Rabeel started his career as an investment banker with Morgan Stanley in 2008. His work in M&A included a $9.6B buy-side role, as well as a $3.5B debt restructuring deal. He later worked for the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) as Vice President of Private Equity (Direct Investments). At GIC, he deployed over $3B, and generated an IRR of 22% in local currency.
In 2016, Rabeel had started investing his own savings in venture deals in Pakistan as part of a syndicate. Sighting a plethora of opportunity and lack of institutionalized investing in this asset class, Rabeel made the move to Pakistan and set up the first fund of its nature dedicated to the Pakistani opportunity. In 2019, Sarmayacar’s first fund closed at $25m, and included participation from local and foreign HNWIs, diaspora Pakistanis and DFIs such as the IFC.
Prior to his professional career, Rabeel graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with majors in Economics and Management Science. A science geek at heart, he maintains a penchant for the artisanship which goes into making fine watches. At other times, he appreciates food which excites his palate, and driving his heavy bikes.
Bernhard started his career at Morgan Stanley, where he progressed from his internship to Associate, across offices in London, Frankfurt and Vienna. His exposure included Mergers & Acquisitions and Financial Institutions Group. Thereafter, he joined J.P. Morgan, serving as the Vice President co-responsible for Austria. Bernhard has served as an advisor to tens of transactions across Europe, including the €4.4B capitalization restructuring of HeidelbergCement. His passion for BioTech has found him as an investor in multiple ventures which have grown significantly over time. These include stakes in The One Group (textile-tech, med-tech), clock.bio (aging) and Covirabio (diagnostics).
Alongside Rabeel, Bernhard was part of the syndicate which became Sarmayacar. Serving as International and General Partner, his involvement has allowed Sarmayacar to be a trusted fund manager for European HNWIs.
Bernhard holds multiple degrees in Economics and Law from University of Vienna and Vienna University. Alongside his involvements, he finds time to run half marathons or to workout otherwise.
Jehanzeb started his career as an Equity Trader with Faysal Asset Management. His primary responsibility was trading local public equities on the bank’s book of over PKR 3B. After this, he moved towards commodities trading, and built his way up as Senior Relationship Manager at Silk Bank, catering to Corporates & HNWIs. Following this with graduate education, he joined Sarmayacar as a portfolio analyst and assisted with mostly everything in the early years.
Jehanzeb holds a BSc. in Accounting and Finance from The London School of Economics. He later won the prestigious Fulbright scholarship, and completed his MSc. in Finance and Financial Management Services from Drexel University. Jehanzeb is the resident gym enthusiast of the team and a cricket historian. He is also a restaurateur, yet still finds time to stay ahead of all political developments.
Osama is a finance graduate with prior experience in strategy consultancy and investment management. He started off his career at EY, delivering on strategy & transformation projects and launched the EY 7 Drivers of Growth framework for start-ups in Pakistan. At Sarmayacar, he leads the investment function and helps portfolio companies with strategic advice.
He holds a keen interest in capital markets and advocates for policy reforms. He is a CFA charter holder and also sits on the advisory council of PARSA Trust. Osama is an avid foodie and is always on the go to test out new food experiences. He usually complements his love for food with football and swimming to keep his physique in check.
Zarmina holds a degree in Economics from NUST and started off her career in marketing and sales.
Her experience includes notable companies like S&P Global Market Intelligence, where she navigated the complexities of capital markets, delving into the investment banking and private equity space. She developed and honed her reporting and data analysis skills in her operations role with Nestle Pakistan. Transitioning to Jazz, Zarmina took on the role of Corporate Affairs Specialist for the headquarter, navigating high pressure situations and fostering meaningful connections as the focal person for external affairs and stakeholder engagements.
Zarmina's professional journey is grounded in a commitment to continuous learning and self-improvement, drawing from her diverse organizational experiences. Beyond work, she actively advocates for women's inclusion and engages in charitable initiatives to empower communities. She is a voracious reader and unwinds by putting paint to canvas, expressing her creativity in a colorful tapestry that mirrors her diverse interests.
Taha joined the team fresh out of college. At Sarmayacar, his role includes the incoming pipeline, preparing memos and researching sectors. His interest in Venture Capital developed before it existed in Pakistan, and enjoys the spectrum of opportunities which need to be interacted with everyday.
Taha majored in Economics in College, and completed a minor in Anthropology and Sociology. In his spare time, he enjoys the culinary arts, tending to his plants or playing tennis.
Labiba has worked as an associate consultant in the domains of operational excellence, cultural transformation, and strategy development at a boutique Management Consultancy in Pakistan. Her work has spanned the spectrum, from budding startups to established corporations, where her strategic input has been leveraged to deliver unique and long-lasting value. Over the years, she developed a keen interest in Venture Capital, and its role in supercharging the Pakistani economy towards growth. At Sarmayacar, her role includes liaising with our portfolio companies and ensuring Sarmayacar provides any input to them when need be, and otherwise maintains a symbiotic relationship with them.
Labiba spent her undergraduate years studying Management Sciences at LUMS. She maintains an avid interest in the fine arts, with sketchbooks filled. She remains a proponent for women entering careers in entrepreneurship and finance and loves to have such conversations alongside travel plans up North.