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Varun brings over 16 years of experience across Investment Banking and Asset Management working with Goldman Sachs. He has strong expertise in debt and equity investing through a quality research framework and deal execution capabilities in emerging markets (India/Southeast Asia/LatAm). Varun has successfully led teams in the banking and asset management functions while overseeing hiring, training, and mentoring of new hires. Varun is also an active angel investor in the Indian start-up ecosystem. At Stride Ventures, Varun is focussed on GCC region to deploy Venture Debt and Private credit for Start ups.
Gaurav Ahuja is a Managing Director with ChrysCapital and has been with the firm since 2004. He is responsible for the LP Relations and Fund Raising functions at ChrysCapital. Mr. Ahuja is a member of the Investment Committee and sits on the board of Infogain, ChrysCapital’s IT Services portfolio company. Prior to joining ChrysCapital, he was in the M&A group at Lazard Freres in San Francisco and Merrill Lynch in New York.
Mr. Ahuja received an MBA from INSEAD and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Economics from the University of Virginia.
Appointed CEO in August 2023, and leading Eshraq Investments’ new and ambitious phase of expansion and development, Mohamed Al Hashimi has experience of more than 20 years in capital markets and financial strategy. He has a track record of delivering world class projects, having previously been CFO of ADNOC LNG, prior to which he was Senior Vice President of Group Strategic Investments for ADNOC Group, and before that acted as both CFO and COO of ADNOC Distribution, where he played a vital role in the company’s IPO. In addition to his role as CEO of Eshraq, Mohamed is a Board Member of Dana Gas, Salama Insurance and Stanford Marine. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Ohio State University and a Postgraduate Degree with a focus on Business Administration and Finance from Harvard University.
George Allen is a Managing Director with Teneo in Dubai, where he advises clients on Financial Communications and Investor Relations.
Prior to joining Teneo in 2021, George was Partner at Instinctif Partners, where he led their Capital Markets practice in the Middle East & North Africa. His focus is on Financial Communications including IPOs, M&A and other ECM transactions, as well as Investor Relations for issuers across GCC markets, with wide sector experience including Financial Services, Oil & Gas, Telecoms, Real Estate, Healthcare, and Hospitality.
In previous roles, George has sat on group-level committees for both ESG and IR. He is a Certified Investor Relations Officer and an active member of the Middle East IR Association, regularly speaking at industry events. George is a graduate of the University of Oxford from where he holds a BA in History and has completed Said Business School’s ‘Oxford Executive Leadership Programme’.
Mohammed Almeshekah is the Founder and General Partner of Outliers Venture Capital, an operator-led firm partnering with founders to build transformative, category-defining companies.
Prior to founding Outliers, Mohammed held key leadership roles in both the public and private sectors, where he was instrumental in driving multi-billion-dollar national initiatives. He served as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, where he led the development of Saudi Arabia’s Digital Strategy, laying the foundation for the nation’s technological advancement. At the Ministry of Justice, Mohammed spearheaded the transformation of government services in judicial and notary functions, significantly enhancing accessibility and efficiency. A founding member of Saudi Arabia’s Central Bank (SAMA) FinTech Steering Committee, he has contributed to advancing the financial technology landscape in the region.
As an operator and technologist, Mohammed developed his expertise at global technology leaders like Google and Mozilla, working on cutting-edge security innovations. He later founded and built a company that served prominent clients, including Saudi Arabia’s central bank and other leading institutions, delivering impactful cybersecurity solutions. Mohammed is an active board member and advisor to multiple public and private sector organizations, including the Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA), the Ministry of Housing and Municipality, and AlHokama, Saudi Arabia’s oldest ophthalmology chain and practice. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Purdue University, where he focused on the intersection of Cybersecurity and Cognitive Psychology.
David is a founding partner of SC Lowy, a privately held $3.4 billion asset manager with a 15-year track record of investing across the full credit spectrum, focused on opportunistic corporate credit within liquid and illiquid non-investment grade markets across Asia, Middle East and Europe.
