life. My grandfather, Thomas Hutchison McClelland, worked at Placer Development Corporation. He started by building gold dredges in Colombia and eventually became the President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Placer. The company was one of the world’s largest mining companies, generating annual revenues close to a billion dollars and producing hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold each year.
After my first year at UBC, I decided to switch majors and finished my degree majoring in Philosophy at the University of Victoria. My education played a pivotal part in where I am now. It taught me that the more focused you are on one area and the more you learn about one area the less you realize you know. That was back in the early 90s, so I can only imagine how much more information has been added to the base of information that we all learn from.”
Presence Of Christopher’s Businesses
Eager to learn more about the presence of Christopher Coode’s businesses, we asked, “Tell us about the business and its presence in the target market.”
He shared, “I currently own and operate two fully functioning businesses. The first is Hutchison Lea ConneXions Inc (HLC) and the second is Hutchison Lea Executive Search (HLES). My main focus is HLC, with HLES being something that I used to complement the services that I offer some of my clients. HLC is currently a global Venture Capital firm that has had the advantage of aligning itself with some of the best and brightest young companies that are seeking capital.
I am currently expanding my network of Associates in Africa, India, China, and North America to mitigate risks and maximize revenue for our capital providers. HLC focuses on connecting people worldwide, which builds upon my lifelong work. We only exclude countries that cannot do business in the USA/Canada and EU/Saudi Arabia. With existing collaborations in Dubai and the USA, we aim to further enhance our global reach by partnering with additional capital providers.”
Plans We Asked Christopher Coode
To learn more about the plans Christopher has for his business, we asked, “What are some of the growth and expansion plans you have in your pipeline?”
He responded, “Firstly, I’m working on an evolving company with a solid B2B revenue model and impeccable debt payment history poised for growth. The US retail market suffers from billions of dollars in theft, and some states, like California, lack prosecution for theft below specific thresholds. This company is actively discussing the issue with potential clients worldwide and is primed for significant expansion.
The second project that I am working on is with a clothing manufacturer whose main client is Wal-Mart. I had a virtual tour of their warehouse and the setup is quite efficient. However, the owner has expansion plans and needs new warehouse space. They are one of the few manufacturers based in the US that can compete in the US marketplace. They do everything from the sourcing of the fabrics to the lining up of the fabric, on a cutting table, and then sewing it together. The company has a daily output of over 6,000 and a weekly output of 25,000-30,000 units. They have a ten-year contract with Wal-Mart and are a subcontractor of a billion-dollar Middle Eastern company.”
Christopher added, “The third and most exciting in many areas is a data processing self-powering facility. I had coffee with the CEO of the company last Friday, and we took a deep dive into the premise he helped me understand some of the more technical aspects of this world-changing project.
He uses a desk-sized tank filled with dielectric and PCBs designed to hold a high concentration of CPUs and GPUs. The proximity of the PCBs generates a concentrated amount of heat, which can be repurposed for heating buildings or stored in a geothermal sink. The project is 85% complete, with numerous variables to consider for success. This method is a preferable alternative to nuclear energy. With a single unit, he can generate about 1 MW of energy, but the power output can increase significantly with multiple units, benefiting future project developments.
This last project truly has the potential to be a world changer. The amount of data consumed by Canada in 2023 was 41 Petaflops or 41 billion Gigabytes and in the US their number is over 3,000 Petaflops or 3 trillion Gigabytes. This number is only going to rise with the advent of increased data being required by things like AI and the virtual world. I will be holding a general presentation every week expanding on some of the very exciting projects that I am working on. If your visitors wish, they can kindly go to my LinkedIn Profile to reserve their space now.”
Aligning With The Universe
We further asked, “How has the year been for your company?”
Christopher added, “This year has been crazy. At first, I began this business as something that was going to be a bit of a sideline to HLES, but in a very short time, I realized that the realm of Venture Capital and I were a perfect fit in so many different ways.
The universe has a way of aligning itself with the absolute best people, places, and things, most of which are beyond my comprehension as to how and why it does this. I am, however, putting in as much work as I possibly can into making sure that the universe has made a wise investment in myself and with HLC.”
Setting The Businesses Apart
To ensure a strong brand presence, it is paramount to offer unique experiences and services. So, we asked, “What does your business offer for the current competitive market?”
