Cape Town-headquartered venture capital firm HAVAÍC has announced the promotion of Kiara-Suttner Tromp to Partner. This elevation marks a significant milestone for HAVAÍC as Suttner-Tromp joins Managing Partner Ian Lessem and Partners Grant Rock and Rob Heath on the firm’s management team, effective immediately.
Suttner-Tromp joined HAVAÍC in 2019 as a Senior Associate, where her exceptional financial and analytical skills played a crucial role in enhancing the firm’s decision-making, risk management, and reporting functions. Her leadership was instrumental in the successful due diligence and negotiations for the inclusion of RNR App and Rather.Chat in HAVAÍC’s portfolio of African-born tech startups.
In her new role, Suttner-Tromp will continue to leverage her critical thinking and diverse perspective to identify high-growth, technology-enabled businesses as investment opportunities. Her post-investment responsibilities will focus on scaling portfolio companies and driving sustainable growth.
With a strong academic background including a Bachelor of Business Science, a postgraduate diploma in accounting from the University of Cape Town, and a CFA designation, Suttner-Tromp’s career trajectory includes roles at KPMG South Africa and RisCura before transitioning into venture capital. Her positive impact on HAVAÍC and the broader industry continues to grow.
Suttner-Tromp’s promotion aligns with HAVAÍC’s recent achievements, including the first close of its $50 million African Innovation Fund 3, aimed at investing in early-stage, high-growth African startups with global potential. This follows a year of remarkable growth, marked by a 400 percent increase in total annual revenue and a landmark fifth exit.
Ian Lessem, Managing Partner at HAVAÍC, praised Suttner-Tromp’s contribution, highlighting her ability to identify potential, her entrepreneurial spirit, and her commitment to driving sustainable, inclusive growth. Her promotion underscores HAVAÍC’s ongoing mission to unlock growth across Africa and beyond.
VentureCapital #Investment #AfricanTech #Entrepreneurship #VCLeadership #GrowthInvestment #TechStartups #HAVAÍC #Innovation #AfricaInvestment