David heads up the firm’s origination team globally, led the strategy for the London office with its focus on EMEA and spear-headed SC Lowy’s market-leading development of the Middle East illiquid credit space. Working in multiple geographies, David has had a 25+ year long career in finance and holds the qualifications of ICAEW Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) and BA (Hons) in Economics.
Mirza is a Founding Partner of Ruya Partners with over 28 years of global investing and investment banking experience from the U.S., UK, Asia and the MENA region.
Before establishing Ruya Partners, Mirza established and led the private credit business of Waha Capital in Abu Dhabi. Before Waha Capital, Mirza was HSBC’s Head of Corporate Finance and Head of Commercial Banking Origination for the MENA region.
Tim Burroughs is managing editor of Asian Venture Capital Journal, having joined the publication in May 2011. He is responsible for all editorial content put out under the AVCJ brand, including Asian Venture Capital Journal, AVCJtv, AVCJ Awards and AVCJ.com. Tim previously spent five years at China Economic Review, serving as editor-in-chief and then editorial director. Located in Greater China since 2003, during which time he has lived in Beijing, Qingdao and Hong Kong, Tim has been a China-based contributor for publications including The Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph, BBC and China Daily. Prior to moving to China, he trained and worked as a journalist in the UK. He was honored at the Society of Publishers in Asia awards in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and at the State Street Institutional Press Awards - Asia in 2012.
Daniel has developed several GW of renewable energy projects including the first and second utility scale wind farms in the Middle East. Two of the first solar PV plants in the UAE as well as in Jordan, the first solar CSP plant in the Middle East, the world’s first CSP Tower project with salt storage and the world’s largest off-shore wind farm as of 2014. Prior to founding Alcazar Energy Partners, Daniel had the opportunity to lead investments in various successful renewable energy development platforms such as Fotowatio, Torresol Energy and Theolia among others.
Daniel has over 22 years of experience and holds degrees in Industrial Engineering & Finance from University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Cum-Laude) and an MBA from London Business School.
Dr. Karim El Solh is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital. Dr. El Solh is also the co-Managing Partner of Gulf Related, a leading real estate development company launched in partnership with the Related Companies. Dr. El Solh is a board member of the Global Private Capital Association (formerly EMPEA) and the Chairman of the GPCA Middle East Council. Dr. El Solh is serving or has served as the Chairman of Geidea, ART Fertility, Metito Holdings and Maritime Industrial Services, and as the Director of Emirates Auction, Gulf Marine Services, Middle East Glass, Ma’arif for Education & Training, Reach Group, Depa Group, Metamed, the Galleria Mall Al Maryah Island, Antara Residential Project, NAS TPA and Aramex. Dr Karim El Solh recently joined some of the world’s leading CEOs in supporting HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta, which provides a roadmap for businesses to move towards a sustainable future by 2030. The charter’s vision to help build an inspiring, inclusive, equitable, prosperous, and sustainable future. He is also a member of the Sustainable Markets Initiative and the Private Equity Taskforce on Sustainability.
Prior to founding Gulf Capital, Dr El Solh was the CEO of the leading UAE investment bank, The National Investor. Under his leadership, the Firm was involved in a number of groundbreaking private equity transactions and was ranked as the number one IPO underwriter in the Gulf. Dr El Solh was also a Co-Founder of the European High Yield Capital Markets/Leveraged Buy-Outs division at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette (DLJ – now part of Credit Suisse) and a senior investment banker in charge of equity offerings at Citigroup.
Dr. El Solh has a B.S. in civil engineering from Cornell University, an MBA from Georgetown University and a doctorate in economics from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). He is also a Chartered Management Accountant and a Professional Civil Engineer. He is on the Board of Advisors of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, a Board member of Georgetown’s Center for Financial Markets and Policy, a member of the Future of Work Initiative Advisory Group and on the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF). Dr. El Solh has been named as one of the Top 100 CEOs in the Gulf by CEO Magazine, one of the 500 Most Influential Arabs by Arabian Business Magazine and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Diana is a Managing Director and heads Prosek’s Middle East and North Africa operations. She is responsible for serving local and international clients in the Middle East, as well as supporting business development, hiring and growth strategy in the region.