“We offer low-interest rates for Venture Capital funding and connect with innovative companies seeking funding. One such exciting company that I’m recently connecting with, aims to transform data centers by converting their power consumption into Megawatts of power output, revolutionizing their operations and contribution to the power grid.
This is one of the key types of projects that I have, as a mandate for all of my Associates to find. That being that HLC will only consider projects that are doing something good for the planet. I have a deep foundation and belief that every person must do whatever is in their power to make this little green thing that billions of us live in a better place. And, since I am in the position to be able to do this I am exploiting this particular aspect of business development as much as I can.” He shared.
Fostering Effective Teamwork
To learn more about the measures adopted by Christopher Coode to ensure unity within his team, we inquired, “What measures do you think employees and organizations can take to build effective teamwork and unity?”
He shared, “The first thing that organizations must stop doing is to treat everyone they work in alignment with as employees. An employee is always denoted as being a number. If you care to do so then look up the definition of what an employee is. It is always denoted as being merely a number and that kind of thinking, to me, has got to change if the world is to change. Every person every company works in alignment with comes to the table with their own unique set of decades of life on this planet, which has brought them to the place that they are at now.
The universe has brought them to the place they are at for a reason, and we must, if we are to change this anonymizing of people, also change the language that does the opposite of celebrating the massive diversity that each person brings to the table.
At HLC, employees are considered associates who work in collaboration with us. This approach, both in mindset and implementation, is crucial for driving the necessary change. Even the smallest act of anonymizing references to employees in contracts can have a significant impact on valuing their contributions. In my recent contracts, the word ‘employee’ is deliberately omitted.”
A Positive Step For The Planet
We asked, “Tell us about the company’s focus and investment in people and what has prepared you for this?”
Adding the importance of working for the planet, Christopher Coode shared, “Our focus is on finding companies that prioritize environmental impact. During interviews, I assess an individual’s potential to identify both profitable and socially responsible investments. Skills in project management, decision-making, and financial analysis are essential. I intentionally avoid interfering with my Associates’ projects.
Firstly, being that I have highly limited time, and the more Associates, I add the less time I will have to oversee what all of my Associates are doing. I have a highly skilled background in selecting people at the highest level which means that since I have been doing hiring for myself this comes as second nature. It’s not something that I have to think about, it just flows. I must also practice my due diligence and I always check references personally.”
He added, “My professional career has led me to do this as a second nature as I have been doing senior-level staffing for about the past 22 years. Staffing is also something that I am adding as a value-added aspect of all the projects that I am in the process of funding. I find references are a vital part of any hiring process and I have also learned a long time ago that references not only give you the third-party support that you require for a successful hire but also provide you insight into what areas you can capitalize on to make the person an massive success.”
Tips For Startups
Lastly, seeking guidance for beginners in a similar field, we asked, “Any tips for startups looking to get onto a similar pathway?”
He shared, “To anyone who is seeking to enter the world of Venture Capital, I would, after getting to know some of the dynamics that are in play, tell them to find another industry to enter. The amount of time I spend daily not only finding the right person to do the right thing is exhausting. Also, the arena of VC funding has got to be one of the hardest industries I have ever had the pleasure of knowing about.
I have dealt with just about every industry with my company HLES or its former incarnation HLS. And the amount of time I have spent just to be able to get conversant with not only local (Canadian) policy but also global policy with a deep dive into things like the FATF (Financial Action Task Force), which is a global organization whose mandate is to ensure that no money laundering is taking place with the allocation of capital. And to complicate things even further, each country has its incarnation of the FATF, which one must be conversant with if you are to either move capital from or into.”
“Being in a position to effect positive change has been the most rewarding aspect of my career. I’m currently working on exciting projects, striving to secure funding for each one. While each project is unique, they all share the common goal of making the world a better place.
The first project aims to reduce global retailer losses. The second involves a North American garment production hub that competes successfully with overseas markets in terms of quality and cost. Lastly, the third project revolutionizes data processing and enables the creation of self-powering data centers.” Christopher concluded.
Follow Christopher Coode on LinkedIn.
Find Hutchison Lea ConneXions Inc. on LinkedIn.
Find Hutchison Lea Executive Search on LinkedIn.
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