Kafka previously worked with Vertu’s founding managing partner Lisa Melchoir at OMERS Private Equity.
Toronto-based private equity firm Vertu Capital has promoted long-time principal Eric Kafka to partner, joining Kim Davis, Gil Nayot, and founding managing partner Lisa Melchoir.
Kafka “has played a crucial role in shaping Vertu’s collaborative and high-performance culture.”
The firm announced Kafka’s appointment in a LinkedIn post this week, describing him as a “driving force” at Vertu since joining the firm as “employee number two” in 2018. Kafka brings experience as an operations program manager at Facebook (now Meta), and as vice-president of corporate development at Toronto-based data analytics company Sysomos (now Meltwater).
He also previously worked on “numerous transactions” with Melchoir when they were both with Ontario pension giant OMERS Private Equity, according to his profile on Vertu’s website.
Kafka “has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to source and execute high-impact investments, while also working closely with our portfolio companies to improve performance and create lasting value,” Vertu Capital said in the post. “He is a mentor to many within the firm and has played a crucial role in shaping Vertu’s collaborative and high-performance culture.”
Bringing in another partner strengthens Vertu’s ability to source and execute on new investments, as well as manage its growing portfolio, Melchoir told BetaKit in an email statement.
RELATED: EdTech startup LumiQ receives strategic investment from Vertu Capital
Founded by OMERS veteran Melchoir in 2017, Vertu closed its inaugural fund with more than $300 million in 2023. The firm invests in Canadian software and software-enabled companies focused on enterprise customers with more than $15 million CAD in company revenue that are profitable or are on track to be.
Vertu Capital previously told BetaKit its fund aims to put in $25 million to $75 million per deal in companies worth up to $500 million, and then double or triple the size of its business before selling. In September 2024, Vertu completed a strategic investment into LumiQ, which makes an education platform for aspiring accounting professionals. The edtech startup was Vertu’s fourth investment since closing its inaugural fund.
Feature image courtesy Vertu Capital.