She holds a MEIRA certification as an Investor Relations Officer and boasts a decade of experience in Europe, the US, and the Middle East.
Before joining Prosek, Diana served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Client Officer for Instinctif Partners in the Middle East, and as a Senior Account Manager at Hill & Knowlton. Her expertise lies in crafting PR and IR programs for financial services and capital markets clients and spearheading operational growth, notably establishing Instinctif’s office in Saudi Arabia.
With a successful career spanning a decade, Diana has led award-winning campaigns for multinational companies, regional institutions, and government entities. She’s a trusted advisor on ESG matters, guiding management teams in identifying material issues, devising strategies, and integrating ESG and IR practices. Her contributions have earned recognition from esteemed industry bodies such as MEIRA, the Saudi Capital Markets Forum, PR Week, SABRE, and MEPRA.
Diana holds a B.Sc. Honours Degree in Government and Economics from the London School of Economics and is fluent in Spanish and English, with proficiency in French, Italian, and Arabic.
Melissa Forbes-Miranda is a Dubai-based partner in the firm’s M&A, Corporate and Commercial practice. Having been based in the UAE for over 15 years, Melissa is a trusted advisor and key point of contact to many multinational and regional clients for their legal needs across the Middle East region and beyond.
Her practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, private equity / venture capital, joint ventures, restructuring and insolvency, foreign direct investment, corporate and shareholder disputes.
Melissa specialises in supporting clients through local and cross-border transactions, as well as advising on a wide spectrum of corporate and commercial legal issues spanning across several different sectors, including, technology, financial services, insurance, life sciences, healthcare, industrials and manufacturing, consumer, real estate and construction, professional services (particularly education), and hotels and leisure.
Melissa has a reputation for providing legal advice that is commercially relevant, on-point, adds value and is strategic to the needs of the client, and is recognised by many of the leading independent legal and industry publications as one of the leading lawyers based in the Middle East region, which include her being:
- Listed as one of the 50 outstanding lawyers operating in the MENA region in the Thomson Reuters' ALB "MENA Super 50" list for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024); and
- Listed within The Legal 500's Private Practice M&A Powerlist Series: Middle East Region 2024.
Rishi Kapoor is now Investcorp’s Vice Chairman and Chief Investment Officer (CIO). He has been with the firm for over 30 years, having served as Investcorp’s Co-Chief Executive Officer from 2015 to 2024, and as Chief Financial Officer from 2003 to 2015. Rishi joined Investcorp in 1992 from Citigroup.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Rishi is a member of Duke University’s Middle East Regional Advisory Board, the Oxford Energy Policy Club, and His Majesty King Charles’ Sustainable Markets Initiative. Additionally, he sits on the Board of Directors for the National Bank of Bahrain, where he chairs the Risk & Compliance Committee.
Rishi is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences and has been recognized by Forbes Middle East as one of the top 10 Indian executives in the region. Top CEO Middle East also named him one of the top CEOs in the GCC in 2018.
John Komninakidis is the Vice President - Middle East, Turkey & Greece at Datasite. John joined Datasite in 2017 and has contributed to the development of Datasite’s global expansion within the region, assisting investment banks, law firms, private equity and corporate clients’ data room projects across multiple sectors.
Before joining Datasite, he previously led due diligence processes in the privatizations and private sectors, including management of virtual data rooms from start to finish.
John holds a B.Sc. in Economics from Piraeus University (GR) and dual M.Sc. in Information Management and Telecom Management from Syracuse University (NY,USA). He is a certified PMP® from the Project Management Institute.
Serge is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Cabot Capital Partners (CCP) established in 2018. Prior to establishing CCP, Serge has worked with sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East, Asia and Canada;
In the Middle East, Serge was latterly the founding CEO of QADIC, a US$2bn global investment platform jointly funded by Qatar Investment Authority and Mubadala; Chief Investment Officer for Mumtalakat (Bahrain) and had been appointed to senior roles at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) establishing the co-investment and direct investment business units respectively.
