Meghan Sharp, formerly managing director of the Americas for BP Ventures, oil and gas producer BP’s corporate venturing unit, has joined one of its portfolio companies as chief operating officer.
Sharp, who was ranked second in 2019’s GCV Rising Stars awards, said: “I am experimenting with the other side of the fence – a COO role at Beyond Limits. I have no doubt that I will one day be in venture again, but this is great experience in an operating role at a company I know well.”
Cognitive computing technology developer Beyond Limits raised $20m from BP Ventures in June 2017 at which time Sharp took a board seat.
Sharp had led a team of nine people – now run by David Hayes (for an interview see this month’s forthcoming energy sector analysis in Global Corporate Venturing) – that is based in the US and which is responsible for a significant portion of the venturing activity at BP.
For her Rising Stars award, Sharp said: “At the close of 2018, the Americas team will have invested over $300m in the US and Canada out of a total of approximately $500m invested globally by the venture team. The Americas team is expected to have led or supported the global team in over 40 transactions by year end – exits, follow-ons and new deals and funds.”
Sharp has been part of BP Ventures for more than eight years and had seen the global team and portfolio grow from six people and $30m of investment a year to 18 people with an investment pool of about $200m peryear.
Photo of Meghan Sharp courtesy of LinkedIn.