Millennials have in many ways shaped the path of technology innovation with mobile-first expectations, API-oriented interactions, desire for transparency and lack of tolerance for inefficiencies. Old technology is simply not acceptable.
Furthermore, competition for the hearts and minds of a new generation of customers and employees has driven progressive management teams to evolve their cultures, business models, internal tooling and user experience. A major component of this re-tooling has been the widespread adoption of SaaS which is transforming business processes across many vertical markets.
As the next generation of technology buyers and users comes into power, Lightspeed believes that we need to remain in sync. What better way to do this than to integrate diverse and youthful perspectives into our investment process. We have proactively developed bench strength over the years with a mix of internally grown and externally sourced investment talent.
It is our pleasure to welcome the newest addition to our enterprise team, Ansaf Kareem, who will focus on SaaS investments.
Ansaf joined us earlier this year and contributes a mix of technology industry experience, management consulting and an interest in public policy. He previously served on the product team at RelateIQ (acquired by Salesforce) after working on product strategy for GrabTaxi in Vietnam, a mobile booking and dispatch marketplace for the taxi industry in Southeast Asia.
Ansaf started his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York, where he managed teams and advised clients globally in the financial services, healthcare, government and technology sectors in functions including corporate strategy, market entry, new product launch and lean operations.
In addition to being selected as one of the first ten World Economic Forum Young Global Shapers, Ansaf has served in a number of roles at social/public sector organizations including the Aspen Institute’s Impact Careers Initiative, U.S. State Department’s Generation Change, Board of Directors for the Interfaith Youth Core, and policy fellow for former Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Ansaf holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master in Public Policy degree from Harvard Kennedy School and a BA degree with honors from Stanford University.
Read Ansaf’s thoughts on technology at his blog (www.medium.com/@ansafk) and follow him on Twitter (@ansafk).
— Chris Schaepe
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