Before relocating to the Gulf in 2004, Serge had been based in Asia since 1996 establishing the initial private equity operations of the Caisse de Dépot et Placement du Québec (CDPQ).
Serge’s early career encompassed working in Montreal for CDPQ as well as other leading Canadian financial institutions, focused on direct investment, mergers and acquisitions advisory and corporate finance.
Barnaby Lyons joined Bain Capital in 2006. He is a Partner and Global Head of Special Situations as well as the Head of Credit in Asia. Prior to his current role, Barnaby was based in our London office, covering European Special Situations opportunities.
Prior to joining Bain Capital, Barnaby was a consultant at Bain & Company.
Barnaby received an AB Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University.
Walid is the co-founder and co-ceo of MEVP.
Walid’s deep involvement in the VC & Technology ecosystem in the MENA region dates back to the mid 2000s. Since 2006, Walid has been intimately involved in this transformational entrepreneurial story by participating in the setup, scale up and exit of several VC Funds and Technology companies and also serves as a board member and advisor to many successful internet and technology companies regionally and globally.
Prior to MEVP, Walid has previously worked in Public Policy (UAE Prime Ministry Office), Strategy Consulting (Booz Allen Hamilton) and Industrial & Software engineering in France. Walid holds a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the “Institut National des Science Appliquées” INSA de Lyon (France) and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (USA).
Chris Mauss is Co-Head of the Portfolio Management business unit, based in Paris. He has been with the firm since 2017 and worked on Partners Group’s private equity investments in Cerba Healthcare and Laboratoires Serb, where he served on the board of directors. Chris has a background in Private Equity buyout investing, with 19 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Partners Group, he was Managing Director at Dubai International Capital, where he was responsible for some of the firms' European private equity investments. He holds a master's degree from ESCP Europe in Paris, France
Dr. Oksana Malysheva is an investor, entrepreneur, and business executive based in Austin, TX. She is the Managing Partner and CEO of Sputnik ATX VC, a VC firm that is addicted to identifying overlooked talent, funding them, training them and connecting them with opportunity.
As the CEO of Sputnik ATX VC, she is on a mission to uncover and shape our world, living "ten years in the future" while also navigating the opportunities for positive change today.
Oksana has built a reputation as a savvy investor and entrepreneurial leader, evidenced by the firm's impressive portfolio and unbiased investment process that seeks out nerds with bold ideas and a drive to build something great. The majority of Sputnik’s portfolio companies are women- or minority-led.
Her passion for entrepreneurship and innovation stems from her time at McKinsey advising Fortune 50 firms and being on the marketing team that brought Motorola to its peak with the RAZR cell phone.
With a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Malysheva brings a unique perspective to the world of venture capital; her training in physics and mathematics cultivated her values of originality, non-conformity, and intellectual curiosity.
Mariam Meskin is the Head of Primary Markets at Debtwire CEEMEA, covering the bond and syndicated loan markets across the region. She holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and a BA from University College London.
Yaser Moustafa leads Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Private Investments, the successor entity to NBK Capital Partners. Formerly, he was CEO of NBK Capital Partners in Dubai. Yaser remains responsible for the investment activities of NBK Capital Partners predecessor funds, including the private equity, real estate and mezzanine investment vehicles.
Yaser has over 25 years of professional experience including transaction advisory, interim management, board roles and organizational change in both the U.S and Middle East. Previously, Yaser led Alvarez & Marsal’s Private Equity advisory practice for the Middle East as Managing Director. Yaser began his career at Lehman Brothers in Investment Banking in the U.S.
Jaspreet Randhawa brings over two decades of experience at the intersection of global financial services and technology, with a specialization in translating technological innovation into high-performing investment strategies. As the Managing Director and Head of Investments at Burkhan World Investments, based in Abu Dhabi, Jaspreet leads the firm’s portfolio across private equity, private credit, and technology-driven investments, guided by a “Profit with Purpose” philosophy. Her approach emphasizes sustainable value creation while delivering competitive financial returns.
