Saudi Arabian oil and gas producer Aramco has hired Ionel Nechiti as an investment director for its corporate venture capital arm, Aramco Ventures.
Based in Houston, Nechiti will help Aramco Ventures with VC investments and portfolio management. He joins the 13-person North America team led by managing directors Jim Sledzik and Daniel Carter, the latter of whom was a GCV Emerging Leader in 2021.
Nechiti spent nearly six years at renewable energy-focused asset management firm Platform Investment from 2019, most recently as chief executive and managing director.
Aramco Ventures was formed in 2012 and has team members across Saudi Arabia, North America, Europe and Asia, and is led by GCV Powerlist member and unit CEO Mahdi Aladel.
With $7bn under management and 65 active portfolio companies, Aramco Ventures runs several CVC initiatives including Wa’ed Ventures, Sustainability Fund, Digital/Industrial Fund and Prosperity7 Fund, targeting companies developing decarbonisation, digitalisation and other strategic technologies.
