# James Rhee

> James Rhee is a managing partner at SparkLabs Group and chairman and CEO of Spark I Acquisition Corporation. A former Aero K founder and president and AirAsia North Asia CEO, his career also includes the IMF, McKinsey, Dell, TE Connectivity and Octave Private Equity. Spark I announced a proposed combination with battery company ZincFive in June 2026.

- **Role:** Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Spark I Acquisition Corporation; Managing Partner at SparkLabs Group
- **Organizations:** SparkLabs Group, Spark I Acquisition Corporation, Aero K Holdings, Aero K Airlines, AirAsia, Octave Private Equity, TE Connectivity, Dell, McKinsey & Company, International Monetary Fund
- **Education:** B.S. in Economics, University of Minnesota, MBA, Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, Vanderbilt University
- **Known for:** Helped Dell Japan attain first place in the commercial computer market, according to his SparkLabs biography., Founded Aero K Holdings and served as president of Aero K Holdings and Aero K Airlines., Led Spark I at the time of its $100 million IPO in October 2023.

## Career timeline

- **1989-1998** — Research officer at the International Monetary Fund.
- **2000-2003** — Engagement manager at McKinsey & Company.
- **2003-2010** — Leadership roles at Dell in Asia Pacific/Japan PC business and enterprise solutions marketing.
- **2010-2011** — Vice president and general manager of Tyco Electronics global PC business.
- **2012-2014** — Senior adviser to Octave Private Equity.
- **2012-2016** — Chief executive officer of AirAsia North Asia.
- **2013** — Began advising and mentoring SparkLabs.
- **2016** — Founded Aero K Holdings; served as president of the holding company and airline.
- **2021** — Became CEO and chairman of Spark I in July.
- **2022** — Became a SparkLabs Group partner.
- **2023** — Spark I raised $100 million in its October IPO.
- **2026** — Spark I announced a proposed ZincFive combination on June 11; public S-4 filing announced October 1.

## Achievements

- Helped Dell Japan attain first place in the commercial computer market, according to his SparkLabs biography.
- Founded Aero K Holdings and served as president of Aero K Holdings and Aero K Airlines.
- Led Spark I at the time of its $100 million IPO in October 2023.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — ZincFive and Spark I announced public filing of Form S-4 on October 1. The combination remained proposed and subject to approvals and closing conditions, with completion expected in Q4 2026.
- **2026-08** — Joined ZincFive CEO Tod Higinbotham on the August 26 SPACInsider podcast.
- **2026-06** — Spark I and ZincFive announced their proposed business combination on June 11.

## Links

- Website: https://www.sparklabsgroup.com/who-we-are/james-rhee
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-rhee-0189239

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/james-rhee
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-10