Jack Leeney, US head of investing for Telefonica Ventures, the corporate venturing unit of the eponymous Spain-based phone operator, has left after nearly five years at the firm in order to be a partner at SP Global Capital.
SP is an independent growth technology fund founded by SP Global Capital and backed by ProSiebenSat.1, a Germany-based media group. ProSiebenSat.1 has been making corporate venturing deals through its SevenVentures unit, led by Sascha van Holt in Munich.
Leeney, a former investment banker at Morgan Stanley, had worked on a number of deals for Telefonica, including Expected Labs, co-investing with Samsung and Intel, Telefonica’s purchase of Tokbox, and leading the $25m round for Everything.me. His other board observer and director roles have included Quantenna Communications and Cinepapaya, and other investments have included Cyanogen and Blueliv.
Tracy Isacke, managing director of corporate relationship management at US-based Silicon Valley Bank,who joined from Telefonica, said: “I hired Jack into Telefonica and he worked for me for three years providing much needed knowledge and understanding of Silicon Valley as we grew the Telefonica’s innovation hub and venture team.
“He was deeply involved in the acquisition of Tokbox which has subsequently grown to employ around 100 people in San Francisco. He also managed the portfolio of investments and took over as the central point of contact for Telefonica after I left the group.
“I am personally delighted for him and excited to help and support him in his new endeavor!”