Kiara-Suttner Tromp has been promoted to Partner. She joins Managing Partner Ian Lessem and Partners Grant Rock and Rob Heath on HAVAÍC’s management team, effective immediately.
Kiara first joined HAVAÍC as a Senior Associate in 2019. Since then, her financial and analytical acumen has been instrumental in building out HAVAÍC’s decision-making, risk management, and reporting functions. She also spearheaded the due diligence and negotiations for bringing breakdown management platform RNR App and AI chatbot developer Rather.Chat into HAVAÍC’s 20-strong portfolio of African-born tech startups.
In her new role, Kiara will continue applying critical thinking and a diverse lens to source high-growth, technology-enabled businesses as investment opportunities. Post-investment, she will be key in helping portfolio companies scale and achieve sustainable growth.
Kiara earned her Bachelor of Business Science and a postgraduate diploma in accounting from the University of Cape Town before obtaining her CFA designation. She completed her articles at KPMG South Africa before joining RisCura as a Senior Private Equity Analyst. Kiara stepped into Venture Capital five years ago, and her positive impact at HAVAÍC has been transformational.
At the time, Venture Capital in Africa was an emerging industry on the cusp of achieving phenomenal growth. Today, the maturing ecosystem is increasingly supported by leading institutional investors offering compelling opportunities to diversify portfolios and generate higher returns over longer periods.
“I feel extremely grateful to be in this space where I get to work with inspiring entrepreneurs who believe they can change the world, and they do,” said Kiara. “It’s an industry that will always keep you humble and leave you hungry to learn and grow at the same rate as the disruptions we see in this space, making it ever more rewarding.”
“As a financial professional who has honed her skills and experience to become a leader in African VC, Kiara not only excels at identifying potential but also has the business mind, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for bringing out the best in our portfolio companies and working with founders to achieve sustainable, inclusive, and impactful growth,” said Lessem. “We are delighted to have her join us as a Partner and, together, continue our journey to unlock growth in Africa and beyond,” he added.
A passionate advocate for the role of entrepreneurship in fuelling economic development and local job creation, Kiara is a keen contributor to industry publications and a regular panellist at leading industry events. Most recently, she joined the line-up at the 2024 Africa Family Office Investment Summit and the launch of SAVCA’s 2023 VC Survey.
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