SVP Direct Investments

Role Overview

The SVP of Direct Investments is a senior leadership role with accountability for driving the firm’s direct equity investment strategy, portfolio growth, and ecosystem impact. You will set investment priorities, originate and execute high-quality deals, and represent 1957 Ventures at the highest levels—with founders, co-investors, regulators, and boards.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on deal execution, requiring a proven investor who can balance vision-setting with operational rigor. As a senior member of the investment leadership team, you will influence firm strategy, mentor junior talent, and shape the fintech ecosystem across MENA.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Ecosystem Building

• Define and refine investment theses aligned with the firm’s strategy.
• Build thought leadership and represent 1957 Ventures at boardrooms, industry forums, and with government/regulatory stakeholders.
• Act as an ambassador for the firm, building strategic relationships with LPs, family offices, corporates, and global funds.

Deal Origination & Market Coverage

• Lead proprietary sourcing efforts in fintech and adjacent sectors (payments, lending, infra, embedded, insurtech, proptech, AI-enabled finance).
• Develop and maintain senior-level founder and investor relationships across MENA and globally.
• Oversee market mapping and sector deep-dives to identify actionable opportunities.

Investment Execution & Structuring

• Oversee end-to-end diligence processes (commercial, product/tech, regulatory, financial, legal).
• Negotiate and structure term sheets, SPAs/SHAs, governance, and incentive frameworks.
• Ensure smooth progression from LOI to close, with senior oversight of advisors and cross-functional teams.

Governance & Board Leadership

• Sit on portfolio company boards and provide active oversight and value creation support.
• Lead portfolio governance—KPIs, covenants, reporting structures, and risk management.
• Present to the Investment Committee with clear, thesis-led recommendations and strategic framing.

Portfolio Value Creation & Exits

• Partner with portfolio leadership to drive growth, strategic pivots, and partnerships.
• Support co-investment syndication, secondaries, M&A, and IPO readiness.
• Map and execute exit strategies to maximize investor returns.

Team Leadership & Development

• Mentor, coach, and develop associates/analysts; foster a high-performance investment culture.
• Champion cross-functional collaboration with venture building, legal, and operating pods.

Requirements

• 10+ years in VC, CVC, PE, or growth equity with a track record of leadership and closed transactions.
• Fintech expertise (payments, lending, infrastructure, embedded finance) and strong familiarity with adjacent verticals. Keen appreciation of the disruption potential created by AI.
• Proven origination capabilities with strong networks in MENA and beyond; Arabic a plus.
• Board-level experience with portfolio companies, including governance and strategic oversight.
• Advanced financial modeling, valuation, and structuring expertise
• Demonstrated ability to influence IC/boards and manage senior stakeholder relationships.
• Track record of mentoring teams and scaling investment functions.

Critical Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Ability to define long-term theses and shape firm strategy.
• Leadership & Influence: Gravitas in board and IC settings; trusted advisor to CEOs/founders.
• Execution Excellence: Track record of leading high-quality deals to close.
• Team Building: Strong leadership in developing high-performance teams.
• Resilience & Adaptability: Thrives in high-growth, dynamic, and sometimes ambiguous environments.