Faisal Aftab – Venture Capitalist and Blockchain Enthusiast

With close to two decades of experience as an investor and executive in industries such as media technology, venture capital, management consulting and financial services, Faisal Aftab is a veteran in his field. Since April 2018 he has held the role of managing partner responsible for the venture capital arm of Lakson Investments Limited in Islamabad, Pakistan. The company is backed by a top corporate conglomerate in Pakistan and is focused on local opportunities that use technology to create new business models or disrupt those already in existence. Aftab is known for his bright business mind and ability to deeply and accurately analyse business elements. 

Prior to his role at Lakson Investments Venture Capital, Faisal Aftab held the role of executive vice president at CloudStream Media Inc., a New York-based technology company that provides a streaming service catering to the developed markets. Before his position at CloudStream, Aftab served as an executive director for MTV Networks International at their Pakistan franchise. He was also the vice president of the New York-based financial services and wealth management firm, National Financial Partners for over five years. 

Location

Now based in Pakistan from where he makes his investments, Faisal Aftab has spent several years abroad pursuing educational objectives and developing his career. In 1995 he enrolled at Michigan State University in the Eli Broad College of Business in the United States. He graduated in 1999 with a bachelor of business administration and re-enrolled the following year to pursue a master of science degree in management information systems. Aftab worked in New York, United States for several years in consulting and managerial roles where he gained invaluable experience in investment banking, wealth management, entertainment, content streaming and private investment. During this time Aftab had responsibilities across the globe in countries such as the United States, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. 

Remarkable Investments

With a strong focus on digital media, blockchain technology, consumer internet and mobile analytics, Faisal Aftab has made several investments in companies such as:

• Mediamorph, a New York-based media technology company that offers streamlined data management.
• Medicast, a Silicon Valley-based healthcare information technology company providing an on-demand care platform for health systems and hospitals. Medicast was successfully acquired by Providence Health & Services.
• OmiseGO, a blockchain and financial technology company that enables financial inclusion and interoperability through a decentralised network. 
• ADEX, a blockchain-driven advertising network. 
• Apptimize, a San Francisco-based mobile analytics company that uses big data analytics to accelerate mobile innovation. 
• SendHub, a Menlo Park-based telecommunications company that offers a phone system for the mobile world.
• Twilio, a cloud communications platform geared to rid businesses of unnecessary telecommunications hardware and streamline their communications. 
• Shelf.com, a San Francisco-based marketplaces company that allows users to catalogue their favourite items with the aim of creating a catalogue of the best products in the world curated by people who love and use these products. 

Latest News

In November 2018 The Tribune reported on the 021Disrupt conference held in Pakistan’s capital Karachi. The conference was held to connect top investors with innovators in the startup community of Pakistan. The article featured Faisal Aftab commenting on the importance of the investment community getting together to strategise and collaborate.