Top 50 Emerging Leaders 2022 (in alphabetical order by CVC unit): Banafsheh Fathieh, head of Americas investments, Prosus Ventures
Banafsheh “B” Fathieh is head of investments for Americas at Prosus Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of Netherlands-based internet group Prosus, where she leads the unit’s early-stage investments across the consumer, internet and blockchain sectors.
Prosus Ventures said in a statement: “Banafsheh played a large role in our growth and success. In the last year alone, she spent a lot of time studying the Latin America market and expanded our portfolio of companies in the region, where technology is driving massive transformation across a number of sectors.
“She has added new businesses to our portfolio that are at the forefront of positive change. She also continues to build our presence in the ever-changing, highly innovative and hugely transformational blockchain and crypto sector.
“Banafsheh is a connector by nature, and works incredibly close with our companies, ensuring they have the resources and partners to scale. An economist by trade, Banafsheh’s foresight and instinct to identify early-stage, innovative startups addressing big societal needs in high-growth markets is an asset to the Prosus Ventures team.”
Regarding her remit at Prosus Ventures, Fathieh said: “My role in the organisation is to scout new markets and verticals for the group [to be] the first or second cheque into a high-growth market or category where we could see ourselves getting meaningfully involved in the next five to 10 years. My role spans category identification, thesis creation, deal sourcing, execution and post-transaction work as a board member.”
Fathieh joined Prosus Ventures in 2017 and worked for the unit as a principal for three years before being promoted to her current role in October 2020. Before that, she was part of the founding team and investment committee of $280m venture growth fund OCV Partners.
