Team

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Managing Partner & Chair of Asia Advisory Group

(Effective January 2023) 

Jimmy’s public service includes extensive international trade/investment and economic development activities with direct nexus to job creation as Cabinet Secretary for Maryland Governor, and Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Virginia Governor. Jimmy organized and facilitated trade missions for both Maryland and Virginia governors which included meetings with top Pacific Asian political, corporate and financial leaders, recruited international conglomerates, fostered various innovative business growth programs, and implemented the "National Export Initiative and Entrepreneur Program" in conjunction with the White House. 

Jimmy is a key advisor to the Governor on issues affecting Maryland’s 600,000+ small businesses. He has direct oversight of the state's procurement programs, sets contracting goals, establishes best practices, and monitors their implementation across 70 state agencies including universities, energy sector utilities and casinos.

Jimmy has over 20 years of private sector entrepreneurial experience in enterprise creation, growth and change management with extensive record of directing turn-around situations ranging from manufacturing to software companies, in addition to identifying new strategic opportunities within the context of evolving macro factors (e.g., geopolitics, technology, monetary policies, etc.) and connecting interdependent factors for economic strength.

Jimmy has consulted various Asian conglomerates and investment firms concerning the topography of the U.S. market and government sector, and secured capital infusions for startups and middle market M&A deals. 

Jimmy is a highly sought-after speaker at business and community events, and serves as a board member on numerous professional, educational and civic organizations such as Salinger Business School of Loyola University, George Mason University – Song Do, NE Maryland University Research Park, MHz Networks, Harbor Bank, etc. He is a recipient of numerous awards from professional organizations and industry leaders including the Korean Presidential Medal for Outstanding Korean American on Economic Development.

Jimmy earned degrees from Johns Hopkins University (MAS/MBA) and the University of Maryland  (BS). He briefly attended Georgetown National Law Center, holds a professional certificate in sustainable energy from Stanford University Center for Development, and is a certified performance improvement coach. 

Managing Partner

Ferhan Hamid is also Managing Partner and Chair of the Washington D.C. office of Drum Roll Capital Partners. Most recently, Mr. Hamid was President and CEO of Hamid Capital Partners, a private investment firm that merged its operations with Drum Roll in 2022. In addition to his private business endeavors, Mr. Hamid continues his passion for public service as Chairman of the Board of the Virginia Lottery, where approximately $800 million in profits go towards K-12 education in Virginia annually. 

An attorney by training, Mr. Hamid spent 13 years in government, finishing his career as Managing Deputy Comptroller for the City of Chicago. While in that position, he successfully managed a $400 million budget and administered a self-insured healthcare plan covering over 130,000 individuals. Mr. Hamid was also the city official with responsibility for $2 billion-plus deferred compensation retirement plan.

He first came to the Washington D.C. area in 2007 as a Director of FBR Capital Markets, Inc., a NASDAQ listed investment banking firm. At FBR, he helped raise an investment fund focused on public-private partnerships in real estate with former Washington D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams.  

From 2009-2016, Mr. Hamid successfully grew and exited as the CEO and co-founder of a software development firm which he led from start-up to multi-millions of dollars in revenue in seven years.   After the exit, Mr. Hamid started Red Fort Strategies, a consulting firm based in Washington D.C., where he represented clients that included both multinational companies and Silicon Valley-based startups. He also joined Impresa Legal Group in Arlington, Virginia as Counsel, focusing his boutique practice on government affairs, corporate law and government contracts.

Previously Mr. Hamid served as Deputy Comptroller and Assistant Comptroller for the City of Chicago and as Counsel for the Chicago Park District. He started his career as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois in the mid-1990’s where he focused on state and local tax issues. 

Mr. Hamid has served as the Chairman of the Board of the Virginia Lottery, a $3.8 billion per year enterprise, since 2018. He has unanimously been elected as Chairman by his colleagues on the Board for five consecutive years.

Mr. Hamid received his B.A. with Honors from the University of Illinois, Urbana and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. 

Strategic Partner

Led by former Congressman Bob Livingston, The Livingston Group is internationally recognized and has secured prominence among Washington D.C.’s top government relations firms.

The Livingston Group brings clients both experience and influence, with an approach that always connects the client with our principals.

The firm’s team includes former Members of Congress, congressional staff, presidential staff, executive branch officials, state representatives, and corporate executives. With an extensive network of more than 60 principals and consultants in the U.S. and 14 international affiliates, this team helps generate change for a global roster of businesses, organizations, and countries.

The Livingston Group’s core competencies include direct lobbying and government relations, international business consulting and business development, general public affairs counsel and strategic marketing services. The firm’s network of experts is deeply immersed in a wide range of specialty practice areas. 

Senior Advisor

 Young Kim has over 25 years of experience as a senior executive at large global consulting firms - PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM Global Business Services, and Accenture - working with private and public sector clients in multiple markets and industries, both domestically and internationally. He has extensive knowledge and experience in federal budgeting and acquisition, information technology strategy and transformation, and onshore/nearshore/offshore business process outsourcing.  MS – George Washington 

Senior Advisor

Former Special Assistant in the Clinton Administration. Developed, planned and executed first-ever Aerospace Industries Association Trade Mission to India. Served as founding leader of national Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) political action committee.  Develops business development strategies for clients who wish to gain access to senior government officials and local, state and federal legislators.