[Toronto, Ontario, February 13, 2020] VERTU Capital, a Toronto-based technology-focused private equity firm, announced today the expansion of its operating advisory network with the addition of five highly regarded industry experts.
Lisa Melchior, Founder and Managing Partner said, “We are excited to welcome this group of exceptional professionals to our team of operating advisors. The addition of their diverse domain, sector experience and global networks substantially adds to our ability to drive growth and implement operating best practices in our portfolio. Developing our firm’s senior-level operations expertise reaffirms our focus on building stronger Canadian technology companies through value-add partnership with top tier talent.”
Who Are They?
Chris Fabre is a veteran middleware executive who has led fast-paced technology companies through disruptive innovation, market expansion and diversification. Mr. Fabre was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of Axway where he served on the Executive Board of Sopra Steria before taking Axway public. He developed global technological leadership and completed seven accretive acquisitions. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Sky Republic, an enterprise blockchain company he founded in 2016. Mr. Fabre holds a degree in computer engineering from Université Joseph Fourier and is a graduate of INSEAD’s Management Accelerator program.
Andrea Garson is a seasoned Human Resources Executive and a leading authority on culture, engagement, leadership development, and attracting and retaining key talent. She is the Founder & Principal of Breaking Glass Inc., a boutique HR Consulting firm, and has over 27 years of HR experience working with Tier 1 organizations. During her time as Vice President of Human Resources at Workopolis, the company was recognized with numerous awards, including being the first company honoured by the ‘Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures’ program with the “Best Emerging Organization” distinction. Ms. Garson holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA from Dalhousie University.
Rick Huff is a B2B SaaS markets executive with over 25-years of experience driving growth through sales and marketing leadership. Mr. Huff was one of the founding executives of KUBRA, North America’s leading billing technology solution for utilities. During his tenure he led the company’s growth from USD $250,000 in revenue to over USD $160 million. He also helped manage the sale of KUBRA in 2014 to the Hearst Corporation in New York. Mr. Huff holds an Honors Commerce Degree from McMaster University and is a graduate of the Hearst Management Institute.
Ansa Sekharan is a B2B software customer success executive with over two decades of experience delivering pace-setting transformation(s) in areas of customer experience, service automation and ARR Growth. Under his leadership, his firm has been ranked as number one in customer loyalty in the data integration enterprise software sector for 12 years in a row. Mr. Sekharan was one of the early employees at Informatica and currently serves as the company’s Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer. He also serves on the Support Advisory Board at Technology Services Industry Association. He graduated with honors from the University of Tulsa, where he earned a master’s degree in Computer Science. Mr. Sekharan earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from The National Institute of Technology.
Vineet Walia is a veteran technology executive with deep experience in business transformation and strategic planning. He is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Informatica, responsible for accelerating business transformations that drive growth. Prior to Informatica, Mr. Walia held senior leadership roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Juniper Networks, leading company-wide transformations. Mr. Walia holds a Master of Business Administration with honors in Corporate Finance from Bentley University, Massachusetts.
VERTU Capital, formed in 2017, is a Toronto-based mid-market private equity firm focused on enterprise software and software-enabled businesses. Founded by Lisa Melchior, a 20+ year private equity professional with a track record that includes more than $1 billion of invested capital, VERTU brings deep global private equity experience to high potential Canadian technology businesses seeking transformational growth.