Jaspreet’s career spans transformative leadership roles at premier global institutions, including SunGard (FIS), Broadridge, Corvil, ICAP, and DTCC. She has consistently driven innovation in capital markets infrastructure and financial technology, leading strategic investments that have redefined operational efficiencies and unlocked growth opportunities. Her expertise encompasses managing diverse investment portfolios, navigating complex market dynamics, and capitalizing on emerging trends in technology and finance.
A graduate of Durham University in the UK with a BSc, BMC, and MBA, and an alumna of Harvard Business School’s Program for Leadership Development, Jaspreet combines academic rigor with practical experience. With a deep understanding of regional and global markets, she is committed to aligning capital allocation with technological advancements, fostering impactful investments that bridge the gap between innovation and value creation.
Rajesh is the Head of Investments at Ali & Sons Holding, overseeing a multi-asset global investment mandate. Rajesh specialises in fund manager selection, direct investments, and co-investments, driving strong returns through a disciplined and comprehensive investment approach. Holding an MBA in Finance and both CFA and CAIA charters, Rajesh brings a deep understanding of diverse asset classes and a strategic focus on value creation for family office portfolios.
Ganen Sarvananthan is Managing Partner, Co-Head of Asia, Head of the Middle East, Co-Managing Partner of TPG Capital Asia, Co-Head of Southeast Asia and a member of the TPG Inc Board and Executive Committee. Prior to joining TPG in 2014, Ganen served as Head of Investments at Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the Government of Malaysia’s strategic investment fund, for almost a decade. He also worked at UBS Investment Bank based in London, Hong Kong and Singapore for more than seven years. He is a Barrister-at-Law (England and Wales) and read Law at University College London.
Stergios Voskopoulos is the CEO and Founder of ALTNOVEL. Before founding ALTNOVEL, Stergios was CEO of Kanoo Capital, the Investment Division of YBA Kanoo - one of the largest family conglomerates in the Middle East - where he was responsible for the active management of direct and indirect investments both regionally and globally. He was also member of Investment Committees at Insurance firms, and Private Markets Funds (Private Credit, Private Equity).
He has more than 25 years of global experience across Europe, US, and Asia, with over 15 years working in the GCC region, in the areas of Asset Management, Private Markets and M&A. He has previously held positions at AIG Global Investment Group, Barclays, Investcorp, and Seera Investment Bank. He is also an angel investor in startups and serial entrepreneur.
Stergios is a regular guest commentator providing his expert opinion for global media news outlets, as well as speaking on the topics of investment management, private markets, family offices & wealth, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and global affairs at international summits.
He has an MBA in Finance & Investments from Zicklin School of Business in New York City, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Athens. Stergios speaks six languages having lived and worked in over seven countries. Lastly, Stergios has been a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO).
Catherine Wang, the CEO and CIO of Mulan V Investment, a distinguished family office based in the UAE. Catherine has an extensive background in portfolio management and investment, having worked with several major family offices across Singapore, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and beyond. Her expertise in international M&A is notable, with successful collaborations with industry leaders such as BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and KKR.
In addition to her leadership at Mulan V Investment, Catherine is the Founder and Chairman of the World Family Office Institute (WFOI), a leading think tank headquartered in the UAE. WFOI is dedicated to bridging the GCC with the global community and includes members who are prominent politicians and allocators from Asia, the GCC, Europe, and the Americas.
Catherine holds a bachelor’s degree from the China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing (CUMTB), and a Master degree in International Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Glasgow. Her academic and professional background, combined with her deep understanding of global markets, positions her as a key figure in the world of alternative investments.
Eric Xin is the Managing Partner of Trustar Capital, a leading buyout-focused private equity firm in China.
Mr. Xin received an MBA from the Harvard Business School with Honors and a B.A. in Economics from Beijing University.