Draper Esprit (AIM: GROW, ESM: GRW), a leading venture capital that backs high-growth technology businesses, is pleased to announce that Jonathan Sibilia has been appointed as Head of Secondary Investments.
Mr Sibilia has extensive experience of venture secondary deals, having acquired venture capital portfolios comprising over 30 companies. He will be responsible for all aspects of the secondary business, including strategy, investments, fundraising and portfolio construction.
Draper Esprit Secondaries focuses on secondary opportunities in the European venture market. It provides liquidity to founders, angels, VCs and other shareholders in fast growing technology companies, as well as has the capacity to buy venture portfolios from other tech investors. Since 2006, it has concluded some of the largest venture secondary transactions in Europe. These include the £170m acquisition of 3i plc’s venture portfolio backed by Coller Capital and HarbourVest Partners; the £55m take-private of Prelude plc’s venture portfolio; and the acquisition of Cazenove’s £234m venture capital fund. Draper Esprit further announced last month they had acquired Elderstreet Investments to expand their VCT.
Mr Sibilia is a Partner at Draper Esprit with extensive international experience in financial management, corporate finance and investment banking. Prior to joining the company in 2009, he worked in the technology group at Jefferies International advising on high-profile cross-border M&A, debt & equity offerings. Previously he also worked at Rothschild in Paris. He holds a MA in Management from EM-Lyon and a MA in Advanced Corporate Finance from the University of Paris IX Dauphine.
Simon Cook, CEO, Draper Esprit commented, “Jonathan has been a critical part of our secondaries work so far and we are delighted that he will now lead this area in the business.”